7 Mile Beach to Lauderdale Circuit 2015

Today we're walking from Seven Mile Beach and around and about Lauderdale.

Well, I know that now, unfortunately all I remembered about the walk title was Lauderdale. This meant that I and three others ended up at Lauderdale and the rest of the group was at Seven Mile Beach. Fortunately Sally called as we were trying to find a number for Tas and set me straight.

I'm sorry the rest of the group had to stand in the wind and cold waiting for us. The up side is that the four of us in the car were quite warm and comfortable!

After all that, we set off led by Tas.

Parking at the lot at the end of Seven Mile Beach Rd., we walked along the beach past the blocked outlet of Acton Creek to a set of steps up to a fairly new track.

It's a combination of walker/mountain biker track, which explains the random stone humps along the way.

Gravel for the most part, it runs parallel to the coast past several large houses towards Roches Beach.

Most of the track is in the open with some grown up parts

Looking up to the right. Are we going up there?

I think this is a Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang) brightening up the fence

We also spooked a hawk just at the side of the track which flew into the gum tree nearby.

I only have 4x telephoto on my camera, so I've circled the hawk above

Here I am in action. Photo by Jean

The constant excitement becoming too much for us, we begin to look for a place for Morning Tea.

Looking across Frederick Henry Bay

Everyone smiles at the beginning of a walk. Just don't let Tas or Bob see you. Photo by Jean

That looks like a nice little beach

We find a spot for tea just above the little beach among some gums.

That's me in action, about to be taken down by a runner. Photo by Jean

Morning Tea. Photo by Jean

 After our break we continue on this very easy track. As I said earlier, we pass several large houses. Ron and I had a discussion about the one below and concluded it was a fake.

Possibly a fake, but a good one

Shortly, we reach a junction where a discussion occurs between the higher ups re which direction we take.

I know! lets go up hill

Up we go towards the Axiom Track. Interesting name. I don't know if it's called Axiom because it's the starting point of reason, or called that after an Australian band. I doubt if it's named after a mining company or one that produces architectural building solutions.

Isn't the internet wonderful for providing rubbish to pad out a blog?

Shortly we come to Kirra Rd., pausing to view the distant snow then following directions on another sign.

Distant snow. The best place for it.

Keep Five Ways in mind

We climb up the track then up a grassy hill where we have some views.

Looking down over Roches Beach

Panorama looking down grassy hill

Mt. Wellington covered with cloud and snow

At the top we come to a fence with a number of not so welcoming signs on it.

The others are ahead of me, going down hill. I begin to catch up and see them standing in a group facing the fence. I can't see what's happening, but can see someone in a dark coat on the other side talking to them. I jump to conclusions and think it's Bob trying to entice them over the fence. Sorry Bob. It turns out to be a bloke who belongs to a local mountain biking group. He tells us the person who owns and farms the property is happy to have walkers etc. on his land, he just wants them to call him first. The signs were put up to protect himself and his land from people that just arrive without permission.

We also learn that the council is going to take over the top of the nearby hill (Single Hill) and turn it into a reserve with access to a road below. There are plans for walking/biking trails in the future, which all sounds good.

Knowing we're on council land and are not going to be shot, we walk on.

Site of a future reserve

We arrive at the bottom and start another track that runs between properties. One we've been on before.

We come out on the Axiom Way, cross over into Penelope Pl. and walk a short distance to pick up another part of the Tangara Trail.

The various trails are certainly well marked

We continue on towards the Five Ways. Most of the trails are wide as this is horse country.

I told you earlier to remember Five Ways

We even have road rules

This way...

...or this

Another discussion

Another sign

Decision made, we continue on.

Helpful sign from a local

We're heading around to Roches Beach Rd. which we'll turn down to go to the beach for lunch.

On the way we pass a couple of Green Rosellas on a fence having a discussion.

Green Rosella (Platycercus caledonicus)

While I finish taking photos of the birds, I hear a shouted order further along the road. A fungus has been found and I'm to take a photo, making sure I get the stripe on top. Oh, also take a photo of the bottom gills.

I fall for this every time and should know better. I take the top photo then lie down in a ditch with icy water at the bottom to take the required photo of the gills. While I do this, you know what happens. The others take off into the distance making no sound at all!

Fungus complete with stripe

I may have exaggerated slightly about lying in a icy ditch. I really just held the camera down and let autofocus do the work

In the time I took 2 photos, the rest have put this much distance on

I was just catching up with them when I saw these two white ponies and took a photo.

I don't know if these two have anything to do with what is located here. It's Gurdwara Nanak Darbar which is the first and only Sikh temple in Tasmania.

Moving on, we look for a place for lunch.

We were going to use the shelter

There was an unpleasant breeze - ok for walking but not sitting still. Jean made the suggestion we move down to the beach which turned out to be a good idea.

The seating was better also.

Myself & Ron. Photo by Jean

Looking towards Lauderdale

Our lunch view

Another partial rainbow, we had one last week

Lunch finished, we walk up the beach passing birds and history.

A flight of cormorants (thanks Google)

The only thing I can tell you about this pillbox is that it's from WWII

We come to a set of steps and climbing up find ourselves at the junction where we went up hill earlier. From here we walk back along the coastal track to our cars.

Along the way, Bob who was behind me, asked to borrow my camera. He had a slightly worrying desire to photograph me from behind. Seems this was to be payback for all the bottom photos I take.

Yours truly from behind. Photo by Bob

It was a good walk, and we picked the right day as there was snow the day before and the day after.

We had 10 walkers and covered 12.58km in 3:32hrs

Click here to download GPX file.