Seeking never never info

Tasmania specific bushwalking discussion.
Forum rules
Tasmania specific bushwalking discussion. Please avoid publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks.

Seeking never never info

Postby chris_n » Fri 09 Jun, 2017 4:46 pm

Hi all,
Chasing info from somebody/s who have been through to the overland track from the walls through the Never Never this summer, or in the last 12 months.

Specifically want to know how the prospect of log/other crossings of the upper mersey is looking after the floods about 12 months ago. Do the logs used to cross above McCoy falls still exist? If not, where did you cross? Please feel free to PM me info if you don't want it shared publicly.

Any info or GPS data you have will be really appreciated. Cheers in advance.
Chris
chris_n
Nothofagus cunninghamii
Nothofagus cunninghamii
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon 06 Mar, 2017 8:35 am
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby Champion_Munch » Thu 22 Jun, 2017 8:01 pm

We went through in April last year (not sure if that was before or after the "floods" you speak of). We crossed about 20 min before we reached the top of McCoy Falls, plenty of logs choking the river at that point. Happy to PM if you are after more specific info.
Champion_Munch
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 347
Joined: Wed 30 Apr, 2014 9:49 pm
Region: Queensland

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby Pink Cap » Sat 15 Jan, 2022 9:55 am

Has anyone been through recently? I'm thinking of walking to Junction Lake, across Never Never, to Pelion Hut and Kia Ora, out on Lees Paddock back to Mersey road
Pink Cap
Atherosperma moschatum
Atherosperma moschatum
 
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue 21 Apr, 2020 10:59 am
Region: Australia
Gender: Female

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby Nuts » Sat 15 Jan, 2022 11:12 am

The river level and places to cross will be restrictive or change with every solid rainfall, I don't see a lot of point in 'updated' advice. Generally, especially if there has been rain, start looking for a crossing early from Junction Lk and follow pads to the river where you can't see it. If it's not running a banker, don't stress there are lot's of spots, at worst a bit of wading.

Also not changed are the Overland Track rules. The only real way to do that circuit (as far as i'm aware) would be to leave from Lee's, up the Mersey, to Kia Ora (if using a track section)- Never Never. I've not done this climb, not a well marked track like the others, someone else can surely comment?
User avatar
Nuts
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 8632
Joined: Sat 05 Apr, 2008 12:22 pm
Region: Tasmania

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby FLICKIT » Sat 15 Jan, 2022 11:26 am

Nuts wrote:The only real way to do that circuit (as far as i'm aware) would be to leave from Lee's, up the Mersey, to Kia Ora (if using a track section)- Never Never. I've not done this climb, not a well marked track like the others, someone else can surely comment?


I've been thinking about doing this, through the Never Never then back down the Paddy Hartnett track, someone told me the hut owner down the Paddy Hartnett track isn't happy about people going through there and they've been blocking access, I have no idea if this is true or not... I stopped in at Lake St Clair PWS a few weeks back to ask about it but they had no idea...

On TheList the track is listed as "USER_TYPE: Restricted", not "Public" like all other open tracks, so I've been a bit cautious about making plans to do it, I don't like trespassing or the idea of a run-in with an angry property owner... (it looks like it would be a bit of a pain to go around the privately owned land down through there)
FLICKIT
Atherosperma moschatum
Atherosperma moschatum
 
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu 04 Nov, 2021 10:17 pm
Location: Tasmania
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby north-north-west » Sat 15 Jan, 2022 12:01 pm

There are always big logs across that river. If you''re concerned about the crossing, do it further downstream; mostly easy walking on the northern bank.

The leaseholders expect people to ask permission to camp in the Paddocks; that may now have been extended to walkers passing through if there are enough who do the wrong thing. It's probably mainly an issue when they have cattle in there (ie: summer/autumn).

For the official situation you'd be better contacting the relevant TasPAWS management twonk. Someone in the office will know what the lease allows and what the leaseholder's stance is.
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."
User avatar
north-north-west
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 15069
Joined: Thu 14 May, 2009 7:36 pm
Location: The Asylum
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: Social Misfits Anonymous
Region: Tasmania

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby Nuts » Sat 15 Jan, 2022 2:22 pm

I think Flickit, though worth checking too, that if you do use the OLT and play by the rules, they are to walk heading south (one section).
User avatar
Nuts
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 8632
Joined: Sat 05 Apr, 2008 12:22 pm
Region: Tasmania

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby FLICKIT » Sat 15 Jan, 2022 2:47 pm

Nuts wrote:I think Flickit, though worth checking too, that if you do use the OLT and play by the rules, they are to walk heading south (one section).


I generally always "play by the rules", there's good reasons for most of them... That route seems to be ok with PWS, the guidelines mention:
"The following overnight walks are examples of walks that are consistent with these guidelines:"
"Mersey Valley - Junction Lake - Never Never - Lees Paddocks"

https://parks.tas.gov.au/Documents/OLT% ... elines.pdf

I assume that means heading back down the Paddy Hartnett track from Kia Ora to Lees Paddock...

I'm not looking at doing it until things cool down a bit, maybe March, I just thought I'd mention the possible Paddy Hartnett track land owner issues for if "Pink Cap" decided to go that way... There may be no issue at all, I heard the info second hand, I'll check into it more down the track when I get closer to actually doing it...
FLICKIT
Atherosperma moschatum
Atherosperma moschatum
 
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu 04 Nov, 2021 10:17 pm
Location: Tasmania
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby Nuts » Sat 15 Jan, 2022 2:54 pm

FLICKIT wrote:
Nuts wrote:I think Flickit, though worth checking too, that if you do use the OLT and play by the rules, they are to walk heading south (one section).


