WoJ hitchhiking?

[Clau21]

Hi all,

I am planning a few solo hikes in Tasmania over the xmas and new year break.

The original plan was to hire a car to get to trailheads but this year for whatever reason, there is no availability (I've search 10 different sites). The only ones I found were campervans for $500 a day. So either I arrange transfer with transport companies or hitch hike.

For WoJ, what are the chances of meeting fellow hikers who can give me a lift to Moles Creek from there I can get onward transport. I will probably pay for a shuttle to get to the trailhead.

I assume this summer season would be rather busy given the pandemic and OLT is capped to a lower number...

Otherwise, any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[north-north-west]

Depending on how long you want to walk and the sort of walking you want to do, there are other access points for the Walls than the main track from the Mersey River area. If you're flying in to Launceston or Devonport, there should be buses that would get you to Deloraine and from there to Mole Creek. From the south it's a bit more convoluted but there are bus services to Launnie and connections to the other services.
If you just need a ride up from Hobart I might be able to help.

[headwerkn]

Tassie is *always* sold out over the summer months... accommodation, hire cars, etc. Judging by the sheer volume of 'need rental car' type posts over social in the past couple of weeks, COVID hasn't really changed anything this season.

I certainly don't recommend hitch-hiking as such, but I reckon you'd be reasonably likely to be able to get a ride out of Mersey Forest Rd to Mole Creek without much issue. Especially over summer, the area will be quite busy with no lack of traffic. I found myself stranded just north of Lake Parangara a couple of years ago in late autumn with a disabled vehicle (rock smashed the sump on my car). Literally waited all of 5 mins before a passing car offered me a lift into Mole Creek, which was mighty appreciated.

Cheers, Ben.

[north-north-west]

People are pretty good at stopping down there. I've never walked part of that road without getting at least one offer of a lift.