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Showing posts from August, 2017

Labillardiere Peninsula 2017

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Thursday 31 August 2017 Mount Bleak It is amazing how, in the space of 10 years, the length of the walk and hills on the stretch of track along the west coast of Labillardiere Peninsula have been forgotten. Our memory was of a walk along a heathy scrubland to the beach at the pointy end opposite Partridge Island. As a consequence the tree covered hill, Mount Bleak, came as a surprise. Butlers Beach was longer than expected and the track along Great Taylors Bay became tiring.  Nevertheless, we got around in 6 hours including lunch. Mount Barren and Courts  Island Eucalypts on Mount Bleak Partridge Island and Narrows Hopwood Beach Hopwood Beach Butlers Beach Butlers Beach Lighthouse Jetty Beach There is a fish farm in the bay and the constant irritating noise, possibly from a tug like boat, was a big negative.  It doesn’t seem right that they are allowed close to the coast and it is hoped that one day soon they will all be forced to

Risdon Hills 2017

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Thursday 24 August 2017 A most pleasant walk through Eucalypt woodland coming up from midway along the side of Risdon Brook dam.  I remembered going this way some years ago, but had forgotten that it was nearly all on an old little used vehicle trail.  It was also steeper than I recalled, especially near the top of the climb. Large parts of the hillside are thickly covered with what I believe to be Ozothamnus scutellifolius which would be worth viewing when in flower during Spring. The track along the top of hill here is particularly nice. A steep descent to Huon Gully was made then a climb on the northern hills to a lunch spot.  From there we rejoined the track out to the north-western end of Risdon Brook for the final bit to the car. If there had been plenty of time it would have been good to walk beyond the lunch spot for a circuit of the fairly flat hills, I had been over these several times in the past but am quite keen to return for such a walk. Dist

Clyde River Gorge

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Tuesday 22 August 2017 This was a walk that I didn’t have much idea what it might be like. It crossed farmland to a waterfall, named Falls of Clyde on the map. The falls were bigger than imagined and had a large pool below.  Beyond that we could see a gorge and walked along the top, descended at the far end and proceeded to walk through.  The cliffs were quite big in one section and there were numerous patches of white stain from we assume birds of prey. Falls of Clyde Cliffs of Clyde River gorge Cliffs with bird stains Lunch above the falls Old Eucalypt However, the gorge was very weedy and invaded with willow and gorse and of course the water was murky.  It did make me wonder what it must have been like before the country was developed for agriculture.  The land pays a huge price for development, it would have been great if more land had been spared. Heading to Nant - photo Greg Bell After the walk which took about 3:30 with lunch for the

Basin Hills

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Tuesday 15 August  It was sunny during the walk which was nice as it was Chris’s birthday. Departure was from the PWS access way from Sycamore Road in Risdon Vale and apart from a bike track early on, the climb to the top of Basin hills was on a vehicle track. Under the first cliff  marred by a few car wrecks. Chris on left Once up there it is mostly fairly level with just a few undulations. Early on we diverted to a cliff that unfortunately has been targeted by riffraff to push cars over.  Tree at edge of cliff A further kilometre from there we again left the main route to circle along a small cliff to through pleasant skinny Eucalypts, mostly risdonii we think. Eucalypts most likley E risdonii A short 60 metres in height climb followed to the high point of the walk. The surrounding area was prominent with Grasstrees and was much less tracked. Shortly after the downhill commenced which included a delightful wide sandstone slab section kept na