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Trails of the Tarkine

by Caroline Gladstone | 31 Jan 2013

Tasmania’s climate is moody, no matter what the season, but not even an unseasonal temper tantrum could distract from the wonders of the Tarkine wilderness.

At the end of each day we hovered around a potbelly stove sipping red wine as our guide served snacks, and turned steaks and snags on the barbie.

We relived the treks to waterfalls in ancient mossy rainforests and the hike along a wave-lashed coast strewn with jagged rocks. There was a certain smugness in our demeanour on the day we made it to the top of a mountain and gulped the freshest air in the world.

We were based in the former gold mining town of Corinna on the Pieman River for three nights and in the fishing village of Arthur River on a fourth. These townships mark the respective south and north boundaries of the region, which is bordered to the west by the Southern Ocean and to the east by the Murchison Highway.

Walking the wilderness

The Tarkine is vast, stretching over 4500sq km of the state’s northwest.

The region contains the largest unbroken track of rainforest in Australia; old growth forests of myrtle and sassafras, and myriad mosses and lichens that are a living link with the supercontinent Gondwana.

We set off from Launceston, stopping along the way for several walks, including a stroll along an old water race to Philosophers Falls. Named after James ‘Philosopher’ Smith, who first discovered tin in the area in 1872, the walk introduced us to a forest of brilliant trees and moss-covered primeval tree trunks.

On day two we walked the Whyte River track near Corinna, a mere warm-up for the onslaught on Mt Donaldson in the mid-morning. In reality, the mountain rises to just 460m, but it is a long and winding four kilometres through forest and open grasslands to the top.

At the summit, before the heavens opened with a freak hailstorm, we filled our lungs with some fresh air, overlooking an ocean where the closest landmass is South America.

Up before dawn the next day, we boarded a small boat for a trip down the Pieman River to its mouth at the Southern Ocean. Although this river was a busy artery in the goldrush days of the late 19th century, nothing stirred as we motored along, save for a waterfowl and the rising mist.

Toting our small packs, we headed off for an 18km return trip, hugging the ocean and winding through an amazing variety of terrain from coastal scrub flecked with wildflowers, to wide beaches strewn with huge pebbles and vertical-shaped rocks standing to attention like a jagged Stonehenge. This was followed by an evening trip to Marrawah's pub, a favourite haunt of fishermen and surfers.

Edge of eternity

On our last day we strolled along the boardwalk to a point called the ‘Edge of the World’, as the sea to its west is the longest uninterrupted expanse of ocean on the globe.

A poem engraved on a stone plaque invited visitors to cast a stone into the ‘ocean of time’ on the ‘shore of eternity’.

This remote place, windswept and desolate, perfectly summed up the beauty of the Tarkine, demonstrating why one would endure a barrage of weather to experience it.

Corinna

Tucked into the rainforest on the southern edge of the Tarkine is an oasis in the wilderness known as Corinna. Set on the banks of the Pieman River, the former gold mining town is now a haven for eco tourists and those wanting to spend a few days away from the pressures of the big city. Some of the 22 accommodation huts date back to the gold mining boom of the 1880s.

Hikers and holidaymakers have more than a dozen treks to tackle, while kayaks can be hired to explore the Pieman, Savage and Whyte Rivers. A restored riverboat, Arcadia II, also runs daily river cruises.

Corinna is approximately 131km south of Burnie and 266km, or four hours from Launceston.