Manuka Hills Kettering 2015

Today we're walking around Manuka Hills in Kettering then around to Trial Bay and return. The walk is led by yours truly.

It's a good day for a walk, but unfortunately I wasn't properly organized this morning so left it too late to walk up from Woodbridge. I know everyone was disappointed!

We parked at the Cricket oval at Kettering where a match was about to begin. It seems the age 60+ and 70+ cricket national finals are taking place at grounds around Hobart.

The teams aren't on the pitch yet, but the stumps are set

The fence consists of 3500 recycled plastic pickets from Victoria, installed and painted by locals with help from Kingborough Council.

We don't have time to waste, so we set off and enter what's left of the old Channel Hwy as a shortcut to Manuka Rd. where we turn right.

It's only a short walk to our next turn, but on arrival I'm taken to task by the higher ups wanting to know if I've lost my way!

I should explain that usually we continue on Manuka Rd. for a distance and walk counterclockwise. Today I have to be firm and announce we're walking clockwise.

After a little tremble as the earth wobbles slightly in its orbit, we walk up Wilsons Rd. It's a nice little climb and not nearly so steep as our usual route.

We soon reach a sharp right hand bend where we bear left to the start of the track. It's well marked and it's obvious some work has been done by the locals in the recent past.

Manuka Rd. heading for Wilsons Rd.

An interesting climb with lots of old cars to admire on the way

We leave the road at the bend and find the start of the track...

...which is difficult to miss

The track winds through very dry bush along a right of way bounded by two fences

It's easy walking and occasional marker posts appear at junctions. The last time I was on this track was a couple of years ago with Bob leading and it wasn't a good track at all.

Interesting feature

It's very dry

We reach a fence and turn left

 We eventually reach a fenced property and the track leads us down to a wider section that runs across the hill.

Wide enough for horses, but not much evidence they use it often

We pass the bottom of several properties

This property has a large crop of various potato varieties. There were several men having a tea break behind the distant equipment.

We reach the corner of the fence and the track heads uphill now. There is another track that heads off east and by looking on a map it just runs a short distance to Balleny Drive. However, Bob has given me homework before next year to explore this and another track running off  the one we're walking.

We're now on a fairly steep climb running beside a fence line. We've come down here a number of times in the past.

Going up

Looking up

To the north you can see a bit of Oyster Cove

The top looking southwest

We reach a flat area at the top, just beside a house, regroup and start downhill. The track twists and turns and is quite slippery in places due to its gravelly surface. It's easy to skate down some sections whether you want to or not.

The track down to Little Oyster Cove

Sally's quite overcome by the joys of walking down a slippery track

A glimpse of Little Oyster Cove and the marina

No flowers about in this location, so we have to make do with this

We're near the bottom at the other end of the track on Manuka Rd.

It's a level grassy area, perfect for Morning Tea

We decide to stop here for our morning break. If we had taken our usual counterclockwise walk, we'd have tea at the cricket oval.

Never mind, the weather is good and we're high up with great views over the south and east.

Looking south over Kettering

The marina is in the process of being expanded

Looking down the Channel

Morning Tea

 Break finished, we head west back to the Channel Hwy and Kettering oval.

This used to be the Kettering shop, but they 'improved' the Channel Hwy some years ago and left it high and dry

The match is well under way

The  bowler is about to make his delivery

Dragging our attention away from the game we find the start of a track that skirts around the oval and along the shore to a bridge over a creek. It was only the other day in the paper I saw the bridge had just been reinstalled here.

The start of the Kettering Oval Track

It's been well planted for most of its (short) length

Looking back at the oval and the club house and Kettering Hall

Over the newly installed bridge

Egret flying away

The bridge brings us to the marina

We follow a path around the end of the bay and turn down Ferry Rd. towards the ferry terminal.

I wonder how many of the boats are used? I see very few in the Channel going past our place

Irene tells me that the two brown masted boat in the centre used to be her husband's fishing boat. It's been converted to a luxury yacht now, which is good as it's saved an old boat from disappearing

More my type, an interesting old work boat

Ferry terminal ahead, but we're heading right to find the start of the Kettering Point Track

It's only a short walk from the terminal to the start of the track, again the locals have been at work and installed seats along the way with access steps down to the foreshore at the point.

Kettering Point Track

There are more flowers along this track, and Bob wanted a photo of this one

There were many of these all along the walk to Trail Bay and it's a White Flag Iris or Butterfly Iris (Diplarrena moraea) or so the book indicates.

Another Iris

Before long, shouts go up and I'm rushed forward to find the orchids below. There are several beside the track.

Thanks to Kate who sent identification via Tas that shows these are "The orchids we found today were Thelymitra aristata or great sun orchids."

Thanks to both for supplying that information.

We continue along to Trial Bay where we'll have lunch.

Looking towards south Bruny Island

A civilized lunch, no rocks or logs required

The shelly beach at Trial Bay

The ferry at the Bruny Island terminal

I haven't used my selfie stick for a while, so I thought I would make use of it now.

It was only when I was at home later, reading my new computer magazine that I discovered what life threatening danger I had put myself in!

According to the article, taking selfie photos is more dangerous than swimming with Great Whites. Twelve people have died taking selfies - falling down or off something, being hit by trains etc.- while only eight have been killed by sharks.

So just be aware, I'm sure health and safety are going to do something about this situation.

Lunch finished, we walked back north to Kettering and the cars.

Sitting in my car waiting for the others to arrive this morning, I was looking out over a green oval watching the umpires set up the stumps for the cricket match. Beyond, was the marina and the blue water of the Channel, with the ferry just leaving for Bruny Island. I was thinking about the attacks in Paris and how lucky are we to live in this beautiful part of the world.

We had 14 walkers and covered 9.05km in 3:33hrs. I enjoyed the walk even if I do say so myself.

Click here for animated track

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