Bushwalk Australia

Hi Looking for some advice on the DuCane Traverse. We are experienced hikers and have walked a lot in Tasmania on and off-track. We are having to change our plans at the last minute due to the fires and park closures so was considering the Du Cane Traverse. I understand Park now prefer you to do this in a clockwise direction. Does anyone have any walk notes and rough plan with suggested camp spots they could PM me? We will probably walk in from lake St Claire and stay at Echo point or Narcissus Hut 1st night then up to Pine Valley.
Appreciate any help - I had Chapmans book but lent it out and it never came back - I understand there are notes in here?

Plenty of spots to camp. The only section that there isn't really much is between the summit of Massif and when you get back to the Overland Track.

Are any of you in Tassie? Chapman's book is on the shelf at a number of libraries around the state.
https://librariestas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/all/search/results?qu=chapman&qu=lake&qu=st&qu=clair

No in Adelaide but thanks for the details
I have ordered another copy today!

I did from memory:
Day 1: Ferry, Narcissus, Pine Valley, Acropolis sidetrip, lake Elysia camp.
Day 2: Mt Hyperion, Du Cane High Point, Big Gun Pass, Mt Massif Bowl camp.
Day 3: Falling Mountain, OLT, back to Narcissus

If you follow the cairns through the Labyrinth towards du cane high point, stay high and skirt left to camp above Lake Helios. If you try and cut down the hill you'll get stuck in scrub that is much higher than it looks. There's good camping above (South of) Helios in fine weather. Camping at Elysia is discouraged and there weren't great spots.

Camping in Massif bowl is amazing with a cool sinkhole if the water is running.

Dropping off Falling onto the OLT is rough off track but easy going downhill.

doogs wrote:Plenty of spots to camp. The only section that there isn't really much is between the summit of Massif and when you get back to the Overland Track.

I camped on top of Castle Crag. Beautiful spot, thanks to the small pool of water tucked under a block a little below the summit that I happened upon. It was a short day stopping there but I couldn't resist the location.

I camped at Narcissus, Lake Elysia, Massif bowl, Castle Crag, and Narcissus again. I really wanted to camp at Lake Helios too. Kind of like you I ended up there after having to bail on the Eastern Arthurs. My initial disappointment turned to feelings of being fortunate that fate had me in the Du Cane range instead. I'll repeat it if I get the chance.

I used the Chapman notes. If you're really stuck PM me and I can send you the scans I made of it. It's just six pages.

It's fairly straightforward. I did it as an easy 4 day walk:
D1: Walk in to PV via Mt Gould in the evening.
D2: Mt Massif via Elios and Hyperion
D3 Back to PV hut via Castle crag.
D4 Back out to Lake SC.

For sure, the circuit by itself is not unreasonable as a day hike.

High camp in the Massif bowl is very special, good weather required!