Overland Track - April 2021
Ollie's memories from the trail
After an early start at 3 am, we boarded the plane at 6 am. The plane ride was exciting knowing what was ahead of us in Tasmania. Some people (Sam, Jessica and a few others) slept on the plane because of the early start. It was a beautiful trip over to Hobart, with the sun just starting to rise.
We arrived in Hobart around 8:30 am. Hopped on a bus and we were driven to 10th Hobart Scout Hall, which was in Sandy Bay, 10 minutes from the airport, situated beside the water. We all spent the rest of the day exploring Hobart, went to the park, McDonald's, and just hung around at the scout hall. Hobart was a very nice and quiet place. All the people were friendly, and it felt welcoming. The next morning was another early start. We were all up at 3 am packing our packs and making sure we had everything. We then got on the same bus that drove us to the Scout Hall and started making our four-hour journey up to Ronny Creek (Start of Overland Track)
Many people slept on the way there, and we made a couple of stops on the way to have breakfast and to go to the bathroom. We ran over a couple of kangaroos and one ran into the side of the bus. It was overall a very nice drive up.
When we arrived at the Visitors centre, we each got issued our Overland Track Passes and then WE WERE OFF.
First Day:
The weather was sunny and hot, with clear skies and not a cloud in sight. The terrain was very steep and there were lots of hills and mountains we had to climb. The view was simply astonishing from up there. We all walked in separate groups and it remained like this for the rest of the trip. When we got to the Cradle Mountain junction only Ollie (me), Jamie, Eve, Catlin, Stu and Neville climbed Cradle Mountain. When we got to the top, it was like we were on top of the world it was crazy!! After that, we then made our way back to the campsite, setting up tents and eating dinner. That day we hiked 12km.
Second Day:
This day was the easiest out of all the days, it was only 8km. Once again the weather was sunny and not a cloud in sight. The terrain was very flat, and it was easy hiking. We all set out and walked four or five kilometres before stopping for lunch at the Lake Will side trip junction. Ollie (me), Jamie, Stu and Neville did the side trip, and the trip ended with a waterfall. We then made our way to the next campsite and set up tents, had dinner, and also went down to the lake that was 50 metres from our campsite and dipped our feet in the water. That night we all stayed up late playing UNO and talking around the Hammock.
Third Day:
That morning it was very foggy and misty. We had to walk 17km this day, so we had an early start waking up at 5:30 am. We walked in our separate groups surrounded by the mist covered land. When we were 4km into our day, we stopped at a lookout but could not really see anything till the fog cleared! We made our descent down the side of a mountain. It was very muddy and that's where Izzy hurt her foot. She must have sprained it and it swelled up, but she kept going to the campsite. When at the campsite, that was when it first started to rain.
Fourth Day:
The time when the cold really hit us was when we were 5km into our 10km hike and we all stopped on a side trip intersection. It was cold up there, really cold! Ollie (me), Stu and Jamie did the side trip up to Mt Pelion East but we did not summit the Mountain, enjoying the view from Toad Rock. While we were up there, everyone else started to walk to the campsite. Everyone's boots were soaked and some of us were wet from the rain. We set up camp and settled in for the night. But this campsite did not have a foodshed so we had to store our food in the tent to stop the possums from stealing our food.
Fifth Day:
A Possum broke into Eve, Jessica and Catlin,s tent leaving a hole in the tent but luckily it did not take any food. A few kms into our 10km hike it started to snow. It was very beautiful and was not like anything I have seen before. It was very different hiking in snow, it was hard at times because you would slip over or you would be shaking from the cold. We eventually made it after a long day of hiking and we decided it would be best to go to the huts and warm up instead of sitting outside in the snow. We all warmed up and Stu and Neville decided we would stay the night. It was fun in the huts, very warm and cozy. There were bunk beds in the hut and we managed to fit 10 scouts on the top bunk, sure was a cozy sleep that night!
Sixth Day:
This day was the coldest of all the other days. There was about 8-9 inches of snow, a lot more than the previous day. We woke up early because we had to do 10km before 11:30am because that's when the ferry arrives at Lake St Clair. Let me tell you, it was cold! Everyone was soaked to the bone and shivering when we arrived at Lake St Clair. Jamie and Neville had it tough because they were at the front of the group, all the snow from the trees was weighing the branches down, making them sag across the path. They had to push through the branches which meant they got covered in snow and that made them really cold. We all made it to the ferry on time, crossed Lake St Clair, and we were all so cold on the ferry. On the other side, we went into the visitor's centre, we warmed up and got changed into some dry clothes. We then departed from the visitors' centre and made our way back to Hobart by bus.
To sum this whole trip up. It was not just about hiking and walking it had a deeper meaning. We can all agree that we each grew as a person and got to know each other much better. Overland Track tested our patience and taught us not to give up but to keep going. We all had fun and it was a great experience to be a part of.
We are all very lucky to have great Scout leaders!!
Thank you Stu, Neville and Ann. Thank you for a trip of a lifetime.
