Thark Ridge Slab Circuit
Location Mt.Wellington
Route Summary The circuit part of this walk is off-track on and beside Thark Ridge through pleasant country ranging from alpine moor through snowgum woods and open heathy sections. Part of the walk follows a rock slab slope the start marked with a couple of old cairns. It is just possible that this may have been used as an early route to Devils Throne.
Walk Description
The track for Thark Ridge now starts immediately behind the car park at the top car park after Big Bend; that is pretty much due west. There is a snow barrier just beyond the car park.
This is a newly rerouted start to the track, put in with the assistance of the Wellington Park Bushcare Group, and goes for about 850 metres until reaching the old track. The new section is on harder ground and avoids the wet and boggy plain that was previously used. It has markers to assist in navigation. Signs have been placed to advise people that the pads over the wet plains that have been closed for rehabilitation Beyond the junction with the old track there are a few very wet and degraded sections during the next 800 metres. Plans are underway to remedy these bits.
After a short boggy section there is a sharp right hand turn (north west) leading up to a saddle. Some marker poles have been placed in this section to assist.
The circuit part of this walk is off-track on and beside Thark Ridge through pleasant country ranging from alpine moor through snowgum woods and open heathy sections. Part of the walk follows a rock slab slope the start marked with a couple of old cairns. It is just possible that this may have been used as an early route to Devils Throne.
Old cairn
The initial part is on the Thark Ridge track then from the main saddle up to the high point south before turning to head west to a cairn at AGD66 55G 516050 5250187. Below this are several rock slabs before getting to a heathy area without overstory, Part way down a large cairn is met although it would be easy to miss, but it obviously has been there for quite some time. After a couple snowgum woodland spots what remains the old fire trail is reached.
Heading north the old fire trail changes from obvious to scrub and back again several times until reaching a quite scrubby section interspersed with boulders and no real sign of a track. A push through for a couple of hundred metres reveals the track to Devils Throne and the fire trail again. . The remainder of the walk was on the track back over Thark and on to the car up from Big Bend. The total distance for the walk is 7.7k and the circuit from the main Thark Ridge saddle some 3.3k with that part taking about 2 hours. To reach that point is 1 hour each way, giving 4 hours of actual walking.Map Wellington Walk
Last Updated Thursday, 25 December 2014
Start Point Upper Big bend
Introduction Moderately rough in untracked section
Hazards Navigation in off-track part
Route Conditions Some scrub and partly untracked
Facilities No facilities
Route Grade Moderately rough
Route Distance Klms 7
Days 1
Access Upper Big Bend car park
Time Hours 4 (walking time)
Related Links
A GPX file is at EveryTrail
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