Fagus watch 2012

[GerryDuke]

mod: Last year's fagus watch is here.

I was at the Mt Field visitors centre yesterday. Parks staff reported that the fagus is well out on Tarn Shelf - very early.

Gerry

[doogs]

A group of forum members went to the southern Reserve over the Easter break and the fagus was out, Ollster posted a few pics of the trip here viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9533

[Stibb]

I was at the Mt Field visitors centre yesterday. Parks staff reported that the fagus is well out on Tarn Shelf - very early.

Gerry

Yes, it has started. This is from yesterday

[nickthetasmaniac]

Tons of the stuff up on the Overland last week, but my camera was getting some love so no pretty pics... I've got another trip going out tomorrow so I should have some decent shots up in a week

[shauntho]

Awesome! I'm going to the Tarn Shelf late next week to indulge in a few days of landscape photography. Does anyone have any tips on the most beautiful/photogenic tarn in the area? Is there one or two tarns where the Fagus is particularly breathtaking? Would hate to miss the best spots!! Cheers.

[frenchy_84]

Its such a small area that you can do the whole circuit within a day and have plenty of time for photographs

[GerryDuke]

I like Lake Newdegate the best Shaun. As is often the case - the last lake on the shelf with fagus you get to (I think).

Gerry

[north-north-west]

*sigh*
Nothing makes me more homesick than photos of tarn Shelf. Especially with fagus . . .

[Binder]

Just back in from Tarn Shelf, where about half of the Fagus have dropped their leaves already. Best bet now at Mt Field is around the eastern edge of Lake Fenton.

[shauntho]

Noooooooooooo

[doogs]

Anyone know how the fagus is around Cradle Mt at the moment?

[redrock]

Doogs, it was just starting when I left on the Overland track on the 11th, so probably in full swing now. Also around Dove and Crater Lake. By the time I got to the Acropolis and Lakes of the Labyrinth on the 18-20th it was in abundance. I even noticed one small bush in resplendent red. Met a few photographers on their way in as well just as I was heading out.

It was an amazing sight! I'm so glad I timed my trip well and got to see snow on most of the high peaks as well, left over from Easter.

[Stibb]

I'm interested to know what it's like around the Labyrinth atm. Anyone?

EDIT Hm, not sure how redrocks post got in there before me, it wasn't there when I posted. Anyway, thanks for that report redrock. Heading up there tomorrow

[doogs]

Doogs, it was just starting when I left on the Overland track on the 11th, so probably in full swing now. Also around Dove and Crater Lake. By the time I got to the Acropolis and Lakes of the Labyrinth on the 18-20th it was in abundance. I even noticed one small bush in resplendent red. Met a few photographers on their way in as well just as I was heading out.

It was an amazing sight! I'm so glad I timed my trip well and got to see snow on most of the high peaks as well, left over from Easter.

Thanks Redrock, I shall go and check it out glad to hear you had a great OLT trip too.

[shauntho]

Doogs, If you want to see the fagus in full swing at cradle mountain you are too late. Over 50% of the leaves have already dropped. Many trees are completely bare. Looks nice from afar, but up close you can see the peak is well and trully over. This is a live report too, as I'm currently sitting in Ranger Hut, next to Twisted Lakes (Cradle Mountain), posting from my iPhone. Can't believe I get phone service up here!

[wander]

Pics folks pics, please.

[norts]

I was up at Cradle early April, one shot is neary fFury Gorge the other is above Crater Lake.
Not great shots but shows where the Fagus was at in early April
Roger

[Chris]

Doogs, If you want to see the fagus in full swing at cradle mountain you are too late. Over 50% of the leaves have already dropped. Many trees are completely bare.

That's very sad, as I'm going up on Thursday, taking someone who has never seen fagus at "fagus time".
Was going to do the obvious Crater Lake circuit, but in view of the early drop is there anywhere that might be better?

