Sales Lake
Mon. 28th December 2015
Once Christmas dinner is over, the first day of the test match and the
sailing of the yachts watched and eating of leftovers is done, it's time to work off some of that
Christmas cheer! This relatively short and moderately flat walk (after
the initial climb) promises
wildflowers which should be at their best, and alpine tarns as well as
expansive views.
Walk route:
From the top of Bessell's Rd, south of Huntsman Lake, there is about 1
km of fairly steep, typical rocky wilderness track, climbing from alt. 880m to the edge of the plateau at
1120m - about 240 metres rise, after which the walk is relatively
flat, and even gently sloping downhill for a while. About an hour from the car should bring us to Sales
Rivulet, a delightful and tranquil spot with beautiful pools and pencil
pines. Platypus have been seen there in the past. After a relaxed break
at the rivulet, those who want to go further will make the 30 minute
500m trek to Sales Lake for a relaxed lunch and explore of the area. An
easy day is expected, and we should be back at the cars by 3 pm, with
the possibility of a coffee stop on the way home if desired.
The walk is rated easy-medium and would be suitable for energetic and
resilient younger children. Total walk distance is approximately 6 km.
Meeting Times and Places:
If you are interested in going on this walk, please phone Phil Andrew
on 0408 014 757 or 6300 1067 to book in.
The departure time is 8:30am from Door of Hope carpark in South
Launceston. The alternative meeting place/time is Deloraine at 9 am.
(Turn onto the Lake Highway at junction in Deloraine on Launceston side
of bridge over Meander R.). However, you still need to contact the walk
leader per details above if intending to walk. The leader should be
notified of any other people you intend to bring along. Please be at any meeting place 5 minutes
ahead of departure time.
To access this area from northern Tasmania:
Please note that the upper parts of Bessell's
Rd. are not suited for low-clearance vehicles. 4WD and "soft-roader"
vehicles should have no problems. From Launceston, head towards
Deloraine on the Bass Highway (50 km) and take the first (eastern) turn
from the highway into Deloraine. Continue into the town and turn left
immediately before the bridge (meeting place - see above).
From Deloraine, head south along the "Lake Highway" - now Highland Lakes
Rd. (but the first bit may be called Meander Rd!). Make sure to stay on
Meander Rd and go straight ahead (DON'T turn left) at 7 km from
Deloraine, where there is a signposted junction for Highland Lakes Rd.
Continue a further 9 km to Meander and continue through the town. About
6 km further, you will come to the junction of Bessell's Rd. Turn left,
and follow south across the Meander River ford. There are several
turnoffs to be avoided, but essentially, you are heading south, crossing
Sales Rivulet about 1.4 km from the ford. A little over a km further on,
the road starts to climb with frequent bends. Another 5 km or so will
bring you to the end of the road, high on the slopes of the Western
Tiers, where the walk begins.
Warnings:
S... Steep incline for at least part of the way
E... Exposed alpine conditions – can be dangerous in poor weather if
not fully equipped
Make sure you have a good supply of drinking water.
Walkers are advised to wear strong shoes or boots. Gaiters would be
desirable. You should always carry wet weather gear as well as warm
clothing in case of sudden weather changes.
You should always carry wet weather gear.
If unsure of equipment requirements for bushwalking, see
www.sutas.org.au/bush-walking/bush-walking
for some guidelines
Map details:
Sales Lake: 1:100000 map is Tasmap 8214 (Meander) and 1:25000 map
is 4637 (Breona)
Map reference:
Short ref. n/a
Zone Easting Northing Latitude Longitude
n/aThere are no peakbagger points on this walk. For listing of peakbagger points, see the Hobart Walking Club
Peakbagger's Guide (2000 revision) which can be downloaded (Excel) from
http://tastracks.webs.com/peakbaggers.htm The same web page
contains several other listings of Tasmanian peaks.
GPX version of the track:
Click here
to download. Google Earth version of the track:
Click here
to download.
Right-click on the file and save target as to a location of your choice.
(Suggest you click the Last modified at top to sort by date to get the
most recent at top to find the file for the next walk).