Bushwalk - Fortescue Bay -
Cape Hauy - Mt Fortescue return via Cape Pillar Track
Monday 23 July 2012
Dad suggested a bushwalk & we decided to go to
Cape Hauy near Fortescue Bay on Tasman Peninsula. We got down
there at 9.15am and there was no-one else around - except for 2 Parks
guys with their boat at the ramp.
The track to Cape Hauy has been upgraded to the
level of a gravel footpath with very professional stone work - similar
to the walk up to Wineglass Bay lookout. The upgrade will be part
of the Three Capes Track.
We came across a few wallabies happily grazing
in the morning sun on the early sections. It seemed that the new
track followed a more scenic route looking over Fortescue Bay than the
old one.
After a short time we reached a track junction
to the right that lead to Mt Fortescue. We had a quick chat and
headed that way. This is a 'regular' bushwalking rough track that
initially follows the cliff-tops with some awesome views.
There were occasional numbered pink tags on pegs
which we guessed were marking the route of the Three Capes Track.
The climb up to Mt Fortescue was pretty gradual and we reached the top
at 12.45.
The top is about 490m high and is covered in
tall trees with a small gap for views down to Cape Pillar and the
lighthouse of Tasman Island beyond it. After a sandwich and a mug
of hot chocolate we continued down a much steeper track south towards
the Cape Pillar Track.
This had been in shade for a few months and was
pretty slippery. After a few kilometres in the dense bush we
reached a rocky cliff that reminded us of Sphinx Rock from Mt
Wellington.
We followed a path below the cliff & climbed up
at the other end & realised that there was another path we could have
taken along the top. We continued a short distance to a creek and
small waterfall. There was a log crossing here and an old sign
pointing across it saying 'Camping' - pointing across the log crossing.
I thought that this might just be a side-trip to
a campsite. There were a few other tracks following up next to the
creek and we looked up those but they all faded away. We returned
to the log-crossing to 'Camping' and followed that well-worn track.
It seemed to head the correct direction so we kept going. It
eventually turned to run parallel with the creek that we had just
crossed - but was up about 10m higher than the creek - to the south of
it.
After a few hundred metres we reached another
log crossing with a sign to Camping and another sign the way we had come
to Mt Fortescue. We headed up the only route that didn't have a
sign which was up hill towards the Cape Pillar Track.
After some steep & scrubby climbing we
eventually reached the sign-posted junction with the Cape Pillar Track.
It was now about 2.45 but the sky was clear & sunny. We headed
back to the n/w and at 4pm we reached an open plain we spotted a 5 men
ahead and then noticed the Parks Helicopter on the ground in
buttongrass. They were about to leave & we said hello as we
passed.
We continued along the track with was partly
boards (in the boggy spots) and dry, rocky track in other areas.
At 5pm it was getting dark and we got our head torches out of our packs
to be ready for the darkness. We started heading down to the creek
near the end at 5.30pm and my eyes were adjusting to the dusk so I
didn't use the head-torch.
We reached the road at 5.45pm and strolled back
to the car. It was nice to sit down in the comfy car seats after
about 8 hours of walking and a good day out.
