Old Pelion Hut & Side Track Condition

[corvus]

The BWT Strollers have just done the Arm River Track which is really good condition however we were concerned that no further work has been done on the bog that is called a track from the Overland to Old Pelion Hut and the well touted swimming hole on the Douglas Creek promoted as a pleasant experience side trip .
In my opinion to avoid further erosion of the area a "TRACK CLOSED " sign should be erected at the start till at least some remedial work is undertaken, one of our party trying to do the right thing ended up waist deep in one bog hole when he did not hear my warning and I know that this hole is not the deepest however the galling thing is that there are already in situ some pre made duck boards which could alleviate the problem (on a temporary basis) in part for the coming season.
But who am I to comment, just a Parks Pass Holder and Tassie Tax Payer who would like to see TP&WS be pro active rather than re active,fix the problems whilst they are minor it costs less in the long run , someone up there failed to act years ago when we undertook repair and maintenance to OPH (which is also now in urgent need of attention to the floor, 4 or 5 new floorboards would do it) IMHO

[Nuts]

(yes, and It would have been better to use Old roofing iron for the chimney perhaps)

[corvus]

(yes, and It would have been better to use Old roofing iron for the chimney perhaps)

So true the Chimney sticks out like the proverbial's but we did not do the chimney.

[Son of a Beach]

I love Old Pelion Hut, partly because it's one of the few original old huts still around, and also because I stayed in the old hut on my first OT walk - 21 years ago - when you were still allowed to sleep in the hut.

Even back then the side track out the hut was a terrible mess of bog and floating duck boards (that sank rather deep in places when you stepped on them). It appears to be one of those tracks where Parks, for whatever reason, decide that they want to discourage people from using it, but don't want to tell anyone that they're discouraging people from using it. They need to make up their mind and either fix the track, or close the track. Not just let it degrade into a horrible mess.

[Nuts]

I think the materials are there waiting...for labour funding I guess?....

[johnw]

It appears to be one of those tracks where Parks, for whatever reason, decide that they want to discourage people from using it, but don't want to tell anyone that they're discouraging people from using it.

I knew I'd seen this somewhere when planning OT trip late last year. From a current Overland Track factsheet
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/file.aspx?id=8206

"Day Start Point Destination Distance Time (hours) Possible Side-trips Distance Time
3 Windermere Hut Pelion 17 km 7 Old Pelion Hut <1km 25 minutes"

We didn't do the side trip to New Old Pelion, which sounds like it was a wise move, although I would like to see it. People who did the trip commented on the boggy conditions.

[norts]

I love old Pelion, my first stay in it was in 1974. In those days there was also a track directly across the plains to New Pelion. It was always boggy.

Roger

[Nuts]

And I've noticed it marked on new series maps!
I believe one of our forum members tried to follow it....
I have gone across there before and saw 2 snakes between Pelions.
So think i'll stick to the main track.

[corvus]

Who feels like sending the Minister a message /request to have a close look at this ,I will be be speaking to my local Member and contacting the Member for Lyons about the state of the track.

[tasadam]

Why don't "we" start by asking Parks (the local ranger at Cradle or St Clair should do) what they think of the current state of the track, whether there are any plans to improve or close it, what the timing is on that, and what the hold-up is?
Then share the answers...

[corvus]

Good idea tasadam do you have any contact details.

[tasadam]

Good idea tasadam do you have any contact details.

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=7710

Cradle Mountain
4057 Cradle Mountain Road
Cradle Mountain TAS 7310

Phone: 03 6492 1110

Fax: 03 6492 1120

Email: cradle@parks.tas.gov.au



Lake St Clair
Lake St Clair National Park
Derwent Bridge TAS 7140

Phone: 03 6289 1172

Fax: 03 6289 1227

[Nuts]

Perhaps a question better put to the money managers in Hobart?
(those also responsible for funding the new hut...)

[corvus]

G'day,
We are having a discussion about the condition of this bog and wonder if you can bring us up to date as to when at least some remedial work will be done .
I note that some prefabricated boardwalk is in situ awaiting positioning, is this on the programe for this season as a track inspection will reveal that not only are the bogs over waist deep in some places but the" braids" are getting wider and I can see an accident waiting to happen especially if some one impales themselves on one of the"many depth sticks" this is an area widely promoted on the OLT as a must do side trip(to the swimming hole) and it is a disgrace to our one of our tourist icons.
This is no way intended as a slight against the on ground Parks Staff but more of a criticism of Previous and current Parks Administration at the highest level for neglect that has been evident for well over 20 years on this side track,it needs immediate attention or a Track Closed Sign.

Regards,
Gerry
On behalf of BWT Strollers and other concerned Tasmanian Parks Pass Holders

This is the email I sent to parks and the Minister plus the Gov members for Bradden and Lyons.

[Nuts]

Good One, ....I vote Corvus as our 'voice in the wilderness'. Keep peckin' at them

Just on side-trips, I have noticed that the track down to Fergy/D'Alton falls is starting to need maintainence. It wasn't re- built long ago but without a bit of work soon it will turn into a death trap..

Also noticed that the track around mount Doris might as well just use the series of cushion plant stepping stones that are being used now, with flippers and mask left at some sections...

[Nuts]

PS... I hope the 'easy fix' (ie. track closed signs) isn't the planned policy into the funding future. It will just take longer for the real issues to be addressed.

[tastrax]

you might also try...

Peter.Mooney@parks dot tas dot gov dot au (General Manager)...although his job was recently advertised or
Stuart.Lennox@parks dot tas dot gov dot au (Manager Strategy & Sustainable Use) - he has a special interest in the "Overland Experience"

<http://www.directory.tas.gov.au/cgi/ousearch.pl?ou=ou!Agency,ou!Department+of+Environment%3B+Parks%3B+Heritage+and+the+Arts,ou!Parks+and+Wildlife+Service>

[walkinTas]

TasTrax, I'm sure these people aren't going to thank you for putting their email on a public website for every spam bot in the world to pick up. You might like to modify these so they aren't so spam friendly.
(eg. firstname DOT lastname AT server DOT domain DOT country)

[tastrax]

The government servers have pretty heavy duty spam filters...but happy to oblige.

[walkinTas]

Sorry TasTrax, I didn't follow the link to see what they had done on their own page. They actually published their own email address in a spambot friendly manner, so they are probably use to spam. Using the "mailto" tag is a magnet for spam. Just as a general comment, writing an email address out in long-hand, as per my example, is one way to make an email address less machine readable. Forums don't support embedded javascript (for good reason), but authors of websites should use a script rather than displaying email addresses with a mailto: tag.

[Nuts]

Well I never!
It actually seems to be working!
The only concern being that now funding will be less for the urgent work needed on the main track... especially if this
@$#@@$ weather continues..
Anyhow... well done to Mr Corvus

[corvus]

Nuts,
Does that mean they have actually used the duckboards

[sirius Tas]

Well done corvus...I was thinking of visiting the old hut recently but running out of time. With the amount of people going through the OT...I'd of thought money wasn't an issue to fix some of the worst sections...after all...at $150 a pop over the summer months equates to $9000/day when bookings full...i.e. $270,000 per month which would be approaching the $1 million mark over the six month period.
Maybe they need prodding re the sodden Loddon??