Gould Plateau - Minotaur - Labyrinth navigation

[FSPA]

Hi everyone, I plan to visit Gould/Labyrinth area with a partner in early april for a 4-6 day hike. Was planning start off Narcissus, then via Marion onto the Gould Plateau for first night. Next day – ideally – like to traverse via the eastern scree slopes of Gould + over the saddle to Minotaur, subsequently on to Cyane lake and into Labyrinth.
We are experienced in offtrail navigation, however, we're not equipped for serious technical climbing and have not been to this particular area before (we’ll carry a rope, decent gps + EPIRB, anyways). Number one rule of our travels is to minimize impact on the areas we tramp through; hence we’d refrain from this traverse if it’d be strongly discouraged due to fragile environment.
Can someone give advise on the area between north of Gould and Cyane?
I know its impossible to objectively judge any offtrail walking as we each have our own interpretation whether "it's a hands-in-pockets walk" or annoying semi-technical boulder scramble, but I'd be glad if someone would share his/her subjective opinion based on past experiences and other imaginings.

Much appreciated! Best regards
Florian

[eggs]

For reference:
Trip report: http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=12896&p=170415&sid=8996157c88afd6e03cd095f57f8cbbcb#p170367
aslo see http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15998&p=212862&hilit=marion+to+gould#p212838

There's a reasonable pad off the Minotaur and intersects the main track to the Labyrinth.
It is a notably steep descent down a gully but no ropes required.
The descent gully starts further along from the main summit of the Minotaur, but I am pretty sure the pad directs fairly well past any initial drop offs.
It does not go down the face but is back a bit just behind the main ridgeline.
Coming up the other side, note that there are 2 tracks that are crossed. The first one is an old one heading towards Lake Leuce - which we could not find again at the other end.
So press on higher up the side of the Parthenon to the current Labyrinth track.

There was a discussion on this site about Lake Marion to Goulds - but I don't think a direct route is a good idea. Better to go well back along the track till you reach the branch off up Gould Plateau track.
Of course you may just mean that you will start off up the Lake Marion track before branching off.

It was wet when we did it - which together with the scrub made it a tough walk - but no technical difficulties.
We should have pressed higher up to the main cliff line initially before traversing around Gould - but it was easy to lose the pad there.
The big dolerite boulders have a black growth on them which is like ice when wet - so take a lot of care on the screes if it is wet.

[Thylaseen]

We found the routes straight forward. Have been to Gould twice recently.

The first time we walked into Cyane and camped, then did a day walk back to Gould via the Minotaur - it gets steep but definitely not rock climbing- track is easy to follow. Going up Gould we went up using Chapman notes - starting at the boulders up a gully, with cairns towards the top. It's a fantastic view at the top. (We also did a day walk to Walled Mtn, and subsequently walked out over the rest of the DuCane range: a great trip).

The second time we ascended from Nicholls junction to the Plateau - we were able to follow a track until the base of the cliff line. Then scrub bashed along the base of the cliffs - a bit rough underfoot but OK, then dropped down to the boulder scree slope and ascended as per the first time. We camped in the Gould Minotaur saddle which was great, but you'd need to pick up water somewhere: we found some in small pools from recent rain on the slopes of Gould near the saddle. The next day we did a day trip to the Guardians - no formed track but straight forward to find a way. Again a fabulous spot. Last day we walked out over Minotaur and back to Narcissus.

First trip report here:
http://www.andrewgaskell.com.au/bushwalking/january-2016-du-cane-range

[FSPA]

eggs, Thylaseen,
thanks a ton for your detailed feedback + very helpful links. One more question if you don't mind; I gather there should be a more or less obvious branch off Lk Marion trail which leads to Gould plateau, hence I don't expect getting up there by pure bush bashing - is that correct? Once up, I plan to walk offtrail to the two tarns on the eastern end of the plateau for first night (as far as I can tell from topo + g'maps it looks like we should find a decent spot somewhere round there).
Next day to Selene and then probably through to Lk Helios - looks like beautiful country. Last day would be backtracking to Pine Valley through Labyrinth as I see no option to descent into Pine Valley directly from Helios. Maybe do Acropolis next day + then out. Hope that gets me a good first impression of southern cradle area. Haven't been there but so much looking forward to visiting!

thx again

[Nuts]

eggs, Thylaseen,
thanks a ton for your detailed feedback + very helpful links. One more question if you don't mind; I gather there should be a more or less obvious branch off Lk Marion trail which leads to Gould plateau, hence I don't expect getting up there by pure bush bashing - is that correct? Once up, I plan to walk offtrail to the two tarns on the eastern end of the plateau for first night (as far as I can tell from topo + g'maps it looks like we should find a decent spot somewhere round there).

thx again

There's a track right up, past the tarns and across the plateau.
Off Lk Marion Tk it's signposted (iirc) but with a few confusing braids around bog holes at the turnoff. Keep an eye out (and on the map) as you approach the base of the hill/climb.

[eggs]

I believe the turn off point was formerly known as Nicholls Junction and was in fact the turn off to the now disused tracks into Pine Valley.
There are markers for the track up onto the plateau, but you do need to take care as Nuts said.
You might end up on the old track to Pine Valley instead of going up the nose of the ridge, but that should be apparent fairly quickly.

[Back in 1980, the old routes into Pine Valley which both went via Nicholls Junction were one of my first encounters with Tassie conditions and a particular section of Spagnum Moss is etched in my memory because it was so deep and wet. I did not notice it this time around, so it was either further up beyond the plateau track turnoff or the track has changed slightly. There are a few boggy bits still there though]

[FSPA]

Couldn't ask for better information. Thank you