Hello everybody! Question: fact or fiction, plz help

[tazzieguy]

Hi guys and ladies I should add! bit of introduction first! From Tassie, only just signed up here but have
been looking through the forums on a fairly regular basis! So anyways gday to ya all and I hope you are all having a great day!
Need a bit of advise and help sorting fact from fiction, Spoke to pws and the visitors centres and some 'overland track office' re: cradle mountain, walked the olt in winter and would like to spend a week or so in the area in december. Now I have an annual parks pass which cost me a fair bit and I have no intention of paying the olt fee. Don't want to support pws's reckless spending habbits any more than necessary, million dollar huts etc. I can understand trying to make a bit from tourism but pricing us locals out of our own parks is a bit ridiculous imho.
Anyways this is what I was told on the phone:

1. If I am to walk on any part of the olt I must register and pay the fee. (I thought you only had to pay if walking the whole track, has this changed?)

2. If I am caught by a hut warden patrol I will be sent back to cradle mtn and have my parks
pass forfeited. (They also assured me if I was on the track anywhere I would be caught) also
WT *$&# is a hut warden? never saw them in winter! (I bought a pass on the understanding I can access ALL parks for 1yr!)

3. Camping anywhere except hardened surfaces outside the huts is illegal (I was under the impression camping without leaving a trace and respecting vegetation well away from creeks etc outside the daywalk area was legal except in otherwise signposted areas?)

4. Walking on any point of the track towards cradle mt. is banned. walking is only permitted from cradle mtn to st clair in that direction. WT *$&#! Too bad for anyone wanting to backtrack for side trips etc in the mornings!

Is all of this true? I feel that in many if not all of these points I have been lied too.

Could somebody here that knows about this sort of thing please let me know either here or via pm etc.
If this is true this will be the last parks pass I ever buy!
My intention during the second week of December was to walk through the walls, up toward pelion gap, ossa, few other places in that area and then return through the walls, now obviously I will be on the olt (its the only track through there!) for a portion of the walk, I would also be walking the 'wrong' way for a bit of it. So I can't do this?

Many thanks in advance for your help guys,
Cheers!

[tasadam]

My opinion is that if this is indeed what you have been told, it seems you have been lied to. As we have a number of Parks employees on this site, I think it best that one of them respond to your concerns. However, many of these points have been discussed in other topics.

[Son of a Beach]

I'm fairly sure that points 1 and 4 only apply to people walking the entire Overland Track, and only during season (October to April, I think?).

There usually is a hut warden at Waterfall Valley hut (living in the rangers quarters). They make an effort to speak to everyone who comes down the track, to check passes, and also a rudimentary check to make sure they're reasonably well equipped. I have seen them turn people back when the people were clearly nowhere near well enough equipped (and that was in the days before the OT passes were required).

Last time I did it (somebody paid for a pass for me to walk with them as they were not confident on their own, at the time) we passed a ranger at least every second day (3 in total, I think), and they all checked us for OT passes, and ticked our names off their lists. I bet they love that part of their job!

Camping away from the huts and tent platforms, and official camp sites is very strongly discouraged (and for most of the people on the OT, this is for good reason). However, I'm sure it's not illegal.

[E.G.]

I agree with SOaB. They have really lead you up the garden path. I walk fairly regularly from Arm River to Cradle Mountain, against the flow, OMG! Never paid a track fee. Plenty of walkers say that I'm going the "wrong way" and some get quite indignate but it is allowed if you aren't doing the full track in summer season.

Sounds like a nice walk you have planned, have fun

[whynotwalk]

Hi tazzieguy - it's hard to know whether you've been given some wrong information or have maybe misinterpreted what you've heard. Anyway, here's my understanding (in blue font),

cheers

Peter
__________________________________________________

1. If I am to walk on any part of the olt I must register and pay the fee. (I thought you only had to pay if walking the whole track, has this changed?)

If your intention is to walk the Overland Track during the "season" (November 1 to April 30), then you book and pay the fee. Walking a substantial portion of the track (eg Cradle to Pelion, then out via Arm River) may not be illegal, but you can see why those who've paid would feel miffed. I have done some of the things you are planning in December, and I generally take a tent (leaving the hut for booked walkers), and stay sensitive to the priority that booked walkers have in and around huts.

