Meander Falls Road Access

[chow]

We went on a fact-finding drive up to Meander Falls car park today.

A few kms up meander falls rd the bridge is now completely gone with boulders blocking the road.
Smoko Road road ends with a huge sinkhole preventing vehicles from continuing any further. Two cars were packed here suggesting walkers had continued on foot, the road is not very wide here requiring a 4 point turn in the x-trail to head back down.

A temporary alternative route to the Meander Falls Track car park has been opened but this is a four-wheel drive only track and is likely to be closed in wet weather. The signs for this road are hand written on pieces of white cardboard, not very weather hardy. The first part of this road was very good then it turned right onto a freshly graded track. This track was muddy after the last few days rain but the going was fine in the x-trail. Ground clearance would be an issue for a normal car with the track being packed down with deep muddy furrows. This section was only a few kms long then the road improved to a well-graded dirt road meeting back up with meander falls rd and an easy drive to the car park.

Forgot to take a camera so the photo of the temporary road was taken with our phone camera but it should give you an idea of the road.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Two cars were packed here suggesting walkers had continued on foot,

Indeed we did!! That was me and Ollster. The walk to the old carpark takes about 30-35 minutes.

[chow]

Sorry we didn't meet up, how was the walk once you got to the carpark, we are thinking about doing a walk up there in a few weeks with some visitors from Victoria???

[ILUVSWTAS]

It was a beautiful walk. Without doubt the nicest creek you will see anywhere along with one of the prettiest forests i've been in.
Took around 5 hrs return to Mother Cummings at a casual pace.

That hole in the road is sure impressive!! We did wonder about the roadblock on the falls road....

[north-north-west]

Two cars were packed here suggesting walkers had continued on foot,

Indeed we did!! That was me and Ollster. The walk to the old carpark takes about 30-35 minutes.

Ahhh, so you got up Mother Cummings. How was the weather?

[ILUVSWTAS]

Beautiful!!
What a beautiful walk through a lovely forest following an amazing creek!!

[stepbystep]

Beautiful!!
What a beautiful walk through a lovely forest following an amazing creek!!

How did Oll rate it as opposed to the Dell track?

[north-north-west]

It's not bad up top either, although I could have done without the Cape Pillar standard wind, and the snow being blown across from Ironstone et al

Yes, a beautiful forest/creek walk. Better than the Meander Falls track, I think.

[walkinTas]

No maybe about it! Smoko creek walk is way prettier than the Meander Falls walk. Sadly I am yet to see Smoko Falls in all its glory.

[ollster]

How did Oll rate it as opposed to the Dell track?

More pleasant walking, open forest and a better track, although I did enjoy the log crossing and deep thundering falls/chute on the Dell track.

[north-north-west]

Hang on, Luvverboy - you went up there with Ollie? Do you mean HE was the "P-plater in a Corolla" whose ability to handle the road concerned you?
Oh dear. I am just soooo disillusioned.

[Crum]

Does this track cross both Smoko Creek and the Meander River and go all the way up to the carpark at the very end of the road? I'm keen to do the walk again soon and just wanted to comfirm this

[north-north-west]

The vehicle access gets you to the carpark, but by a rather circuitous route. And it does have some rough patches.

I have no idea what the walking track itself is like. I would think it's a lot rougher than it used to be, although it will probably have been remarked since the floods.

[chow]

Hi Crum
The temporary mud track cuts through scrub and comes out on the road up the car park to meander falls, bypassing the damaged bridge and sinkholes. We parked right at the car park and did a quick walk down the meander river and across the suspension bridge. We were not equipped to walk any further that day so can't tell you about the walking track

Smoko creek Rd is totally impassable by car a short way up the rd and I am told that it takes about 30 -35 mins to walk to the the carpark there.

[Nick S]

I walked up Mother Cummings just last Saturday. 4.5 hrs return to the car - with a moderate pace on the way up.
You can only get a few hundred metres along Smoko road now, have to walk about 15min to reach the old carpark, and another 15 before you reach the turnoff.
It's real nice forest and quite easy walking along the overgrown road so we didn't mind at all.

[Crum]

Went for a drive on Friday. Not a real lot left of the Meander River bridge. The water level looked to have been a fair amount higher than the actual road too

[ILUVSWTAS]

...

Just an update, went up the Dell track today, there's a sign up saying temporary access to the falls down a side road. Seems they are still accessible.

[Guy yaffa]

Hi everyone

Just wondering if anyone is walking the meander falls track this weekend (sat 9 July). I,m by myself and wish to join someone for the walk. I do have a 4 wheel vehicle for the dodgy road.

I'm fit so happy to tag along with anyone who s keen.

