Bushwalk Australia

by **BruceL** » Mon 05 Jan, 2009 8:48 pm

I am walking the OT with family and friends (8 of us) next week and am considering walking from Bert Nichols Hut to overnight at Echo Point Hut and then finish with the last day walking to Cynthia Bay. I am wondering what the camping is like at Echo Point Hut. I have searched the forum and have seen reference to issues such as rats and possums around the hut. Also reference to a new toilet there. Also mention of camping on the beach. Does anyone have an update on the Echo Point facilities and the possibility of camping there ?

by **Son of a Beach** » Tue 06 Jan, 2009 7:43 am

I was there last 3 months ago. I didn't see anywhere on the beach where I'd be confident to pitch a tent and feel safe. However, there is enough room in the vicinity of the hut for a few tents. The hut itself is very nice (if you like rough old rustic huts, which I do). Yes, there are possum problems there as with many such huts. Yes, there are rat problems there, as with some such huts. However, there is a small metal food safe in the hut specifically for this purpose. If you do not have suitable rat-proof containers, make sure you use the safe (even if you're staying in a tent). This may save your tent and/or pack being chewed right through.

Yes, there is a toilet near the hut.

It's a great place to stop, and it's a shame that so many people miss this part of the Overland Track (as I did the first few times I did it). It is a beautiful forest walk along the lake, and Echo Point is a great place to stop in the middle of it all.

PS. My only encounter with a rat was hearing one scuffling around nearby while I was trying to get to sleep (it was definitely not a possum). I was sleeping on my own in the hut on this occasion and found them to be no problem. I suspect the level of rat problems depends on if there is (or has recently been) much food lying around for them to scavenge.

by **Iluvtheoutdawz** » Tue 06 Jan, 2009 1:59 pm

Bruce

Fantastic spot to camp, spent a memorable couple of days there last April recupriating from our Overland hike. We set the tent up so we woke to the outstanding views out across Lake Saint Clair. I have a photo of the view which sits on the fridge at home and reminds me of places I'd rather be. The only issues we had with wildlife was a noisy Quoll scampering around the campsite, we'd also read that the hut was notourius for rats but we didn't see any. A vastly under rated spot.

by **BruceL** » Fri 09 Jan, 2009 8:37 pm

Thanks for the updates on Echo Point. I think we will stop by there for our last night on the track. We are leaving Sydney tomorrow for Launceston and begin the OT on Wednesday. Really looking forward to the walk.

by **BruceL** » Sat 24 Jan, 2009 9:10 pm

Well, we finished the OT on Thurs last after spending our last night at Echo Point as planned. It is indeed a lovely spot and well worth the effort of walking around the lake rather than taking the ferry. All 8 of our group slept in the rustic old hut and there were about 4 tents nearby as well but that is about he limit of tent sites available (though some space also usable on the beach). We stored our food in the metal locker and we had no problems with animals at all. The toilet is new and very spacious! There is no tank water but there is a clean stream nearby. It was a great spot to spend our last night on the track.

by **cherryw** » Sun 01 Feb, 2009 7:11 pm

BruceL wrote:Well, we finished the OT on Thurs last after spending our last night at Echo Point as planned. It is indeed a lovely spot and well worth the effort of walking around the lake rather than taking the ferry. All 8 of our group slept in the rustic old hut and there were about 4 tents nearby as well but that is about he limit of tent sites available (though some space also usable on the beach). We stored our food in the metal locker and we had no problems with animals at all. The toilet is new and very spacious! There is no tank water but there is a clean stream nearby. It was a great spot to spend our last night on the track.

What do you mean no tank water...................what about that huge lake?

:lol:

by **tasadam** » Sat 02 May, 2009 7:29 pm

cherryw wrote:What do you mean no tank water...................what about that huge lake?

An excellent point. Does anyone hesitate to drink the water from Lake St Clair? Has anyone been affected by bad water from the lake?
Certainly up near Echo Point I doubt it would be a problem but interested in others' views and experiences.

by **cherryw** » Sat 02 May, 2009 8:17 pm

Hi Adam
We have stayed at Echo Point a number of times and used the lake water for everything, drinking, cooking and no ill effects. You can't get any water so pure as Lake St Clair.