“To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles”
-Marie Davis
After an early start at 3 am, we boarded the plane at 6 am. The plane ride was exciting knowing what was ahead of us in Tasmania. Some people (Sam, Jessica and a few others) slept on the plane because of the early start. It was a beautiful trip over to Hobart, with the sun just starting to rise.
We arrived in Hobart around 8:30 am. Hopped on a bus and we were driven to 10th Hobart Scout Hall, which was in Sandy Bay, 10 minutes from the airport, situated beside the water. We all spent the rest of the day exploring Hobart, went to the park, McDonald's, and just hung around at the scout hall. Hobart was a very nice and quiet place. All the people were friendly, and it felt welcoming. The next morning was another early start. We were all up at 3 am packing our packs and making sure we had everything. We then got on the same bus that drove us to the Scout Hall and started making our four-hour journey up to Ronny Creek (Start of Overland Track)
Many people slept on the way there, and we made a couple of stops on the way to have breakfast and to go to the bathroom. We ran over a couple of kangaroos and one ran into the side of the bus. It was overall a very nice drive up.
When we arrived at the Visitors centre, we each got issued our Overland Track Passes and then WE WERE OFF.
First Day:
The weather was sunny and hot, with clear skies and not a cloud in sight. The terrain was very steep and there were lots of hills and mountains we had to climb. The view was simply astonishing from up there. We all walked in separate groups and it remained like this for the rest of the trip. When we got to the Cradle Mountain junction only Ollie (me), Jamie, Eve, Catlin, Stu and Neville climbed Cradle Mountain. When we got to the top, it was like we were on top of the world it was crazy!! After that, we then made our way back to the campsite, setting up tents and eating dinner. That day we hiked 12km.
Second Day:
This day was the easiest out of all the days, it was only 8km. Once again the weather was sunny and not a cloud in sight. The terrain was very flat, and it was easy hiking. We all set out and walked four or five kilometres before stopping for lunch at the Lake Will side trip junction. Ollie (me), Jamie, Stu and Neville did the side trip, and the trip ended with a waterfall. We then made our way to the next campsite and set up tents, had dinner, and also went down to the lake that was 50 metres from our campsite and dipped our feet in the water. That night we all stayed up late playing UNO and talking around the Hammock.
Third Day:
That morning it was very foggy and misty. We had to walk 17km this day, so we had an early start waking up at 5:30 am. We walked in our separate groups surrounded by the mist covered land. When we were 4km into our day, we stopped at a lookout but could not really see anything till the fog cleared! We made our descent down the side of a mountain. It was very muddy and that's where Izzy hurt her foot. She must have sprained it and it swelled up, but she kept going to the campsite. When at the campsite, that was when it first started to rain.
Fourth Day:
The time when the cold really hit us was when we were 5km into our 10km hike and we all stopped on a side trip intersection. It was cold up there, really cold! Ollie (me), Stu and Jamie did the side trip up to Mt Pelion East but we did not summit the Mountain, enjoying the view from Toad Rock. While we were up there, everyone else started to walk to the campsite. Everyone's boots were soaked and some of us were wet from the rain. We set up camp and settled in for the night. But this campsite did not have a foodshed so we had to store our food in the tent to stop the possums from stealing our food.
Fifth Day:
A Possum broke into Eve, Jessica and Catlin,s tent leaving a hole in the tent but luckily it did not take any food. A few kms into our 10km hike it started to snow. It was very beautiful and was not like anything I have seen before. It was very different hiking in snow, it was hard at times because you would slip over or you would be shaking from the cold. We eventually made it after a long day of hiking and we decided it would be best to go to the huts and warm up instead of sitting outside in the snow. We all warmed up and Stu and Neville decided we would stay the night. It was fun in the huts, very warm and cozy. There were bunk beds in the hut and we managed to fit 10 scouts on the top bunk, sure was a cozy sleep that night!
Sixth Day:
This day was the coldest of all the other days. There was about 8-9 inches of snow, a lot more than the previous day. We woke up early because we had to do 10km before 11:30am because that's when the ferry arrives at Lake St Clair. Let me tell you, it was cold! Everyone was soaked to the bone and shivering when we arrived at Lake St Clair. Jamie and Neville had it tough because they were at the front of the group, all the snow from the trees was weighing the branches down, making them sag across the path. They had to push through the branches which meant they got covered in snow and that made them really cold. We all made it to the ferry on time, crossed Lake St Clair, and we were all so cold on the ferry. On the other side, we went into the visitor's centre, we warmed up and got changed into some dry clothes. We then departed from the visitors' centre and made our way back to Hobart by bus.
To sum this whole trip up. It was not just about hiking and walking it had a deeper meaning. We can all agree that we each grew as a person and got to know each other much better. Overland Track tested our patience and taught us not to give up but to keep going. We all had fun and it was a great experience to be a part of.
We are all very lucky to have great Scout leaders!!
Thank you Stu, Neville and Ann. Thank you for a trip of a lifetime.
“To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles”
-Marie Davis
