Excursion Information
Saturday 7 November - Excursion
GROWLING SWALLET, Florentine Valley with Dr Keith Corbett
(Bookings not necessary for Excursions, but sorry, members only in this COVID-19 era)
How to get there: Meet at Forestry Road F8 East , Florentine Road to the Styx Valley at 10am.This has a locked gate for which we will have a key for access.
Just past Maydena there’s a well signposted road to the right. This is the Florentine road to the Styx Valley – turn right here.
This is a wide, unsealed, but well maintained forestry road. Do not make the 2nd turn right onto to the Styx Valley road! Continue on this road (approx. 20 minutes) until you reach Forestry road F8 East. This is the meeting point, please park here on the side of the road until everyone has arrived.
Allow 1hr 40mins travel time from Hobart. Those with AWD and 4WD vehicles may be needed please to help transport members from the Florentine Road to the beginning of the Growling Swallet track. This road beyond the gate is narrow and unsealed. The condition is mostly good, but there are a couple of extremely wet, boggy and heavily rutted sections where a vehicle with high clearance is necessary.
Please also note: Parking and turning space is extremely limited at the end of the access road. Some members may therefore prefer to walk in from the Florentine Road.
The track can be wet underfoot, so boots and gaiters are recommended (and leech protection?)
Care needs to be taken on final meters of the track down to the Swallett which is steep and can be slippery, but there is beautiful rainforest with ferns, fungi, mosses and lichens above it, to occupy you if you decide not to go down.
Weather forecast for Maydena. See: http://www.bom.gov.au/tas/forecasts/maydena.shtml
Note: As we understand it there is NO mobile phone access at Growing Swallet
BYO: Morning tea, lunch, drinking water and hot drinks. Fill up with petrol before leaving.
Note: No shops or petrol at Maydena currently. Possum shed at Westerway is closed until Nov 13.
Please also remember to adhere to our Excursion Information. See below.
Other TFNC COVID-19 Excursion protocols
- NEW! Use sanitiser provided by TFNC on arrival and members must please use the TFNC excursion COVID-19 attendance book to record names and contact numbers, this will be set up beside the Florentine Road.
- Carry and use your own hand sanitiser as needed during the excursion.
- Car sharing at members’ discretion.
- Members continue to social distance 1.5m from each other on excursions
Carry list
List of items recommended to be carried by members on excursions.