Fagus

[bluewombat]

Has anyone noted the fagus turning yet, if so where? Thought it might be nice to have a ' the fagus is good here' heads-up considering it is autumn
bw

[Hingrock]

Was at Mt Field on weekend and nothing much is happening there for a week or three.

[johnw]

I'm also interested in this, never having visited Tasmania in autumn. Will be there first 2 weeks in May and hoping to see fagus in colour at some point. There is a distributon map on the PWS web site but it lacks detail.

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/veg/fagus/distribution.html

I'm aware that Cradle Mtn is a "hotspot", but having been there recently wasn't planning to return this trip. Likely will go to Mt Field though (best bet?). Are there other places? I'd rather walk somewhere to see it, not just jump out of a vehicle at a lookout.

Kind regards,
John W

[frank_in_oz]

Starting to turns early last week up in the Cradle area. My wife was told Anzac day is the best time?

[Son of a Beach]

yeah, late April is ideal. Crater Lake and the South side of Cradle Mtn/Little Horn saddle are two good spots that are easily accessible in the Cradle Mtn area.

[PeterJ]

Starting to turns early last week up in the Cradle area. My wife was told Anzac day is the best time?

She was well informed, but depends a bit on the prior coldness. Nevertheless it is always good at that time.

[walkinTas]

I'm also interested in this, never having visited Tasmania in autumn. Will be there first 2 weeks in May and hoping to see fagus in colour at some point. There is a distributon map on the PWS web site but it lacks detail.

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/veg/fagus/distribution.html

I'm aware that Cradle Mtn is a "hotspot", but having been there recently wasn't planning to return this trip. Likely will go to Mt Field though (best bet?). Are there other places? I'd rather walk somewhere to see it, not just jump out of a vehicle at a lookout.

Kind regards,
John W

You'll just catch some colour at Cradle. Last year I walked on 25-04 and 13-05. The colour was very good on the first walk and completely finished on the second. I heard that the Tarn shelf is just as nice as Cradle, so head into to Mt. Field and do that walk as soon as you get here. I'll be up on Cradle on the 25th, so we can compare notes.

[Son of a Beach]

...so we can compare notes.

...and pictures hopefully. Maybe a gallery topic with everyone's Gunii photos for the year?
I'll be walking on the 25th-27th, so might be able to contribute if I see any near Mt Olympus.

[DaveNoble]

Anzac day is the traditional best time. However - a day of strong wind can mean that the leaves fall off very quickly. So sometimes you need to be lucky.

Pine Valley is a good place - nice fagus on the Acropolis Plateau and all around the Labyrinth (Probably at its best near Pool of Memories) - and ifs gone from there (as i would expect in early May) - then the upper part of the valley should still be good - the old track to Geryon Camp still exists and can be followed without too much trouble.

It is also nice on the Traveller Range and around Pelion Gap - eg on the side of Mt Doris.

Dave

[walkinTas]

We will definitely compare photos. And yes, a new gallery - Fagus 2008.

Just to whet the appetite a little, this one is Crater Lake 25-04-07.

[wello]

DaveNobel is spot on about the pool of Memories in the labyrinth. I was there around Anzac day 2003 in perfect weather, and the combination of masses of fagus, pencil pines and Mt Geryon as a back drop is just spectacular. elsewhere in the Labyrinth is good also, as are the slopes of Geryon on both the pine valley and windy ridge sides. You can also get a distant view of a huge amount of fagus on the southern slopes of Ossa from the northern end of the du cane range.

Crater lake is great too (but everyone has a photo of that!). Around cradle, also try Hounslow Heath (behind Waldheim) and the Twisted Lakes out near Hanson's Peak.

Good luck - can't wait for the photo gallery.

Wello

[walkinTas]

Around cradle, also try Hounslow Heath (behind Waldheim).

Yes, if anyone has only a short time and wants some good pics, either the Hounslow Heath track of the Maryland track from the Ronny Creek car park. These tracks meet at a nice Nothofagus forest where the track comes down off Hounslow Heath (below Brewery Knob).

[tasadam]

All reports are that the Fagus is looking pretty good at the moment.
The weather looks set to crack up on Friday with a significant low, and an associated cold front to cross.
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDE00902.loop.shtml

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDG00074.shtml

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDT13100.html

Sorry to be the burden of bad news to all looking to get amongst it this weekend.