Thanks

Guy

[x71101]

Just went for a rec drive. two bridges are completly gone. Only access to the carpark at the start of the meander falls and split rock walks is via the 4wd track previously mentioned. Definately only for high clearance 4wd. We had no problems in 4wd but this track will go under in heavy rain. The smoko road is also completly blocked (road collapsed at small creek crossing) about 2km past the meander falls road intersection. With the current Forestry Tas budget problems will any of these roads ever be fixed? Looks like we have longer walks in the future!
Following is from Forestry web site, the reference to March/April is interesting! Which decade?
Start quote"Meander Falls Road and Smoko Road


Recent heavy rains and flooding have washed away two bridges on the Meander Falls Road. The lost bridges are over the Mother Cummings Rivulet and the other over the Meander River. This was the only road access to the Meander Falls Track, Split Rock Track, Dickson's Track, Stone Hut Track, Croft Track, Bastion Cascade Track and the Meander Picnic Area. A temporary alternative route to the Meander Falls Track car park has been opened but this is a four wheel drive only track and is likely to be closed in wet weather


This road is an important access for bushwalkers to the Meander Forest Reserve World Heritage Area. Forestry Tasmania are looking at options to reopen two wheel drive access to these areas.

Additionally the first bridge on the Smoko Road is damaged and unpassable, this is the normal access to the Mother Cummings Creek / Summit track. This bridge is likely to be replaced in late March / early April. " end quote.

Regards, David

[dplanet]

Enjoyed Meander Falls & Split Rock and Smoko Falls & Mother Cummings Peak walks last month. Tent was pitched near Meander Falls and Smoko Road junction to do the two day walks.

Full days are expected because of extra kms to walk into the start of the track to Smoko Falls & Mother Cummings Pk (see previous messages).

And so is the same for Meander Falls & Split Rock; but you could save additional 7kms (both ways go/return) in a 4WD. There is a temporary route for 4WD to get into the carpark where the tracks start.

[prickle]

Thanks for the update "dplanet"

Looking to do a day walk up Dixon's next weekend .. was wondering what access was going to be like

Stuart

[north-north-west]

dplanet:
That's nowhere near the summit, you're still below the scrubline there. The high point is marked by a much larger cairn, it's (does mental navigation stuff) southish along the summit plateau, about 500m or so, right on the western edge.

[dplanet]

20m height is the difference. It's a relaxing walk from the cairn to it. No time for exploring the plateau due to safety issue on the return. It's a rather rough descent.

[tasadam]

I was talking with Forestry a few weeks ago, they told me that work would be starting on the Smoko Road (Mother Cummings access) repair February.

[chow]

Went up smoko creek road tuesday the 14/02/12 was very pleased to see the sinkhole that has been preventing access is now all gone, yippy. New drainage pipes have been put in and road repaired. see photo

Now just need bridges fix so can get to stone hut and bastian cascades without all that walking on the road thats so boring before you finally get to the start of the track.

[GerryDuke]

Thanks Chow. Nice to know.

Yes, it would be nice if the bridges could be fixed. I can never understand the 'brush off' we get when questioning the blaming the lack of 'funding' to fix the problem. Why can't funding for the 'controversial' 3 capes track be diverted to fix this problem and simply delay that project for a short period? I have always maintained that the Meander Forest Reserve at least should be a National Park and as such attract attract funding from that source to fix contingencies that arise such as this. This is too important and pristine an area to be closed down to tourists for a long period of time.

Gerry

[clarence]

Let's be grateful they've at least repaired one of these access roads. It was probably two years at least since the Smoko Road was safely passable to vehicles.

I'm no fan of Forestry Tasmania generally, but given the cost of replacement of the two concrete bridges over Meander River and Mother Cummings Rivulet, I can understand if they are in no rush to fix them. I would doubt that whether it was funded by PWS, FT or general state government coffers that it would make any difference to how quickly the access to Meander Falls gets reintated.

In the meantime park at the first washed out bridge to access the Bastion Cascades/Stone Hut track (this will involved about 0.5km extra walking compared to when the bridge was there) or drive up to end of Smoko Rd and take your pick of three excellent walks. The Dell Track to the foot of Bastion Bluff was recently re-cleared and cairned too so now it is a negotiable route rather than a scrub bash.

Clarence

[GerryDuke]

The issue here is the crossing of Mother Cummings Rivulet after rain when you would want to visit Bastion Cascades. Although it is only another .5 Kms to the quarry car park, it is a long walk to the start of the tracks from there along the road which can be passed by 4WD and even 2WD. Access to the cascades is very restricted without the bridge if the rivulet cannot be negotiated on foot.

GD

[jackson_turner1]

I am confused to where the Meander Falls are, hearing about the different road blocks, Mother Cummings Falls and on another site Smoko Falls is in fact a part of the Meander Falls is all VERY CONFUSING

Can anyone post some topography mapping (even Google earth) as to the different falls within the area and tracks to get to thees falls. Would be MUCH appreciated.

[walkinTas]

Here is a quick version on old maps.

Old Maps - lots of inaccuracies, but will give you a start.

The full map of Tassie waterfalls is on the Wiki.

There is some more discussion and a similar map over here --> viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2038&p=20305&hilit=dixon+track#p20305