Fagus
Mount Field is famous for it’s easy to access show of deciduous beech, which can be seen in a number of locations within the park. Apart from one great patch that you pass on the drive up the mountain, near Lake Fenton, the main destination is Tarn Shelf, about a 90 minute walk in from the end of the road at Lake Dodson.
Tarn Shelf
The trail is well sign-posted, and you generally get to the beech (Nothofagus gunnii), or fagus, also known as tanglefoot, just after the day shelter Rodway hut at the start of the Shelf.
Best time is generally around late April (ANZAC weekend is often the peak of the ‘viewing season’) although exact timing will depend on temperatures and how wet or dry summer has been.
Tarn Shelf, which is a long ‘bench’ that runs parallel to the Rodway Range on its west side, starts reasonably open, and then the trail to Newdegate Tarn climbs over some ridges and then crossing through wonderful open forest of Pencil Pine, fagus, and snow gums to the hut at Newdgegate.
above Lake Newdegate
From here it gradually loses height, before reaching the (famously haunted?) hut at Twilight Tarn. You can continue on down to Lake Webster and back to the carpark for a great day walk.
The Parks Service has a good day walks map you can get as you get your entry pass at the office at the entry to the park.
[The photos are some pics from early May, 2011]
the hut at Newdegate Tarn
on Tarn Shelf
Tarn Shelf
Rodway Range
The Rodway range is like the backbone of the park, and continues to the north all the way to Mt Lord (although this section is less alpine feeling) and to the south east (Mount Mawson) and is a bit of a hidden gem. It is an exposed boulderfield that runs parallel to Tarn Shelf, and provides the access to K Col and the peaks e (Field West/ Naturalist Peak and Florentine/ Tyenna Peaks).
It gives you a great ‘alpine fix’ after only a relatively short walk in – the easiest access is to continue past the turn-off to Tarn Shelf. It turns into boulder fields shortly after the turn-off, as it climbs and then runs along the Rodway, then descends to K Col. This last section is also quite rocky. There are cairns and painted markers on the track, but do take care in limited visibility.
Looking down to Rodway hut/ Tarn Shelf and then to Lake Seal from the Rodway Range
