POIMENA & the BLUE TIER

 

1/ Poimena is in north eastern Tasmania. It is the starting point for walks into the Blue Tier Mountains. Poimena is north west of St Helens. The preferred approach to Poimena is through Goulds Country near St Helens. The route through Goulds Country is a lovely journey through lush meadows surrounded by forests. See also Goulds Country.

2/ The Poimena area is dominated by regrowth forest from recent logging. From several points on the approach road there are great views of the surrounding mountains and forests.

3/ This is the sign at the Poimena car park. It shows you the various walks and bike rides. Some are easy and some are hard. This gallery shows photos taken on the long Australia Hill and the short Mt Poimena tracks.

4/ The old town of Poimena is now a strange looking plain. This photo shows the start of the Moon Valley walk and the site of the old town. In this area there were once three hotels, three stores, a blacksmith, a butcher, a school and many cottages. Today nothing but disturbed ground remains.

5/ This is the entrance to the Goblin Forest track. This is the easiest and shortest walk. It shows you how the ground, which was once disturbed by mining, is now recovering.

6/ Near the Poimena car park is the starting point for 3 walks. There is also a 4WD vehicle track to the Sun Flats car park. There are also tracks for mountain bikes.

7/ What is very interesting about Poimena is that in all directions you see evidence of former habitations and mining operations, which nature is now reclaiming. This photo is looking back from the Australia Hill circuit towards Mt Poimena on the left. The next photos show you some views on the walk up to Mt Poimena

8/ The walk to Mt Poimena is on a very well defined path with many great views.

9/ This view looks to the west at country which is now recovering from the mining done there a century ago. The strange color is the soft light of late afternoon.

10/ This view looks towards the summit of Mt Poimena.

11/ The Mt Poimena summit is marked by a large boulder field.

12/ From Mt Poimena summit you can see in the east the distant Tasman Sea.

13/ A strange white fungus dominates many parts of the tracks. This photo shows fungus on the Australia Hill track as it ascends Australia Hill.

14/ Other areas of the Australia Hill circuit are dominated by a thick layer of green moss.

15/ There is a large rocky area on the summit of Australia Hill. Rocky areas are common on the summits of Tasmanian mountains. This area had many great views of the surrounding forests and distant mountains.

16/ This view looks to the west. The mountain in the centre is Mt Saddleback.

17/ This is another view to the west to show how the trees have changed.

18/ From the summit of Australia Hill looking towards the east, you can see all the way to the distant Tasman Sea and the town of St Helens.

19/ This is another view from the summit of Australia Hill looking towards the south east coast.

20/ This view looks towards the mountains to the north west.

21/ This is a bull wheel. It is about a metre and a half in diameter. It was once part of a haulage cable that took the ore skips down the mountain. The path of the old cable is now obscured by trees.

22/ This pond is the result of forment mining operations.

23/ We were surprised by this two metre long black snake slithering rapidly away. It reminded me that walkers should always be wary of snakes.