Bushwalk Australia

Hi to everyone!
I'm from Saint-Petersburg,Russia. I've booked OT for 26.02 and night ferry Melbourne - Devonport 25.02.
I've suggested 2.45 between ferry and Tassielink bus is enough gap. But I recently found out that there are problems with transportation of gas. " you can take it to ship but must be put in container and give to be taken into a special place on ship. BUT it will be the last thing that will be given to passengers and you could wait a very long time. Remember that all cars will go off ship first. "
So "it is BEST to buy your gas in Devonport"
I don't know Australian realities and ask an advice.
What is better - to buy gas in Melbourne and to take on the ferry or to buy it in Devonport?
Or, possible, I can buy it directly in Cradle Mountain?
If in Melbourne - how much time I can loose on the ferry?
If in Devonport - is some outdoor shops nearby Information center at 92 Formby Street? Are they open at 9 a.m?
If I'm late the bus, there's a way to get Cradle Mountain besides a taxi?
Where is optimal way of action?
One more question about my pack. It's 80 sm high but ferry rules demand 68 sm maximum.Should I take it in my Luggage and will it cause another loss of time? What does baggage collection look like, is it possible to get it even before the arrival of the ferry?
Aleksandr.
p.s. One more radical way - cancelled the ferry and take a plane to Launceston. But the ferry more convenient (exept problem above). Plane is minus day.

In my experience, the trolley where they store gas canisters and the like is one of the first things off. It's finding a staff member who will get your gas from the trolley that takes time.

There are outdoor stores in Devonport and I'm pretty sure they stock gas canisters at the Visitors Centre at Cradle. Simple enough to buy what you need there, and it will be a lot smoother than waiting around at the ferry terminal.

Never heard of a pack size limit for bushwalkers on the ferry - that's a new one on me so I can't really help except to suggest you contact TT Lines directly. They're usually pretty good about sorting out minor issues like that.

Ferry is better than flying and gas canisters can't be taken on planes anyway.

I have taken gas on the ferry, but we had our car. As we climbed into our car we were handed the gas.

I think from the time we docked to when we drove away wasn’t more than 15mins, but I’ve heard it can vary greatly.

The shops in Devonport may not open until 9am in the morning anyway.

You can buy gas at Cradle Mountain - but you must phone a few days early to make sure they have plenty of the correct type available. They have been known to run out.

As for your pack, I don’t remember the ferry operator caring too much. You could perhaps take another smaller bag and transfer some things into it so the main bag is not quite so tall?

north-north-west wrote:In my experience, the trolley where they store gas canisters and the like is one of the first things off. It's finding a staff member who will get your gas from the trolley that takes time.

You can now keep gas canisters in your car as long as they are secure (eg. in your pack and not rolling around on the floor)

South_Aussie_Hiker wrote:You can buy gas at Cradle Mountain - but you must phone a few days early to make sure they have plenty of the correct type available.

Good advice. They might be able to keep a canister or two aside for you if you pay for them by card over the phone.

If you intend to walk from the ferry to the visitor centre you will go over the highway bridge and back down river on the western side.
As you're leaving the bridge on the western ,'city' side, there'll be a large 'Allgoods' store directly ahead. It opens at 9am. The walk from there to the visitor centre is around 1.5klm. The bus departs 9.45?

Thanks for help. It's really good variant - to buy gas in Cradle Mountain. It's a bit difficult to me explain by phone, but there is e-mail.

++Never heard of a pack size limit for bushwalkers on the ferry ++
I was very surprised too, but " In the interests of safety and comfort, a Baggage allowance of one piece of carry-on Baggage per Passenger measuring 66cm x 46.5cm x 27.5cm plus a handbag / laptop is permitted in the designated Passenger accommodation. All other Baggage must be checked in or stored in your Vehicle."
Even 66 sm maximum.

++You could perhaps take another smaller bag and transfer some things into it so the main bag is not quite so tall?++
It's a problem. I have, for example, old-fashion sleeping pad from two pieces 80х40. To carry it in hands? It's nesessary more radical steps - change both pack and equipment. I can take pack of my wife, it's "only" 70 sm, but is it nesessary? I prefer my own if it is possible to get Luggage without gas quickly.

++If you intend to walk from the ferry to the visitor centre you will go over the highway bridge and back down river on the western side. ++
Google-maps show 20 km of walking around the bay. I plan to go Tassielink bus at 7.45 and regular bus if I'm late Tassie.
I didn't see information about short walk way.
++The bus departs 9.45?++
Yes.

alvd wrote:++Never heard of a pack size limit for bushwalkers on the ferry ++
I was very surprised too, but " In the interests of safety and comfort, a Baggage allowance of one piece of carry-on Baggage per Passenger measuring 66cm x 46.5cm x 27.5cm plus a handbag / laptop is permitted in the designated Passenger accommodation. All other Baggage must be checked in or stored in your Vehicle."
Even 66 sm maximum.

Ahhh, now, there are ways around this. It depends on whether you are in a cabin or using the sleeping lounge. If you're booked in the sleeping lounge, they have storage cubicles for luggage items and i think that is why there is a size limit. But if you keep your pack with you all the time, and sleep on one of the benches on the upper decks - there are a couple of places where the crew will generally let you get away with this provided you don't stretch out until fairly late - then it isn't an issue. It's also more comfortable because you can actually lie down rather than trying to sleep sitting up.
With the cabins, again there is limited storage space but Ive seen much larger bits of luggage than that being kept in cabins.

When I went over last Feb on the boat the way they handled gas was different. No longer do you need to put it on a trolley. The key thing for small canisters was that the plastic cap needed to be on the canister and that it was stored in a location where it was not going to move around. They were fine with my canisters (I had 8, both normal 110/230g for walking and hairspray type for my camping stove) in a reusable shopping bag stowed in the foot well behind the drivers seat. I will find out tomorrow night whether that has changed again

It did always surprise me that they collected all the gas cylinders in one place to make a really big bomb if anything went wrong.

For walk on passengers I believe they have instituted the airline system with stowed luggage (suitcases and bushwalking packs) and carry on luggage as you only need toiletries and a jumper while on the boat.

If the bus doesn't go by the ferry terminal there is a small ferry that takes people across the Mersey to the town centre (all sing "Ferry cross the Mersey") https://www.merseylink.com.au/ferry/

Maybe alvd can just take the frame from his pack and make it shorter?

alvd wrote:++If you intend to walk from the ferry to the visitor centre you will go over the highway bridge and back down river on the western side. ++
Google-maps show 20 km of walking around the bay. I plan to go Tassielink bus at 7.45 and regular bus if I'm late Tassie.
I didn't see information about short walk way.
++The bus departs 9.45?++
Yes.

I like the ferry service, great intro to tassie, rather than flying in to just another city.
I'm not exactly sure what you are on about above alvd? The quickest way is to catch the smaller ferry across the river to the bus/visitor centre. But you have lots of time to spare.

Anyhow, this map may help? Have fun, it's a great journey.

++Anyhow, this map may help? ++
Yes, sure.

just for the record, there's also 'Blue Peaks' (gas and some good bushwalking gear) just off the route:



After last nights fire, Allgoods may be out for some time

Wow! I wonder how the gas cylinders fared in that fire?

Yes, I've bought gas just in Blue Peaks. Also Kathmandu shop nearby.
But in Cradle it was possible to buy as well,no problem.