Sisters’ sojourn

By Heather Smith

Wine glasses clink as we toast the beginning to our four-day ramble in Tasmania’s secluded north-east with the alluring name, The Bay of Fires.

Our annual sisters’ trek had to be extra special this time. One of us is celebrating a milestone birthday so we couldn’t resist the temptation of an all-inclusive guided walk that offered luxury and ease beyond our usual D-I-Y style.

It meant we could ditch our big packs, shared huts and camp food for the pleasure of a comfy bed, hot shower and a prepared meal. And it promised easy terrain unlike the challenging mountain peaks we usually tackle.

The five of us gather in Launceston to meet our two guides and fellow guests, five affable women from Canberra and Hobart.

Our party of 12 is soon winding through rich farmland sprinkled with wineries to Musselroe Bay at the northern end of Mt William National Park.

We don our day packs, relishing the light load, and set off on fresh legs with the cheerful anticipation that always marks a new adventure.

Tasmanian Aborigines knew this magnificent stretch of coastline as Larapuna. British explorer Tobias Furneaux sailed past in 1773 and named it Bay of Fires as he watched the smoke rise from their fires.

To appreciating visitors, it is a private and pristine stretch of white sand and blue water, its boundless shores strewn with shells and kelp and enormous granite boulders embellished with deep-orange lichen.

Our guide shows us egg casings of shark and sting ray and points out various shore birds like hooded plovers and pied oystercatchers.

We leave the beach and 45 minutes later we’re atop Mt William with panoramic views over the coast and inland. In the distance, we can see the inky outline of the Bass Strait islands.

Our small bus deposits us at our farm-house accommodation and our group is soon nattering like old friends. We tuck in to a generous antipasto spread while our guides prepare dinner.

The next morning, we fill our day pack with snacks and salad wraps and head to the beach to start a 15km stretch from Boulder Point to Deep Creek.

We’re grateful for the deserted beach and glorious blue sky. There is much banter and laughter amongst the like-minded group. At times, we fall in to an easy reverie as we appreciate the scenery and the meditative trance of a long beach walk.

We skirt a huge Aboriginal midden, formed over time by layers of shell, animal bones and stone artefacts. It’s sacred ground so we give it a wide berth, respecting the traditional custodians.

The glittering water beckons for a quick lunch swim. Everyone gasps at the first plunge – nippy but tremendously refreshing.

Sleep comes easily after a hearty curry dinner washed down with our BYO wine, another perk of this walk.

Day three is hot and clear as we set off from the dramatic granite lighthouse at Eddystone Point.

We skirt burnt orange outcrops and crunch over deep deposits of shells. We can see the whole Bay of Fires stretching from Binalong Bay to the lighthouse, about 30km of unspoilt paradise. After 15km, we arrive at Ansons Bay for the quick trip back to our accommodation.

We shrug off ‘last day blues’ for the final 15km leg from Policeman’s Point to The Gardens. We head into the Bay of Fires Conservation area and test the leg muscles on long stretches of soft sand fringed with gentle lapping waves. A quick dip at lunch soon cools us down before we hop over rocky headlands and weave along a surprise forested track.

A wallow in the placid waters of Gardens beach is a fitting finale. Now good friends, our group marvels at our luck; lots of sunshine, beautiful scenery, great company and that gorgeous turquoise Tasman Sea.

As we’re whisked back to Launceston our sisters’ chitchat soon turns serious. Where will we go next year?