Margate 2 2014

Today we were supposed to do a walk down at Lauderdale, but this clashed with a visit from the Chinese President, Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, and this caused much disruption of traffic through Hobart.

Streets were closed, the Tasman Bridge over the Derwent was closed twice and even Mt. Wellington wasn't excused. It was closed most of the day and police were even patrolling some of the walking tracks. Heaven forbid the President should meet a sweaty, hairy bushwalker!

So, it was decided to move the walk to Margate, south of Hobart. The weather was... interesting. Big wind gusts, sunny, small showers, overcast. We just needed snow and pestilence to complete the set. Bob was our leader for the day.

The walk commenced behind the Margate Oval and, crossing the end of the oval we picked up a track to a right of way that skirted the back of Meredith's Orchard, before coming back to the Channel Highway.

Mt. Wellington. It was so windy, if the Chinese President had jumped up while on top he could have visited Bruny Island too.

Gearing up for the start.

Grassy tracks for a while.

Looking down on Meredith's orchard.

Crossing the road we found a little bit of bush and followed the track to the waterfront. Here we found the start of the Dave Burrows Walk, along the coastline.

It's only a short, but pleasant walk, which comes out behind the fish processing factory. It's dirt road walking from there until we turn off into a field.

Our first (small) bit of bush.

Dave Burrows was a late local resident who pushed for this area to be a reserve and put together the track.

I wonder what that blue & white sign is?

Well, doesn't that give you a warm and fuzzy feeling. At least they could have wished walkers "Have a nice day".

Cormorants

Nice walkway. I wonder what the large, black plastic pipes running along the ground beside it into the bay carry?

Leaving the Dave Burrows walk and picking up Gemalla Rd.

It's a clear field, but we found the track was lined for the most part by beehives. They buzzed me several times and afterwards I found a couple of walkers had been stung. So if anyone follows our track, don't wave at the bees!

Distant collection of peaks is called 'Sleeping Beauty'. Must have been at the end of a long winter when it was named.

Walking along Middle Rd., trying to avoid being run over by large trucks.

Into what we thought was, the safety of an open field.

Busy as a... well you know.

Don't wave your arms about and irritate them.

We came to Beach Road and followed it to the Dru Point Bicentennial Park where we found a place for Morning Tea. After tea, we followed the walking track around the park and entered suburbia from behind the Channel Christian School. 

There's always a couple! Ignoring instructions from Bob not to cut the corner, Gordon & Tas find their own way. Me? I'm just being the responsible photographer and recording their actions.

A number of black swans off Dru Point.

Lunch

I don't know why these two were banished.

I looked for the collective noun for black swans. Big mistake.

• a ballet of swans
• a bank of swans
• a bevy of swans
• a drift of swans
• a eyrar of swans 
• a fanfare of swans
• a flight of swans 
• a flock of swans 
• a game of swans 
• a herd of swans 
• a lamentation of swans
• a regatta of swans (on water)
• a sounder of swans
• a squadron of swans 
• a team of swans
• a wedge of swans (in flight)
• a whiteness of swans 
• a whiting of swans

Take your pick.

We followed the footpath up Beach Rd. to the Channel Highway and, after crossing, turned right to head down to the bridge and pickup another footpath. This runs next to the Margate Rivulet, and passes behind the new development.

Galahs at Channel Christian School.

Margate Rivulet to our right.

Creeping development behind Margate.

Not much water in the rivulet.

Getting closer. There was a brick house being built to the right of the wooden frame one.

It's not too far before we turn off on a more rural track. This winds around before we come to Van Morey Rd. which we walk along before turning off on a side road for a very short distance, coming back to our starting track. 

Nice grassy track.

One local knows we're here.

Sort of sets the theme of the whole garden.

Following part of our starting track back to the oval where we have lunch at the sports pavilion. 

Lunch at the pavilion.

Close as I'll get to a cricket pitch. I wore this shirt in honour of the Chinese delegation, but they didn't get to see it.

A pleasant walk, despite the wind. We had 11 walkers and covered 11.9km in 3:14 hours.

Click here to download GPX file

Church Hill Circuit - Bruny Island 2014

Today we're going to do a circular walk on Bruny, starting at the old church of St. Peter, located on the Murrayfield Station. Sally was leading us today and made all the arrangements with station management to walk on the property.

First however, we had to catch the Bruny Island Ferry, Mirambeena, for the 20 minute ride to the island. The weather was overcast and quite windy which made it feel cold.

I had walked down from Woodbridge, to meet the group at the terminal and catch a ride with Helen. Everything was fine until we arrived at Bruny and the car wouldn't start. No life or lights at all. Fortunately, the ferry crew had no doubt dealt with this type of problem before and a gentleman in overalls, probably the chief engineer, turned up with a battery pack and jumpers. Meanwhile, the rest of the cars were directed around us.