2. If I am caught by a hut warden patrol I will be sent back to cradle mtn and have my parks pass forfeited. (They also assured me if I was on the track anywhere I would be caught) also
WT *$&# is a hut warden? never saw them in winter! (I bought a pass on the understanding I can access ALL parks for 1yr!)

There are Track Rangers and some hut wardens on the OT. The former are paid staff, who are there during the booking season. They perform a wide range of duties, from pass checking, to advice and information, to cleaning and minor maintenance. They can - and occasionally do - direct walkers to leave the track. Hut wardens are volunteers usually based at Waterfall or Windermere during the booking season. They are there to help the inexperienced and generally "host" walkers.


3. Camping anywhere except hardened surfaces outside the huts is illegal (I was under the impression camping without leaving a trace and respecting vegetation well away from creeks etc outside the daywalk area was legal except in otherwise signposted areas?)

Camping elsewhere is discouraged rather than illegal. With 8 000 pairs of feet using the track each year, you can imagine why! That said there are plenty of places well away from the track where camping using leave no trace principles is appropriate.

4. Walking on any point of the track towards cradle mt. is banned. walking is only permitted from cradle mtn to st clair in that direction. WT *$&#! Too bad for anyone wanting to backtrack for side trips etc in the mornings!

Is all of this true? I feel that in many if not all of these points I have been lied too.

Could somebody here that knows about this sort of thing please let me know either here or via pm etc.
If this is true this will be the last parks pass I ever buy!
My intention during the second week of December was to walk through the walls, up toward pelion gap, ossa, few other places in that area and then return through the walls, now obviously I will be on the olt (its the only track through there!) for a portion of the walk, I would also be walking the 'wrong' way for a bit of it. So I can't do this?

I think a bit of common sense will help here. There's no "ban" on accessing the OT from the Walls, nor on walking south/north on short sections of the track. Sure you'll meet other walkers and staff who will quiz you, but if you're genuinely not walking the Overland Track, there's no problem. There IS some sensitivity to the fact that some have been advising walkers on how to "avoid paying the track fee" by coming in from the Never Never or similar. If walkers are seen to use facilities but dodge paying what the majority pay, then that sensitivity will only increase. My advice, again, would be to keep your time on and use of the OT facilities to a minimum (which sounds like what you have planned). Besides there are so many places to the side of the OT - and well beyond it - so why buy into a fight?

Many thanks in advance for your help guys,
Cheers!

[corvus]

G'day tazziguy,
Like others have said I believe you have been led astray , my first question to anyone who directed me to return to from whence I came would be on whos' authority and a demand for a written signed statement as to why
Unless the rules have changed( without adequate public knowledge), do as the rest of us will continue to do purchase a parks pass and enjoy your sojourn onto the "hallowed ground" of the OLT other than doing the whole trip during the season.
As an aside I believe that "Parks staff and volunteers " have absolutely no legal authority to request personal information from you nor even insist on viewing your pass or in fact assert any pressure on us other than radio ahead for the proper legal beagles to be there to arrest us for committing a really naughty transgression of ignoring "the ranger" or non payment of fees I don't want to sound like an smartarse but just remember most" Parks Staff" are everyday good people just like the rest of us it is a great pity someone gave you wrong information
c

[tazzieguy]

Thanks alot guys! quite surprised really, being new to the forum I wasn't sure if id get an answer or at least not for a few days! What a great bunch of people you all are!! Great forum too! Thanks again!

Yea definatly was no misunderstanding, the info I posted was almost as quoted by the so called "overland track" office and a lady at the cradle visitor centre (whom I do hold nothing against as she did say it was only what she thought but she was unsure and gave me the phone number for the above office)
I guess they have an agenda ie $rs and don't mind lying there *&^%$#@! of to suit that agenda fairly sad really.

Actually the only reason I thought it might not be true was that everything went against what I had read in this forum (I did use the search ), but the posts weren't exactly recent so I wasn't sure if the rules had been changed hence my asking here

But that is certainly excellent to know, and I am happy I did not waste my money on a pass that I could not use!

