|
Florentine Valley
 Yes, we had another 'snow' trip with eight vehicles leaving New Norfolk and heading to the Florentine Valley via the Repulse Dam. We met the snow as we passed over the 1,000m height on the Northern part of the Mt Field massif before descending to the Florentine Valley floor and slightly warmer temperatures. Following the main Forestry road back towards Maydena, we stopped for a while to inspect the Florentine bridge, a few wombats, an old cable logging winch up on the slopes of Mt Field (more snow) and as Mt Tim Shea was clouded in we went on to the Styx Valley for a wander around the Tall Trees. Having a key to one of the Forestry gates, we were able to exit via Karanga to complete the round trip. There are other photo albums here 
 CanTeen 4WD Trip
Eleven vehicles plus five “Catering Corps” provided the logistics for nineteen CanTeen members and three staff to enjoy a 4x4 trip down the Huon. 9am. on Saturday outside CanTeen headquarters in Battery Point was the scene of a sizeable convoy of 4x4’s bundling CanTeen members, staff and supplies into vehicles after parents had dropped off their precious cargos. Due to limited parking availability exacerbated by Salamanca market day, cars took off individually as soon as loaded and regrouped at the big lay-by several kilometres down the Southern Outlet. It was here that Trip leader Rob Tennent welcomed everybody and delivered the trip briefing. There was keen anticipation among the young folks as they reboarded vehicles and got underway. It didn’t take long before the chattering and commentary began (and never stopped!!) between vehicles with many Teens taking their hand at operating CB’s, some for the first time. Past Kingston, over the range and down toward the Huon we rumbled and turning right at Crabtree to regroup and make sure everybody was together we made our way up Jeffry's Track.. Smoko at the junction of Jeffries and White Timber where a group of trail bike and quad riders passed as we tucked into buns, tea and soft drinks. The rough part of the White timber track has been shortened by logging operations which made for perfect timing to arrive at the Glen Huon memorial BBQ site. We radioed ahead giving our onsite catering team forty minutes notice so everything was spot on and ready to eat as we arrived. They put on a terrific spread. After lunch it was back up and onto the Bermuda Rd toward the Bracken Ridge trail. At the junction of the two a few cars tried “The Bog hole” which unbeknown to us had changed in nature since the reconnaissance trip. A couple of cars got “slightly bogged” and took considerably longer than anticipated to extricate. Thus we started to run out of time and our trip leader made the prudent decision to head for home so we would be in time for the parents pick up rendezvous. A good decision in all because it was a first experience for CanTeen and nobody was kept sitting at Battery Point worrying what had caused any delay. Everybody enjoyed the day, not the least the drivers who so kindly provided their services.
  |
 Seven members attended and removed 3 trailer loads of house-hold rubbish that had been dumped by the road side.
Forestry had organised us access to the Geeveston tip for proper disposal. Later at the BBQ, Peter introduced us to the English delicacy of roasted Chestnuts, to which some agreed it must be an acquired taste. East West track
 Four vehicles and seven members met on a cool Sunday morning near the Hobart Show grounds before heading up Montrose Rd to the start of the track.
The snow was not obvious from the city, but as we approached the 1000m contour near the top of the ridge we were treated to a light cover on the track, which provided some with their first 4wd snow driving experience. Lunch was in a more sheltered spot lower on the Huon side of the ridge but it was still cold enough to freeze the top 1cm of some substantial tarns. The trip finished by invading Peter and Fran's for a cuppa by a roaring wood fire.  CanTeen 4WD Trip
      |
 Thirteen vehicles left Sorell, heading up the East Coast before heading inland on some of the back roads.
With all the recent rain the country was beautifully green and we even got a feed of mushrooms from the road side. Lunch was beside the lake, down a 4wd track (above) which lead to an area reasonably well used, probably by fishermen, with quite reasonable camping areas. Coles Bay Working Bee
 We had a working bee with National Parks at Freycinet Peninsula clearing some of the growth around the camp sites at Friendly Beaches.
The weekend started with a Friday night meal at the local Tavern and Saturday with an OH&S briefing before setting to work clearing back the scrub. The day was cool and cloudy with a keen wind in the exposed areas but it was ideal weather for working and we had a cosy lunch spot in the scrub out of the wind. Seven vehicles and 13 club members attended and we soon had large piles of shrubbery for removal by the Parks ute and trailer. By afternoon tea it was decided to quit cutting and spend the rest of the time cleaning up loading and dumping. Parks provided a grand BBQ on Saturday night in one of the picnic shelters out of the rain that had started. Sunday was a damp packup and vehicles left for home during the morning. After lunch, of course, the clouds cleared away and the East coast had a beautiful sunny afternoon. |
