Disappearing Tarn II

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Disappearing Tarn II

Postby dee_legg » Sat 27 Jun, 2009 7:29 pm

Inspired by Jaxters photos of Disappearing Tarn and the recent rain (over 100mm on that big hill west of Hobart) I headed up there via the Milles Track from the Springs. Was misty to start, but very atmospheric and the track was nice and level all the way to the tarn.
The tarn itself is amazing!!! Absolute jewel of the mountain, I suggest you all get up there some time.
We only planned to go as far as the tarn but it was quicker than expected and the weather was forecast to hold so we pushed on through the Potato fields on one of the best boulder field tracks i've come across and through some pretty alpine heaths through to Wellington Falls which was absolutely pumping! The track got a bit tiresome on the return journey, but the sun came out and we got some nice views to Cathedral Rock and the Channel.
All my photos are too big to be worth squishing down to post them up there so the link to a public facebook album is: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1 ... 82e31d9f00
Enjoy!
I know I did.
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby tasadam » Sat 27 Jun, 2009 7:40 pm

I can see why you enjoyed it, that looks amazing!
Love the colour of the water. Good flow on the falls too!
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby the_camera_poser » Sat 27 Jun, 2009 9:01 pm

lovely photos- that water is just so blue! Looks like a pretty rewarding day of walking.
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby Taurë-rana » Sat 27 Jun, 2009 10:23 pm

So, how do you get to it, or is it classified? I'm hoping to get to Hobart for squash next weekend and may have time for a walk.
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby GerryDuke » Sat 27 Jun, 2009 10:44 pm

I would like to get there too Annie. Beautiful photos Dee.

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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby Taurë-rana » Sat 27 Jun, 2009 10:52 pm

OK. thanks to TasAdam jogging my memory, I have now found my ancient Mt Wellington walk map and know where the Tarn is. Next question, which is the best route to it - from The Springs or alongthe Pipeline Track from Neika?
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby dee_legg » Sun 28 Jun, 2009 8:22 am

We went in from the Springs and along the Milles Track which starts off very even and and flat but gradually gets quite rocky. You pass the junction of the Snake Plains Track about half way along. I've been told the Snake Plains Track is often very muddy but if you wanted to make a circuit out of it that would be your best option eg Pipeline- Snake Plains- Milles- D. Tarn- Wellington Fall Track- Pipeline.

I'm not sure how quickly it fills and then disappears either.
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby stepbystep » Sun 28 Jun, 2009 3:23 pm

I went up today from Nieka. If you ride a bike along the Pipeline Track to the start of Wel Falls track, I estimate it would only take a couple of hours.
Otherwise the track in from the Springs would be the quickest way in.
I went via Snake Plains coming back to the tarn, across Potato fields and on to the falls returning to Nieka via Pipeline Track.
This took 5 hrs with an hour at the Tarn, absolutely magic, clear skies and even some sun :D
I do however travel pretty quick. That was a 17km circuit. A word of warning though rocks are very slippery at the moment and Snake Plains is saturated(as was I)
Water pouring off the mountain everywhere, the falls looked great too

Many thanks to Jaxter or I would have missed out

PS. the lady I met there also said she saw Jaxter's shot on BWT
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DISAPPEARING TARN MAGIC.jpg
DISAPPEARING TARN MAGIC.jpg (734.2 KiB) Viewed 37830 times
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby dee_legg » Sun 28 Jun, 2009 5:04 pm

Glad someone else got up there to see the magic. It took us 5 hours also with long stops at the tarn and falls but only 12km from the Springs return. Without the views yesterday it really felt like i could've been anywhere!
When we were at the tarn yesterday a group of three walked straight past without even seeing it! We stopped them and they told us they had come in from Neika via Snake Plains and they were absolutely soaked!
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby stepbystep » Sun 28 Jun, 2009 5:51 pm

dee_legg wrote:Glad someone else got up there to see the magic. It took us 5 hours also with long stops at the tarn and falls but only 12km from the Springs return. Without the views yesterday it really felt like i could've been anywhere!
When we were at the tarn yesterday a group of three walked straight past without even seeing it! We stopped them and they told us they had come in from Neika via Snake Plains and they were absolutely soaked!


