Having plunged up through the winding tracks of a private garden (simply lovely – but probably I was doing so illegally) from the shore of the Derwent River after Cartwright Creek, I was a little relieved to be back on ‘safe’ ground on a suburban road even if not exactly at river side.  Not far along I noted a track indicating access down to the River so I wonder if I had persisted on the treacherous rocks I might have reached this track. At 11.28am I chatted to a resident while walking past Mary’s Grange/Mary Potter House (http://www.marysgrange.org.au/) a retirement home for the aged, and by 11.32am I was back up onto the main road which had now morphed into Channel Highway – it is unclear where Sandy Bay Road changed its name. The road flows continuously without obvious bends or intersections. I guess the postmen know where it changes.

The suburb is full of trees and lush bush edging houses, and the weeds flourish luxuriously with colourful flowers, so I thought residents would be at high risk should a bush fire rage around this area. But, thankfully, during my walk there was no smokey smells only the rich but delicate eucalypt smell. Very fresh.

Generally, the gardens were lush with colourful vegetation.

At 11.52am I continued past the intersection with Karingal Court and the parkland adjacent to it.  Blackberries were overgrowing in profusion and colourfully flowering geraniums had escaped from house gardens. The Catholic Church Pius X was on my left at 11.57am, the Taroona Primary School at 11.58 (advertising its Creek Restoration Project) and I arrived at the entrance to the Taroona High School at midday.  A bus stop seat gave me the opportunity to sit and eat a bite of lunch, read my maps and consider my options. It was 12.18pm before I started down the road beside the High School, towards the Derwent River.