Living In Freycinet National Park

Heading into the slower winter travel season with the international borders still shut we got the idea to look for underused vacation rentals to rent. What we didn’t anticipate was to find one that was INSIDE a national park.

Freycinet National Park is one of the most visited parks in Tasmania. Home to the iconic Wineglass Bay and a network of trails crisscrossing the peninsula, we’ll have plenty to do right out our front door. Or maybe not do. Our rustic vacation home has a deck in the treetops overlooking Coles Bay. An ideal place to sit and relax. 

If living at the trailhead to all the trails on the peninsula isn't enough, there is also a small private beach for residents. And our rental comes with two kayaks. Also, a few small wallabies living outside 😍 Unbelievable. 

Mount Field National Park Weekend

One thing I love about Tasmania (and New Zealand for that matter) is the walking club culture. The vibe is similar to a casual community or church potluck, except with a bunch of hikers. Like the community potluck, the makeup of these groups spans all ages and abilities. 

From my experience, these types of large tent groups are rare in the US. Meetups have a similar openness but are too decentralized to achieve a strong community vibe. More formal groups often are hyper-focused on a specific activity, age group, or cause. Maybe it’s just like that in the midwest though 🤷.

Over the weekend, we went to Mount Field National Park with the Hobart Walking Club. The club has been around since 1929 and has over 800 members. Almost every weekend there is at least one trip planned. Each is organized by a leader and assigned a difficulty rating.

Our trip is an induction weekend for newcomers. There are day hikes each day and the best part is we get to stay at the private club hut near Mt Dobson. The hut has been mostly unchanged since the 1960s due to park regulations limiting the types of repairs the club can do. 

The first day we did an out and back hike to the Tarn Shelf to get views and see the alpine Fagus (beech family) bushes changing color for the autumn. 

The trail starts with a steep climb past the ski area and onto a ridge. After that, it’s a mix of walking on boardwalk and trails with expansive views into the wild, untamed western side of Tasmania. The changing color adds a pop to the scenery but compared to autumn in the deciduous forests of Wisconsin, it’s a bit of a letdown. 

The next day, after an evening cozying up next to the woodstove and talking with the other club members, we set off on a longer hike to Lake Webster & Lake Fenton. A short car shuttle is needed for this hike, but well worth it. These tracks are less traveled, through thick forest and underbrush. The going is slow, but it gives us a chance to chat as we go along.

About 4 miles in we find a pleasant spot to take a break near an open field. All seems fine for the first 5 minutes until an itching sensation hits our feet. Leeches! We pack up and get out there fast. Overall only 1 or 2 bites in the group, nothing like my trip to Ben Nevis years ago.

Near the trailhead, we find a rockier spot (not leech territory) to sit and look over the lake. On the way out of the park, we take the quick 10 min walk to Russell Falls before heading home.

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Urban Hiking Kunanyi / Mt Wellington

Hobart is my favorite city in Australia. I love the weather, I love the walkability. Best of all it has a mountain you can summit from downtown. We didn’t go all the way to the summit of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington but we did manage to do an epic day hike right out the door of our Airbnb.

The first stop with any urban adventure is coffee. Ginger Brown was highly recommended by our friends and did not disappoint. Excellent coffee and cake. Full of caffeine and sugar we start our 2,000ft climb along the Hobart Rivulet. The well-manicured trail slowly gives way to a more rugged and rocky path as we climb higher.

At Junction Cabin we start our loop to see the Octopus Tree, Sphinx Rock, and head past the Lost Freight Cafe - a cafe in a shipping container. The Octopus Tree does look like an Octopus, Sphinx Rock is more of a stretch. The trail is mostly forested but we have occasional views of the city and harbor below. The skies are crystal clear and we can see for miles. 

We head down a fire road on the way downhill, much faster than the climb up. In the evening light wallaby’s start to bounce across the trail. Back in the city, we pass the Cascade Brewery. Tempting but we’re both wiped. The couch sounds a lot better!

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A Pandemic Escape

Surprise, I’m down under! 

With the ability to work remotely and facing a long, lonely covid winter it seemed like the best option to make it down here for a bonus summer… and maybe longer?

On a bus to an unknown location

Do we tip the army for the concierge service?

It still feels a bit unreal that I’m here. Flights were near impossible to get. Australia is only allowing citizens and their spouses in (I’m lucky to be the latter). Upon arrival, we were whisked away by the army straight into hotel quarantine. They deposited us and our bags into a hotel room and said “see you in two weeks.”

For the next two weeks, the only time we were allowed to open the door to our tiny hotel room was when food was dropped at our door. At first, we tried daily exercises (running laps around the room, pushups) but then abandoned that for laying in bed. Honestly, it was good we both had work to keep us occupied. 

Feeding time at the zoo

Thru-hiker sink laundry skills coming in handy

It seems there is still a world out there

Good views though

Finally, two weeks passed and we were let out into the world. And what a world it is. Australia has had almost no COVID cases for the last 6 months. With the border shut, life has resumed to pre-covid normality. No masks, no distancing. I’m hugging people and going to crowded indoor spaces. It took a while to process and feel ok with this sudden change. But now it seems normal. 

We’ve been staying in North Adelaide, just steps from the parklands, the enormous green spaces that ring Adelaide’s downtown. For a city that (much to my dismay) sprawls in every direction, having abundant nature around is a very welcome sight. 

Inviting…

The River Torrens Linear Trail cuts through the heart of the parklands spanning 35km from the hills to the coast. On the coastal side, it connects to the 70km Coast Park Path. On the hills side, it connects to countless hiking options. For urban walkers it’s a true paradise. 

After a tumultuous 2020, I’m thankful to start 2021 off with a more sedate (and sunny!) atmosphere exploring all these new trails.

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