I VISIT MT. MONTGOMERY AGAIN

by
Keith Lancaster 

Note: This report has been scanned in as written. I have included the height, distance and time indications where used, e.g.:
(1000'- 12m.- 4.45p.m.)
which read as follows: height in feet - miles for the day - time.

On Thursday, July 5th., 1934, I featured in an afternoon expedition to Mt Montgomery, the northern most and highest peak of the Dial Range. I went in company with four other enthusiasts, the personnel consisting of Messrs. W. Casboult, C. Rowsthorn and E. Barnard, all of Penguin and S. Truscott of Launceston. We were all in possession of bicycles and at 1.30 p.m. we left Penguin to cover the three miles of road which would bring us to the spot where the track lead off for the mountain. Rain had fallen heavily during the previous night and the few early morning showers did not afford us much satisfaction regarding the prospects of the weather, but, as the day progressed, the outlook brightened and the sky was rapidly clearing as we commenced our ride.

I had only returned from my unsuccessful trip to Black Bluff on the previous afternoon and my heel was still rather painful but, by using my cycling shoes throughout the entire outing, I was able to reduce my discomfiture to a minimum. The uphill road journey was uneventful and, leaving our bicycles on the side of the track, we commenced the walk, reaching and crossing Myrtle Creek - here the tiniest of streams - after a half mile's travel. From here the ascent really begins but the grade is not severe and after a climb of about a mile we had gained our objective.

Although Mt. Montgomery would attain an altitude of only about two thousand feet, the extent of the view somewhat surprised me. The clouds had almost disappeared by now except in the far west and, although conditions were not very good for photography owing to the thin film of clouds dimming the declining sun, a wonderful panorama presented itself to the eye.

The mountains within range are very interesting. In the far east Mts. Arthur and Barrow and the Ben Lomond plateau are silhouetted on the sky-line and, turning southwards, the following peaks present themselves in the following order - Dry's Bluff, Quamby Bluff, Mt. Projection, Gog Mountain, Mother Cumming’s Peak, Mt. Roland (denying us a glimpse of Ironstone Mt.), Mt. Vandyke, Mt. Claude, the foothills of the Roland Range and Extreme Tier (the most western spur of the Great Western Tiers). Almost directly south Mt. Norman, another member of the Dial Range, asserts itself only about three miles away. This peak cannot be much below the altitude of the one of which we had taken occupation and would probably be the second highest point of the rather diminutive range. Rising majestically over the eastern shoulder of Mt. Norman is Black Bluff with its broad cap of glittering white, looking particularly attractive. Other foothills of the Dial Range obstruct the distant view in the south-west where St. Valentine’s Peak is probably the only visible peak of any magnitude. In the west that rugged headland, Table Cape, asserts itself but farther west the clouds obliterated the landscape.

In the north, the beaches, bays, cliffs and rocks fringing the blue sea form a charming picture. The coastal towns of Burnie, Penguin, Ulverstone and Devonport are all in evidence and many of the little villages of the Penguin and Leven municipalities are seen dotted here and there. The course of the Leven River can be traced for many miles and the channels carved out by the Penguin, Myrtle, Lobster and Castra Creeks are also obvious. The water of Port Fenton is included in the view north-eastwards, while not the least interesting feature revealed below us is the number of well cleared farms, existing in all directions, with their rich chocolate soil.

After spending about an hour and a half on the mountain, we began the descent and the journey homewards and at 5.15 p.m. we were again back at Penguin, all being well satisfied with the afternoon' s excursion. This is not the first occasion upon which I have scaled Mt. Montgomery as I was a frequent visitor to the locality in my boyhood days, but the view seemed much more impressive to me now that I am familiar with the names of the far off landmarks.