Bushwalk Australia

Lighthouse to Telegraph Saddle is a bit under 4 hours.
Almost all boring road walk.

Sad news that I hadn’t seen elsewhere, (though the information release is dated July 2022, so perhaps plenty have seen it) was the track to sealers cove won't be open till spring 2023 at the earliest. No news on Oberon bay track either it seems.

juz wrote:Sad news that I hadn’t seen elsewhere, (though the information release is dated July 2022, so perhaps plenty have seen it) was the track to sealers cove won't be open till spring 2023 at the earliest. No news on Oberon bay track either it seems.

Storm Recovery Factsheet - July 22_25072022222256618.pdf

I saw this recently.
Apparently flood damage altered hydrology of Sealer's swamp, requiring new boardwalk alignment and not 'just" a repair.
The factsheet does say Oberon Bay anticipated to open late 22.
Make of that what you will.

If You walk into Sealers' cove from Refuge Cove you won't have as many people camping there. The old route there was easy and shorter and allowed the great unwashed to pile in there without much difficulty!

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:If You walk into Sealers' cove from Refuge Cove you won't have as many people camping there. The old route there was easy and shorter and allowed the great unwashed to pile in there without much difficulty!

True. But at 24k, you really want to walk there, as the return you are backtracking 12km just to get back to Waterloo Bay and have the option of choosing which route to take form there (light house or back to Telegraph Junction).
But last time I was there, a fat possum was imitating the buggers I saw on the Overland and just casually walking up to my bag while I was right next to them.
Very strong 'come at me bro' vibe from the marsupial.
I put my smelly socks on top of food stuffs.
I won.

I’d happily volunteer to help repair / build what needs to be done there. I’m sure I wouldn’t be alone. Such a pretty part of the world. I have such fond memories of that boardwalk.


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Every now and then I check back on this. Doesn't sound promising. I'd hoped they were well underway with repairs given it was almost a couple of years ago.
Not sure when this extra information was posted but it wasn't there a few months back when I looked I don't think.

Sealers Cove Walking Track closed until further notice

Wilsons Promontory National Park experienced widespread damage due to several flood and storm events in 2021. This significantly damaged many tracks including the Sealers Cove Boardwalk. A detailed engineering assessment found that the entire two kilometres of the Sealers Cove Boardwalk will need to be replaced. Planning is underway for this work, including costing the work to secure funding. Due to the extent of the damage, and complexity of the work required, Sealers Cove Walking Track will be temporarily closed.

The problem — a big problem, with that track to Sealers Cove is the hydrology: constantly shifting, soft and swampy and subject always to storm inundation from massive tidal inflows. One theory is that they will drive pylons deep into the ground but obviously the lack of access poses even more challenges than the solution. Just driving shallow stumps in and capping the work off with a boardwalk isn't going to make it last. Possibly a re-routing of the walk to higher ground?

Realistically it won't be open in time for the 2023 Spring. Funding would be the biggest hurdle; it can take years for PV to secure funding for infrastructure, which otherwise is raised through campsite fees to construct e.g. toilets, picnic areas, etc.

Judging by the PV website the Norman's Point - Oberon Bay section should be open again now as this area is no longer listed under the 'Reported Issues' banner. Sealers Cove access still the long way around and now estimated to not be back to 'normal' until 2024.

Joris wrote:Judging by the PV website the Norman's Point - Oberon Bay section should be open again now as this area is no longer listed under the 'Reported Issues' banner. Sealers Cove access still the long way around and now estimated to not be back to 'normal' until 2024.

2024... is a long way out...
Yeah, it looks like they are running from one major problem into the next. It must be a real effort to get from Tidal River to Sealers Cove each day, unless they have a construction crew base camping at Sealers? I really miss the enjoyable, simple walk to Sealers Cove from Telegraph Saddle over the longer circuit walk. I visited Sealers Cove on my final two nights of a 5 night walk on the Lighthouse Circuit in November 2009. The only camera I took on that walk was a Zero Image 69-SE medium format pinhole camera and exposure meter. Refuge Cove was photographed, but Sealers was subject to a violent electrical and rain storm that kept me tent-bound from 4pm until around 10pm. Leaving next morning, the atmosphere walking along the beach was most affecting: muggy, calm, a languid sea with the stumps of the old jetty visible. Two km along the track the rain returned and did not let up until I got to the car!

It looks unlikely that the Telegraph saddle to Sealers' Cove
track will reopen before 2025. Parks Victoria have no time line or funding for this job AFAIK.
It is rumoured that the State Govt. Minister has announced the funding recently but then the consultants with Italian suits, pony tails and
colourful flow charts have to get their snouts into that funding trough before anything
else happens.
I have good news: The Norman Bay to Oberon Bay track has reopened which means you can walk from Tidal River to Telegraph Junction and avoid some road walking .