“This was a shocking day for any miserable creature to be out in, nothing but violent gusts of wind with hail and rain.” 15th November, 1828. - Henry Hellyer
Boulder in rainforest on Granite Tor. Pentax MX, Ektar 100, Nov 2022.
The 16th of November dawned clear, and I had reached the Sophia River by lunch time. I found a comfortable ford where the water came just above my ankles. As I struck out on an open buttongrass lead to the NE, I felt as if I was right on Hellyer's heels. But my open lead soon gave way to a thicket of tea trees that reached well above my head. Another hundred yards and I was in the bauera, looking for a way out.
What took Hellyer and his men one day from Victoria Peak to Granite Tor took me three long days. The open buttongrass plains that Hellyer described have been completely overgrown by scrub: tea trees, cutting grass and bauera. Hellyer noted in his letter that he suspects the 'natives' keep these valleys open with the use of fire, both to maintain their hunting runs and to keep their migration paths open. But it's been nearly 200 years since Tasmanian Aboriginals have lived on this land. I felt a distinct sense of absence on this part of my journey. It felt like I was in country that was abandoned, forgotten.
One of the more open sections of tea tree forest. Pentax MX, Ektar 100, Nov 2022.
I was in the scrub for three days, following a NE bearing, always looking for the path of least resistance, without much of a clue where I really was. Nevertheless, I came across some delightful features as I drew closer to Granite Tor. I crossed a creek at a cascading waterfall that had a series of infinity pools in it. I saw granite boulders the size of houses within the rainforest, completely covered in moss. I laid hands on great trees that have stood the test of a thousand years. At no point did I see signs of previous passage by people.
Sub-alpine scrub on the western side of Granite Tor created a formidable obstacle. The final 100m to the top took about an hour. Pentax MX, Ektar 100, Nov 2022.
It was on the 19th of November that I reached Granite Tor. It had taken me seven days to cover a distance of thirteen kilometres as the raven flies. But I had overcome my main navigational challenge. From here, I knew the country would open up and I was in a place where I was more familiar with the landmarks. Seeing Cradle Mountain gave me heart.
The only patch of open buttongrass west of Granite Tor that I found. Pentax MX, Ektar 100, Nov 2022.
I felt a great sense of achievement in having made it this far. I had transitioned from no man's land to a place that was somewhat traveled. I had crossed a threshold and there was now only one obstacle in the way.
Fury Gorge was calling me to it and I went willingly.
Looking south from Granite Tor, towards the Eldon Range. Pentax MX, Ektar 100, Nov 2022.