Wilderness Experience:
Tasmania's Central Plateau
(by Colin Cody)

In February 1995, John Pottage, Phil Staff and myself from YHA Bushies ventured into the trackless wilderness of the Central Plateau and Cradle Mountain National Park in central Tasmania. Certainly, many variations of similar trips across this Plateau have been done before, but in large tracts of this wilderness there are few visible signs of where anyone has actually been. Back in 1988, YHA Bushwalker Stephen Lake led a group on my first expedition into this area. The account of this trip might inspire others to venture here, providing useful 'tracknotes and a warning of what to expect, or just bewilder those who wonder why we do it!

Our week long trek started at Mt Ida (Lake St Clair) heading North to Junction Lake then Chalice Lake and down to The Overland Track via Fergusson Falls. At the start of the walk, Mt Ida is an imposing pointy peak on the shores of Lake St Clair, a huge natural glacial lake 14 km long and the deepest lake in Australia. Fergusson Falls at the end of our route is a magnificent cascade of water through a narrow gorge on the Mersey River. This was where we picked up The Overland Track for quick access back to civilisation at the end of the walk. In this place the elements must be respected at all times; plateau country is particularly exposed. Around mid February we experienced almost the best possible conditions, but snow fell only a week earlier and could still be seen in small drifts on higher peaks. Most parties would venture anywhere in the Park only in summer. Our group of three was certainly one or two less than the ideal minimum number for safety, but we were evenly matched in fitness and travelled easily together. Fitness and agility is essential in this terrain encountering rocks, scree, rainforest and alpine scrub. Some areas of open plateau or button grass offer faster travel, and relief from obstacles and undergrowth. Confident navigation with map and compass off tracks is essential.

Our first objective was to climb Mt Ida. I had climbed the peak before, albeit in a whiteout on the trip seven years earlier. None of us were specialist climbers this time, but we were prepared for a scramble with day packs and carrying ropes if necessary. At a crucial point we chose the wrong route. I was suspicious that we were on the wrong climb; the path wasn't worn and rocks loose. I jumped several shattered pieces of one dislodged rock, another larger fragment catapulted past and ripped a large hole in the arm of my shirt. Our nerves were shot after this but we decided to continue and found we had actually climbed the smaller northern spire! We could see the real top not far above us. The views were still fantastic. We bid a hasty yet careful retreat and conceded defeat.

Our next objective was Rim Lake, not much more than a kilometre away but in this country you never underestimate the time it takes. Maybe two hours later, in the heat after some vicious steep scrub with heavy packs, on a careful bearing we popped out right on top of the lake on the lip of the Plateau. It was a relief. to reach the lake, one of our most enjoyable campsites. Tents were erected in a fashion on rock slabs with pegs driven into an inch of silt if you were lucky. Shortly we were diving into the deep clear water of a rock hole. We kept our eye on a large snake some distance away sunning himself on a rock. He could have been a Copperhead or Tiger. I didn't get that close. We seemed to have a very healthy respect for each other in this perfect place. The summit of Ida was a spectacular sight in full view of our camp. In jest, we hurled abuse at that mountain that night.

The next day was mostly hard work to finally camp on the shores of Lake Payanna. Packs were still heavy and weather warm. An afternoon thunderstorm bringing a short burst of hail was actually some relief. Total distance this day was about 7 km. Our campsite in the shade of some Pencil Pines was relaxing, but we were running out of time and psyching ourselves up to put in a long day tomorrow.

Our next objective was Lake Chalice, nearly twice as far in one day as the total distance we had already covered. This day we had our first real encounter with the dreaded fagus plant (Nothofagus gunnii), a deciduous native shrub with small green crinkle cut leaves. This stuff should be avoided like the plague. A short scrub bash across a creek tangled with this bush took half an hour. Our feet didn't touch the ground - fagus doesn't bend. My next encounter with this plant would not be so fortunate and proved to change events for the rest of the trip !

