Mark Smalley

Tuesday, 29 Mar - Cradle Mountains
By the time we've taken the shuttle bus to Ronny Creek car park it's 1000. That's when todays walk starts. First we head for Crater Lake via Crater Falls, then I climb up to Marions Lookout while Marijke waits for an hour at a resting place. The views from the top (1223 meter) are great, helped again today by the wonderful weather. The area has infamously unpredictable weather, offering four seasons in one day.
From Marions Lookout I walk 80 meters of the 80 km Overland Track, just to be able to brag about it sometime.
Back down from the Lookout at 1230, we set on via Wombat Peak, Wombat Pool and the Cradle Valley Boardwalk (actually this is part of the Overland Track) where we see an Echidna poking about. The Boardwalk continues on for 5.5 km back to the Visitor Centre, so I suppose we can say that we've done 8 of the 80 km.

We arrive at the Centre at 1600 and we sit for a while and watch a short film of the area and then enquire where and when we can see some wombats. Close to the Boardwalk at Ronny Creek, after 1700. Shuttle bus back to our hut, regroup, look at the hoppers just outside the hut and we're off in the car to the wombats. They aren't in abundance and we're lucky to find a couple of boys who have located one. We're very lucky to have it approach us and run under the boardwalk, have a drink in a stream and give us the opportunity to take a photo. We also see a quoll speeding off. Looked a bit like a weasel. We feel very lucky.

It's pretty dark by this time, about 1830 and very cold. Really need gloves. You can't imagine how it must be to camp out for the night on the Overland Track, high up in the mountain instead of where we are. And when it's raining instead of dry.

We see if we can get a take-away to supplement our provisions but the place at the. Information Centre seems to have shut up shop at 1900 so I make some toasted ham and cheese forcaccia rolls and salad.

I go outside to take a look at the stars and it's cloudy and raining slightly. We have been lucky.
Realise that this was the first day we didn't part with any money.

posted by Mark Smalley @ 4:51 PM