The Port Davey Track, officially the Old Port Davey Track, is a

bushwalking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

located in the south western region of

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, Australia. The track traverses remote wilderness within the

Southwest National Park Southwest National Park is an Australian national park located in the south-west of Tasmania, bounded by the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park to the north and the Hartz Mountains National Park to the east. It is a part of a chain of ...

, part of the

Tasmanian Wilderness The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, abbreviated to TWWHA, is a World Heritage Site in Tasmania, Australia. It is one of the largest conservation areas in Australia, covering , or almost 25% of Tasmania. It is also one of the last ex ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

, and is managed as a wilderness walk. The Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service recommend that experienced bushwalkers can take four-to-five days to cover the track in one direction. The track may be combined with the

South Coast Track The South Coast Track is a bushwalking track located in the South Coast region of Tasmania, Australia. The track traverses remote wilderness within the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site, and is manage ...

as a long continuous trek requiring around eight to fourteen days. The track draws its name from

Port Davey Port Davey is an oceanic inlet located in the south west region of Tasmania, Australia. Port Davey was named in honour of Thomas Davey, a former Governor of Tasmania. Port Davey is contained within the Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Natur ...

, an oceanic inlet named in honour of Thomas Davey, a former

Governor of Tasmania The governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of the Monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III. The incumbent governor is Barbara Baker, who was appointed in June 2021. The official residence of the ...

Features and location

From the

Scotts Peak Dam Road The Scotts Peak Dam Road (Route C607) is the most southerly point of road access into Southwest National Park, Tasmania, Australia. The road was built by the Hydro-Electricity Commission of Tasmania with funding from the Australian Government ...

in the north, the track

trailhead A trailhead is the point at which a trail begins, where the trail is often intended for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or off-road vehicles. Modern trailheads often contain rest rooms, maps, sign posts and distribution centers for information ...

is located adjacent to the Huon Campground (), the southern terminus of the Scotts Peak Dam Road. The track heads south towards the Arthur Range and then west to the Crossing Plains. Further south, the track runs adjacent to the

Crossing River Crossing may refer to: * Crossing (2008 film), ''Crossing'' (2008 film), a South Korean film * Crossing (album), ''Crossing'' (album), a 1985 album by world music/jazz group Oregon * Crossing (architecture), the junction of the four arms of a cru ...

, moving through the Lost World Plateau, following the Erskine Range to the west and the Rugby Range to the east. The track crosses the Spring River before it reaches the eastern side of Jo Page Bay, and to the point of crossing the Bathurst Channel, west of

Bathurst Harbour Bathurst Harbour is a shallow bay located in the south west region of Tasmania, Australia. Bathurst Harbour is contained within the Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve, and the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wild ...

. The track's southern terminus is at where the track converges with the South Coast Track at the Melaleuca Visitor Services Site of the Parks & Wildlife Service (). The Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service recommend trek time as follows: * Scotts Peak to Junction Creek - 3 hours * Junction Creek to Watershed Camp - 8 hours * Watershed Camp to Spring River - 5 hours * Spring River to Melaleuca - 10 hours Approximately 200 people walk the Port Davey track annually.

References

Hiking and bushwalking tracks in Tasmania South West Tasmania Protected areas of Tasmania {{Tasmania-geo-stub

Features and location

See also

References