2011 Travelling Alone in Australia - Lake St.Clair－旅行は私の人生なのだ

In Strahan YHA, I could see stars above. Though I tried to take a photo with my monopod, the lights around the building was the big matter.

Maybe Strahan is not a very popular place, the equipments of YHA are so simple that the heater is a small fan. Therefore, it was cold all the night even I had an extra blanket.

Eight o'clock in the morning, I leave Strahan without visiting Hogarth Fall so that I could enjoy all my time in Lake St.Clair.

It takes about two hours to arrive there from Strahan. While reaching Queenstown, the scene of this place is quite different just as the information said. Though I have a chance to take pictures in the high position, I give it up because I'm quite afraid of the car crash if I park my car just on the road. In Tasmania, every vehicle is always running fast on the roads, and no one know when the cars behind you will come. So, if there is no shoulder or extra space on the road, I don't park my car on the road to prevent this terrible accident happening. By the way, the big truck that looks like "Optimus Prime (The Transformer)" is common. I think no one, included the wild wallaby, wants to be hit by this big monster.

About ten, I arrive at the tourist center of Lake St.Clair. The Grey Currawong in the parking area looks at me with his sharp face, especially when I want to eat some toast.

The center is at the left of the building, and another side is the receiption of Lake St. Clair Lodge which is the only backpacker accommodation here. Except for dormitory rooms, they also provide cabins. In summer, you could choose to camp. Even I choose the dormitory room, the price is still expensive than other accommodation in other town.

Besides, there is no suprmarket or koisk here so you have to prepare everything before coming. Otherwise it will cost you a lot to have the meal in the restaurant of Lake St.Clair Lodge.

According to the map, the area of Lake St.Calri is quite big. Except for the tracking routes, you could take the ferry to Echo Point or Narcissus. Unfortunately, I seems to be the only one tourist in this time and it would be very expensive if I want to take the ferry alone. (It will cost me 225 AUD)

The winter schedule below is the ferry information I get from the recption. The ferry which departs at 9:00 and 3:00 is for the cruise, and the ferrry that departs at other time will go to Echo Point or Narcissus directly.

The price is also different according to the purpose, and the cruise price is much expensive than the direct transportation. Though they provide family ticket for two adult and children, it's still expensive.

Leaves Cynthia Bay	Arrives at Narcissus	Returns	Cruise Price	Price to Echo Point (Adult, One way)	Price to Narcissus (Adult, One Way)
9:00 a.m	9:30 a.m	10/10:30 a.m	60
12:30 p.m	1:00 p.m	1:30 p.m		32	18
3:00 p.m	3:30 p.m	4/4:30 p.m	60

The building of dormitory rooms is close to the lake shore. There are eight rooms for 24 people, therefore, it's recommoned to book the room first especially in summer, or you have to camp here.

Because I will go back to Hobart tomorrow and the car will also be returned, I spent some time putting my stuffs into my baggages. It makes me feel like my journey is reaching the end. Yes, the journey in Tasmania is reaching its end. But my journey in Austrlia is still going. If there is something bad for travelling in Australia, I think that should be taking the planes from one city to another, and I always have to put everything into the baggage in advance. Sometimes, I wish I'm rich enough so that I could afford the ticket of business class.

Returning to the tourist center at about 11 o'clock, I'm ready to enjoy the walking today. Although it's cloudy, no big rian is a good news already.

In Lake St.Clair, there are three short routes for walking: Watersmeet, Platypus Bay and Larmairremener tabelti. If you have lots of time, you could walk the track to Echo Point or Narcisus, and maybe make a circle around Mt. Olympus. There are also tracks to Shadow Lake and Forgotten Lake, and the best one should be going to the summit of Mt. Refus. It takes about six to eight hours.

Due to the time I have, I think I could only finish Watersmeet, Platypus Bay and Larmairremener tabelti today. As for Mt.Refus, it's not a good idea to walk alone in such weather.

Walking along the lake, the scene is not so good for the cloudy weather. The rain is small, and the mountains are hidden behind cloud and fog. It's quite common and boring.

A viewing point not far from the tourist center is just beside the lake shore. If the weather is good, it would be a nice place for photographing.

I go straight along Watersmeet route in the forest. According to the official website, there are many flowers and other plants, such as waratah, orchid, banksia, hakea and leatherwood, in the late spring and summer. Unfortunately, I visit here in winter and what I see around here are trees and grass.

Before entering the route of Platypus Bay, there is a bridge over Hugal river. That is not very special but the only subject I could take photos.

Platypus Bay, as implid by the name, is the bay where Platypus lives. There is a barrier near the shore and you could look for Platypus through the small windows on the barrier. A words on the board says it's possible to see Platypus if you wait in silence. However, most of the Platypus appear in the dawn and dusk. It's not lucky to meet Platypus in the daytime. As for the scene at the shore, it's also the same as what I see in the viewing pont before.

The track of Platypus Bay is narrow and it would connect to the intersection of Platypus Bay and Watersmeet. If you walk the Overland Track from Cradle mountain, you would also pass Platypus Bay before going to the tourist center.

After the short route of Platypus Bay, the final section is Larmairremener tabelti. When I see the blue sky here, I'm a little sad about the scenery around the lake.

By the way, there are some boards in some locations of the walking routes, and the red button will tell you where you are now. I draw the yellow, cyan and pink lines on the image to show the routes I walk today. It's really a pity that I didn't arrange one more day to stay at Lake St.Clair and walk to My.Refus. It would be great to see the scene on the summit.

What is Larmairremener? I search for the information and find that Larmairremener is the name of the aboriginal race in Tasmania. In Tasmania, the aboriginal people could be classied into nine groups according to the area they lived, and each group may be devided into six to fifteen braches.

Larmairremener is one branch (band) of the Big River, and the place they lived is at the western side of Lake St. Clair. As for tabelti, I didn't find any answer for this word and you will not find any stuff that is related to Larmairremener people. There is only an information board introducing two artists from Larmairremener and the history of Larmairremener. Nowadays, the aboriginal language of Tasmania has disappeared.

(Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_Aborigines)

When reaching the boardwalk, it means that the end of Larmairremener tabelti is near.

I find an area with no tree but the short bushes and the small orange plants.

It's said that a fire happened here long ago. If you take photos in a special view, it could be interesting.

I think I spent less than four hours to finish three walking routes and return to the tourist center now.

Though I still have lots of time to be killed, I really don't know what to do while the weather is not fine and the tourists are few. Otherwise, I would like to take a cruise on the lake.

In the center, I see a sample of a truculent cat and other birds are the food of this cat.

Since I get nothing to do, I cook my very early dinner alone in the kitchen.

All I have for the dinner are Ravioli and spagetti. They are not very delicious without any vegetables and meat but I don't want to have an expensive meal in the restaurant.

I write my diary and read the guidebook in this quiet kitchen. Though the journey in Tasmania is reaching its end, another journey in Austrlia will come.

About four o'clock, I suddently feel quite tired and thus fall asleep. (It's too early!?)