West Coast

[palmtrees8]

Does anyone have info about the chances of connecting the 4wd track between Birchs inlet and Low Rocky Point to the coast north of the Wanderer River?

[ILUVSWTAS]

I think it can still be vaguely followed. I suspect the tracks would be overgrown in some places.

Have you looked on Google Earth??

[Nick S]

Pretty tough I reckon.
Google maps does give you an idea of the terrain and vegetation around that area and although there is an old road extending off the low rocky point track, it looks like it only goes a few km alongside the Wander river. Between there and the coast is a wide band of scrub which from my experience of exploring around Birches Inlet and walking along the track to the D'Aguilar range.. is quite thick of scrub and muddy.
Yeah the grassland areas are ok walking but those forested areas would be slow going.

[palmtrees8]

cheers, looking at the map there does seem to be a track heading NW from a landing stage at the southern end of Birchs Inlet and then SW to end at hibbs Lagon. Do you think this would be a viable route as it is marked as a walking track on the map?

[Nick S]

Yeah I was just checking out Google maps and found that track you were talking about. If the satellite image aren't too old that looks like your best bet.
Try talking to the rangers near strahan, or even the boat operators who do the ferry.
Are u doing it for the experience? otherwise I guess u could probably arrange to get a boat there anyway as u will be paying for the ferry there anyway.

[palmtrees8]

i was thinking i would have less options to get dropped at hibbs due to weather or finding suitable operators than going up to Birchs inlet although i would prefer the 1st option. Thanks for your help.

[Paul]

You could contact Dale Triffet at Strahan / Wynyard Airport / Cradle Mountain Airport - he could either drop you by helicopter, or by sea plane on Hibbbs Lagoon.

Cheers,

Paul.

[Ndevr]

I spent some time in the region last season, though not in the vicinity you're proposing, but it included a brief southern section of the track you mention, so as to avoid another swim. I haven't looked in detail at where you're attempting to cut to the coast, but it does look more than 10km. Don't be surprised if you can't find the take-off point and its 2km per day terrain in sections and you're crawling on your hands and knees!

[JWC]

The track from or to Birch's Inlet - Wanderer River - Low Rocky is fine. Clearly marked all the way by vehicle/quad bike tracks. There is a significant camp site beside the Wanderer River near the bridge, north side and to the west.

[Jon MS]

The Track between Birchs Inlet and Cowrie Beach (or Copper Beach) is easy to follow due to its use by quads.

I have heard that the Wanderer River bridge is down while the Lewis River bridge is still standing (but in very poor condition).

The tracks which go west out to the coast from near Birchs Inlet and from near the Wanderer River will be un-followable. The tracks were mostly put in in the 1960s and I last heard of them being used prior to the mid 1970s. This means they have not been used for over 40 years.

At various times since the mid 1980s I have looked for them on the ground. Except where they are in buttongrass moorland (and you don't need a track) the tracks will be either be totally overgrown and un-followable, or where you can follow the track, it will be because the track consists of a line of 3 to 4 m tall cutting grass and it will be easier to scrub-bash along side it.

Most of the vegetation between the coast and the buttongrass moorland consists of closed implicate rainforest where normal walking speeds are less than 4 km per 8 to 10 hour day. Some of the area also has no creeks meaning you need to carry water.

Except at Copper Creek, Sassy Creek, Low Rocky Point and Cowrie Beach, there are also no signs of the old tracks where they used to come out onto the coast (I have looked).

Also, if you fly in, without a permit from Parks, you are only allowed to land at Hibbs Lagoon, Birchs Inlet and Bond Bay.

Note that at Hibbs Lagoon, the jetty and row boat are unusable. This means you need to unload the plane 20 m from the bank and wade in through scrub over a metre of water which is over at least half a metre of soft mud. Its then necessary to scrub bash several hundred metres to the beach.