Back on Track in Tasmania

by Jenny Marsden

It was early 2021 and I’d lost my hiking groove. Not permanently I hoped, however I had experienced a few challenges on my last few hikes, and I was seriously worried that I might have hit that awful timeframe where carrying everything I needed on my back and walking all day, for multiple days, had come to an end.

So what did I do? I booked a 6-day hike of the Overland Track in Tasmania. I needed to know, and the only way I could think of to know for sure, was to actually prove it to myself, one way or the other.

Tasmania itself is known Australia-wide as being the “wild” state. Tassie (as we Aussies call it) is synonymous with gorgeous scenery, remote forests and, unfortunately, some very wild weather. While a good fraction of Tasmania is either farming country or wineries, 40% is either state forest or national park – over 27,000 square kilometres of protected wilderness.

The Overland Track (OT) is probably Australia’s most well- known hiking trail and, while we aren’t known for our mountains, the OT is categorised as an alpine walk. At 65km in length, it starts with the iconic Cradle Mountain and ends at Australia's deepest lake, Lake St. Clair. The hike takes you through the heart of Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park, part of the beautiful Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area. Splitting the trip over 6 days means that the furthest distance hiked in a single day on the trail is only 17km, so it is a very manageable walk. It is a landscape of valleys carved by glacial movement, ancient cold weather rain forests, eucalyptus forests and alpine meadows of thick grasses. Optional side trips lead you to thundering waterfalls, or via a steep mountain scramble to the top of Tasmania’s highest peak, Mount Ossa (1617m).

Permits to hike the OT sell out in no time and, because I had only just decided to do it, I was too late to get a permit. Without a permit, the only other option was to try and join a group trip. I don’t have any aversion to doing that, however the last group hike I had done was the Inca Trail in the late 90’s, so I wasn’t sure quite what to expect.

I shouldn’t have been concerned as joining a group ended up being the best choice I could have made. After a pack check and a pre-hike briefing the afternoon prior, our guides Stan and Ryder picked me up from my hotel and I was on the way!

After almost 3 hours in the van, we alighted at Ronny Creek, our starting point, and all immediately start crazily clawing through our packs for warmer gear. What had been a perfectly amenable temperature in Launceston had degenerated into freezing conditions. After hurriedly donning leggings, fleeces and waterproof layers, we were all raring to go, mostly just to warm up!

Within 10m we had seen two wombats, which I’m not entirely convinced were not placed there every morning by Tas Parks to entice people onto the trail! We walked along the boardwalks for which the Overland Track is known, heading toward a mountain we knew was there but could not see. The conditions worsened into an all-enveloping mist but, once we were moving, the cold wasn’t so bad.

A few kilometres into the walk we started the steep climb up to Marion’s Lookout (1202m). The wind had picked up but it had not taken any cloud cover with it. We sat atop the lookout eating our lunch, knowing that this wouldn’t be the day we would get to climb Cradle Mountain (1545m). Although not a high mountain, the last push is a massive scramble and not something you would attempt in the wet or fog.

The balance of the day was spent on gentle ups and downs across some windswept plains that showcased just how extreme the weather could get.

We arrived at Waterfall Hut mid-afternoon passing another wombat and a few wallabies grazing around the campsite. As a commercial tour, we were not allowed to stay in the hut but the campground was amazing. Timber platforms of differing levels were spread across our allocated area, giving us a flat surface and great tie-down chains for our tents.

I pitched my tent and headed over to the cooking area to help. Stan very nicely told me that they do all the cooking and cleaning and we were not required to help. I couldn’t quite reconcile this with what I’m used to. I didn’t have to carry my cooking gear, nor all of my food, and now you’re telling me I don’t have to cook or clean either??! How indulgent!

Our second day saw the weather conditions unchanged. Stan told us that later in the week should be beautiful. However, it was hard to believe him at that point.

Over the next 5 days we continued hiking over the roof of Tasmania, across varying terrain and ever-changing landscapes. Poor weather ruled out several side hikes and climbs but I didn’t feel the gut-wrenching disappointment I normally experienced. I guess I’m getting older: experience has taught me to revel in what’s on offer and not dwell on what might have been.

The distances we walked per day varied from 7 to 17km. Our start times for the shorter days offered some luxurious sleep-ins – as much as you can sleep in on an inflatable pad in 0 deg C, that is! The lack of any kind of rush in the morning really showed me what taking your time is about.

Stan was right and the weather improved remarkably with cloudless skies and perfect hiking conditions on our last few days. Whilst the elevation changes weren’t significant at all, the terrain was something else, ranging from new timber boardwalks, to long stretches of horrible gnarly tree roots. The trail encompassed the most diverse landscape I had ever seen in only 65km and I was very glad to have my trusty hiking poles to hand, particularly on the very steep sections of descent.

The last morning saw us all fairly sombre. The hike had not been physically demanding but everyone seemed disappointed to see it come to an end and wanted to postpone their return to civilisation.

Personally, I realised that the key to my continued hiking career is to accept my limitations but not be ruled by them. I realised I needed to be kinder to myself and to be proud of my achievements, not disappointed that I cannot hike as I could at 30. My back held up well, my knee protested only mildly and my Achilles rarely got above a niggle. So what if I did it in 6 days instead of 3 - I still did it!

The quintessential Overland Track photo

Cradle Mountain, Barn Bluff and Mount Oakley (left to right)
This and all subsequent photos are by Jenny Marsden

Kitchen Hut, now an emergency hut for bad weather
The door and shovel at the top of the front wall are where the snow is during the winter.
The shovel is to dig yourself in, if needed

Day 4 was pretty much this terrain all day.

We were well into some of the most stunning weather by the end of the hike.

Return to the top of this page, or to the complete Index, or to this section's Index.