Tag Archives: Mt Dromedary

Seeing the paper mill at Boyer for the first time during the Stage 14 walk, was a thrill

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After 15 minutes of walking, following my departure from the powerboat racing arena, the tarred road verges disappeared and weedy grass grew over lumpy and uneven ground to the edge of the Highway. I was forced to stand clear as cars and trucks approached, but there were moments when I could step out a rhythm walking on the Lyell Highway tarmac.  This situation continued for half an hour, however I was pleased that before and after this section I had a good metre or more width of road verge to walk along safely.

The features that could be seen from the Highway were varied: a feeding family of pelicans across the water; prominent Mt Terra on the other side of the Derwent River with Mt Dromedary behind; occasional tiny creeks lost in verdant grasses passing under the road; vehicle pull-offs at the edge of the road so boats could be entered into the water; corrugated iron cut-out full sized cows standing in a paddock; and a paddock full of horses their heads turned towards the sun.

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At one part of the walk, in the distance and way south, the peak ‘Collins Cap’ pointed into the autumn sky.

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The distant paper making mills at Boyer showed their steaming stacks – an expanse of water, farming land or thickets of trees kept me separated. I knew these mills were very close to New Norfolk so that the larger the buildings seemed, the closer I was to reaching my destination.

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By 10.50am I had a sense that I was returning to peopled land. Firstly I walked passed a long drive leading to a private house at the bottom of the hill; with long rows of old Radiata pines edging the highway.

A few moments later I passed the sheep grazing property named ‘Sunnyside’ on the western side of the road – a sign announced ‘Sunnyside’ was for sale.  You can make an expression of interest at http://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/rural/tas/sorell-creek/?adid=2010785567&sp=1 if interested. In the write up on that site, mention is made that the soils are based on limestone – makes the establishment of the lime kilns further south understandable.

At 10.54 am I reached a large cherry growing orchard on my right.

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Over the road to my left, on the property named ‘Scottsdale’ sat two old buildings which seemed late 19th century in architectural style. The sign on the gate declared this was the Derwent Dorper Stud (Rams), however this seems not to have a presence on the internet.

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I noticed a Derwent Valley Link bus stop outside Scottsdale and the cherry orchard – for fruit pickers or shearers???  Certainly not for me. I had many kilometres yet to walk. New Norfolk was my destination, and so onwards I continued.

Green Island – do you know it?

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How many islands are green with vegetation? How many blots of land are named Green Island? Probably many thousand.  Tasmania has a few ‘green’ geographical features spread around the state – followers may recall in an earlier walking stage I rounded Green Point on the eastern shore of the River. My walk along the Derwent River last week passed by a green Green Island.

While walking the length of Murphys Flat toward the northern end, across the water of the Derwent River I caught glimpses of a small length of low lying land in the flow of the Derwent River. Green Island was almost invisible from the western shore because the grasses in the Murphy’s Flat wetlands have grown tall.

This small piece of land provides a safe haven in which fish hang about the edges. New Norfolk Anglers Club members and others have enjoyed catching tagged salmon here.

Green Island is looked over by Mount Faulkner on the south western side of the river, and by Mt Terra and Mt Dromedary on the north eastern side.  On the map below, my arrow points to the slim Green Island near one bank of the Derwent River. The Lyell Highway is the yellow line curving through the lower part of the landscape. Murphys Flat is the fat area between the Highway and the River.

Green Island map

Around Windy Point on Stage 14 of my walk along the Derwent River

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Despite having driven and been driven along this patch of the Lyell Highway many times, its shape and character were not well known to me. I guess I have always looked out at the Derwent River and more or less disregarded the land.

The area jutting into the River, causing it to curve from a north west to western orientation, has been labelled Windy Point. I reached the start of this about 8.20 and it was another 15 minutes of walking before I reached its western end. There was some wind and when blowing my dribbling nose, the icy breeze flattened my handkerchief across my face. I sought visual distractions against the cold. A magnificent old gum tree amidst a range of exotic plants was a grand surprise.

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On one hill to my left were half a dozen dappled sheep with twins on their teats.  Sometimes their heads were black or brown but most fascinating was the dinner plate sized brown woollen shapes across their otherwise beige woollen bodies. I was too cold to take a photo of this sight.

In parts, the flowing river was a distance from the road.  Between the highway and the clear water, marshy water plants grew profusely, and access to the River was impossible.  The photo below looks across the Derwent River to Mt Dromedary in the distance and Mt Terra in the left  foreground.

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During my walk around Windy Point, at 8.30am I passed the road turn-off leading to Stefano Lubiana wines and noted there was a Derwent Valley Link bus stop on the highway – which, if you are a tourist without transport, would allow you easy access to the winery and the odd glass or two of some special liquid. I didn’t stop and visit – drinking at such an early hour didn’t seem like a good idea.

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Ten minutes later at 8.40am I was passing the road turn-off to the Derwent Estate Wines.

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I was surprised as I passed the estate to see what seems like late 19th century buildings nestled into the hill.  While the website explains: ‘the historic Mt Nassau property has been in the current owner’s family since 1913, I can find no information about these buildings which appear to be an earlier architectural style.  More research required.

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Opposite, in the River and its edging long grasses, white faced herons, coots, ducks and black swans were at home.

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The day was offering truly magical sights aided by the intense blue of the sky and the water.