The Needles and Sentinel Ridge

Here are two final bushwalks from Tasmania, both in the southwest of the state. The Needles trail leaves from the high point of the Gordon River Road and quickly climbs up to a 900 metre saddle. The 1032 metre high point is a short jaunt to the west from there. The trail is good and from what we saw popular. We didn’t have much of a view as the cloud which was sitting on the top of the ridge slowly descended as we ascended.

Next is Sentinel where we had marginally better weather, the cloud bases were a little higher. The topographic map marks Wedge River picnic ground which has fallen into disrepair and had the toilets removed. The short access road has some deep potholes and is overhung with vegetation but is still passable.

From the picnic area, you look straight at the north face of Sentinel Ridge which looks very steep because it is very steep. Improbably, the track goes right up the face beside a big buttress which sports the 300 metre traditional climbing route, Moonlight Buttress. The steepest part of the walk ends at a small saddle between an outlier peak to the north and the main Sentinel Range which runs roughly west to east. The trail continues south below a small high point and then along a narrow but vegetated ridge to the 974 metre high point. The ridge section has a few false leads and to avoid these you should stay as close to ridge top as possible.

Mount Wedge, to the northeast, never raised its head from the clouds and southeast towards the Mount Anne area was also solidly in cloud. But, we had some views and the walk up is atmospheric beside the big quartzite buttress. This was another popular walk with three parties completing it the day before us. It is a steep track, particularly for short people with gammy hips!