The Run up:
The usual approach to this walk is to fly into Melaleuca from Hobart and trek from West to East. Traversing the Ironbound range at >1000m, the South cape Range at 500m, crossing 5 rivers, slogging through some very rough terrain and copious deep mud, finishing at Cockle Creek. Then returning to Hobart by road. A trek of some 84klms, that depending on the weather (the mud and the rivers are more treacherous in the rain), can take up to 10 days to complete.
After a number of training walks and changes to those participating, the remaining group decided the risk too great for four pensioners to attempt the whole walk, carrying packs at >20kg for a ten day period, with no escape. Maybe they were somewhat persuaded by the prospect of a $5000 fee should any of the team require a helicopter recovery! Hence Graham proposed a compromise. The group would start out from Cockle Creek, heading west, cover as much of the track as they could within 4 days and then retrace their steps to the beginning. A walk of 8 days plus a contingency day.
The Adventure Begins:
As a sign of the good things to come, Graham and Ken who had travelled on the Spirit of Tasmania, met up with John and Rob (who had flown in) at the RACV hotel in Hobart. Hobart, what a civilised place; visits to Mawsons Hut, Lark Distillery, Brewery, numerous walking shops (would recommend 'Mountain Creek Outdoors'), and Fresh Fish and Chips on the harbour for dinner.
The Walk:
The objective of the expedition became a bushwalk commencing at Cockle Creek. progressing at least halfway along the track to Prion Bay with the possibility of tackling the south face of the Ironbound Range from Deadmans Bay. This would be completed by the end of day 4 allowing 5 days to return to the car at Cockle Creek.
So, on the 16th March the team booked onto the walk at the Parks Outpost at Cockle Creek. Graham related the team objectives to the Duty Ranger. Her reaction was somewhat a surprise. She looked over the four excited old blokes (the average age of walkers on this track is 30. Average age of this team 71!) and exclaimed "You want to tackle the South Cape Range, not once but twice!!" then smiling, proceeded to file the group booking form, probably under the heading of 'HIGH RISK'. She also told the team that we might get a few days of good weather before the torrential rain recommenced. This set the scene for the next 9 days.
On day one the team walked out towards the first camp site at South Cape Rivulet, stopping at the most southern point accessible in Tasmania, to view the Southern Ocean. Up to this point the walking had been easy as much of it was on boardwalk, however this changed quite quickly as the track left the tourist route. The terrain became more difficult and the first of the mud appeared. Arriving at the South Cape Rivulet the team met a group of fellow bushwalkers waving from the opposite bank. The river was too deep to cross and they would have to sit it out until low tide. The team made camp on the east bank with a resident Pademelon anxious to see what was on offer to eat.
All arose early and packed up pre-breakfast expecting to have to wade through deep water. After stripping off the boys were pleasantly surprised to find the depth of the river was now only knee high.
The next 6 hours was a slog through mud and buttress roots (some almost 3 metres vertical) climbing 500 metres up to the top of the South Cape Range. It was now understood why the Ranger had been bemused by the plans. Graham tried to think up a grade that is harder than 'Severe' and settled on B-------.
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It was obvious that the planned campsite (Granite Beach) would not be reached before dark so the tents were pitched at the interim 'Trackcutters Camp' on the top of the Range. This site has a friendly resident swamp rat, which was waiting for his friend Ian Mayer (it is well known that Ian has a penchant for all small wild creatures). Rob had to explain that Ian was not with the group and went on to share his meal with the grateful rodent.
Next day now descending through large mud baths and negotiating huge buttresses with many large fallen trees. Rob twisted his knee, and now progress was down to <1/2 k per hour. Luckily Graham had a knee brace with him and patched Rob up. By the time the Granite Beach site had been found, everyone was ready to make camp and not go any further. This site has a wonderful water supply. A fast-flowing stream with a waterfall, under which it would be possible to have a cold shower.
Day 4 and Robs knee is no better, so it was agreed he should rest up and the John would stay with him. There were a number of walkers passing through in both directions and it was possible to send messages with them and hence keep in touch. A sort of ‘bush telegraph’. Therefore, Ken and Graham awoke early, broke camp in the unceasing rain and headed out to Prion Bay. The terrain west of the South Cape Range is easier but definitely not easy and now the rain had set in the mud was even slimier. Boots off to cross the river at Surprise Bay and steady progress towards the Rock Plains.
