Bushwalk Australia

Can someone please confirm that the starting point for the Port Davey Track (near Scotts Peak Dam) is near the Houn Campground? If so, is the walking distance from the Huon Campground (sign-in point) to Junction creek 7km? It appears more like 8km or even closer to 9km?

It looks like you may have once been able to start out further near the Red Knoll Lookout. Is this where the shorter distance may have been measured from or is my estimate just wrong?

The car park at the start of the track is more or less right next to the camp grounds.
It measures about 8km to me on the map.

Years ago it used to start on the side of Red Knoll Hill, it was a small offshoot that joined with the original track coming from Lake Pedder.
So it probably would be about 7km.

Thanks Azza, that confirms my suspicions. I have been doing my research considering my upcoming excursion to the Arthurs and noticed a great majority of blogs quote the distance as 7km (including Chapman who seems to be heavily referenced) but it didn't look right on the map or against the rudimentary distance measurement tool on google maps which allows you to plot the approximate track (which came to almost 9km).

Chapman's distances are always understated. On foot from Huon campground to Junction is closer to 9km than 8.

Thanks NNW. I will be mindful of the other distances quoted for the range.

Wherever I may roam wrote:Thanks NNW. I will be mindful of the other distances quoted for the range.

I wouldn't really think too hard about distances though.
Once up on the range, trying to judge things by distance will get you into trouble.
Looking at the times quoted in guide books is a better indicator.
Chapman does quote times without rest stops etc, so take that into account.

You might only walk 3km a day, but it might take you 6hrs+.
There is a lot of up and down and it takes time.

I walked 16.8km from the carpark to Junction Creek and back, but I doubled back over one section and would have covered at least an extra km, so it must be under 8km, but probably more than 7.5km one way.
It took me 6hr 20m for the return trip, but I only had a day pack, so moving fairly fast.

Wondering if anyone has any recent updates on the Red Knoll - Port Davey section of the old track - eg. underfoot condition, easy to follow, whether it is officially open? Looks pretty solid & obvious from sat photos.

If you can find the top end of it (near the seismic station), it's mostly pretty easy to follow. There's one stretch in particular where it goes through a damp scrubby gully - very short bit, but easy to get off line. Otherwise, while a bit overgrown in patches, it's surprisingly good. There's even a little of the old cording there, and one short section of bitumen.