Bushwalk Australia

We are planning a walk to SW Cape and possibly Louisa Bay, probably on a fly-in, fly-out basis in March (we're not keen to tackle the mud on the South Cape range again). Are there any boat transport options from Hobart that would allow a drop-off or pick-up at Louisa Bay?

Not that I am aware of

Pretty sure you can fly to Cox Bight

Flight to Cox Bight is dependent on weather on the day, at time of approach - if landing on the beach isn't a goer, flights detour to land at Melaleuca, and walk .....

Tasair are the only planes that will land on Cox, it isnt far to walk from Melaleuca though, and it's been a dry season, i reckon the mud would be pretty dry!!

Boat options, best bet would be call some fishing clubs, or talk to some cray fisherman and offer lots of $$$

A Tasair pilot told me 12 months ago that they dont do Cox Bight landings anymore- he claimed he was the last pilot to do a flight, might be BS but might not. Can always just fly into Mellaluca- the track south from there is surprisingly good and fast at least to the SW cape turn off- unlike the track north (if you where contemplating the loop back via Horseshoe).

There are certainly no Parks licenced commercial operators (that I am aware of) that do boat drop offs. You would have to make private arrangements with a fisherman and of course that is subject to the vagaries of the weather. A bit risky I reckon for a pickup, especially if on a tight schedule.

wobbly wrote:A Tasair pilot told me 12 months ago that they dont do Cox Bight landings anymore- he claimed he was the last pilot to do a flight, might be BS but might not.

He may have been the pilot we saw in January 07 who had crashed on CB about an hour before we got there. I have some photos somewhere I'll try and dig them out and upload them. I was always intrigued as to how they got the plane out...

ILUVSWTAS wrote:it's been a dry season, i reckon the mud would be pretty dry!!

Not quite, Mark I'm just back from the SW Cape area, and the mud was as fierce as ever. That said, we took a first time bushwalker, and she coped really well. Mud was only rarely knee-deep, and most days are 4 hours or less. The walking isn't that hard

cheers

Peter

whynotwalk wrote:

ILUVSWTAS wrote:it's been a dry season, i reckon the mud would be pretty dry!!

Not quite, Mark I'm just back from the SW Cape area, and the mud was as fierce as ever. That said, we took a first time bushwalker, and she coped really well. Mud was only rarely knee-deep, and most days are 4 hours or less. The walking isn't that hard

cheers

Peter

Sounds pretty dry to me ... if you haven't got the bottom of your pack muddy you haven't been trying

whynotwalk wrote:

ILUVSWTAS wrote:it's been a dry season, i reckon the mud would be pretty dry!!

Not quite, Mark I'm just back from the SW Cape area, and the mud was as fierce as ever. That said, we took a first time bushwalker, and she coped really well. Mud was only rarely knee-deep, and most days are 4 hours or less. The walking isn't that hard

cheers

Peter

Thanks Peter,
We're planning to do the full circuit. Any advice about where the worst (and best) sections were?
Stuart

stuart53 wrote:Thanks Peter,
We're planning to do the full circuit. Any advice about where the worst (and best) sections were?
Stuart

Hi Stuart - we didn't do the full circuit this time, only going as far as the hills overlooking Wilson Bight. The worst mud - and it's not THAT bad - is between the turn-off from the SC Track and New Harbour. It undulates through buttongrassy, quartzite gravel hills and muddy, boggy flat bits, with creek crossings. But with good boots, gaiters and overpants (it was raining), I managed to stay dry booted, despite the occasional knee-deep excursion. Certainly not as bad as the South Cape Range.

To my mind the best bit of track was the re-route between Hidden Bay and Ketchem Bay. That used to make a bee-line steeply up & down the hills between those beaches, and had eroded very badly. It was re-routed in the 1990s, and roughly follows the contours inland and then back in a big U-shape. Marvellous views, and little or no erosion. (Well done Stuart Graham, the now-retired ranger, who I understand was responsible )

There are coastal scrub bands leading to and from all of the beaches, and there are lots of leeches in those sections. But there's nothing horrendously scrubby. About 15 years ago I did the whole trip (incl. SW Cape, and up the SW Cape Range to Window Pane Bay, and then cross-country back to Melaleuca). Memory fades but I'm pretty sure the sections from Wilson past Karamu and on to SW Cape get rougher, scrubbier and less well-defined.

Happy walking!

Peter