That did the trick and the car started so we could move off, not delaying the ferry's return journey. It also started at the end of our walk, which had been a little bit of a worry as we were so far from help.

Back to the story.

Murrayfield is operated by the Indigenous Land Corporation, and if you want to find out more about it, just click here.

Arriving at the turnoff, we entered a rough track before coming to a locked gate and the station manager's wife who was waiting for us. After Sally signed her life away, we passed through the gate and 2 more (unlocked) to arrive an our parking area, just down from the old church.

Now, skipping back 20+ years, Val & I visited this spot several times while walking out to Cape Queen Elizabeth and taking the Rookery track up and then across to reach the church, before heading back down another track to reach our car, which was parked near the airstrip.

There was very little left of the church, except for piles of bricks, and it was located in the bush.

Fast forward to today, and the Bruny Island Community and the Bruny Island Historical Society have leased this land, which also includes ruins of a pilot station. For further information, click here.

Walking up from the cars.

First view of the church.

Even a description board!

Looking back north towards the cars. Years ago this was all bush.

If you don't want to follow the above link, here's a copy of the information on St. Peters church.

***

The first  Anglican Church to be built south of Hobart Town, funded by Pilot William Lawrence, the church was designed and later consecrated by Bishop Russell Nixon, the first Anglican Bishop of Tasmania. From 1847 to the 1890's the church served as the base for the Anglican communities of
Bruny Island and D'Entrecasteaux Channel with an itinerant Reverend who travelled with the Parish Register  recording marriages, births and deaths as he officiated along the Channel and on Bruny Island.
Substantial remains exhibit a rare colonial bond design brickwork in the walls.   
A large brick kiln site with associated clay pits and a water hole is located beside the church, 
and the adjacent burial ground contains at least  3 to 5 graves
.

***

After viewing the church site as it is now, we headed south and entered the Bruny Island Neck Game Reserve, where most of our walking would take place.

Start of the track from the church, heading south. It used to have a name, but I can't recall it.

Very dry bush.

Morning Tea. Who is that masked man?

Alien message?

Pretty little orchid. There were several of these along the track.

First view of the Neck Beach.

Looking south along the Neck Beach.

Looking northeast, towards Cape Queen Elizabeth.

Another look at Neck Beach which shows the hordes of people. Wait! No one's there. Tell me again, why do we live in Tasmania?

We were following a ridge, so this part of the walk was fairly level and runs down to Mars Bluff.

At the Bluff we picked up the track leading to Miles Beach. This cuts along the side of a hill above the beach and gives good views, before arriving at the back of a large dune.

Mars Bluff

Past Mars Bluff to Grass Point.

Miles Beach to the north.

Track to Miles Beach.

Looking down.

A first. Waiting for the photographer.

Down to the beach.

Windy, with good surf.

From there, we go down to the beach and walk north. Before we pick up the track going north which leaves at the end of the beach, we detour to look at an old shack hidden in the dunes, that dates from way back. I don't know who it really belongs to. I seem to remember an article about it many years ago, and it's fairly old (for Tassie).

Heading inland for the old fishing shack. You should be able to spot the top of the stovepipe.

No? Here's a hint.

It's well hidden.

Some of the group came in the easy way from the other side. We tougher ones took the hard way.

Garden decoration. Possibly from a dolphin.

Front door.

Kitchen and lounge. You can imagine being close to the fire on a dark and stormy night. With your resident Tiger snake by your side.

Bedroom. At least you can sweep it clean.

After visiting the shack, we walk back to the beach and pick up the track up the hill, and at the junction of tracks, take the Rookery Track.

Climb up from the beach to pick up the Rookery Track.

Don't know, can't find it in the book.

 Walking along the Rookery track we passed through more dry bush before finding a place for lunch.

"What's their hurry?"

Looking for lunch.

Found it.

After lunch we continued north through another gate then over a locked one (3 padlocks for 3 different organizations.) and started back towards the cars.

First gate.

We're over the locked gate and heading back to the cars.

Interesting habitat in the cutting bank. I didn't think I should put my hand in.

Back in the cars, we returned to the ferry terminal, and as it was pleasantly sunny, everyone headed to the little (well stocked) shop for ice cream and wait for the ferry.

Here it comes.

Looking at the mainland, Woodbridge is down there somewhere.

It was a very good, interesting walk, and we all thank Sally for her efforts on our behalf, even though she said it only took 1 email and 1 phone call.

We had 12 walkers and covered 10.23km in 3:40. If you want to walk from Woodbridge and return, add another 11.13km. I was fairly knackered.

Click here to download GPX file