New Pelion to Kia Ora
Overland Track
The Hike - After one of my favourite days on the Overland Track, it was a fresh day and a new challenge. With a full hut of Overland Track hikers, plus those that had come in on the Arm River Track, there was plenty of activity early on. Waking up as others on an earlier schedule to me were making noise, I had a bit of a relaxing sleep-in, feeling toasty and warm in my fluffy orange burrito of a sleeping bag. Eventually rising, I made my way to the kitchen and joined some familiar faces for breakfast. The talk this morning was about the big side trip today, the hike up to the summit of Mount Ossa.
The highest peak on the whole island of Tasmania, sitting at 1617m ASL, Mount Ossa is one of the most talked about side trips on the Overland, with good reason. If you've skipped Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff in the first couple of days, you're legs should be in good condition by now if you want to scale one of the mountain side trips. Along with Mount Ossa, there is Mount Pelion East that you can climb, both accessible from the same track junction. The legs were feeling good after my last minute decision to climb Mount Oakleigh the previous afternoon, so there was a 99.4% chance I was going to be tackling the Mount Ossa climb today. Enjoying my Radix breakfast, I was happy I discovered this Kiwi brand of hiking meals in 2023 (#notsponsored), with the protein and micronutrient content much better than anything else on the market, with the added benefit of being vego friendly.
The breakfast options in my opinion are much better than the dinner ones, with more variety in the flavour and taste, with each one being distinct, compared to the dinners which can taste a bit samey. After breakfast it was the chore of packing everything up, and here I made a bit of a silly error. I had some items hanging up to dry after a wet finish to the Mount Oakleigh climb, and I didn't do a proper stock take of my gear when I was packing it all away. I didn't realise until I reached the Mount Ossa turn-off but I had left my rain jacket behind at New Pelion. Luckily it was summer but it was still Tassie, so anything could happen. To start this day, I was going to backtrack again, walking out to the Old Pelion Hut and check out the historic hut that I didn't see yesterday. Leaving my big pack at New Pelion, it's a three kilometre return trip to Old Pelion.
Feeling refreshed walking this section instead of experiencing it at the end of the day, it was nice to take stock of the journey so far and really revel in being in the middle of a pretty fun adventure. Not wanting to say goodbye to the Pelion Plains just yet, this was a good excuse to meander around this area for a little longer. Reaching the turn-off for the Old Pelion Hut, the 500-metre walk down to the historic hut sees you leave the forest and head out on the boardwalk and through the buttongrass plains. A stand of eucalyptus trees provide a feature as you walk along, and pretty soon I was standing in front of the old hut, looking much different to the relatively modern New Pelion Hut. Poking my head inside, the dark and cramped interior would have been a fantastic refuge in the olden days, especially in inclement weather, but us modern hikers are a spoiled bunch on the Overland these days.
It's a lovely spot set out on the plains, with Douglas Creek running just nearby, and I imagine sunrise from this location would be something else. Having explored the area and taken my fill of photos, I decided to head back and get the day properly started. Passing Rob and Renee, who had the same idea as I did this morning, I was soon back at New Pelion, ready to get cracking on another new section of the Overland. The day is pretty simple, with the first half being a climb up to the Pelion Gap, before heading down to Kia Ora, throwing in one or two mountain hikes if you're game and the weather allows you. With my full pack on and fully loaded with water, I took one last look at New Pelion and that iconic view over the plains towards Mount Oakleigh. Not working in my favour this morning was the glorious sunshine, which may sound odd if you're reading this and wondering why.
Heading into the thicker Beech Forest, the contrast between dark and light increases when it's sunny, and the lighting can be harsh to say the least. Doing the best I could with what was presented to me, I was at least happy it wasn't raining and overcast for the climb ahead up to Mount Ossa. Following the boardwalk and wooden steps, it's a 4.5km hike to the Mount Ossa and Mount Pelion East turn-off, with about 280 metres of elevation to ascend along the way. The goal for the first part of the day is to make it to the Pelion Gap, which in my mind brought to mind Boromir in Fellowship of the Ring saying "we make for the Gap of Rohan" but I replaced Rohan with Pelion as I huffed and puffed my way up. Shooting tighter angles as I hoped the sunshine would disappear behind light clouds, the forest was looking much better than the photos show.
