FIRST short walk

[the_camera_poser]

Ok all, in two weeks we're on the FERRY and there's no coming back! Yippee! So, my question is, what's the BEST short (2-3 hours, with a 4 y.o.) walk to do in the North, to get a real taste of Tassie bushwalking?

[the_camera_poser]

And no, that doesn't mean I want a hike with extra portions of leeches, mud, cold, rain or wind..... thanks all the same

[tasadam]

Vera Hut? Mary Creeek Plains? Hhmmm...
Seriously, you are going to be nased in Sheffield so I don't think you can go too wrong with any walk up past Lake Rowallen.
As for times and with a 4yo, I'm the wrong person to ask.
Have a read about the Lees Paddock track and Oxley falls.
Then there's Dove Lake circuit. Everyone has to do it once, and it's nice - and at this time of year, hopefully the crowds will be less.
There are some other shorter walks from the visitor centre at Cradle Mtn, both east and west, that are nice - enchanted walk on the west side - a bit shorter than what you had in mind but easy, flat, boardwalked, beautiful, but near a river so keep an eye on the littlie. Could be good as a top-up walk if you want to see more after Dove Lake circuit.
On the east side the walk is a little more challenging (for a 4yo perhaps) but really quite acceptable as an option - Dove Canyon track. It's a circuit but I've never done it - only been in starting at the bridge, got to some falls on a slight side-track, and returned.
Probably a better intro than Lees / Oxley - less exposed in the sense that you are closer to civilisation / car.
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ie ... 50511&z=15
Best to check with the visitor centre at Cradle Mtn to get more detail on them. A good carpark there too, and facilities.
They may also have some other ideas.

[eggs]

Not really a "typical" tassie bushwalk, as it is a main stream tourist spot - but I could recommend the Liffey Falls.
Its a great spot.
See http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/reserves/liffey/index.html
Also http://www.touringtasmania.info/liffey.htm

I am not familiar with the extended walk up the river. But it is probably more typical of bushwalking in Tasmania.

I also agree that the Lake Dove circuit is an excellent shorter walk. We took our 3 year old around it some years ago in fairly continuous rain. Though I just checked some photos and I probably carried her in a back pack most of the way, but it is pretty flat and easy going.

Brian

[the_camera_poser]

I think Dove Lake sounds a winner. The 4 y.o. is a champ- last time we hiked with her she went for 10 km on the Bogong High Plains (well, a bit on Dad's shoulders....), but I'm not sure her oldies are going to be up for anytihng too major so soon after moving!

Thanks guys!

[Son of a Beach]

Yep, if you don't mind the crowds, the day walk options around the Cradle Mtn area are excellent. There are many walks of varying lengths and difficulty. Wombat Tarn is one of my favourite short walks. You could extend it to Crater Lake, and extend that even further if you wished. Of course the Dove Lake Circuit is very flat, and very easy.

[johnw]

Cradle Mtn area would also get my vote for family-friendly short walks. Hard to go past the Dove Lake circuit, but the boardwalk between the visitors centre and Ronny Creek is worth considering. There are often wombats and pademelons running around to grab a 4 year old's attention . And you can always get the bus at Snake Hill if it gets too tiring. You can also invent your own short walks using the day walk map.

If you are going to be based in Sheffield, quite a few places are within a relatively short drive. Narawntapu NP is one. Archers Knob/Bakers Beach would be worth looking at.
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/natparks/narawntapu/activities.html#2

[the_camera_poser]

Thanks all!

Dove Lake is probably the go for the first one. When we went to Cradle Mountain on our first trip to Tassie, it was sleeting and blowing a gale, and she cried for ages because we wouldn't let her follow some hikers onto the OT. She's a little bush baby, that kid of ours. I do remember now that I promised her we'd go back for a walk. She probably remembers too.....lol

[dee_legg]

From Waldiem up to Crater Lake is a great one, good track, and very pretty following the creek and the waterfall then onto the lake which also has beautiful scenery. As i remember it didn't take more than an hour to get to Crater Lake and there's various return options. I was 8 when i did the walk and found it very manageable, with amble stops i think a keen 4 year old would manage fine. Its also a lot less crowded than Dove Lake which is great, although at this time of the year, probably not such a problem.
Have fun!

[PeterJ]

Now when my kids were that age we had to really rug them up or the cold wind as like all youngsters they feel it quickly. Being from the south I don't know as many places as those living in the north, but I reckon Rocky Cape is good for walks of the time frame you mention.

[Joe]

Grab hold of the google earth file I have on my website for waterfalls in tassie. Plug it into google and just start searching. There is stacks of waterfalls that are under an hours walk around the north west and Im yet to find one that I havent enjoyed. The castra and ridgely areas are pretty well saturated with falls...around Sheffrock you have dasher falls, also the small set near railton on the tasmanian trail which the name escapes me at moment...its something like redrock creek or red something. Then there is forth falls area to explore. Lots of little day walks about to dip your toe in so to speak...and all of them great for photos.

[Joe]

Redwater Creek is the one i was trying to remember....check out this link for plenty of others...site is pretty messy and in need of love...i am working on it

http://www.taswaterfalls.com/index.php?topic=NorthWest

[corvus]

There are also some nice little caves Near Redwater Creek Waterfalls however the short day walks in the Cradle area as mentioned by others should be ideal.Ronny Creek to Crater Lake would be the most sheltered if you don't do Dove Lake Circuit

[Joe]

Mt Bell is the other cracker walk that would be good with kids. its 1hr return....3/4 of which is uphill and 1/4 of which is coming back down. Views are great and kids with their boundless energy should be well tuckered out by end of it.

[wello]

Another option would be Ben Lomond. About an hour's drive from Launceston, take the track to the Scout Hut and car park at Carr Villa. From there its a a fairly easy climb to the plateau. Once there, you're in fairly classic Tasmania mountain country: a bit of low scrub, dolerite peaks and at this time of year plenty of snow. Carry on for about 4km, and you can climb Legges Tor, the second highest peak in the state. This walk is all on tracks, but would be exposed in bad weather.

Liffey falls would be a good option too. You can drive to the top car park (access from Lake Highway) and walk down to the falls on a well made and well graded track. Rainforest, three great falls and we even saw a platypus there once.

still more options in the Dial Range, out the back of Penguin on the North west coast. Lots of good tracks here, all fairly short, and some nice forest to walk through.

Enjoy

Wello

[kantonysen]

Narawntapu National Park offers some easy walks suitable for a youngster, there are lots of wallabies and wombats. When we went there last there was a very tame wombat that allowed you to stroke it, it was near the Information Centre. Generally the walking is quite flat. Rocky Cape/ Sisters Beach also provides walks of various lengths. The weather could be foul at Cradle this time of year but not so bad on the Coast.
Keith

[Joe]

I harp on this one quite frequently any time a day walks thread pops up...but grab a copy of Bert Hardy and Jan Elsons book of daywalks on North WEst. All walking shops and even some info centres stock it and it really is a cracker for shorter walks. Its called Family walks...and there is a pic on the back of the hardy/elson family which has a couple of younguns, and they rate walks for family friendliness...so you really cant go wrong.

[the_camera_poser]

Taswaterfalls- I've gotten a copy of that book- it is excellent!