I generally always "play by the rules", there's good reasons for most of them... That route seems to be ok with PWS, the guidelines mention:
"The following overnight walks are examples of walks that are consistent with these guidelines:"
"Mersey Valley - Junction Lake - Never Never - Lees Paddocks"

https://parks.tas.gov.au/Documents/OLT% ... elines.pdf

I assume that means heading back down the Paddy Hartnett track from Kia Ora to Lees Paddock...

I'm not looking at doing it until things cool down a bit, maybe March, I just thought I'd mention the possible Paddy Hartnett track land owner issues for if "Pink Cap" decided to go that way... There may be no issue at all, I heard the info second hand, I'll check into it more down the track when I get closer to actually doing it...


Yeah, all good, they do mention the route, and it's fair to assume they mean via the OLT.. even though it's ambiguous with the preceding two paragraphs :)
User avatar
Nuts
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 8632
Joined: Sat 05 Apr, 2008 12:22 pm
Region: Tasmania

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby FLICKIT » Sat 15 Jan, 2022 3:02 pm

Nuts wrote:Yeah, all good, they do mention the route, and it's fair to assume they mean via the OLT.. even though it's ambiguous with the preceding two paragraphs :)


Ambiguous is a good way to describe it... I get the impression they're being "reasonable" about people using that route, while not actively advertising it as a route... Using that route you only use about 5km of the OLT, it's not really excessive..
FLICKIT
Atherosperma moschatum
Atherosperma moschatum
 
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu 04 Nov, 2021 10:17 pm
Location: Tasmania
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby Son of a Beach » Mon 17 Jan, 2022 7:00 am

You don't actually need to use the OT at all for this. You can just follow the river the entire way. It's not that hard.
Son of a Beach
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 7014
Joined: Thu 01 Mar, 2007 7:55 am
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: Bit Map (NIXANZ)
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby Nuts » Tue 18 Jan, 2022 3:34 pm

FLICKIT wrote:
Nuts wrote:Yeah, all good, they do mention the route, and it's fair to assume they mean via the OLT.. even though it's ambiguous with the preceding two paragraphs :)


Ambiguous is a good way to describe it... I get the impression they're being "reasonable" about people using that route, while not actively advertising it as a route... Using that route you only use about 5km of the OLT, it's not really excessive..


Yeah, well 'reasonable' or else someone scrambled to add a few exceptions to what were originally unworkable restrictions. Then nobody has bothered to properly fix 'good enough'. Evidence for this being that it makes little difference the direction taken here, whereas sending groups one way through the Ducane R. is waiting a disaster waiting a cover up. Easy fixed when considered.

That's not to say that the staff in the field wouldn't be 'reasonable', working with what they are given.
User avatar
Nuts
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 8632
Joined: Sat 05 Apr, 2008 12:22 pm
Region: Tasmania

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby Pink Cap » Fri 21 Jan, 2022 3:39 pm

Thanks all. My interpretation of the rules is that I can go on OLT as required for my planned route so long as I go North South. But what I am really asking advice about is the best way to get through the Never Never without getting lost as seems to happen often.
Pink Cap
Atherosperma moschatum
Atherosperma moschatum
 
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue 21 Apr, 2020 10:59 am
Region: Australia
Gender: Female

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby Nuts » Fri 21 Jan, 2022 8:41 pm

There'd have been a time you'd have had a dozen further replies by now..

I can't help much with details. Not to cut other responses short or be an *&%$#!, but I really don't understand how anyone could get lost up there, other than perhaps lost from a map route or detailed set of directions. It's a steep sided valley and a substantial river to follow.

You'll get to/above Hartnett Falls and see some pads leading south along the bank, people do cross/wade across here, not far above the falls, or alternatively rough pads head further up the river. Somewhere there's apparently a log to cross on, that I never tried to find. If it's running deep and too fast to confidently wade the river (somewhere) you are probably best to reconsider crossing. We climbed /descended around Clarke Falls on the Nth side (so I guess that crossing before there is a goal, though i have heard of walkers coming down the Sth side) .. above these falls the valley starts to open up but iirc you'll start to find worn pads leading to Junction Lake/ Hut and on from there.
User avatar
Nuts
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 8632
Joined: Sat 05 Apr, 2008 12:22 pm
Region: Tasmania

Re: Seeking never never info

Postby Tazz81 » Sun 23 Jan, 2022 9:07 pm

I believe the general rule of thumb is to stay on the eastern bank higher up the ridge from the river. There’s a Myrtle forest up there that makes it easier going to walk through. Staying too close to the river and you’re amongst the scrub. We crossed too early (just after McCoy falls there was a log across the river so we thought may as well cross here) - there was a big clearing on the other side and we thought “great we’re out of the scrub!”. We were sorely mistaken - the last km we gave up and basically followed a compass bearing essentially on our hands and knees before we fell onto the Overland Track! If you manage to get lost there then you really shouldn’t of been there in the first place!
Tazz81
Nothofagus gunnii
Nothofagus gunnii
 
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue 25 Feb, 2020 5:16 pm
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male


Return to Tasmania

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 31 guests

cron