After 1.5 kilometres of climbing you come across a little unmarked side trip on your left. The curious cat in me decided to follow this path, and I was rewarded with a few little waterfalls. Marked as Douglas Creek on the maps, this seems to be the upper reaches of the creek that I crossed and visited both yesterday and this morning on the Pelion Plains. The gentle falls were a cool spot to visit, both figuratively and literally, providing a bit of a respite from the warming sun. Heading back to the main track after enjoying a short break, it didn't take long until I had exited the forest for now and started walking through more open scenery. Stopping to admire a tall stand of Pandani, this exposed section didn't last too long before I was back in the mossy forest. Continuing to climb, it was starting to feel a lot warmer as the gradients started to increase, making things feel much harder.
The forest started to thin and I could see that up ahead the terrain looked like it was starting to flatten out. I had made for the Gap of Pelion and didn't have to go through the mines of Moria, which given that parts of the national park here was previously mined, I wouldn't be surprised to find an ancient hoard of small and hairy Taswegins still digging underneath the mountains. It didn't seem it but the climb this morning was from 850m ASL all the way to 1130m ASL, where the turn-offs for the two mountain hikes are found. Reaching the boardwalk area where you can set down your packs for the side trips, I found Jay, Laura and Richie, a group of siblings that had decided to hike the Overland together. I had noticed in the previous days that they had been carrying around a cut-out face of someone and taking pictures with it, either holding it up or over a volunteer's face.
I sometimes like to stick my foot in my mouth, so I had not enquired about it, in case it was a recently deceased family member or friend, and I asked in an insensitive way. Chatting away about the morning, the face came out and I politely worded it as "was this person not able to join you?". It turned out to be the fourth sibling, who had decided last minute to not come along for work reasons, and the remaining three were going to present him with a photo album online of him unknowingly hiking the Overland Track. I subbed in as the fourth brother for a photo, and then joined Jay for the climb up to the summit of Mount Ossa. Laura and Richie were going to get to the slopes of Mount Doris, the first peak you see along the way, and decide if they wanted to continue further. Having hiked with Jay up Mount Oakleigh the previous afternoon, I knew the pace was going to be swift, with only brief pauses for photos.
Heading along the boardwalk through buttongrass plains, you soon reach a Pandani grove, where the gradient starts to increase, with the aid of new staircases. Reaching a flatter section, you follow the contours around Mount Doris, with the 1340m peak looking pretty nice off to your right. Along here you get some amazing views, both looking back towards the rocky spires of Mount Oakleigh, and south towards the latest epic view that you experience on the track, Mount Massif and the Falling Mountain. Enjoying the flatter section, there were plenty of wildflowers along here, and areas of moss and stone steps that felt very much like you were walking through a perfectly manicured Japanese garden. Rounding the western edge of Mount Doris, you get your first look at the iconic scene of Mount Ossa looming in front of you.
The twin peaks hide the main summit lurking behind but does give you a view of the narrow gully that you will have to hike through to reach the final part of the climb. We passed the Tassie Walking Co group that I had seen departing along the track as I arrived at the track junction, and we decided to take a break once we had cleared them. Taking a left turn, this is where the gradients really start to increase, and the really climbing/scrambling begins. Jay rocketed up, as I tried to keep pace but fell behind slightly as I stopped for photos (and if I'm honest, a rest every now and then). There are large steps here to help you ascend the 30%+ gradients, and here I passed a lady I hadn't seen since we caught the shuttle in from Launceston. We had a little chat about the track so far, and then I went chasing after Jay once more. The views along here are pretty epic, with the Du Cane Range in the distance and Lake McFarland below.
Pulling myself up step by step, my heart rate had settled at around 160bpm as I huffed and puffed in the warm midday sun. Spotting Jay on a ledge up ahead, I soon joined him as we were presented with our first views of the slot canyon, which I had seen being named the Gates of Mordor by some. This starts the rock scrambling element of the hike, with a jumble of boulders strewn all down the gully that you must negotiate. I found this section a bit easier than the Cradle Mountain ascent, as the incline wasn't as steep and it was fairly easy to rock hop between flat boulders. It does get steeper the higher you climb, as the slot canyon narrows into a two-person wide gap at the very end. There are super obvious signs pointing you to the right but in my mind, that just meant you had to hug the right hand wall of the canyon to keep going. Jay had continued up the canyon to where he intercepted Gavin and Bree, so I assumed that was the way.
