TASMANIA - JULIUS RIVER TO ARTHUR RIVER TO SMITHTON - 25 TO 26 FEBRUARY 2022

 

25 FEBRUARY

JULIUS RIVER TO ARTHUR RIVER

While we were having breakfast a couple of pademelons appeared obscurely in the dense foliage.

Hey! Where did our grey water waste bucket go … I found it in the bush partially chewed away by probably a Tasmanian Devil.

We left our camp and drove a short distance to the JULIUS RIVER WALKING TRACKS.

There were two tracks the rainforest walk and the sinkhole walk.

We walked the RAINFOREST RIVER WALK first. It started on a wide track and turned right up steep small steps. At the top we followed a boardwalk then a ground track. The rainforest was very pretty with various shades of green on the open ground floor. The top canopy was thick, allowing filtered light and the odd ray of sunshine to past through. The track turned to narrow steep steps that lead to the Julius River. We followed the track and boardwalk along the river back to the carpark.

The next hike was the SINKHOLE WALK. It was once again through rainforest. The track was harder to follow winding its way around dry sinkholes and around large myrtle and sassafras trees. We chose a spot to sit and enjoy the silence.

The next stop was SUMAC LOOKOUT. It was only a short walk with a great view of the river below. We sat on the bench and enjoy the sunshine with no wind.

We continued onwards to ARTHUR RIVER. Along the way, there were three Tasmanian Devils on the road sunning themselves. Our first sighting! It didn’t last long as they soon moved into the bush.

We stopped at END OF THE WORLD for the view and taste of the wild Southern Ocean. The wind was howling and the view was wild and panoramic.

We decided to stay at PEPPERMINT CAMP. We picked a great spot under some trees in a more natural location. We had lunch and enjoyed the visits of the various local birds

After our food settled, we walked down to the river and along its shore to the beach. The wind was still howling. The sand was speeding across the wide beach like a scene from a desert storm. The wildness of this place is very attractive. The people living here must be very hardy.

We tried to book the Arthur River cruise but it was booked out for a week. We’ll try again tomorrow morning in case of a cancellation.

26 FEBRUARY

ARTHUR RIVER TO SMITHTON

After breakfast, we decided to explore the coast and either stay at Marrawah or Smithton.

We drove to TEMMA Harbour and wandered along the shoreline. There were a number of large boats and a rambling of houses from shacks to homely.

Next, STINKING BEACH. A short walk through the sand dunes and onto a sandy beach scattered with kelp. Yep, it stank haha.

Further along to REBECCA LAGOON, where we followed a gravel path to a viewing area of the lagoon. The lagoon was surrounded by sand dunes on beach side. There were a number of birds on the lagoon and surrounding trees.

COUTTA ROCKS was next. Once again there were a variety of houses. The coastline a rocky bay with lots of rock outcrops.

Much further on, we stopped at GREEN POINT BEACH, MARRAWAH. The surf was small and not much quality but it was pretty. A little disappointed as I was looking forward to a surf.

We drove next to WEST POINT STATE RESERVE. At the end of the corrugated gravel road there were a number of surfers out. The largest sets looked good but they were breaking twice as far out from where the group was sitting. We watched for about ½ hour but I never saw anyone catch a decent wave just closeouts. Disappointing again!

We decided to opt for Smithton. We brought some food, petrol and settled in at the River Breeze Camp. The camp was okay as it was beside the river. Kayaking wasn’t possible due to low tide and the soft mud. I tried and my first step took me knee deep in sucking ooze.

After cleaning off the mud, we had a short walk along a river track.