Central Plateau Walk - Tasmania - January 2003

All images © David Noble. No image can be used for any purpose without permission.

This was walk with Mal McLeod and Jo Boyd from SUBW

Page 2 - Junction Lake - Traveller Range - The Labyrinth - The Acropolis

Day 5

 

Above - Mersey River near Junction Lake

Again dawned fine as we donned our packs, forded the Mersey and climbed a scrubby track up to Lake Artemis. Jo called it exfoliation. Dave and I called it time for gaiters. After elevenses we followed the less well-defined track around Lake Eros crossed the outflow stream over some boulders and made our way up a scrubby hill to the top of Rocky Knob (well it doesn't have a name on the map). To the west rose the peaks of the Du Cane range with Ossa, Pelion and Cathedral to the North. Behind us and now in the distance we could see the Walls of Jerusalem. Immediately below us stretched the Traveller Range - our destination for the night. The rest of the days walking involved picking our way through a bewildering array of lakes and ridges as we made our way towards the Eastern edge of the range. Everywhere we wandered was an endless garden of water, rock and alpine vegetation. Towards the end of the afternoon we made our camp up high on the range with brilliant views of the Du Cane range and the Cathedral. We each retired to our own personal lake to swim and wash clothes before dinner of satay tuna on rice and sitting back under clear skies to watch the sunset. As spectacular as the dawn of the previous day with the mountains silhouetted against the darkening sky and a crescent moon to set it all off. I even rose late at night to survey the stars - stunning. No sign of Gimli.


Above - Above Lake Merope - Traveller Range


Above - Mal and Jo on the Traveller Range - looking towards the Du Cane Range


Above - Mal on the Traveller Range - looking towards the Du Cane Range


Above - Traveller Range camp










Above - Dusk


Day 6 Attack of the killer ants.

 

Above - Mal above Du Cane Gap

We descended the Traveller Range by a steep track to briefly join the Overland Track. Our estimates of the number of people we would see that day ranged from 35 for Dave, 40 for Jo and 50 for me. By lunchtime we had made Pine Valley Hut and I had won the guessing game hands down. While we lunched we talked with the Track Ranger Nicki, who recognised Dave from previous adventures - or was that his volleys? Leaving the multitudes to it we then trudged up the steep hour long climb to towards the Labyrinth and camped on the Eastern bank of Lake Elysia facing the towering peaks of The Acropolis and Mount Geryon. The wind was freshening in the evening and as the evening deepened the scudding clouds cast great shadows over the landscape. Rice and veges for dinner followed by stewed apricots and pears. Despite the beautiful surrounds the area is infested with a high density of little black ants which bite at the first opportunity. Tucking my trousers into my socks solved the problem well enough, but a few echidnas would have been a more long term solution.


Above - In the Labyrinth


Above - the Geryon







Above - The Acropolis


Day 7




Again we rose to sunny skies but the Westerly wind soon put paid to that. After breakfast we had to retire to the tents to sit out the hail and then snow that briefly engulfed our campsite. At least it kept the ants in bed. This weather pattern was to set get worse over the day. In the next clear spell we packed up and started our walk out of the labyrinth. At times we walked with the snow blowing in and clinging to our hairy legs - No snow on Jo though. At other times the we walked in sunshine with fine views of the feathery clouds brushing the tops of the Geryon and the Acropolis. We made our way to the Pool of Memories and then found the steep track down off the plateau and into the Cephissus Valley. It was more protected win the Valley with showers as we picked our way though the lush moss-clad rainforest of pines and myrtle, back to Pine Valley Hut. We resolved to have a comfortable lunch at the Hut followed by a climb to the top of the Acropolis, rain, hail or shine. The climb up the Acropolis was almost deserted due to the inclement weather, however we did see Scott and Amundsen descending wrapped in their all their polar gear. They seemed a little surprised to see the three of us motoring to the top in shorts. When we reached the plateau we were walking in flurries of snow, but Press on Regardless we did, confident that the next break in the weather was going to coincide with our reaching the summit. We reached the top in 1.5 h from Pine valley and waited patiently out of the driving wind and snow for that break in the clouds. It never came, except for some brief glances to the West and Lake Elysia where we had camped the night before. On our descent we resolved to stay in the hut for the night before making our way out the next day. When we arrived back at Pine Valley Hut, things had taken a turn for the worse. The place was packed to the rafters with noisy, steamy hikers all eating two-minute noodles and drying there smelly socks over the stove. We hunkered down over a hot drink and surveyed the scene, eventually deciding even though it was 6:00 we would abandon the rabble and head down the valley to camp. Good decision too as we enjoyed a peaceful night snug and warm in our dry tents as the rain pattered down outside - the first serious rain of the trip. Macaroni and cheese with sun dried tomatoes for dinner followed by hot milo before bed - perfect.



Above - Mt Gould


Above - Pandani Grove - Acropolis Plateau


Above - The Acropolis

Above - Snowgum - Acropolis Plateau

Day 8

Our last day and a very short one. We woke to overcast but dry skies and a chorus of birds in the forest surrounding our little camp. We walked for a little over and hour to get down over the button grass to Narcissus Hut. due to an early start we also managed to catch the 9:30 boat out to the Cynthia Bay at the end of the lake with some wait until the bus at 4:15. to fill the time we showered and all put on that carefully guarded set of clean clothes. We took a stroll around on the walking tracks to Platypus Bay and back and then a pie and chips for lunch, washed down with liberal quantities of beer. Dave kept us entertained with highlights of the video and eventually it was time to go. I don't remember much of the bus ride due to beer induced nap. In the evening we met up with Steve and had much wood fired pizza all round.


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