It was not but by the time I reached Gavin and Bree, having difficulty climbing up and over the last ledge, this was the last obstacle before reaching the next section. I eventually lifted myself up and over the ledge and was really confused given I couldn't find the next orange marker. Presented with a boulder field ahead, I could see a rough goat track that I'm sure many others had taken, and I was soon on the correct path up the final climb. By now it was getting hot and I was taking more breaks to recover my strength. Jay had disappeared into the distance, so I went at my own pace (slow), enjoying the lovely details along the final part of the ascent, including a patch of thick cushion plant that looked to be a drain in the side of the mountain. Relived to have reached the plateau below the summit, I saw the iconic tarn that provides a lovely feature to photograph.
Looking to my right, I could see the last little climb to where there were a couple of groups enjoying a relax at the proper summit. It didn't take long before I joined them, a group of young-uns that we'd get to know better at Echo Point, along with Jay, David, Obi and Rose. With warm and sunny weather, there were excellent 360-degree views from the highest point in Tasmania. The summit is made up of broken boulders, with enough room to have a sit down but requires a jump to get between boulders. Dropping my day pack, my super sweaty back was doing well to cool me down now I had stopped. Having a chat with everyone, I found the survey marker I like to try and discover when on top of peaks, and then I got the holy grail of hiking photographs (at least for me), natural pointing. Jay, David, Obi and Rose had the map out and were trying to identify the surrounding peaks, with lots of natural pointing occurring.
Eventually Gavin and Bree joined us, along with Max and Laura, and we had an almost full compliment of our group up here. Jay had brought the cut-out of his brother, so Obi posed for photos to show he had visited Mount Ossa. Rose decided that she would handstand, as we found out she loved to do everywhere she went, and she was really good at it. I didn't get a photo with my DSLR but it was decided that the cut-out would be placed on Rose's back to make it look like he was doing a handstand, and this cracked everyone up. Still trying to figure out the surrounding mountains, the easy ones to spot were Barn Bluff, Cradle Mountain and Mount Pelion East, with a peak in the far horizon looking familiar to me. I thought it was Frenchmans Cap, having seen it from Donaghys Hill back in 2021, and it looked like there was snow up there. It was decided this was just the colour of the rock, which makes sense as it had been much too warm for snow to survive in the last week.
Soaking in the sunshine and enjoying it now I wasn't scrambling up the side of a mountain, it was really peaceful sitting there and enjoying what has to be perfect conditions for summiting a Tassie mountain. Sending off some messages to the family chat, everyone was thinking the same, and it was a touching scene to watch Gavin and Bree talk to their wife/mother for the first time in days and tell her how well they were doing. Jay had decided he wanted to summit Mount Pelion East today, so set off down the track to complete the double summit. Given the effort to get up here, and my poor planning when it came to food, I didn't think I had the calories in my bag to climb Mount Pelion East too, so was happy with just Mount Ossa. Eventually I decided to leave the comfort of the rock I was sitting on, and started my descent.
Not having to work as hard, it was much more enjoyable, at least until the legs started getting wobbly from constantly stopping my own body weight with each step. Taking one last look at the tarn near the summit, I began to lose altitude, stopping frequently to take photos of anything that caught my eye, including some Soldier Beetles that were getting frisky with each other in the summer sun. The descent was really pleasant, with that feeling of accomplishment starting to sink in, along with having the best views you could hope for every time you looked up. Being the halfway point of the weeklong journey, there was still much to see and discover. Passing David, Obi and Rose, I could see the track junction as I rounded Mount Doris but it still looked a while away. In reality it wasn't, and after descending the stairs through the Pandani, I was soon reunited with my pack, and the last of my water for the day.
With four kilometres of walking left for the day, it was literally all downhill from here. I knew there was a water source not far down the track, so gulped down the last bit of water I had, and lugged my pack onto my back. With a spectacular mountain climb behind me, the majestic scenery did not end there, as you walk along the boardwalk towards the Du Cane Range, with the most wonderful vista ahead of you. Following the lichen and moss covered snow poles that guide the way in the winter months, the fluffy white clouds and blue skies looked lovely. Hearing the rush of flowing water, I knew a creek was to my left and that meant fresh alpine water. Eventually I found a little side path leading to a small set of rapids and I could quench my thirst. Some of the purest water you'll find in the world, I decided not to treat it, as there was a low risk of anything contaminating it on the short journey from the slopes of Mount Pelion East.