[whynotwalk]

Parks has posted some fagus pics on facebook. They were taken on Tarn Shelf on Sunday. Not sure if it'll open up for facebook-phobics

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150776306949297.420406.147512044296&type=1

cheers

Peter

[shauntho]

Chris, don't get me wrong, there's still heaps of Fagus to see around Cradle Mountain, just saying it's past it's peak and only half as good as it would have been a week ago.. And we didn't see Crater, only went to Dove, Hanson and Twisted Lakes.

[razor]

During some periods of sunshine today the patches of fagus on the side of Mt Murchison was in easy view from Rosebery

[stepbystep]

Chris, don't get me wrong, there's still heaps of Fagus to see around Cradle Mountain, just saying it's past it's peak and only half as good as it would have been a week ago.. And we didn't see Crater, only went to Dove, Hanson and Twisted Lakes.

We just got back from a cpl days in the Cradle area, the higher altitude stuff is half gone, some good patches lower down, still plenty of gold about though.

My theory is the warm April has led to the trees being a bit confused with a staggered turning.

[tas-man]

Chris, don't get me wrong, there's still heaps of Fagus to see around Cradle Mountain, just saying it's past it's peak and only half as good as it would have been a week ago.. And we didn't see Crater, only went to Dove, Hanson and Twisted Lakes.

We just got back from a cpl days in the Cradle area, the higher altitude stuff is half gone, some good patches lower down, still plenty of gold about though.
My theory is the warm April has led to the trees being a bit confused with a staggered turning.

The LWC went Fagus hunting yesterday around Cradle Mt. and the overall peak has passed with exposed bushes having lost a lot of leaf, but in the more sheltered areas around Twisted Lakes and Lake Wilks, there was plenty still looking good to photograph. Here's a sample -

Fagus and Pencil pines from Twisted Lakes track

Fagus above Lake Wilks

Found a few places with the rarer red fagus leaves.

[Chris]

Lovely photos Ian.
Had a great time on Crater Lake circuit today. Also saw some red just above Crater Falls.
There seemed to be significant wind effect on the drop, with a bush below Marion's almost bare on west facing side but most leaves still hanging on the other side. Weather a bit of everything except heavy rain, but including rainbows.

[tastrekker]

Hi avid Fagus watchers. Is it normal for bits of fagus to turn mega early? I was surprised to see several little clusters of leaves turned like the ones in this photo on a walk in February. Has anyone else seen this? I must remember to keep an eye out next year.

Fagus 2 (Large).JPG (85.02 KiB) Viewed 8463 times

[Tortoise]

I might be asking this in the wrong spot - but i haven't been able to find it on searches.
Can anyone tell me about the red fagus (LOVE it when i can find it) - do the same trees tend to bear red each year, or is it a more random thing? Is it more common to find it in some areas of Tassie than others?

[iaindtiler]

Still about up at Mt field , Tarn shelf. Lovely up there today with the snow , special spot. Iain

[tas-man]

I might be asking this in the wrong spot - but i haven't been able to find it on searches.
Can anyone tell me about the red fagus (LOVE it when i can find it) - do the same trees tend to bear red each year, or is it a more random thing? Is it more common to find it in some areas of Tassie than others?

This is the first year that I have seen red fagus leaves "in the flesh" to photograph, and have been on many LWC Fagus trips over the years. The red leaf colour seems to be limited to no more than a small branch, down to perhaps only a couple of leaves on a bush. The largest "sprig" of red fagus we saw was on the Twisted Lakes track just as we reached the lakes plateau. Here's a few more photos of the red leaves and the largest branch we spotted, and this was all on only two specific trees.

[Stibb]

Didn't get many good pictures of fagus but there is still some left on the Labyrinth and in Pine Valley.
This was taken on 27 April

[stepbystep]

The red leaf colour seems to be limited to no more than a small branch, down to perhaps only a couple of leaves on a bush.

I thought this also Ian, however last year on Mt Murchison a found a full shrub of rusty leaf fagus. I only took this rather bad photo of the top quarter of the bush

plus many bad closeups

Perhaps someone who has been there this year can confirm if it is red again this year?