Bushwalk Australia

Hi all,
Wondering if anyone has a gpx file for the Southern Ranges that i could get my hands on? All the way through to Precipitous bluff and down to new river lagoon?

Thanks in advance!

You should not really need it. And unless your gps is accurate and the loaded track is accurate to 1m you are better off looking for the cairns and footpad. I've done the route twice and both times paying detailed attention to what was on the ground aid off and successfully avoided off track adventures.

If you really want a gps track, make a track (or route or course depending on what your gps/gps software is calling it this week) from the track shown on the LIST maps of the route. I know this is reasonably accurate but still is a average of multiple gps tracks as I (and many others) contributed to it's make up. Alas my gps track of the route is still lost somewhere in a computer change over.

For example the bit coming off PB down to New River Lagoon really has to be done by following the cairns. It is so vertical that gps does not cope very well. I have found this out by similar sections in the Western Arthurs and confirmed it last wander thru the Southern Ranges.

Good advice there.

The route finding isn't terribly difficult if you have some experience. Unfortunately tools such as the strava heatmap are increasingly showing the way if you need validation of the map route.

A young Tassie YouTuber, Lucas Chamberlain may have one - just watched his 5 part series on this route. Maybe you could message him.

Hi Wanderingwombat14. Did you manage to find a gpx file?

It's poor form to ask for a .gpx on a open forum. In fact it's against the forum rules.
This traverse follows along where you'd expect it to and is quite straightforward as there is enough traffic. If you feel you need a route handed to you on a platter then you might want to choose different walk.
This trip probably has the wildest weather of any range traverse in Tasmania, a .gpx file is no substitute for experience and quality equipment....

doogs wrote:It's poor form to ask for a .gpx on a open forum. In fact it's against the forum rules.

Hey Doogs,
I may have missed something, but I wasn't aware that asking was against the forum rules. Posting it publicly, yes.

Avoid posting detailed information on accessing sensitive areas without recognised tracks to public topics, but rather use private messages, email, or other non-public means to communicate such information instead. Feel free to ask questions about such areas publicly, so long as the post includes a reminder of this rule to get answers privately only.

Tasbadger, I'd like to welcome you to the forum.
Having been in some very serious weather in the Southern Ranges, I absolutely agree with the need for lots of experience in harsh Tasmanian conditions and good gear. And that there are places, especially in steep country or around rocky towers, where a gps trace is misleading at best. But wanting a gpx file doesn't mean you necessarily lack what you need for a walk with challenges like PB. I like having one as back up to keeping a keen eye out for pads. Sometimes it does save us time and energy, and avoids making the wrong pads more obvious.

Tortoise wrote:

doogs wrote:It's poor form to ask for a .gpx on a open forum. In fact it's against the forum rules.

Hey Doogs,
I may have missed something, but I wasn't aware that asking was against the forum rules. Posting it publicly, yes.

Avoid posting detailed information on accessing sensitive areas without recognised tracks to public topics, but rather use private messages, email, or other non-public means to communicate such information instead. Feel free to ask questions about such areas publicly, so long as the post includes a reminder of this rule to get answers privately only.

Well, kinda, technically not against the rules Tortoise but it should be highly discouraged for the reasons detailed in your quote. There are plenty of topics on this forum about the Southern Ranges, the asker should read them, choose someone who appears to have experience on the walk and the write them a polite PM and I'm sure they would help or point you in the right direction. Just jumping on a forum and asking for a .gpx with your first post comes across as a little lazy and rude, maybe I'm just getting old!!
*this is not meant to offend the poster in any way. I hope they spend time on the forum and make friends, it's a wealth of information and there are many members who can help with quality information and advice.

What is the point of having a GPS without maps and gpx files on it? And more important, how do we know if we are asking questions to "the real expert of the area" and not just a wannabe? Should we trust better the post from the forum veteran or a gpx file recorded by a random? So many questions...

CBee wrote:What is the point of having a GPS without maps and gpx files on it? And more important, how do we know if we are asking questions to "the real expert of the area" and not just a wannabe? Should we trust better the post from the forum veteran or a gpx file recorded by a random? So many questions...

Nah, just forget about all that and go do the walk instead. There is more than enough info out there already.