Ambling along down the boardwalk, the gradients are fairly gentle as you descend down to a place called Pinestone Valley, where you'll cross a creek that I can't find a name for on any map. It starts between Mount Ossa and Mount Doris and eventually flows a decent length into the Mersey River, so I'm sure it has a name. Crossing the bridge, I found the group of young-uns having a rest underneath it and made a hilarious joke about them being trolls and letting me pass. A short while after the bridge you leave the beauty of the open landscape and enter the forested section that will be home until you reach Kia Ora Hut. Saying goodbye to the mountain views was hard but don't worry, they'll return soon. The compensation was some lovely wildflowers and mature dry sclerophyll forest, and once again I had caught up to Sarah and Tyler at the end of the day. This last section into Kia Ora seemed to take longer than expected and when I saw the private hut through the trees, I thought it was Kia Ora. Luckily it was only 500 metres down the track.
Reaching the track junction, the Ranger Hut is directly ahead, with the main hut off on a side path to the right. Another hut that has recently been upgraded, this continued the theme of campsite locations being wonderfully placed. With Falling Mountain and Mount Massif located behind the hut, the main deck and kitchen faces the impressive bulk of Cathedral Mountain. I thought having a hut named after a common greeting in Māori was a bit odd but it was named by Paddy Hartnett, who had a hunting hut here and spend time in New Zealand in his younger days. I was pleased to be able to drop my large pack, and found an empty corner of one of the bunk rooms to setup my sleeping gear. A lot quieter than the previous evening, it was back to being the core Overland Track walkers, and it was nice to catch up with those that I hadn't seen much of during the day. Laura and Richie were heading down for a swim at a waterfall along Kia Ora Creek that they had been told about, so I asked if I could join them. It's located just after the wooden bridge past the Ranger Hut, and requires a bit of a scramble down to reach a wide pool at the base of the falls. The water was fresh to say the least, having come off Mount Ossa and then drained off from Lake McFarlane.
The icy water felt good once I'd gotten used to it, with my weary muscles loving the shock. I didn't stay long in the water, instead choosing to bask in the sunlight from a nearby log. As I didn't bring my camera, I only took a short video on my phone of the location, which you can see in the Reel I made over on my Instagram account for this day (@thelife0fpy). Heading back to the hut, we sat out on the rear deck, drying clothes and towels in the waning sunshine. As the afternoon rolled on, the Helipad Social Club congregated on the main deck overlooking Cathedral Mountain, chatting, stretching, and playing games. Pausing for dinner, I had finished my Radix meal when Obi and Alice kindly offered some extra pasta from their home cooked meal, and my stomach didn't know what hit it. After a few days on Radix, the richness of the pasta and cheese was a bit much, but it was really delicious so I had to eat it all. Returning to the deck, we watched yet another stunning sunset, with Cathedral Mountain changing colours plenty of times over the course of an hour. I did set my alarm to get up and try and shoot the Milky Way but with no tripod, or decent place to point mt lens at the sky, I couldn't quite get the angles and stillness I needed, so returned back to bed with just black skies on my memory card. What a day!!!
Final Thoughts – This was the day I was most looking forward to, and it didn't disappoint.
With clear weather the whole day, I couldn't have asked for much more, and a little bit of heat was a perfectly acceptable trade-off for clear photos from the summit.
What seems like a pretty straightforward day on paper was full of variety, and the views once you reach the Pelion Gap are some of the best from the entire track.
While Mount Ossa is the highest peak in Tasmania, the climb wasn't as bad as Cradle Mountain or Barn Bluff, with only one real pinch point near the end of the Gates of Mordor (if you go the correct way). If you're on the fence about it, and you have clear conditions, take your time and you won't regret it.
Kia Ora was my favourite campsite, being perfectly located in the valley with epic views all around. It helped that the sunrise was spectacular but even in the daylight it looked a treat.
Another stunning day on the Overland Track.
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