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A small weather window was approaching which fitted a little local overnighter that we'd had on the list for many years but never got around to despite it being so close. We'd only ever been up to 900m on hunting trips in the past but never to the top of Mt Starveall.
This was to be a family adventure and we have some friends with kids 9 & 11 that were also keen to get out in the nice weather and keep our kids 8 & 9 company.
With the sun shining we busted out the flat section relatively quickly and came to the Hackett Creek which was fresh, full & clean after recent rain. We were very kind and carried the kids across, so they could avoid the misery of wet feet for the trip and this made for a very slow start.
But the kids gave it a solid effort making steady progress, chatting away and leaving us to lug the gear up the hill. The first child started to fade around Pyramid Rock and the second not long after, but were helped along by some snacks. We then came to a flat plateau in the trees, lush bush, swamps and trickling streams but easy to navigate followed by a steeper final climb to the hut.
There were a couple of people at the hut as to be expected so we went off and made camp in a much more sunny spot with lovely views and were rewarded with a spectacular sunset complemented with atmospheric clouds moving through below us.
At dawn the next day, I went out to explore further, capturing a lovely sunrise and morning views over the bay while the kids slowly awoke and played in the morning sun.
The day was stunning, clear and blue with little wind so we decided to take the kids up to the summit of Starveall. The 360 degree views into the Richmond ranges were fantastic and kids found some old goat bones. With such great weather and the kids having such a good time we sat down and decided the overnighter should become a two nighter. Unfortunately we only had food planned for one night, so rations were on. Despite having minimal food we enjoyed another beautiful evening and morning, and had just enough scroggin to get down the mountain the next day.
Despite having walked, biked, driven past & slept in the back of a yellow hilux when I was little, and many times camping since at Lake Tennyson over the years, I'd never gone for a stroll around the Lake. We'd planned to visit the area in a fine weather window that looked perfect to re-study the Princess Stream Tarns also in the area. Unfortunately the morning we were to leave, the local St James very helpful weatherman Mark Inglis (I do follow his posts very closely to keep an eye on conditions in the area) put some photos up showing quite a lot of snow coverage. I'd be hoping it would just rain...it did not, his wife Anne then sent photos of more extensive snow coverage from her heli drop...
This painting of Mt Owen has taken a bit of figuring out. It wasn't feeling quite right, and after much deliberation I decided that "glow" wasn't how I wanted it. That particular night so golden and warm, I think we even had an Aurora later on. So I ended up re-doing the sky and tarn, adding in more soft warm tones and now I'm layering up the warm sun highlights on the tussocks. It's now starting to glow.The inspiration for this painting came from a overnight trip to the summit after a run of beautiful, still bluebird days. Starting from Courthouse Flat...
This particular fisherman's hut immediately caught my eye, tucked remarkably close to a large schist rock, its tiny proportions and wonderfully simple construction make it an intriguing feature within the vast landscape on this sunbathed morning. There is something particularly appealing about the contrast between the small...
