MT. EVERETT (2500')
by
Keith Lancaster
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Note: The reports have been scanned in as written. I have included the height and distance indications, e.g.:
(1000'- 12m.- 4.45p.m.)
which read as follows: height in feet - miles for the day - time.
Next morning (29th. March 1990) was fine and reasonably hopeful as I left the van near the gate at 7.40 a.m., crossed over to the south and followed the road to the top of the hill, leaving it at 8 a.m. to enter the eucalyptus plantation and head E by S towards Mt. Everett. At the top of the plantation I headed E by N into a dense rain forest at 8.20 a.m.. The rain forest soon changed to tea tree and bauera, and then open button grass which led me up to the timber patch cloaking the summit of the low southern peak of the elongated mountain.

I left this elevation at 9.10 a.m., descended to some button grass and set a course of N.N.E. to reach the next eminence. The highest point of the mountain was some considerable distance along near its northern end. From this next eminence I descended eastward for better going, but erred in not going well down to more open button grass. My progress was slow through head high tea tree with bauera and cutting grass later intermingling to heighten the test. At length I broke out onto the ridge crest where there was some button grass at 10.25 a.m..

However, it didn't help for long as shoulder high tea tree and cutting grass took over along the ridge crest. I reached a tiny clearing made by a recent "burn" just below a small quartzite escarpment. The "burn" continued above the scarp briefly and was terminated by dense tea tree and small gums. I persisted for a time but progress was very laborious and I could see no higher ground ahead or any likely respite from the unremitting toll. The summit would not be far away as the crow flies but maybe an hour or more the way I was toiling.

I began my return at 10.45 a.m. southwards and fared a little better on the homeward course to reach the plantation at 12.20 p.m. and push out to the Blythe Road at 12.40 p.m.. This was a little farther south of the point from which I left it, but I was back at the van at 1 p.m..

After lunch I left the Blythe River bridge at 2.20 p.m. and drove north to its junction with the Upper Natone Road at 2.50 p.m.. Then it was down the latter road to Hampshire and the new sealed highway to Guildford. Here I drove down one of the A.P.P.M. private roads seeking access to the Guildford Road and learned that a large number of the roads in the neighbourhood belonged to the A.P.P.M. who had placed several locked gates on them and thus access was impossible without special permission. Apparently a huge area of Tasmania north of the new Cradle Mt. Link road and up to the Upper Natone Road belongs to the A.P.P.M..

Consequently I had to abandon certain mountaineering plans and return to the new highway and then down the Murchison Highway to the Cradle Mt. turnoff and along that new road for 7.2 kilos. to turn up a side road on the left for 2 kilos. to camp in that vicinity as another locked gate lay ahead.
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