Wayne :wink:

by **Son of a Beach** » Sat 02 May, 2009 8:33 pm

The water from the lake at Echo Point is marvellous! A tank would simply be superflous. There's a nice ramped jetty for whatever level the lake is at.

by **Joel** » Sat 02 May, 2009 8:41 pm

If you can't drink the water from St. Clair, you should give up on water all together. Doesn't get any better than that!

by **tasadam** » Sat 02 May, 2009 8:43 pm

Yeah, it occurred to me when I was there that it was possible I was indeed drinking a very miniscule part of molten glacier water, being that there is that much of it there, and so deep.
I wonder how much oil the motor boats leave behind when they go by?
I suppose that would end up on the eastern bank anyhow.

by **Joel** » Sat 02 May, 2009 9:13 pm

I'm no expert, but surely given the depth and surface area of the lake the amount of oil would be almost
non-existent?? I lived at St Clair for a year and fished the lake nearly every day and always drank from the lake, as do most people that use it. Never heard of any problems.

by **ollster** » Sat 02 May, 2009 9:17 pm

Does anyone know where the original "Ratifier" went from Echo Pt?

I was there earlier in the year and was dissapointed to find the gnarled old Ratifier stick had gone AWOL.

by **cherryw** » Sat 02 May, 2009 11:01 pm

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Re: Echo Point Hut

New postby ollster on Sat 02 May, 2009 9:17 pm
Does anyone know where the original "Ratifier" went from Echo Pt?

OK I'll bite. What is a Ratifer?

Wayne

by **ollster** » Sat 02 May, 2009 11:09 pm

It was a wonderful old gnarly club/cudgel with "ratifier" carved into the side. I have always assumed it was made by a walker to deal with the ever present population of pests... it was last century that I had been in the hut previously, so it might have been taken years ago.

by **corvus** » Sat 02 May, 2009 11:11 pm

Was it the big heavy stick beside the stove??
c
beaten to the punch :lol:

by **corvus** » Sat 02 May, 2009 11:17 pm

Joel wrote:I'm no expert, but surely given the depth and surface area of the lake the amount of oil would be almost
non-existent?? I lived at St Clair for a year and fished the lake nearly every day and always drank from the lake, as do most people that use it. Never heard of any problems.

What about us smelly walkers having a nice clensing swim at Echo Point you all know what happens when you go swimming :lol:

Drank lots of water from the Lake despite that

by **tasadam** » Sun 03 May, 2009 9:25 am

corvus wrote: you all know what happens when you go swimming

Yes, had thought of that too, then I would hope that people that swim in such places, more so particularly places like Lake Windermere, would realize this is a drinking water source and remove themselves from the water prior to needing a nature call.
One can only hope!

by **norts** » Sun 03 May, 2009 10:14 am

I am told there is alog book on one of the islands in Windermere. I have not verified it as I value my manhood too much.

Roger

by **Son of a Beach** » Thu 04 Jun, 2009 9:03 am

Please note that the last few posts deserved their own topic, so I've split them off to Echo Point Beach Poop.

by **SurferShane** » Thu 24 Sep, 2009 1:37 pm

I camped here for my first day of the Overland Track in September 09 and loved the place’s boatshed like appeal. Compared to most of the other huts the place is no mansion, however, I agree that it has a real “rustic” edge. Probably the reason I enjoyed the place so much is that I am used to using a couple of really old rat infested huts in the Barrington Tops NP NSW. In contrast to these I almost found the scale of some of the larger huts like Windy Ridge and Pelion “offensive”.

Nevertheless, the place only has a very small sleeping capacity so you might not be assured a berth and if you are looking for Hotel like comfort you might be better off racing to Windy Ridge/Bert Nichols Hut or taking the boat home if travelling the mandatory seasonal north to south

: Echo Point Hut Interior; OT1+048a.jpg (41.06 KiB) Viewed 16575 times

: Echo Point Hut Exterior; OT1+034.jpg (55.19 KiB) Viewed 16549 times

by **The Lone Spectator** » Sat 03 Apr, 2010 11:15 am

I recently stayed in Narcissus and Pine Valley Huts and was visited at nights by what I surmised to be families of swamp antechinus. They certainly were active and I discovered a couple in my pack ( which, as a precaution was hung on a clothes hook). In an idle moment at 3am under a small maglite I wrote the following poem about these mice:-

Like parlour whores
they primp and preen
behind closed doors
in crevices unseen

The River Gods, Narcissus and Cephissus would be pleased

Daily they await their fate
their nightly desires hoping to sate
with insects, scroggin morsels, or crumbs of cake

Amid the stillness of the Narcissus Hut
weary walkers asleep and eyes tightly shut
they seamlessly emerge
from their backroom verge
ambitious appetites keen to purge

Athletically they scurry about
through pack, bag and box
unerringly scratching their way through boots and sox
And then as night melds into day
they deposit their little excretia and scuttle away
to ready themselves for yet another foray

I assume these characters also inhabit Echo Point Hut

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