Precipitous Bluff, Southwest National Park, Tasmania

The day, like many good days, began in a little tent. The previous day, Philippa and I had left our four friends sitting around a (legal) campfire at Little Deadmans Bay, several days into a walk on Tasmania’s South Coast Track.

Sue, Chris, Ros and Dave at Little Deadmans Bay

New River Lagoon at dusk

We had walked and waded up the east side of New River Lagoon to a campsite, nowadays known as Cavern Camp, among some of the most magnificent tall eucalypts I had ever seen. The lagoon was almost still as it reflected the last light. The weather looked promising.

This was 1989. According to John Chapman’s guidebook South West Tasmania, whose pages we had photocopied, enough people had climbed Precipitous Bluff from here that there was a faint path, marked with occasional bits of tape around branches, but not yet an established track. The route was described briefly, but clearly enough, and we both knew what to do with a map and compass. We would give it a try.

Even today, the guidebook describes the climb as ‘a very long return daytrip [that] should only be attempted by fast, strong groups with a fixed turn around time’. We must have been fit and had our route-finding hats on because, after an early start, we were on top well before noon. The climb from the tall eucalypts beside the lagoon to the rocky summit was devious and delightful and, once there, the views were astounding in all directions, especially along the coast and inland to the Arthur Ranges, where Federation Peak stood proud.

Years later, looking at some of these photos reminded me I’d never been to Federation Peak – but that’s another story.

The Arthurs and beyond from the summit. Shorts were short back then.

Philippa on PB’s summit plateau, heading back down

The descent from the edge of the plateau was not too tricky – even the rocky top sections held nothing so steep you couldn’t descend facing out – and there was still plenty of daylight when we made it back to the lagoon’s edge for a second night under the towering eucalypts. There was time to visit a little cavern, not far from camp, where a creek emerges from the hillside.

Looking up at the cliffs of the summit plateau. If memory serves me, a ramp leads Up to the left into a gully that breaches the cliffs to reach the plateau.

The cavern and the creek

The next morning, we made our way back down the lagoon to rejoin the well-rested main party at Prion Beach boat crossing and continue along the South Coast Track towards Cockle Creek.