Today, seventeen Ramblers walked along a track beside the Wilmot River, located just beyond the tiny north Tasmanian town of Forth. There was some difference of opinion about the total distance but sixteen kilometers seems a reasonable compromise.

The walk crosses a private area before narrowing to a track that undulates up and over the spurs and valleys of this beautiful area. The track is rough in parts with hidden potholes and slippery sections especially downhill.

The flora is amazingly rich with Waratah, pepper berries, laurel, cheese berry, and dogwood lining the track and filling the vistas in every photo. Magnificent tree ferns hugged the shelter provided beneath firsts of maple beech and tall mountain ash.

Every step provided views of this gentle – now – river as it wound its way to the Forth valley and Bass Strait far beyond. Cascades, islands and stretches of placid flowing water charmed and delighted all of us as it curved in and out of sight.

We had lunch at a large, grassy picnic area. It was all very leisurely until we followed what proved to a be a labyrinth of tracks back to the start. We had crossed the river before lunch and then crossed it again further downstream to rejoin our initial track. The crossings were low stress as the stones were corralled in tyres providing good footing.

We found a burning car wreck with a smouldering fire that had extended to the nearby ferns. Elaine used our sat phone to contact fire services. Then we legged it before helicopters arrived to dump us with coloured flame retardant. We later met the owner of the property where the track commences. She was very appreciative of us finding the fire and notifying the emergency services.

A truly wonderful walk and thoroughly enjoyed by all of us, and as a special bonus, we may have saved the whole area from being destroyed by a bushfire. Things don’t always fall apart as sometimes you are in the perfect place and time. Perhaps, you always are. Isn’t that a crazy idea!