Lathamus Keep - 21 Nov 2023

Lathamus Keep is big tree in an area up Denison Rd via Judbury. It is claimed to be the largest Blue Gum in the world with a calculated 325 cubic metre by volume and over 500 years old and 80m tall.

We started off as usual from Kingston with 4 cars.

Past Judbury we followed the Denison and then turned right into McDougalls Road. The final turnoff is to the left some distance before the start of the Lake Skinner Track.

Entering the forest.

 

Native Laurel.

A complex root system.

Remnant of old logging practices.

OK which way next.

A free standing tree.

Morning tea or lunch in the forest.

Just a bunch of tree huggers.

Wayne following the track.

Mendelt on top of a logged giant.

The track winds around and undulates through the rain forest.  We were enthralled with one magnificent tall tree after another winding our way through beautiful understorey including man ferns, sassafras, myrtle, celery top pine, horizontal.

We backtracked a short way after lunch to the short spur track leading to Lathamus Keep.  A magnificent tree, but also just one of the beauties in the Huon Valley Grove of Giants.

The area has been the subject of research in the past and a lot of effort has been put into establishing and tagging the tracks.

A very worthwhile day out!

There were 16 walkers who covered about 3.5kms probably our shortest walk.

Thanks to Sally for leading the trip and Ingrid and Mendelt for the photos.

Manuka Hills / Trial Bay - 7th November 2023

 Under a cloudy sky we leave the car park at Kettering Oval and head off along Channel Highway towards Trial Bay.

We reach Trial Bay and take the coastal track back towards Kettering

If you look closely at this photo both ferries are visible at Roberts Point, Bruny Island

Watching the ferry from Deadmans Point

Dave leads the way towards Kettering

Lots of signs and security notices - must be important!!

Ferry loading cars in preparation for its trip across to Bruny

Approaching the Marina - the hill in the background is Manuka Hill which we will be climbing later on today

Ingrid walking along the marina with the Oyster Cove Inn visible in the background

We leave the marina and go to the BBQ area by the Kettering Oval for morning tea

Leaving the shelter we make our way to Manuka Road

Turn off to  the Manuka Hills Track which we use to climb over the hill 

This yellow peg is used to mark the track

At the top of the climb is a property with a large garden featuring a statue of a young woman

Off down the other side with some outstanding views of Oyster Cove

Track completed we're back on the road

Back on Manuka Road Steve admires an old building which we pass on the way to lunch

Lunch by the sea in Oyster Cove

After lunch we continue along Manuka Road and pass this echidna

On the way to the D'Meure Track we spot this interesting natural occurrence .. a seed from the plant has lodged in the dead tree and is now growing very strongly

We pass another echidna

View across the bay looking towards Kettering

One of our walkers Steve moors his boat in this bay .. here are some photos of it

Last section of the D'Meure track is along the beach where there are different obstacles to those we normally find on our walks

Our walk is almost complete .. Ingrid's little white 'Mouse' in the background

Today 10 walkers covered 12.3kms

Click on this link to download GPX file