[walkinTas]

Not good news for Fagus hunters. Rain, wind and highland snow before Sunday. Tomorrow morning will be good!

[walkinTas]

There is a distributon map on the PWS web site but it lacks detail.

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/veg/fagus/distribution.html

John, This might help. I dropped the PWS Distribution map over the Tasmap Index map. 4038 Cradle, 4037 Wills and 4235 Du Cane (The Labyrinth) are the hot spots as you would expect. Mt. King William II and Cheyne Range down to Mt. Gell and Mount Bobs also feature on the distribution map. Amazingly, I can't see a single red dot on 4027 Dobson (Mt. Field).

Bring your thermals, the nights are getting cold now.

Fagus2.jpg (138.99 KiB) Viewed 14696 times

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[johnw]

John, This might help. I dropped the PWS Distribution map over the Tasmap Index map. 4038 Cradle, 4037 Wills and 4235 Du Cane are the hot spots. Mt. King William II and Cheyne Range down to Mt. Gell and Mount Bobs also feature on the distribution map. Amazingly, I can't see a single red dot on 4027 Dobson (Mt. Field).

Thanks for that. I think Mt Field remains my best option as we're heading straight to New Norfolk for a couple of days on arrival later next week. Hopefully the Fagus is still OK then.

Bring your thermals, the nights are getting cold now.

Brr! Thks, already packed them, although it will only be day trips this visit. Looks like I'll have to plan a future repeat of the Overland Track at this time of year to see some of those hot spots.

Kind regards,
John W

[Son of a Beach]

The photos of Fagus from this year (and one from last year) have been moved to the gallery forum here: Fagus 2008

[wello]

Some might find this hard to believe, but I was at Cradle Mtn from the 11th May to the 14th May and the Fagus is still quite reasonable in a lot of places. The better spots were Crater Lake, Lake Dove (mainly on Marion's Lookout), Lake Wilkes, Waterfall Valley and Innes Falls (these falls really are worth a look!) Areas that are now gone are Lake Rodway area, Twisted Lakes, and Mt Campbell. Being this late, the colours aren't at their best, but it was still well worth the trip.

Wello

[Son of a Beach]

There was still some very bright yellow Gunnii bushes around Lake Meston yesterday (18th May). Most of the bushes were well past it, but some had a few leaves, and occasionally you'd see a bush that was still mostly covered. The leaves that were still on the bushes were such a very bright yellow that they almost looked fluorescent in the dull overcast light.

I'll add a photo or two to the gallery topic a bit later today.

[johnw]

Some might find this hard to believe, but I was at Cradle Mtn from the 11th May to the 14th May and the Fagus is still quite reasonable in a lot of places. The better spots were Crater Lake, Lake Dove (mainly on Marion's Lookout), Lake Wilkes, Waterfall Valley and Innes Falls (these falls really are worth a look!) Areas that are now gone are Lake Rodway area, Twisted Lakes, and Mt Campbell. Being this late, the colours aren't at their best, but it was still well worth the trip.

Wello

I believe it because I also saw most of it. Only got back to Sydney from my recent Tasmanian trip on Friday night (via NSW south coast for several days). Made a spur of the moment decision to go up to Cradle Mtn the day before we left Tassie (Sat 10th May). Were staying at East Devonport at the time. Anyway I also thought that the fagus still seemed reasonable in a number of places. Our walk plans didn't quite go to schedule though. Attempted Hounslow Heath track as it's one of a handful up there we had never done. We found it really hard going in the first section and were wasting too much time (only had a short day available due to other commitments), but did see some fagus there. So we bailed out and headed for Dove Lake thinking we could climb Mt Campbell (also not done before). The track closed sign on the Hansons Peak saddle clobbered that idea as well, but there were more Fagus photo opps there. Finally thought we'd walk all the way back to the visitors centre via the board walk (also never done). But running so late by now that we took the shuttle bus from Snake Hill (had parked at the information centre). Time up, so bought a book at the visitors centre and went back to Devonport.

I haven't caught up with all the new posts yet but seems like some fagus is still around, though in decreasing amounts and quality. We also went to Tarn Shelf at Mt Field NP earlier in the trip and saw some reasonable fagus there, but past its peak I think. When I finish going through the 700 odd photos I took I'll post a couple.

Kind regards,
John W