The Day Ten Project
Recently I switched to a nine day fortnight at work, leaving the tenth day for exploring and botanising. Today I decided to wander out past Wombat Moor along the Lake Belcher Track up at Mount Field National Park. Even though Lake Belcher is meant to be only a few hours walk, naturally I only made it halfway, because…. plants…. One day I would like to get that far. Perhaps I need to go when it is pouring rain, cold and windy, then I may be less inclined to just stop and look at leaves. But meh, I’m not about destinations, I’m about journeys.
Location. Location. Location.
Google Maps will get you there. If this doesn’t work, just search for ‘Belcher Track View’ and away you go.
The Vegetation Along the Way
If you like a walk with a bit of variety, then this should suit you well. Heathland and sedgeland makes up the first part of the track. All the favourites are in there, Epacris, Ozothamnus, Baeckea, Boronia, Carpha, Astelia, Lepidosperma, Gahnia…. I could go on and on and on, but I won’t. Instead I will just add a species list so you can peruse it in your own time. I didn’t split up my species list per vegetation type, it is just a running list today. (Lake Belcher Track species list)
The first little smush of trees you get to is a tiny bit of Eucalyptus subcrenulata woodland. There are only two eucs along this track (well only two I saw). Eucalyptus subcrenulata and Eucalyptus coccifera. Both have those beautiful smooth streaky trunks that you just want to hug, so do that. Especially if it is a hot day because I find they are always super cool. Although they have similar bark, subcren has way thicker and more leatherery leaves. They are more rounded and darker green. Whereas cocci has a lighter green leaf which is longer and thinner, with a distinctive little hook at the end. Both are my favourites.
Lake Belcher Track Conditions
Although the first few hundred meters you are on duck boards, the rest of the track is just the ground. Muddier than I remembered it to be the last time I was out there. Quite slippery in a few spots too. I have zero idea on whether it is hard or medium or easy. That all depends on your own judgement. There are a few sections where the track has branched out, where people are clearly avoiding the mud.
Please don’t do this. It makes a mess of the landscape (see below) and impacts the vegetation. Wear waterproof boots and gaiters, so then if you do end up in mud up to your knees, you should be fine. If you don’t want to get muddy, then don’t choose muddy tracks. If you are already on the track, then turn around and go find another one. If you think about where your foot is going, there are generally enough rocks sticking up to avoid the deepest mud.
The Best Bit
Well, the best bit is the whole bit really. I love the heathland and the sedgeland and all the boggy bits that come with it, but there is an awesome section of woodland not long before you get to the back (or side) of Mount Mawson (about 2 km from the start). It’s chocka block full of so many favourites. There’s a bit of celery top pine (Phyllocladus aspleniifolius) in there, pencil pine (Athrotaxis cupressoides), myrtle (Nothofagus cunninghamii), Podocarpus lawrencei (dunno its common name), and a whole bunch other super wonderful plants.
People often don’t realise the high diversity of species that these alpine and subalpine environments support. It’s a lot, way more than a Tasmanian temperate rainforest. Yeah they are beautiful, and they have an amazing diversity of mosses, ferns and lichens, but alpine environments blow them out of the water for the huge range of vascular plants. Grasslands are pretty good too, and so are dry forests. I guess they aren’t as emotive or romantic as the rainforests, which is a shame, because sometimes they get a bit neglected… Anyway I digress…
So if you only make it that far, and decide to not trek any further and try and get to Lake Belcher, then just sit on a rock and soak it in. Or pull out your field guides and try and identify all the plants. You might be able to use your phone to google them, although it’s pretty patchy reception up there.
Just a Little Further…
And the trees pretty much stop, and you then have a clear view to Mount Mueller. Assuming it isn’t clouded in of course. This is a good spot to pull up a boulder and eat your vegemite sandwich. If you are into views then this is a pretty good one. I tend to not always notice them. I prefer to be in the view, and generally have my eyes scanning the ground for tiny little plants I don’t want to miss.
It was a good Day Ten. Even though it’s not the ideal season to botanise as a lot of the little herbs are laying dormant, and nothing is really flowering, it’s still worth it. It’s a good opportunity to spend more time looking at the foliage. Getting to know your favourite plants without being sidetracked by the flowers.
Speaking of leaves, it is also turning of the fagus time, when Nothofagus gunnii starts to colour up and lose its leaves for winter. I noticed a few on the drive up, they were still fairly green, a little orange tinge. As much as I love it, I doubt I will battle the masses to see it this year. I’ll just look at the photos from past years (Nothofagus gunnii | Tasmanian Autumn)
Ramblr
The link below will take you to my Rambler trip. If you don’t know Ramblr, it is a fantastic app to track your walks and what not. I’ve used it for years just to keep track of where on my walk I took a particular photo on my phone. You will lots of photos here, random plants and landscapes and track photos etc…
Important points to remember
Dogs are NOT allowed in National Parks. Make sure you leave them at home. Not locked in the car with a bowl of water, because that would be bad.
Our natural areas are precious, and we need to ensure they are cared for and looked after to the best of our abilities.
- Tell someone where you are going and ALWAYS be prepared for the worst (bear attack, avalanche etc)
- Take your rubbish out – this includes tissues – pretty please make sure you don’t drop them
- Leave the plants as you find them – don’t pick flowers or take home a sprig of foliage (unless you have a permit)
- Leave the animals to be wild and don’t feed them or chase them with sticks
- Stay to the formed tracks (even if they are muddy) so you don’t trample all the wonderful tiny plants, fungi and moss
- Most importantly, enjoy it and appreciate the wonderful landscapes we have at our back doors.
Disclaimer
We don’t actually have bears in Tasmania, nor do we have avalanches. Well, we might have avalanches, but not like the kind you see in the movies where you need a parachute to keep you up near the surface.
Aside from everywhere being my favourite place to go, the southwest would have to be the top of favourite list I think… pick any spot along Gordon river road and I could potter around for hours.
Lovely to read about your rambles. We love that National park, actually adore more of Tassie especially the SW, and hope to revisit sooner rather than later.
Thanks for the tip about the tracker. I’ll definitely follow that up.