Rambling Around NW Tasmania.

[drron]

Wildflowers are common though fewer at summer's end-

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Evidence of orchids-a sun orchid's seed pods-

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At first then a gradual descent with good views of the Mersey River valley-

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Some colourful berries before the descent gets steeper down the trail that for some reason they call the Fern Valley trail-

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[love_the_life]

It is a very attractive part of Australia. Enjoy my all too rare visits to Tassie immensely.

 

[drron]

The last part of the descent can be slippery as it crosses a little creek several times.Finally come out beside the Mersey-

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Then a scramble over rocks until you get to the picnic area-

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Often a great place for bird watching-

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Have never seen this fellow during the week but with the BBQs going on the weekend there he is getting up close and personal-

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[drron]

The old gravel pits make a pleasant spot for a picnic especially on a fine day-

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But this is why I come here-

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[OATEK]

Some great reflections in those last few shots.

 

[drron]

These ponds at Warrawee reserve are a great place to see platypi.On this last walk I arrived at the pond at midday.The wrong time according to the experts but yet I had just sat down on the bank and notice this fellow-

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I sat and watched him feeding for 25 minutes.Then it swam straight towards me,turned around and slapped his tail on the water 3 times.I am sure it is the same animal that I have seen many times before who would always swim over to me.Probably a little upset as about 15 months since my last visit.

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So I now started down the river bank.I had only gone about 2 minutes,came around a corner and coiled up on the track a rather large tiger snake.Over a metre long.I stopped,it raised it's head then slithered off into the bush.I waited a couple of minutes before running through that stretch.Wasn't paying that much attention to the views but did take a couple of pics-

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The last is all that remains of a viewing platform on the river to spot platypi.Got destroyed by a flood a few years ago.
So I really can recommend a trip to the Warrawee reserve.

 

[Major]

Sun orchids can be quite striking when you come across them

Key to Tasmanian Dicots

 

[drron]

Major you must have been reading my mind.Next on my list of favourite places is an orchid reserve between Latrobe and Railton.Railton is worth a visit with the town's topiary but also the Seven Sheds brewery-do a good IPA which they send on a few return trips across Bass Strait to replicate the original origins of IPA.Here is the council site on the reserve-
Latrobe Council - Orchids - Tasmania

I really enjoy finding terrestrial orchids and here are a few from this reserve-

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Also other wildflowers can be seen-

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So if you are in to flowers another recommended place for a walk in the bush.Best in spring and early summer.

 

[drron]

Well unexpectedly I find myself back in the North West of Tasmania for 8 weeks so I felt I would update this rambling conversation.However I will start of with last weekend's rambling which was around Launceston so not the North West.I wanted to complete a walk that nature prevented me from completing last year and then check out the east side of the Narawntapu NP.
So the walk was along the North Esk river.2.8Km each way.It started with me scaring a pair of Tasmanian bush hens.There were a lot during the walk.They have adapted to suburbia quite well but are skittish.

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In the pictures below the first is where the water was a few inches over the track and the second the camera is approx at the level of the water last year and where I turned back.then it was at least a foot over the track.

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Lots of flowers and nice free blackberries-

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A pleasant outlook on the walk.

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A couple of seats along the track and poitioned for a view.

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[drron]

Midway there is some nice bushland but with an off leash dog area.Though it had big signs-Beware of snakes.No one was using the area.But back to the the pics-

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Several black swans.This was the only one that didn't fly off but it does seem to be pretty laid back.

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Now reaching the end of the outward leg.The river has narrowed here-

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An interesting tree-

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[drron]

So the walk back-

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Some bird life-

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And the end in sight.A few big black clouds so next is lunch.

 

[drron]

So over to the wharf complex.The Chinese was closed and mudbar had stopped lunch service-it was after 3pm.So back to fish and chips.Once again cooked perfectly-moist and tasty.I had the fish and I couldn't miss out on Tassie scallops.

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They are getting on with the walkway over the North Esk and the Silo hotel.

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Then it was off to Harris Scarfe to look at frypans for mrsdrron.Found one that she liked that was on special.The older lady on the checkout then gave me her staff discount.Very happy.On the walk back to the car there was now accrss to the Civic precinct which has been under construction for some time.So able to access another historic building Macquarie House.

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I got back to the car and started driving intending to go to the National Park.But the heavens opened so back to Burnie.

 

[drron]

Sunday and it was off to the Rocky Cape National Park.First from the Sisters Beach side.Now I have never been good up hills and this is the start of the walk-

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And it just kept going up.However that means you do get good views.

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I wasn't handling the climb too well so decided on the shorter circuit.It goes through an area for some reason called Banksia grove.

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I decide to take a diversion to Anniversary Bay.It was worth it.

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[RooFlyer]

Lots of flowers and nice free blackberries-

As long as they haven't been sprayed!

 

[drron]

Now I have to be honest.I didn't go right down to the bay as the path got a little steep and I didn't want to walk back uphill.Even so Anniversary Bay is spectacular.

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So all you walkers here there is a lot in NW Tasmania to enjoy.
So back on the track.

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Next the Lee Archer cave.

 

[drron]

The path down to the cave is obviously a watercourse when it rains so a bit rough with some of the steps washed away.

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Once again great views including Anniversary bay as well.

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[drron]

The cave was a bit of a let down.

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But the views were worth the detour.

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It looks like a helicopter has been used to bring in materials to repair the track.

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Now time to return to Sisters beach via dry cave.Once again great views.

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[drron]

Continuing down to Sisters beach.Typical spectacular NW Tasmania coastal scenery.

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And Dry cave-

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Nearly back to the beach and I heard the unmistakeable sound of a chain saw and saw a fellow pruning the bushes on the dunes.He was not the fellow from the A frame house.But the intention is obvious

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Another observation.In my bushwalking days it was uncommon to meet women out in the bush.But today I met 15 women and only 3 men on the track.

 

[drron]

Anything WA can do Tassie can do better.

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But as Rooflyer has already shown their flowering gums are beautiful-

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It was now nearly 1500 so I backtracked about 600 metres on the Bass highway before I set off to the western entrance to the Rocky Cape NP.I had lunch at a little place called Thistle hut.The slow cooked lamb roll was just right.

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[JohnM]

Anything WA can do Tassie can do better.

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Ahem: Corymbia ficifolia, (previously Eucalyptus ficiffolia) or red-flowering gum/Albany red-flowering gum, native to the SW of WA .