Walls of Jerusalem to Mt Ossa

[Nik]

Hi,

It's been two decades since I walked the OL track and we just missed out on permits for late December this year. So I was considering walking to Mt Ossa return via the Walls of Jerusalem. From my faded memory I recall there are two ways in, either via the never never (a bog fest from what I remember in the 90's, didnt ever walk it but heard many tales) or up near Kia Ora hut.

Just bought a copy of Chapman but it will take a few days to get here.

Which is the better approach? My wife isnt the most experienced walker but is fit and has the right gear.

Or would it be better just to walk the Walls circuit then drive over to Frenchmans Cap for a second walk?

[philm]

In permit season you can only get to Ossa via the Arm River Track without breaching the rules. Given this and you wife’s experience I’d suggest the Walls and Frenchman’s as you suggest.

[Mark F]

I believe the rules allow you to go from Junction Lake up to Lake Artemis and the Mountains of Jupiter and down the Gatepost Track into DuCane Gap. Then proceed south on the olt to Narcissus and Cynthia Bay. It is a great area.

[philm]

Yes this is correct but I would not advise this route for the inexperienced and in winter as the top of the Traveller Range and area is very exposed. I prefer this route to the never never

[Mark F]

I certainly wouldn't recommend it for winter but the op is talking late December.

[Nik]

Thanks for your replies.

Looking at the Arm River track to head into Pellion, I couldnt see an obvious connection between the Rowallan-Lees Paddock-Arms River track and the Walls track. Do you have to walk along the Mersey Forest Road, or is it a case of walking the Walls, then doing the drive from the Walls track car park along Mersey Forest Road till you get to the bit where you can walk across the river to the Rowallan track?

[Son of a Beach]

The Arm River Track is the usual way to access Mt Ossa. And yes, people usually just park the car at the Arm River Track head. You can also walk in via the Lees Paddocks and Reedy Lake tracks, but the Reedy Lake Track is not used a lot, and can be difficult to follow in a few spots when it gets overgrown.

For either route, there's not good walking connection from the Walls of Jerusalem. So if you want to walk the Walls and then walk into Ossa, you'd want to do a bit of a car shuffle.

I'd recommend the Arm River Track.

[Nik]

And is the Arm River track in or out in regards to rules for summer walking to connect to Mt Ossa?

[philm]

It is allowed in the rules but you need to stay at Pelion if using the huts
Also you cant do more than 1 leg of the overland

[north-north-west]

Walls, Adelaide track, Meston, Blizzard Plains, down the road for the Lees Paddocks Track. It's not that much road walking, maybe 2km.

[relaxtec]

I’ve been to the Walls quite a few times. I would say it is one of my most favorite places in Tassie.
In fact, I’m in the process of planning another walk there next March.
May I suggest the following route.

Take the Mersey Forest road and park at the head of the Lees paddock track. Cross the swing bridge over the Mersey.
Walk to Lees Paddock and then onto New Pelion hut via reedy Lake and on to Arm River track.
From Pelion hut, head to Ossa and then on to Kia Ora
From Kia Ora to Harnett falls. Follow the Mersey through the Never Never to Junction Lake.
Meston Lake, Lake Adelaide, Wild Dog Creek.
Spend a day or two exploring the Walls from here. Head back to Meston Lake Hut and turn right.
Follow the Myrtle Lake track back to Mersey Forest Road.
There’s a few options along the way.
If you want more detail and track notes, give me a yell.
Cheers.

[north-north-west]

Take the Mersey Forest road and park at the head of the Lees paddock track. Cross the swing bridge over the Mersey.
Walk to Lees Paddock and then onto New Pelion hut via reedy Lake and on to Arm River track.
From Pelion hut, head to Ossa and then on to Kia Ora
From Kia Ora to Harnett falls. Follow the Mersey through the Never Never to Junction Lake.
Meston Lake, Lake Adelaide, Wild Dog Creek.
Spend a day or two exploring the Walls from here. Head back to Meston Lake Hut and turn right.
Follow the Myrtle Lake track back to Mersey Forest Road.
There’s a few options along the way.
If you want more detail and track notes, give me a yell.
Cheers.

