The Port Davey Track
Walk Description
The Port Davey track is a 5-6 day walk from Lake Peddar to Melaleuca in SW Tasmania. This a true wilderness walk with no huts, facilities or mobile communication. There is a track that is easily followed 80% of the time. The numerous creeks hold beautiful fresh water so carry no more than 1 liter of water.
Nomenclature: Initially an escape route for shipwrecked sailors to move from the rugged west coast to civilisation.
Location: This track description is walked in an anti-clockwise direction commences near Lake Peddar, at the Quarry at Huon Campsite located on the southern side of the Scotts Peak Rd in the Southwest National Park of Tasmania, about 150km west of Hobart. Access from Hobart is via New Norfolk, then Westerway, and then Maydena, on the B61 road heading towards Strathgordon. Turn left at the Scotts Peak Dam turnoff and drive along this dirt road for about 30km, then turn left following the well sign posted sign to the campsite. Driving time is 2 hours 30 minutes from Hobart.
Latest Date of Information: 2020
Season: Late January/Early February. Summer dry season. Sunrise 5.58am sunset 8.40pm, last light 9.15pm; temperature 8-20 degrees Celsius on average.
Estimated Timeframe: 5-6 days recommended.
Huts. There are no huts in the area until the end of this walk at Melaleuca.
Water: Water is available in copious amounts along the track. (Note the streams in this area are free of any water borne diseases.)
Fuel Stoves: The park is a fuel stoves only area and no open fires are permitted.
The Track. The track is easily followed. Most of the track is visible pad with some track-work by Parks and Wildlife.
Walking Times including photo stops).
Huon Campsite to Junction Ck 3-4 hours
Junction to Crossing River 4-5 hours
Crossing to Watershed 5-6 hours
Watershed to Spring River 6-7 hours
Spring R to The Narrows 6-7 hours
Narrows to Melaleuca 4-5 hours
Medical. There is none and the area is remote.
Danger: Snakes, floods, hypothermia, exposure, drowning, falls etc.
Personal Locator Beacon. Essential (Group item)
Terminology:
Track – a 200 mm wide cow path worn away by walkers. A track becomes the water course after rain and is usually degraded by rocks, tree roots, water holes and mud. A great resting place in the sun for snakes. Pad: a visible footpad. Wombat Trail: something to follow through the scrub. Excellent Campsite – no mud, Good Campsite – some mud and leeches, Poor Campsite – mud, leeches on a slope, Bad Campsite – the last place to camp before it gets dark. Toilet, a self dug 20cm deep hole 50m from water.
Drive from Hobart to Trackhead at Lake Peddar (Huon Campsite).
Huon Campsite-Junction (8km – 3 – 4 hours)
Day 1 midday start after drive
The track starts at Quarry walking S for 8km to Junction Ck. The walk for the first 45 minutes is easy going on a good track with lots of duckboards. The track then deteriorates with some mud patches. The track is easily followed and highly visible at all times. Junction Creek is about 3-4 m wide. The creek is a wash down point and all mud must be removed prior to continuing the walk. This is to ensure that root rot does not progress along the track. Excellent camping in many locations at Junction Creek however the mosquitoes are vicious.
Day 2 Junction Ck – Crossing River (11km – 4-5 hours)
The track climbs easily out from Junction Ck and after a couple of minutes a sign post advises the track east to Huonville and west to Port Davey. The track can now be very muddy with mud up to the knee common. (summer usually much drier). After a couple of km a well-marked track leads off to the south to Mt Hesperus and the Western Arthur Range. The muddy track continues on skirting the northern and western lower areas of the Western Arthurs. Crossing river appears in the distance under the shadow of Mt Robinson. The last 1km into Crossing River is extremely muddy. The Crossing River is about 30m wide and easily crossed in dry weather. There is a truly excellent campsite for about 6 tents adjacent the white stone river on the Southern side. Other tent sites are located on the eastern side of the river.
Day 3 start Crossing River – Watershed Camp – Spring River
Crossing River to Watershed Camp. 4 – 5 hours
The track out of Crossing River is very muddy and slow going. The track is easy to follow and like a main road because of the mud trail left by our predecessors over the ages. Mt Robinson looms beside the track for several km with the hill feature at GR2624 a good landmark for navigation. The track turns SW after about 6km with similar muddy conditions to that out of Crossing River. The last 4km into the map marked Watershed campsite is rolling country with some relief from the mud. There is a good campsite for several tents at a beautiful creek 1km E of Watershed campsite. Watershed campsite is a single campsite that is exposed.
Day 4 Watershed Camp to Spring River (6 – 7 hours)
The track from Watershed is again rolling country with the track following the contours of the hillside. This is truly magnificent remote country. A couple of the creeks along the way have good campsites for one or two tents. The track for the last couple of km into the Spring River campsite loops around frustratingly but the campsite adjacent a small creek is excellent and fits 5 tents easily. Another campsite in located in trees on the eastern side of the track about 800m before the Spring River campsite. Like day one, water is not a problem on this leg as ample water is available a good flowing creeks.
Day 5 Spring River – Bathurst Narrows
Spring River to Bathurst Narrows (N side). 6.5 hours
Walk downstream 100m from the campsite to the bridge crossing the Spring River. The pad can be difficult to follow out of the creek area due to floods washing away the pad; however the pad goes about 40m into the scrub and then turns to follow the river upstream for about 100-200m, before exiting the scrub/flood zone and heads east for about 500m to another small creek crossing before the climb up over Border Hill. Now the views begin. A lot of ridge work with many climbs and descends. A beautiful creek crossing about 3.5 km S of Border Hill. An excellent lunch spot on any of the ridges to the east of Manwoneer Inlet with magnificent views in all directions. Continue the ridge climb up to Lindsay Hill and get the first views of Bathurst Narrows about 2-3km S. The walk down to the Narrows is pleasant. All creek crossing contained excellent water. This is an easily followed and well defined track.
A good campsite is located on the northern side of the peninsular in trees to the right of track and adjacent the Narrows. Water is available at the campsite from a small creek; however it may be slow flowing available.
Crossing to the southern side of the Narrows is via rowboat with one boat kept on either side. Weather conditions control crossing time for this 300m crossing. (The rowboat must be returned to the original side by towing a second boat for return use). The tide can be very strong running through the Narrows and the wind can generate waves. An excellent campsite is located on the southern side of the Narrows, however there is no fresh water available. The first water is at the creek crossing 2km S. (If time permits bring water from the N side and camp on the S side; better campsite).
Day 6 Bathurst Narrows – Melaleuca – Cox Bight
Bathurst Narrows (S side) – Melaleuca. 4.5 hours
Bathurst Narrows S side is an excellent campsite for about 7 – 10 tents. Water is the only problem. The walk to the first creek about 2km S is easy going. After the creek the well defined track climbs over a ridge then descends onto the button grass plain then onto Melaleuca. This is a very muddy track. Water is readily available at multiple creek crossings on this leg.
Melaleuca has a dirt airstrip with aircraft landing there frequently during the day bringing in day tourists and walkers. An excellent resupply point. Two huts, located about 300m N of the airstrip, are set aside for walkers on a first come basis. Each hut holds about 8-10 persons but in poor weather could accommodate many more in tight space. An excellent campground is located about 50m from the huts; with water is from tanks in the huts.
