Little Fisher

[tastrekker]

In response to dee_legg's post on the "Lees Paddocks Track Bridge Down" topic, here's some info about Little Fisher.

This route into the northern end of the Walls of Jerusalem has been popular with trappers and fishermen for some time. Once the Walls of Jerusalem really started taking off as a bushwalking destination local walkers started to use the less crowded Little Fisher instead.

The track is accessed from the Mersey Forest Road on Lake Rowallan's eastern shore turning left into Dublin Road before the Fish River, then right into Little Fisher Road, right into Little Fisher Spur 1 then immediately right into Little Fisher Spur 1-1. (I was last there 10 years ago so signage and overgrown roads may have changed these directions.)

The walk is described in The Abels for access to Turranna Bluff and Mersey Crag. I think it may also get a guernsey in John Chapmans new edition of his Overland Track book where he describes almost every 'trackless' route into the Walls imaginable. Not surpirisingly, the area is rapidly becoming less 'trackless.'

Once National Park and World Heritage status stopped logging in the upper reaches of the Little Fisher, it was no longer practical to maintain the road all the way in so a second bridge over the river was allowed to collapse. Consequently the walk commences with a bit of road-bashing, then a short section of regrowth before the myrtles herald the upper extent of logging. Before long the waterfall mentioned by dee-legg is reached.

The fall has appeared on posters and in publications as either Little Fisher Falls or Rinadeena Falls. If people take The Abels' advice and return from Mersey Crag by following this stream down from the plateau, a number of interesting small falls and chasms await discovery.

Once the upper limit of rain forest is reached, the valley broadens briefly before another short climb to the plateau at Long Tarns, the northern boundary of the Walls of Jerusalem NP. At this point, you are half a day's walk from Blue Peaks, The Higgs Track and the Walls themselves.

[roseart]

We agree this is a very lovely area to walk in - we made it up to Long Tarns and would like to go onto The Walls - is there a track or does one make their track. We have been told that Diasy Lakes and Lak Butters are both worth visiting. Has anyone been into either of these lakes

[flyfisher]

I have been to Lake Butters a few times both walking and fishing. It's quite a big lake and if you walk the northwestern end watch out you dont get caught out with the long point which sticks into the lake.It's a long walk back once you reach the end af it.
If you watch carefully when you reach the Butters end of Long Tarns you will find a track running roughly S.W. which will lead to the Walls.
Along the way, inside an hours walk from Long Tarns you can find a cross alongside the track (on right) which commemorates the death of a chap named Nutting who died thereabouts way back around 1930.Just adds a little interest.

Flyfisher

[flyfisher]

There is a photo of the cross in "walks and locations " page 4 under Ritters track.

FF

[roseart]

Thanks Flyfisher for your helpful comments and advice. We will be on the look out for the memorial as we head towards "the Walls". roseart

[Penguin]

The trip from Long Tarn to Walls can be done by eye - the key peaks around the walls are visible. We just headed straight towards them from half way along Long Tarn. Coming back we came along the track that intersects with the southern end of Long Tarn, via the Nutting memorial. This took us a bit longer. We got there and back in a day. It is a great long weekend walk, leaving a camp set up at the lovely area of Long Tarn for two nights.

[Son of a Beach]

The trip from Long Tarn to Walls can be done by eye - the key peaks around the walls are visible.

So long as the weather is favourable enough ?

[Penguin]

The trip from Long Tarn to Walls can be done by eye - the key peaks around the walls are visible.

So long as the weather is favourable enough ?

Nik you are right - I keep forgetting that some hikers have no common sense or basic thought processes. I have been caught in a white out only once and that was scary. We have been geographically embarrassed in fog, but with thought and slow/steady progress got out okay. You can only use land marks to hike by if you can see them. Still find this more enjoyable than using a GPS. GPS is great as a back up for us. I know others love their GPS and get a real kick out of using them as the primary navigation aid. Perhaps one day I will go the same way, for now I really like the arguments as to where you are.