I know how they felt, the scrub was pretty taxing as well. and caused most of the wetness.
The tarn is easy to miss if you don't know what you are looking for, and what a miss!
I didn't stop long at the falls, probably too knackered :lol:

P.S. Nice shots on facebook, love the yellow gum shot
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby Jaxter » Mon 29 Jun, 2009 5:18 pm

Gorgeous shot Stepbystep! I'm glad I inspired a few others to get out there! :D

Yeah, the tarn is easy to miss - we would have walked right past it even though we were looking for it except we saw another couple heading off track and figured that was the spot. I guess the clue is that if you get to the Potato Fields you've gone too far!

The falls look fantastic Dee - I must set aside a day to go have a look (although I don't much like the thought of the long walk through the boulder fields!)
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby bluewombat » Mon 29 Jun, 2009 7:09 pm

A couple more pictures for those who haven't been there yet :D The color is remarkable
Millies track and disappearing tarn 28th june 2009 (10)_Small.JPG
Millies track and disappearing tarn 28th june 2009 (10)_Small.JPG (153.68 KiB) Viewed 37753 times

Millies track and disappearing tarn 28th june 2009_Small.JPG
Millies track and disappearing tarn 28th june 2009_Small.JPG (118.7 KiB) Viewed 37753 times
Even a long life is short
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby weetbix456 » Thu 23 Jul, 2009 8:08 pm

soooo blue!!!! been sick for agesss! want to see this before the end of the rainy days
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby Jaxter » Fri 24 Jul, 2009 12:37 pm

Wow - that's at least 2 meters deeper than when I went! Hmmm, I may have to try to get out there again...
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby alliecat » Fri 24 Jul, 2009 4:01 pm

Update as of Friday July 24.

The tarn is still there, but a lot smaller than the photos above. You could easily miss it from the track - it's just visible. Still spectacular though, as are Wellington Falls.

I went in via Pipeline and Snake Plains, but I wouldn't recommend Snake Plains. The track is basically a series of ice covered ponds and puddles connected by ice covered streams. It's boggy and cold.

There are a few slippery (ice covered) rocks along Mille's track too, so take care.

I did the circuit from Neika in just over 5 hours, but that was on my own and motoring along pretty quick. It could more comfortably take 1-2 hours longer.

Well worth the effort - I had a great day out.

Cheers,
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby bcshort » Sat 25 Jul, 2009 2:07 pm

Well I certainly missed it.

I set off along the Milles track from the Springs at 9am this morning. Walked about 2.5 hours and got to about the 7-8th post marker where it just turned to rocks before I decided I had had enough, and the rocks were getting too slippery for me to be safe. only took 1.5 hours to head back.

Amusingly on the way back, I passed half a dozen people, all of them saying they were looking for the disappearing tarn.

I discovered 3 things about myself today:

1) I am not fit enough for bushwalking
2) I am not properly equipped for bushwalking
3) When all my lower joints ache like they do now, I lose all desire for bushwalking :)
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby weetbix456 » Sat 25 Jul, 2009 3:49 pm

yea i just got back bout half an hour ago. it's still there but not nearly as full as in the better photos! haha i think i seen you bcshort, you were so close!! i set out from the springs on the milles track, didn't really know where the rock fields on the map actually started so i had a few early false alarms, but its obvious when you reach the major ones and just a short scramble up to the right. continued up potatoe fields, devils glutch and down the ice house track. now it's bath time woo
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby dee_legg » Sat 25 Jul, 2009 4:27 pm

Either of you get any photos?
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby bcshort » Sat 25 Jul, 2009 4:44 pm

weetbix456 wrote: haha i think i seen you bcshort, you were so close!!


Blue top, looking like utter crap? :P Describe where it was, I'm wondering if it was where I thought it was. How far in from the intersection of Snake Plains Track?
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby weetbix456 » Sat 25 Jul, 2009 5:02 pm

hahaha nah i was wearing white top, shorts and the red and white beanie. you were looking for your beanie at this point (if that was you??) a fair bit on from the snakes plain turn off.

