Wingara Rd - Powder Jetty - Magazine

Today we're heading to the Howden/Tinderbox area for a walk led by Tas. We've walked in this area before in various directions, but today is promised to be new.

Some road walking, bushwalking and coast walking will lead us to the Powder Jetty and from there to the Powder magazine which is about 2km away and up a gulley.

Sounds simple, however there is an unexpected turn of events. You may be surprised to hear it involves Bob and a hill.

Meeting at the junction of Howden, Brightwater and Wingara Roads, we park in a little area just off the road near the phone box.

Keep smiling, the only one still smiling in a little while will be Bob

We walk from here down Wingara Rd., which is gravel, towards the Powder Jetty. However we turn off onto a right of way leading to Draper Rd. where we walk a short distance to another track leading to another we've walked on before, returning to Wingara Rd. and continuing towards the jetty.

During the walk, I will receive several shouts to photograph something. Here's a couple of black swans trying to trick me by heading in two directions

Wingara Rd. just before we make our first diversion

Prettier then the 2 earlier swans, plus it sits still

The first right of way. John being casual

Heading back to Wingara Rd.

Not sure what this official appearing conference is about

Now we're back on track and heading for the jetty. This was used to receive explosives from about 1969 to 1985 when it and the magazines were decommissioned.

It's a pleasant day and there's little traffic as we walk down to the reserve at the end of Wingara. You can see the Powder jetty, but there will be no access due to the fact that it's used by the fish industry for work boats etc.

Powder Jetty as it is now

Looking across North West Bay towards Margate

Looking back towards Cathedral Rock

While walking, we had the feeling of being watched

After some shouting, we managed to gain the attention of an expert birdwatcher (Tas) and he identified this as a Little Pied Cormorant

Near here we took to the foreshore as Tas had made arrangements for the tide to be low. Very pretty rocks and formations all along the shore line.

Interesting formations in the rock, almost looks man made

Leaving the shore for the land

We climbed up to a track that runs, more or less, along the foreshore and in front of several homes.

Through a nice stand of she oaks

Unexpected find of a deceased Tasmanian Devil

You never know what you might find in the bush. We continue until we reach Morwong St. and turn left and left again when we reach Tinderbox Rd.

Later, when we come back to Morwong St. you would be ashamed of the number of "more wrong then right" jokes that were being told by supposedly mature people. Back to the present.

We walk a short way to a turnoff on the right that will lead us first to Morning Tea and then to the Powder Magazine.

Almost looks like real bush

Introduced species alert

View across North West Bay

Looks confused, but I can testify we know where we're going 

We passed several roadside stands loaded with goodies, however Carol & Peggy aren't impressed with the presentation of this one

I was just interested in the novel mailbox and the informative sign

Heading on a track beside the road

We reach our turnoff only to be put off by the sign on the gate.

Is the end of our adventure?

No. Carol solved the problem...

...and we could have Morning Tea with a clear conscience

Mt. Wellington with a cap of cloud, viewed from where we're sitting

I liked the colouring of the young gum behind me

Gordon - there was a bit of breeze blowing

You never know where I'm lurking

Energy levels raised again, we continue on towards Tinderbox Hills and the magazine.

It's an easy walk along the old entrance road, and we shortly reach a gate and see the former caretakers hut in the distance. But before we get there another cry goes up for the photographer.

Choerocoris paganus or the Red Jewel-bug

Now that these are documented, on we go.

Probably a waste of time to include this due to it's state

Caretakers hut, complete with Thunderbox as is appropriate for an explosive storage area

If you enlarge this, you can probably read it

Dry creek bed

We continue on and find a series of well constructed buildings, protected against fire and lightning for storage of explosive. There are four in all, two large and two small. I don't know if the size of the building was related to the 'bang' of what was stored inside.

Heavily constructed larger hut...

...and a smaller one

The track runs up a valley and stops in front of the bush - or it used to. When we reached the end however, we found a new track had been cut to continue up the gully. We think it's probably been done because a sign on the first gate said burnoffs would occur in the area when conditions are suitable. This track was cut for the fire workers.

However, Bob didn't care and I've had to heavily edit the following photo to eliminate the glare from his shining eyes! Nothing would do but to follow this new track, and Bob threatened to leave us all there. So up we went.

Bob excited about new track and Peter amused

The only way is up

 

It's fairly steep as this poor local found out 

You come up to a saddle between two hills

After looking around at the top and seeing the proximity to a track we already know about, we had to persuade Bob not to continue and abandon two of our group who elected to stay below.

It does look like, with permission from the owner, a circular route could be made here. That's for the future and back down we go.

Going down

Walking back down to the entry gate, we spied what appears to be another track

It only took threats of handcuffs and leg irons to stop Bob from following it. I bet he'll be back here soon to find out if it goes anywhere.

Having reached Tinderbox Road again, we start to retrace our steps back to where we left the cars and look for a place to lunch.

About a metre long, this good snake was on the side of the road

The head with a fang replaced by Carol. I didn't know she was a dental nurse

With some zig zagging about on the way back, we found a good place for lunch offering comfortable seating and great views.

Here be lunch

Electrona and Snug

Snug and Cunningham

Adie and Carol enjoy a laugh

Carol shows off her custom seat that only took tens of thousands of years to make

Lunch finished we continue along the shoreline until we go back to the road and the cars.

Interesting sandstone formation near the lunch spot

Sandstone capped by, what appears to be, iron oxide

Natural floor of sandstone with swirling colours, this is all flat

Photo by Carol

Photo by Carol. I think it was the next day this noisy beggar had to land when bits started falling off

We had 13 walkers and covered 11.26km in 3:59 hours.

Back at the car, Gordon and I had a conversation about the length of the walk. One instrument gave just over 8km, another over 12km. We agreed that it didn't feel like 12 but more like 11. Looking at the report, I may just chuck all the technology and go for instinct!


NOTE: The software has become obsessed with the word "Thunderbox" and has been printing it in random areas. I've spent nearly half an hour to correct this, but I've had it! If you see it, just ignore it!

Click here to download GPX file