Tasmanian Vacations Blog
The wukalina Walk
In September I was fortunate to join The wukalina Walk’s 3 night/4-day journey to Mt William/Wukalina National Park located on the east coast of Tasmania. This Aboriginal owned and operated guided walk offers a fully inclusive tour which travels through the homeland of the Palawa people. As an avid bush walker, I was excited at the prospect of exploring this special part of Tasmania and entered the experience with an open mind. What I experienced was far more than I ever expected!
Here is my day-to-day itinerary of the walk:
I was picked up from my hotel and taken to the Elders Centre in Launceston, where I was introduced to our guides and one of the elders. The elders shared some of their stories and knowledge before we departed for the walk.
Our small group of 4 was driven from Launceston to Bridport, where we had a coffee break and took in the beautiful coastal town. From there we were driven to Mt William National Park (Wukalina), where the walk started. On this day we hiked 11km summiting Wukalina before making our way to camp (Krakani Lumi). Upon arrival, we were greeted by our knowledgeable guides, members of the local Aboriginal community, who would be our mentors on this cultural expedition. We ate mutton bird and wallaby for dinner served with fresh damper, mashed potato, and peas.
The rest of the evening was spent learning from the guides and sitting around the fire before settling into our warm domed huts.
- Time on The Coast – Krakani Lumi
This morning we woke up to a beautiful breakfast platter full of Muesli, fresh fruit, yoghurt that the guides had prepared. After breakfast we went on a walk up the beach to a living site where the guides shared interpretations and knowledge. The rest of the day was spent learning and taking part in cultural activities.
Dinner this evening included fresh seafood - octopus, scallops, and fish that was skillfully cooked over the fire.
We spent the second night enjoying the campsite (Krakani Lumi).
On day three we woke up a little early and had muesli and chia seed bircher for breakfast before starting our walk down to Larapuna (Eddystone Point). We traversed along the pristine beaches and through bush land, whilst our guide interpreted natural medicines and bush tucker as well as the wildlife. In total today we hiked 17km.
Once we reached the lighthouse we were welcomed into a warm cottage, which had a very homey feel to it.
We ate wallaby lasagna for dinner with fresh salads and damper, we sat around the fire for a few hours and shared stories before settling into the comfortable bed, under cosy doonas and wallaby throws.
Day 4 - Larapuna to Launceston via Derby
We began the day with a late breakfast at around 9:00am. After some conversation and storytelling, we were guided around the surrounding area including the lighthouse, which was 36m high and had spectacular views of the surroundings. We then had a bit of time to ourselves. I went for a walk along the beach, the water was a beautiful blue colour and rocks covered in striking red lichen.
We had some lunch and headed back to Launceston via Derby. Derby is a small town that is booming with enthusiastic bike riders, there are many fantastic trails in this area. We also stopped at Little Blue Lake, which is aqua blue from the minerals.
Our last stop was the Elders Centre in Launceston, where we said our goodbyes and went on our ways.
A once in a lifetime experience I will never forget…