Heres the link to the picture i took today (the first one in the album) haha, i sat comparing for a while :( nothing like in your guys pictures. will have to go up again after the heavens open. Still a great day and circuit walk :D .

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1 ... 2362&saved
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby bcshort » Sat 25 Jul, 2009 6:04 pm

weetbix456 wrote:hahaha nah i was wearing white top, shorts and the red and white beanie. you were looking for your beanie at this point (if that was you??) a fair bit on from the snakes plain turn off.


Ahh yes I know now, you were the first person I came across on the track :) I was beginning to think I was the only one out there :) Found the beanie, thanks.

Hrm, maybe it wasnt where I thought it was. I turned around in an area where there was a steep drop down, and the growth opened out to a clear view of cathedral rock. I suspect I may have been almost there, but with only "A rise before the potato fields on the Milles Track" as my reference, I was walking blind. I should have turned around and followed you :)
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby dee_legg » Sat 25 Jul, 2009 6:35 pm

I think they were my fairly vague words you used to find it! I'm sorry they weren't helpful. We did the walk in complete fog, so i've got no idea whether Cathedral Rock was in view at the tarn or not, but i doubt it.
I know that if your on the Potato Fields, which are quite distinctive and big, you should be able to look back into the north east corner that you walked in through and see the tarn... well you could when i was there.

I suggest you head up after some good rain, it'll be much more obvious then! I could even hear the water running under the rocks as we walked on the track when i was there.
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby bcshort » Sat 25 Jul, 2009 7:26 pm

Hi Dee,

I'm sure you and other may have said more in the forums, I know you both did because I have read it, however that was the only thing I could remember when trying to keep my balance while navigating over slippery ice coated rocks with 5kg of camera gear on my back :mrgreen:

I know I didnt actually get to the Potato Fields - I'm fairly sure I got to maybe within 750m of them - but when I slid and nearly rolled my ankle, the thought of being alone up there, with no phone, no epirb, and someone who knew I was thinking about going up there, but without trip times and stuff....It was time to go home before I tempted fate too much.

I was actually straining my ears listening for water - its actually really frustrating the number of times I wanted to fill my water bottle, hear water, but because it was flowing under rock, there was no way to get to it : :twisted:

Next time I go up, I'll be better prepared.
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby seashell » Sat 25 Jul, 2009 8:22 pm

hi bc, we passed you too.

We found it with the help of some others who overtook us on the track.

If it helps I counted the orange markers on the way back, it's 20 markers along the track coming from The Springs.

I'll post some photos in the next day or two.
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby stepbystep » Sat 25 Jul, 2009 9:32 pm

bcshort wrote:Hi Dee,

Next time I go up, I'll be better prepared.


That's all we want to hear, from the first post I thought we had lost you all together. Stay strong, the rewards are worth it even if the walks are short :D
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby seashell » Sun 26 Jul, 2009 1:07 pm

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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby alliecat » Thu 12 Aug, 2010 12:39 pm

Rather than start a new thread...

Mt. Wellington had 199mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am today (Aug 12) so I reckon there's a good chance Disappearing Tarn will be un-disappeared for a little while. I don't have any information on how quickly the tarn appears and disappears but I will hopefully get up there this weekend to have a look. If anybody else gets up there for a look, please let us all know what you find.
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby Stibb » Sun 15 Jan, 2012 9:23 am

Would there be any point looking for the tarn at this time of the year? Was hoping to stretch my legs a bit this arvo and it looks amazing there.
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby ollster » Sun 15 Jan, 2012 9:28 am

Stibb wrote:Would there be any point looking for the tarn at this time of the year? Was hoping to stretch my legs a bit this arvo and it looks amazing there.


From personal experience, even after significant rain the day before, it's just a hole in the scree with some mud and twigs at the bottom. Hold out for the day after a mega-downpour or tonnes of snow run off.
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Re: Disappearing Tarn II

Postby weetbix456 » Sun 15 Jan, 2012 9:40 am

even one huge day of rain the day before wont normally do it. you're best to have a few constant days instead
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