South Cape Rivulet

Cockle Creek is the tiny settlement of campsites and shacks on Recherche Bay.

It’s a delight and there are many pleasant ways to spend time there. (This will be the subject of another post).

This is the furthest south you can drive in Tasmania.

But it needn’t be the end of the road.

From the lovely and remote Cockle Creek you can walk the beginning of the South Coast Track and then, without too much trouble, you can get to the even lovelier and remoter South Cape Bay.

Apparently …

the walk isn’t all that arduous.

Parks and Wildlife Service describe it as 4 hours return (7.7km each way). They’re calling it a day trip.

And, you end up here …

South Coast walking track, Tasmania — Just ignore the pack for a minute …

So why wouldn’t you? Of course the weather could be awful. But it could be nice! And, as you can see, the views are lovely.

From South Cape Bay you can look out to …

the big, wide, empty, endless, untameable, unforgiving southern ocean.

Personally the thought fills me with a deep and unspeakable terror.

But that’s just me.

If you’re a hearty outdoor type, you could always walk further around the bay, (partly along beaches) to South Cape Rivulet, and camp there overnight. That would be 11.4 km (3-4 hours) one way.

That would give you a glimpse of what it’s like to do the notorious South Coast Track, and you’d only have to carry enough stuff for one night. (It’s Tassie and a lo-o-ong way south, so take woollies. Lots of woollies. Take downies.)

It’s partly duckboarded and (relatively) easy. My lot tell me you don’t even need gaiters. But I would check up on that. My family tend to be fairly … ummm … robust.

But you probably won’t find yourself waist deep in mud. (This is something the South Coast Track is famous for. And yet hundreds walk it every year. Makes you wonder …)

So South Cape Rivulet is easy and pure and stunningly beautiful. Here’s some more evidence.