Western Arthurs
Western Arthurs Traverse - Tasmania
Distance: 72km loop
Duration: 5-10 days
Now let me start by saying this isn’t a write up for the entire traverse. We only got to Lake Oberon as it was all time permitted but I will return to complete the circuit one day.
Now this hike is not for a beginner. It’s truly an undertaking to say the least. The weather is next level. It’s some of the wildest you’ll experience in Australia. A random sunny day can turn into to blizzard conditions with rain, hail and snow. The unpredictability of the weather on top of the range is legitimately dangerous and no matter how positive you are, it can ruin anyone’s day. So be prepared. Be overly prepared.
Getting there can be a pain if you’re not a local. It’s a couple of hour drive to Scotts Peak Dam from Hobart. I originally organized for a company to take us out but it worked out half the price to hire a little Hyundai for a week and just drive it out ourselves. It was better as we could do everything at our own pace and not worry about timings if things fell apart.
The loop starts at Scotts Peak Dam car park and finishes in the same location. There are multiple camp sites along the way with tent platforms to setup on. Also fly in tubs to do your business on. There’s a map called Old River that has most of the sites marked on it.
Here’s some estimation of times required for specific legs. Now you might see some of these and think they’re a bit crazy. But when you see the terrain for yourself you will eat your own words.
One of my mates did his knee on the second day so these times blew out by a couple of hours more on the return journey. It was fun times and he had surgery a couple of months after it. They don’t call it the knee buster for nothing.
Huon Camp ground to Junction Creek.
Time: 3.5 hours.
Distance: 7km
Junction Creek to Lake Cygnus
Time: 6 hours
Distance: 7km
Lake Cygnus to Square Lake
Time:
Distance:
Square Lake to Lake Oberon
Time:
Distance:
McKays Track from the car part to Junction Creek is just horrendous. I don’t mean steep just muddy. If you’ve had a decent rain the mud is literally knee deep and for the best part there’s no way around. Some of the sink holes are 20 meters wide and 50+ long. You end up not caring and just pouncing around like a child in the puddles. I have a video of my mate sinking to his groin and barely being able to get his legs out it was glorious.
The next leg up Moraine A is not so fun. It’s one hell of a work out to put it the least. After that it’s just all up and down rocky mountains all day. The scenery is truly something else and there is nowhere in Australia I would rather experience than South West Tasmania. If you’re fit and able I couldn’t recommend it anymore. Get on it before someone attempts to commercialize it and destroys the whole experience.
© DANIEL SALLAI PHOTOGRAPHY