While this is a great loop, it is technically not allowed during the OT booking season (unless you have a track pass).

[relaxtec]

We did this exact walk about 10 years ago. We ran in to a few rangers along the way and explained our itinerary and had no problems. Is there a "set of rules" somewhere? We're planning on doing a similar walk in March, so I want to make sure we don't upset anyone!

[north-north-west]

We did this exact walk about 10 years ago. We ran in to a few rangers along the way and explained our itinerary and had no problems. Is there a "set of rules" somewhere? We're planning on doing a similar walk in March, so I want to make sure we don't upset anyone!

There is a thread somewhere here about the rules for use of the OT during the booking season. You can go into New Pelion via Arm River or Maggs or Lees Paddocks to do Pelion West or Pelion East/Ossa or the whole Pelion Range circuit if you want. But you can only use/pass through one "node" (ie hut site) on such a trip. So going from New Pelion past Kia Ora to Hartnett for the Never Never leg is not permitted. It sucks, but them's the rules.

[Rai]

We did this exact walk about 10 years ago. We ran in to a few rangers along the way and explained our itinerary and had no problems. Is there a "set of rules" somewhere? We're planning on doing a similar walk in March, so I want to make sure we don't upset anyone!

Perhaps this document might help with the 'rules'
https://parks.tas.gov.au/Documents/OLT%20Usage%20Guidelines.pdf

[badd0g]

You could start at Lees Paddock track, take Lees/Reedy over to Arm river, Pelion to Ossa, then on to Paddy Harnett track (*just* past Kia Ora, so technically beyond the one section rule, but not by as much as Harnett Fall/Never Never route), back up to Lees Hut and out to the road, then hoof/drive down to Moses Creek track and head down to Chapter lake and Grail falls/Cathedral Mtn. Depends on how much time you've got really

[damodamo]

I’ve been to the Walls quite a few times. I would say it is one of my most favorite places in Tassie.
In fact, I’m in the process of planning another walk there next March.
May I suggest the following route.

Take the Mersey Forest road and park at the head of the Lees paddock track. Cross the swing bridge over the Mersey.
Walk to Lees Paddock and then onto New Pelion hut via reedy Lake and on to Arm River track.
From Pelion hut, head to Ossa and then on to Kia Ora
From Kia Ora to Harnett falls. Follow the Mersey through the Never Never to Junction Lake.
Meston Lake, Lake Adelaide, Wild Dog Creek.
Spend a day or two exploring the Walls from here. Head back to Meston Lake Hut and turn right.
Follow the Myrtle Lake track back to Mersey Forest Road.
There’s a few options along the way.
If you want more detail and track notes, give me a yell.
Cheers.

G'day, i'm thinking of doing this route in the future, do you have any more detail or track notes? especially the section between Kia Ora and Lees Paddock hut via Wadleys Hut?

[relaxtec]

Well it's been a little over a year since your question! Sorry for the very late reply. If you're still interested. From Wadleys Hut. Follow the Mersey upstream. After a bit of forest, there is one more paddock area. Keep close to the river. It will disappear in to the forest again and you should be able to follow the faint track firstly along the river and after about a 1-2km, it turns uphill. There are several ribbons tied to trees etc. along the way with a few false leads. Try to locate the next ribbon before continuing. Be careful crossing KiaOra Creek, especially after rain. Really slippery rocks! From Kia Ora, it heads steeply up to the OL track. Turn right for 100ms or so on to Kia Ora hut. It's is an easy walk. Make sure you have a map. I met a lady at KiaOra who was attempting to head down to Lees Paddock on her own and in poor weather. She got lost and had to pull her PLB. They found her near Pelion East! I don't know how she got it so wrong! I think Chapman describes this route in his applicable book. Good luck.

[Lostsoul]

I walked through the Paddy Hartnett track last year in the dark and found it fairly easy to follow even at night.Mostly a well worn pad and lots of tape,only a few sketchy bits.Had a big day climbing Falling Mountain from a camp on the river right at the very end of Lees Paddocks