blue tier forest reserve

The Blue Tier forest reserve is place of tranquility, beauty and natural diversity. I lived in Tasmania many years but had never heard of it -and the solitude of the place probably indicates that not many others have either. We did the Moon Rim walk which was very easy -some slight uphill but not too much and easy grassy track.. The day was spectacular with blue skies and a breeze -perfect for the walk and the incredible views from the top. The walk is a circuit and on the way back we diverted via the Goblin Forest. This was different again -very lush with tiny fungi just beginning to emerge. These walks enable a feel of 'bush-walking' but it's not too hard or long. We were walking about 3 hours with lots of photography on the way. There had been lots of rain recently and in places the track was very wet. You do need good walking boots! Also be sure to take a camera and a snack. There are no toilets. Be self-sufficient and take your rubbish out with you. There are information panels about the walks to help you decide your route.The road is rough to access this place, but we had just a normal car -take it easy and you should be ok. It's worth the effort for this destination of peace, tranquility, beauty and solitude.

It probably wasn't a good idea to visit Blue Tier in a hire car with a $9000 additional damage excess while travelling on gravel roads, on a wet & windy day. This "rubble" road (with "log truck caution signage) is narrow, windy and quite steep. There were large pot holes to negotiate. My only saving grace was I saw no other traffic... apart from one pedestrian out for a Sunday stroll. At a very cautious speed of no more than 20km/hr, I made it to the Goblin Forest Walk (which was very good, but short). Unfortunately due to the weather I decided against the Moon Rim Walk, as the changes of getting lost were high and view possibility was nil. Will have to come back in a car with better clearance and on a nicer day!

The Blue Tier Reserve is an exposed plateau about 30 km from St Helens with a rich mining and natural heritage, managed by Forestry Tasmania. Using a Forestry brochure we decided to explore the area, particularly the old tin mining history as well as the scenery. The road to Poimena was unsealed but for the most part in good condition so we had no trouble driving there in an ordinary car, but unless you have a four wheel drive I wouldn’t recommend it if the weather is really wet or snowing! It was a beautiful sunny day when we were there and spring had arrived, as had a profusion of daffodils on the road sides and gardens. The scenery is just wonderful and the road rises higher and higher to Poimena. Here we found a large sign telling some of the history of the area and a map of what was once a thriving mining town a hundred plus years ago but you wouldn’t know it now – it just isn’t there anymore!This is the beginning of many hiking trails but for the not so adventurous there is a short walk called the Goblin Forest Walk which includes a boardwalk section with information boards along the way. This walk could easily be done with a stroller or in a wheelchair.Our Forestry brochure also had a picture of an old stamping machine at the Anchor Mine site which looked interesting so we drove from Poimena via that route only to be confronted at the carpark with a sign stating that the area was closed. A bit strange but not to be deterred we walked past to see if the stamper was visible. The path ends abruptly at what appears to be a huge washed-out gully but by taking a scramble down to the right then another scramble to the left at the bottom of the gully under a couple of fallen trees an obviously well-constructed path comes into view leading to the stamper and an information panel about it.This is a wonderful piece of our industrial history so the apparent attempt to prevent interested tourists from seeing it is bizarre. Sure the washed out area is probably dangerous if you are standing on the edge but surely a bit of money and a chainsaw could reinstate the section of path currently missing and a proper fence built to stop anyone getting too close to the washout. Hope the intrepid of you make it to the stamper it was well worth it!