We continued to make a beeline for Lake Artemis where we expected to pick up a track and fast time to our destination. On the way we were soon picking up the odd foot print and signs of foot pads, the first human evidence we had seen since the speed boat dumped us ashore at the foot of Mt Ida. At the North East corner of Lake Artemis we noted an excellent campsite right on the shore of the lake under the canopy of a large stand of Pencil Pines. Perfect tent sites in this terrain were rare. Not much further on we picked up the track at the north end of the lake. The track appeared to be much further up the hill than the indicated 'estimated position only' on the map. We pounded our way down to Junction Lake, the track a little vague after the final descent close to the lake. It was mid afternoon but our day was not over yet. The track between Junction Lake and Cloister Lagoon is not marked accurately on the map or has been rerouted by walkers making a direct line from the Lagoon to Junction Lake Hut. After losing valuable time we finally found the track, considerably east of its marked position on the map and still vague at times through the button grass flats.

In the same button grass close to the lake we had a close encounter with an Eastern quoll. This was probably the highlight of my day. This quoll was a truly beautiful animal, a sleek, fawny colored cat like carnivore, dotted with white spots. We must have surprised him. He froze flat in the button grass with his ears laid back as we walked past, either too frightened to move or hoping to escape detection. Encounters with native animals had been rare. We moved on quickly out of his way. A number of fish were also jumping on the lake, probably trout taking dragonfly as we left Junction Lake headed for Cloister Lagoon. The Lake and Lagoon are renowned leech infested campsites. Also watch out for possums at dusk, particularly at Junction Lake Hut. The critters will climb down the chimney, take one bite out of everything they can find, raid the inside of your tent or even break into your pack in pursuit of tasty morsels.

At the North end of Cloister Lagoon we ascended the Plateau, forcing our way up a short steep climb through impenetrable scrub then traversing the open Plateau down to a very welcome campsite on the shores of Lake Chalice. It was, late and we were buggered. The rewards offered by this campsite were not evident till we went exploring with day packs the next day. This was our Base Camp day off. After a sleep in we sprinted to the other (North West) side of the Plateau to the top of the nearest peak, Bishop Peak, overlooking the vast Mersey River Valley. The weather was perfect. Views from here across to the Pelion's, Ossa and beyond as well as Dean Bluff and Pillinger to the North were awesome. The view of the lake way below us where we were camped in the hollow of the Plateau was also impressive.

Unfortunately, this was also the day of my fateful encounter with the fagus plant! Without gaiters and wearing only runners I barged through a patch of fagus near our campsite. A branch gouged a scratch in my foot just above the ankle and ended up infected. Nasty bacteria breeds inside boots and recycled socks. Maybe I was unlucky but also careless. Two days later I was bailed up on anti-biotics and going nowhere! I was damned annoyed that after all that we had been through this would end up stopping me. Our week in the wilderness was challenging to the end.

Next day the weather was dismal and the Plateau was shrouded in mist. This was an eerie place in these conditions. We strode off to the South West edge of the Plateau for our final descent. We followed tracts of scree, dangerous in slippery conditions and descended through rainforest to our last camp at Fergusson Falls. Fortunately, it wasn't till the next day on The Overland Track that infection set in my foot and I limped back to civilisation in some pain.

I was walking again before the end of the second week but this was really the end of the trip for me, (Special thanks to my companions and mates John and Phil who accompanied me on this fantastic- experience and to Bruce Meincke for inspiration. Thanks also to the rest of the team, Des Sunderland, Geoff Swayne, Bryan Folie and Jan Findlay who we joined for the second week of the trip and for persevering with a revised plan due to my injury)

With due caution, if this sort of challenge appeals to you then get maps and information and plan your own trip through this magnificent area. There are many options to explore the Plateau including a popular route connecting with the Walls of Jerusalem. A good track also provides access to the Plateau off The Overland Track at Du Cane Gap. This track ascends steeply from a small clearing at the western end of the Gap. The track is not obvious at the clearing and disappears at the top of the Plateau. Contact the Tasmanian Tourist Bureau for National Park tourist information. Rangers can be contacted at Lake St Clair or Cradle Mountain for specialist advice or approach bushwalkers who have been in the area before.

Good luck and good walking.