Design your own walk

[stepbystep]

With the talk of the Hobart-Snowy Range walk in the press, it does prompt the question as to why this option and if you could design an iconic 5-7 day walk to attract walkers from all over the world, where would it be and why?

[stepbystep]

OK, I'll start How about Lake Plimsoll near Tullah to Lake St. Clair via Lake Spicer, the Sth Eldon River valley, Last Hill through to Pyramid Mtn, Goulds SL, Lake Petrarch and Cuvier Valley?

Plenty of nice side trips from this route

[Strider]

Macquarie Heads to Melaleuca!

[mjdalessa]

Would you really want that to attract walkers from all over the world? How about Gordon dam to Wreck Bay via the Franklands, Greystone, Propstings and Hean That might take a little more than 5-7 days though

Or Frenchmans- Clytemenstra- Livingstone Gorge- Lyne- Abseil into great ravine on Franklin- raft out to the Gordon; followed by a pleasant cruise showcasing local produce back to Hobart Transfers included.

[walkinTas]

Mine would be the Mersey River walk from Pine Hut up the Mosses Crk past Horeb, Meribah and Grail Falls, (side trip to Chalice Lake), on to Junction Lake, down past Clarke, Feather, McCoy, Hartnett, D'Alton, & Fergusson Falls, then through to Kia Ora (side trip to the falls) on to Pelion (side trip up Ossa) and then back past Oxley Falls and Lewis Falls to Pine Hut.

Yes, I know you can do it now, and its a bit shorter than 7 days, but it has to be one of the best falls walks anywhere and well and truly under sold as a tourist attraction. With the added attraction of Tassie's highest peak.

[doogs]

This one would be awesome but would need a couple of boat trips:
Day 1 Coles Bay to Wineglass Bay.
Day 2 Wineglass Bay to Bryans Beach via the high track or low track.
Day 3 Transfer to Schouten Island and walk to some tent platforms at Cape Sonnerat.
Day 4 Follow the coast the rest of the way around the island back to Moreys Bay.
Day 5 Transfer to Maria Island.
Day 6 Darlington to Encampment Cove.
Day 7 Encampment Cove to Haunted Bay.
Day 8 Ferry to Triabunna.
The ferry transfers would be expensive but not to bad compared with the OLT fees. Beaches and mountains is what the tourists like and boats lots of boats gotta have them boats

[pazzar]

Farmhouse creek to Melaleuca via Federation Peak, Gorilla Ridge and the Old River valley. Would provide easy access to the Norolds and surrounds, and a great circuit if you add on the SCT on the end.

[frenchy_84]

This is an interesting one because there are areas where a track through the bands of scrub would be nice but to then have to share the area with others due to the increased interested from a track would ruin it. So in designing a track you ruin one of the great attractions of the area. Thats why the wellington to snowy track and 3 capes tracks arent that bad an idea (despite the cost of creating the track and the optomistic returns) because the areas have marginal attractions so they are not degrading a pristine area. So back to the OP i would design a track that encompasses Lake Rhona to the Spires and out to the "adventure hub" at Strathgordon (but the track would be limited to only bands of scrub and only for me )

[stepbystep]

Just you and me Frenchy!

I think Doogs and Frenchy both have good points. What a lot of Australians in general don't understand is that O/S tourists come here to see coastlines, beaches and 'the outback'. They have plenty of mountains in the US, Asia and Europe already. So those that laugh at the 3 Capes proposal might be surprised as to it's appeal, still dubious about a track over the Snowys, very exposed and quite a fragile area up top and hardly the best views going(looking east anyway).

Some pretty dodgy proposals from the other contributors though

[Taurë-rana]

I think there is huge potential in the NE as well, but it could be a different sort of walk with accommodation at the end of each day perhaps. Although it may be too late, forestry activities have made such a mess there, and are continuing to do so.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Penguin to Cockle creek.

[walkinTas]

I'm not sure if you are serious or just put it out there... but!

The next obvious next stage is Lake St. Clair to Mt. Field. There is already an established facility at either end. Just need to decide the route for the 90 odd kms in between the two. Maybe up over Rufus and down the back, over the King Williams, on to Lake Rhona... and across the Florentine, somewhere, to the Mt. Field tracks.

[Strider]

I'm not sure if you are serious or just put it out there... but!

The next obvious next stage is Lake St. Clair to Mt. Field. There is already an established facility at either end. Just need to decide the route for the 90 odd kms in between the two. Maybe up over Rufus and down the back, over the King Williams, on to Lake Rhona... and across the Florentine, somewhere, to the Mt. Field tracks.

I like this idea!

[ILUVSWTAS]

Im serious alright, and it's been done!! By 2 folk that I know (well kind of) Andrew Hughes did it a few years ago, and a mate of mine skipped the easy bit (Penguin to LSC) and did the stn bit. took him 28days.....

what an amazing tourism pull though... COME WALK THE LENGTH OF TASMANIA.........

[mjdalessa]

Don't forget the crazy Belgian that came out with trench foot after completing it solo!

[doogs]

But we'd have to get that ultra runner bloke back to get it done in 5-7 days! Whatever happened to his attempt a couple of years ago?

[ILUVSWTAS]

But we'd have to get that ultra runner bloke back to get it done in 5-7 days! Whatever happened to his attempt a couple of years ago?

Twisted ankle on the OT.....

[walkinTas]

Im serious alright ...

So, if you were going to build a walking track, which way from Lake St. Claire to Mt. Field? I think over the King Williams is obvious, but after that, which way would be best for a tourist track? Out towards High Rocky Point, or straight down towards Bonds Graig and Lake Rhona, or east to Darkes Peak, over Wylds and on to Dawson and Mt. Lord - basically around the top of the Florentine and then down the eastern side?

It would be one step closer to your dream and an excellent extension to the overland track. I guess the question are: what would be doable? what would be more scenic? and what would be more challenging?

[ILUVSWTAS]

This would make the most sense. There is an old old old track that goes from butlers gorge, down into the vale of rasselas. So I guess that would be the obvious choice. In fact from the end of the KW range, 2 old airstrips can clearly be seen. I think they were built for mining exploration.

The more FUN way would be to build a track from the KW range to the POW range, down the Frankland range, and join up with the Port Davey track. OR go over the Arthurs, then Southern ranges.... turn it into a 40day epic!!!

Although in seriousness, i'd hate to see a track these ranges, they are some of the finest ranges in Tas.

[north-north-west]

Im serious alright ...

So, if you were going to build a walking track, which way from Lake St. Claire to Mt. Field? I think over the King Williams is obvious, but after that, which way would be best for a tourist track? ... east to Darkes Peak, over Wylds and on to Dawson and Mt. Lord - basically around the top of the Florentine and then down the eastern side?

Yes please. Leave Shakespeare untracked and don't take the hordes near Rhona. That would be magic.

My first thought when I read the OP was the Eldons . . .