Bikepacking the Tasmania Trail

Written by Mont Ambassador Geoff Murray

Recently a Mont staff member rode with a group of cyclists on the Tasmania trail. They provided an excellent glimpse into what it is like to ride this versatile and interesting Trail.

I have just completed my own attempt at this ride, starting at Devonport and finishing at Dover, a total distance of 493 kms with 9,517 metres of vertical ascent (and descent) over a period of 10 days.

I thought it would be interesting to give an insight into what the ride was like for a 67 year old who had completed only relatively little biking before beginning this challenge.

The first day from Devonport to Railton was a mix of rough dirt tracks, gravel roads and paved roads.

Bit by bit I gradually worked my way south, meeting some really interesting and friendly people along the way.

One of the wonderful things about the Trail is the flexibility. On the second day I was simply too tired to reach my destination so I camped in a perfect spot on the banks of the Meander River after 50 kms riding over some very hilly logging roads as well as fording the Mersey River. One of the pleasures along the way was to stop and pick a couple of cups of wild blackberries. Absolutely yummy!

I had elected to travel north to south as there was really only one really big climb followed by a couple of days of gentle descent. That way the pain was short(ish) rather than extended.

The climb from Poatina up onto the Western Tiers took me from 300 metres altitude to 1200 metres and is steep and tough but by taking it just one short stretch at a time it was entirely doable.

I camped that night at Miena in the Central Highlands and typically the temperature dropped quite low, to a solid 0°C.

I was using my Moondance 1 FN tent along with the remarkable Zero Superlight sleeping bag (a perfect combination for bike camping) and despite only wearing my silk inner sheet in the bag I was not at all cool.

The morning dawned crystal clear with light winds and I totalled 90 kms for the day for a great day’s ride. I treated myself to a night in a pub that night, the only night not spent in a tent.

The next day I covered the 77kms to home, which the Trail runs past, (detouring to a favourite berry farm along the way).

It was a few weeks before I was able to find the time and suitable weather to complete the last section of the ride from my home in the Lachlan Valley down to Dover.

This began with a notorious track from the Lachlan Valley, up through the Wellington Ranges and down to Judbury in the Huon Valley. I soon found out it was notorious for a very solid reason. The track was diabolical in places and made for very slow going.

Eventually I popped out of the bush onto a paved road and it wasn’t long before I had set my Moondance 1 up in idyllic conditions at Judbury.

The following day consisted of a series of tracks and logging roads to take me down to the township of Geeveston. One day to go!

The last day was so satisfying. More logging roads and bush tracks and I finally dropped down to the final destination, Dover. And best of all, my wife was in Dover with our dog, waiting to give me a lift back home.

This was a tough trip, and I was very pleased to have completed it successfully. The Trail travels through a diverse range of landscapes and although challenging at times I thoroughly recommend it.

Mont Ambassador

Geoff Murray