Table Of Contents
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Other parts of this trip report:
- Part 1: Australia versus New Zealand
- Part 2: Before the walk [Melbourne photos, Hobart, Launceston]
- Part 3: Overland Track day 1, Cradle Mountain [photos]
- Part 4: Overland Track day 2, Windermere [photos]
- Part 5: Overland Track day 3, Pelion [photos]
- Part 6: Overland Track day 4, Kia Ora [photos]
- Part 7: Overland Track day 5, Bert Nichols [photos]
- Part 8: Overland Track day 6, Narcissus [photos]
- All Overland Track photos
Program Note
It’s been a busy 4 months, but I have some hours to write one of the last two parts of the Overland Track trip report. Let’s see how far I get.
Itinerary for Day 5 from Kia Ora Hut to Bert Nichols Hut at Windy Ridge—waterfall day
Last time, we talked about mountain day. “Today is waterfall day,” says the guidebook. Once again, there are 3. D’Alton Falls, Fergusson Falls, and, a bit later, Hartnett Falls. The base walk is estimated at 3.5-4.5 hours, 9.6km and 200m elevation gain/loss. The two waterfall sidetrips (D’Alton and Fergusson are close to each other) add an hour each. Our times were indeed 6.5 hours total (5.25h moving) for 15km and +/- 400m.
The first stop after leaving the shadow of Castle Crag (there must be climbing there) is Du Cane Hut, the oldest hut in the park. Like Kitchen Hut, “this historic hut is for day shelter or emergency use only”. It does not appear to have insulation and in an emergency it wouldn’t be super comfy, but probably does keep out the water.
Waterfalls 1 and 2: D’Alton and Fergusson Falls
About another hour further along, we came to the turnoff for the first two waterfalls, D’Alton and Fergusson. The book says 1km return and 1hr, which seems odd. I think it’s actually 2km return, and then obviously one wants to spend some time admiring the falls. There’s also 125m elevation loss from Du Cane Hut to D’Alton Falls. Apparently the currawongs here don’t ransack packs. Ours were untouched, anyway.
It’s always tempting to do the long-exposure waterfall photography thing. It’s a bit easier here without a filter because these waterfalls are in the shade. I definitely pulled out my tripod for some of the pictures. D’Alton is a tiered waterfall with a bunch of flat surfaces that the water falls down. Then, back up and across to Fergusson, 20 minutes later, which just falls straight out at like 30 degrees past the vertical, and which you could stand behind.
I photographed another tiny waterfall and then started walking the wrong way back to the trail, but figured it out.
Waterfall 3: Hartnett Falls (“Substantial Hazard Area”)
The hazard is falling rocks. It’s in a rocky canyon. Of course no one brings helmets on the Overland Track.
The turnoff for Hartnett Falls is about a half hour after getting back from the first set of falls. This side trip is 1.5km / 1 hour in the book, but again, I think it’s 3km. It’s possible to go to the top of the falls and swim there (without overhead rocks) or to the bottom of the falls. People picnic there in the rocky canyon sometimes but that probably is a bad idea.
The walk to the bottom of the falls involves walking along the river and sometimes in the river. I also found it quite difficult to take a good picture. You have to be standing in the water, and then you need a tripod.
Bert Nichols Hut
Another 1.5 hours of easy walking through Du Cane Gap (200m elevation gain) gets you to the Bert Nichols Hut, which is located at Windy Ridge. This would be our last hut on the trip, although it is also possible to go for one more day around Lake St. Clair on the Overland Track, or to take the long way around to Pine Valley Hut. Bert Nichols Hut is a bit older than the other huts, and the bathrooms are more retro, but still completely fine.
Arriving at 2:45PM, we still had about 2 hours until sunset. The sun on the deck was nice while it laster, and we sat out there for a while hanging out with other hikers.
Unlike the Kia Ora Hut, Bert Nichols was at about the right temperature. We didn’t overheat. It is dark inside after the sun sets (and not super bright even when the sun is up). There is some artwork on the ceiling, showing the vein pattern of a leaf.
All in all, an easy day with reasonably substantial waterfalls, and getting towards the end of the trip.
Fungi but no birds
Some ranger had said that the birds were on day 6. I definitely have no bird pictures from day 5. I do have lots of fungus pictures though. They are hard to identify. Maybe I have the IDs right. I could have posted them to a Facebook group that identifies fungi, but all I did was iNaturalist.
