There’s a brochure out, it’s called 60 Great Short Walks. It’s arguably one of the greatest bits of marketing ever. Designed to get people to places they may not have heard of and mostly away from the package tours it’s been such a success that other states have woken up at last to the fact that there may be something in getting people outdoors and enjoying a stroll or hike somewhere. Of course, it also tends to keep people in Tasmania longer, which is why it’s such a wonderful investment.
I feel privileged to have actually done about 40 of them (okay, and lots of others as well) and can report that it offers something for all ages and abilities though, it’s fair to suggest that if you’re fit and a keen bushwalker, you’ll get more out of it than the average tourist.
In this article I’ll feature just one, Leven Canyon. The government has wisely invested in this walk and their opening spiel reads thus, “It is rare in the world to find such a powerful place as the Leven Canyon, this is so easy to access. Enjoy spectacular sweeping views from Cruikshanks and Evans Lookouts 275m above the Leven River. Alongside the track, discover ferns, brightly coloured fungi and native wildlife.”
It’s a 45 minute drive south from Ulverstone or about 75 minutes from Cradle Mountain and there’s a picnic area up top replete with tables and toilets. Keep your eyes peeled though, first time through I missed it, thinking there must be something further down.
When we finally parked, we had the place to ourselves, a not uncommon experience for me. Then we set out, and I hope here not to deter people because this is one of the better walks in Tasmania, but I should record that there are 697 steps. However, they are wonderfully constructed and, every so often, there’s a seat and many of the steps are numbered so you know just how far you’ve gone. The Tasmanian government should take a bow, it’s shown the other states how to do it.
Then, when you arrive at the lookouts, they are a bit special, the bottom one (Edge) built on a cantilever to give the thrill seekers a bit of a buzz and it’s one of the best viewpoints in Tasmania.
To go all the way to the bottom gets you to a swing bridge that spans the river, another recommend from me. You gaze down upon ancient lava flows scoured by the force of water and the 12km long canyon has 6 rapids and 2 waterfalls on its length.
Dedicated bushwalkers go beyond this and do multi-day hikes, but it’s rough going after the span.
Coming back up you may well stop and enjoy the numerous ferns and fungi (the latter prolific in autumn) that glide beside you while you ascend, and you’d be unlucky not to spot a pademelon or two. You might also spare a thought for Stephen McTurk, Central Coast track specialist who, along with his crew, spent a year lugging 132 posts, numerous bags of cement and 550 litres of water (to mix the cement) just to give us the exceptional trail that we experience today.
Though in the motorhome, we’d indulged in a B&B called Kaydale. If you’re looking for a unique place to stay or want to view a fabulous garden, you might consider staying or visiting here as well.
The Crowden family (Mum, dad, 2 daughters) have turned Kaydale into a showpiece. The stunning garden is open daily from 9 a.m. till sunset and is one of Tasmania’s finest.
One of the daughters, Amarlie, is an expert in design and her rock work features will surprise you while the other daughter, Lesley, prefers to stick to the plants and the story of her legendary dedication to the point where she went and held an umbrella over a rare plant during a thunderstorm is oft told. Personally, I viewed it as the next best thing to a suicide mission! So, next time you’re in Tassie, type in Loongana Road and head down a “way of different.”
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