STORIES FROM THE TRAIL
LAKE OBERON | Summer 2019
In May of 2017 I made a couple of phone calls, to close friends of mine that have been part of my journey, some people I really respect. These are the types of people who don't muck around, they just get in and get on with things. Luckily for me the responses to this phone call were positive and it seemed like a hike into the Western Arthur wilderness area of Tasmania for 6 days might be possible.
I have been the kind of person to go my own way in life but on this occasion I didn't want to do this hike on my own, firstly it is not safe, but secondly a journey like this one needs to be shared, but with the right people. So this is a remote area, the proposition I put to my fellow hikers was to walk into Lake Oberon with our lifeline strapped to our backs and see what experiences we could have and what scenery we could find to photograph. This is a no fly zone, there is no access other than on foot. That last sentence alone sticks with me, this is a special place and one that the group wants to get to while we all physically can.
The planning quickly began and we all started to assess the logistics of such a trip, one that none of us had taken in the past. I have known this group for a large portion of my life and I trust these people with it, we have hiked in the past but never for this long or this remote together. The conversations quickly eluded to pack weight, food, tents, time of year, training and for how long.
In May of 2017 I made a couple of phone calls, to close friends of mine that have been part of my journey, some people I really respect. These are the types of people who don't muck around, they just get in and get on with things. Luckily for me the responses to this phone call were positive and it seemed like a hike into the Western Arthur wilderness area of Tasmania for 6 days might be possible.
I have been the kind of person to go my own way in life but on this occasion I didn't want to do this hike on my own, firstly it is not safe, but secondly a journey like this one needs to be shared, but with the right people. So this is a remote area, the proposition I put to my fellow hikers was to walk into Lake Oberon with our lifeline strapped to our backs and see what experiences we could have and what scenery we could find to photograph. This is a no fly zone, there is no access other than on foot. That last sentence alone sticks with me, this is a special place and one that the group wants to get to while we all physically can.
The planning quickly began and we all started to assess the logistics of such a trip, one that none of us had taken in the past. I have known this group for a large portion of my life and I trust these people with it, we have hiked in the past but never for this long or this remote together. The conversations quickly eluded to pack weight, food, tents, time of year, training and for how long.
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The Location
In the deep Western Arthurs its possible to find an area that is pretty well untouched. Just south of Lake Pedder the trail head starts and meanders into one of the greatest wilderness areas on earth. |