Travelways

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Adventure in track deviation

WHAT follows might be described as half a story.   A Clayton's adventure. That's the adventure you have when you're not having an adventure. The term, for those not exposed to advertising in Australasia in the early 1980s, is based on a non-alcoholic drink called Clayton's, ``the drink you have  when you're not having a drink''. Etymology aside, (and using a fancy word like etymology makes me want to discover the etymology of etymology ... Old French via Latin and Greek, as it turns out) this involved rushing back from the East Coast last winter. I can't mention where I had been because my colleagues will take the mickey and claim I only mention the place because they put me up and ran a few courses under my snout. All right, it was Saffire, the hyperluxury resort at Freycinet. For those who must believe in something as prosaic as cake-for-comment, ker-ching. The plan was to return to Launceston via the East Coast, Elephant Pass and the Fingal Valley, and duck into Evercreech for a look at the huge gum trees known as the White Knights. The problem with winter is light. Despite a glorious day, by late afternoon the yellow warm stuff is running a little short. The chance to linger over a second coffee at Saffire (yes, ker-ching) is irresistible. But the exit journey begins, via Bicheno, then St Marys and the turnoff to Evercreech. An early dump of snow is still dusting  the eastern flanks of Ben Lomond so that becomes an obligatory photo stop. The gravel road continues its winding way towards Evercreech and I hurry in the hope of making it in twilight's perfect  photographic window. And fail. There's a piece of wood, lying on the road, cut to about 35 centimetres  for a woodheater. If I'm not in a hurry, I miss it. But I am. And I don't.   The log thuds into something under the car and as I arrive at the picnic area at Evercreech the left, front brakes are shuddering. Here's where the wisdom of the whole idea of slipping into Evercreech for a story is under question. Not enough time, car damage, diminishing light. What the hell. I'm there and figure a photo or two with the last of the light will do the trick. There's a  walk to the White Knights, one of which, at 91 metres, is the tallest known white gum in creation, according to an information board. I set off on this walk at mosquito o'clock, aka sundown, and wander over leaf-strewn duckboard under manfern forest to reach the mightiest Knight in about 15 minutes. There's just enough light to take an unsatisfactory photograph of a majestic knight stretching into the night. That's what I've discovered at Evercreech _ appealing picnic ground and barbecue area, nice short walk over flat ground through ferny forest, world's tallest white gums. But this visit has run out of light so I blunder back towards the car defeated, convinced that the visit has been a waste of time _ ordinary photos, half a story, long drive ahead. It's been  a Japanese tourist visit. Hasty photos, not much lingering.  Apparently, the reason time-poor Japanese tourists take a zillion photos is so they can savour them and research the destinations upon their return to the Land of the Rising Sun. And that's what I'll bring next time I visit Evercreech. A rising sun. IF YOU GO: Forestry Tasmania describes Evercreech as  "the home of the famous White Knights, the tallest white gums in the world -  more impressive and taller than the Big Trees in the Styx Valley''. The turnoff to Evercreech Forest Reserve is near Fingal. Visit http://tinyurl.com/5w2r2d7.