Passing two groups coming in the opposite direction. One organised group of 8 had been dropped at Melaleuca, and their young leader took them past at almost a trot, with no time to stop and chat. As soon as they had passed, Graham and Ken then knew they had made the right decision not to join a commercial tour. The second group were 3 young guys carrying large backpacks and 'surfboards'. They declined having their picture taken because they did not want the secret to get out about their "perfect waves”. Thus there is no evidence and apparently no one else saw them. Maybe it was a mirage after all.
The imposing Ironbound Range could now be seen in the distance, the tops sat above the clouds. Eventually the river crossing at Prion Beach was reached quite late in the day. A decision had to be made. Do Graham and Ken cross the river and head for the site at Deadmans Bay or start the return journey? They estimated they were now a day short to continue to the base of the Ironbound range and return to Cockle Beach. Particularly as they were not sure how quickly Rob would be able to travel with his injured knee. The primary objective had been achieved; they were looking over Prion Bay directly at the impressively massive Ironbound Range. After dragging one of the "tinnies" into the river (this was a mammoth task for two people, cannot see how one person could ever achieve it) and a row around, Ken and Graham returned to the Osmiridium Beach camp, arriving 10 minutes before it became dark (it really is like switching a light out).
Back at Granite Beach camp Rob and John had given all of their spare food away and readied themselves for the return journey. On day 6 the team of four retraced their steps over the South Cape Range in the rain. The mud was now deeper and every tree root slippery. Progress was very slow. They stopped again at the Trackcutters Camp and shared the site with an American Ranger on his way back from Melaleuca to Hobart to leave the country. It was at this time there was a realization that Hobart, Tasmania and the rest of Australia were not as they had been left.
It had been five days since the team had last crossed the South Cape Rivulet. Five days of rain. What at low tide had been knee deep was now almost chest deep with a very fast flow out to sea. The team watched the flow for almost an hour. It was getting deeper not shallower and the tide was further in, so it was now or never. It was John's plan to tie the backpacks into large Orange waterproof bags and carry/float them across while trying to wade/swim in front of them. Ken was the last across as he had to wait for one of the others to throw their plastic bag back across the fast-flowing river. Whilst wading out to catch this bag from Rob (both had waded into the middle of the river) he lost his walking poles in a large wave. Yes, cork handled poles do float and there are now two somewhere in the Southern Ocean heading for Antarctica.
The Pademelon was there waiting again at the Cape Rivulet campsite and even helped Ken with the rubbish bag in his tent during the night. Well, he took it out from under the flysheet and emptied it all around the site!
The last day on the track walking out to Cockle Creek became rather surreal. Each walker met now spoke of more details of the lockdown. A group of 10 University students told that their Uni had closed and they were going to hibernate and fish at the rivulet. Although they did not have the usual hiking gear; Guitars, fishing rods and plenty of booze. Hopefully they would look after the friendly Pademelon.
Four at the end:Graham Talmage, Ken Moulton, John Anderson, Rob Reid-Smith.
The drive back to Hobart was very quiet nothing on the road. Rob's and John's flights had been cancelled and it looked like all might be going home on the last passenger boat. Hobart was completely different to the place that had been left only 8 days before. Everything was closed. No meals in the RACV hotel restaurant, no distillery, brewery or pubs open. Lunch was a sandwich, whilst sat on a park bench and dinner take away fish and chips. Luckily the owner of the Fish and Chip restaurant had remembered the boys and agreed to stay open for them to get there for take away.
Conclusion:
Would the team do it again? Graham and Ken now believe it would have been possible to have completed the whole track from Mellaluca to Cockle Creek as the first half of the walk has a boardwalk and the path over the Ironbound Range has been surfaced. The most difficult part of the walk is the South Cape Range which the team traversed twice!! That said, it was agreed by all four that not one of the participants wants to see the South Cape Range again. So somewhere else beckons for the next big multi day extravaganza. Watch out for it in a future programme, when walkers are once again allowed to wander in the bush.
Ken Moulton and Graham Talmage