I also understand the concerns raised here and I will stress that no I am not after 'dodging' the fee or anything like that, I will also be bringing a tent (as I believe everybody should really, as much as everybody here, I hate the stories of 'rescues' due to being ill prepared but thats a bit of a side gripe really! lol) and have no intention of staying at the huts, even if I was walking the track, the thought of 30odd smelly tourists and loud snoring really doesn't do it for me!
Actually after reading through one of the other posts on this site I am somewhat tempted to try and find a hammock for the trip!
I also understand the impact of bad site selection for camping and the need for minimal impact on the environment and like most of us I would like to see places like this available for future generations, actually another plus for the hammock really, much less impact than a tent. Actually on that subject I just wish some of these tourists would do the same, in winter walking the olt I reckon we picked up close to 12 kgs of litter and junk left behind by other walkers including a half dozen empty stubbies from kitchen hut where we stopped for a feed (why somebody would carry glass bottles on a multiday walk beats me), not good when ya already carrying 30kgs plus was a bit too well prepared being winter! lol

Couple of other questions I have somebody might be able to help me out with, firstly the carpark near the walls, if I leave a car there for 10 days or so what are the chances it will still be there in one piece when i get back?

Also, what I was thinking was maybe walk through the walls, through the never never, up pelion way, back on lees padock track, and back up too the walls, now the only maps I have at the moment are 1:100000 (I will get better ones!) so its difficult to say for sure if this will be possible?
Can anyone suggest a better trip? Only condition is I need to get back to my vehicle at the end...

What is it like walking through the never never and lees padocks? My navigation is not great, dont get me wrong tho, I have no problems with maps or using a compass, just judging distances is not my specialty! I tend to drastically over-estimate how far I have walked! Am I in for a major geographical embarrassment or is it fairly easy going or signposted?

Cheers guys! And thanks again for your advice before!!!

[Luke001]

Ha mate. Can't answer most of your post but if your planning on going off track then I would recommend taking a gps and learn how to use utm grid reference so u can use the lat/long to plot your way on the paper maps. Much easier then the old compuss system, especially when landmarks are few and far between. Even if using compuss it's good to be able to verify where u think u are.

[tazzieguy]

Yea my gps leaves much to be desired lol, I get about 5hrs of battery life and the battery is an internal rechargeable, not really alot of help off the beaten track. Good in an emergency I would guess but thats about its limit Should look into getting a better one one of these days!

[JamesMc]

The main Walls car park is notorious for car break ins. You might be better parking further up the valley. No guarantee though.

JamesMc

[tazzieguy]

Thanks James, might walk up from st clair to the walls instead then, I think the carpark at the visitors centre there would be fairly safe. Bit of a detour but better than loosing car I guess.

[flyfisher]

Might be better walking from Mc Kenzie to the WOJ, different country and a lot easier route.

[shazcol]

We got stopped by a "Track Ranger" on Friday at Pelion gap before going up Ossa. Pleasant enough chap asked for our overland passes and when we explained what we where doing he commented 'you must be locals then' and all was fine, no problems at all.

We had a very interesting chat with him after that about some of the history of some of the lesser known tracks and features around the place and then he departed on the chase for 'a particular walker' he was trying to catch up with. So I suspect if you try and do the wrong thing they will attempt to hunt you down?

[Erica]

We had a very interesting chat with him after that about some of the history of some of the lesser known tracks and features around the place and then he departed on the chase for 'a particular walker' he was trying to catch up with. So I suspect if you try and do the wrong thing they will attempt to hunt you down?

Yep, they hunt you down, pretty sure they hate doing it too.

[Graham51]

Hi Tassiguy.
Last summer I walked from Lake McKenzie to WOJ to Traveller Range, dropped into duCane Gap did duCane traverse and out to StClair. A great trip. The summer before we walked from Lake St Clair to Pelion Gap then out through Traveler Range. Before that we went in through Lees Paddocks to Pelion then along OT and up to Thetis and Achilles. On each of these trips we met rangers at huts and/or OT and after talking to them and havin g them realise we weren/t doing the OT we went happilyt on our way. I'd say you have either been misled or have misunderstood what you have been told.