Welcome to Tahune Air Walk

(Record of activities on 26^thSeptember, 2010 but posted on above date)

 On television shows like "Getaway", I have often seen segments on "air walks" in different parts of the world, and thought to myself, "Wow wouldn't it be great to be up there with a birds-eye view of the forest".

So it was with a great deal of excitement that I headed for the Tahune Air Walk in the magnificent Huon Valley, about a 25 minute drive past Geeveston.
The visit commenced on a slightly sour note however.
As one approaches Geeveston, there are signs very clearly indicating the way to the shopping centre to buy entry passes for the Air Walk.

Believe me ... those signs are really prominent ... you cannot miss them.  Only trouble is ... the prominence stops there!  I drove at snails' pace (much to the chagrin of other drivers) round the shopping centre loop several times, craning to find the actual ticket sales location.  Finally Barbara spotted a piddling little sign, 5 meters above street level on the wall of the sales office. Sorry Forestry Tasmania ... not good enough!    Doesn't quite meet your "consistent, clear and uncluttered signage" criteria.

Once the entry passes were sorted out, we drove the 17 or so kilometres to the Air Walk site and had ourselves "branded".  Like little kindergarten kids, we presented our right wrists for an ink stamp to prove we had paid our money.

I won't bore readers with my gripes about this stupid procedure, and the time we wasted just standing around in a queue at the Air Walk visitor centre because of it, but I sure as hell will be sending a strongly worded email to Forestry Tasmania. 



One of the star features at Tahune is the Eagle Hang Gliding ride.  Naturally, dare-devil Barbara was busting to take the ride, but she graciously agreed to step aside so I could go.

The ride is an add-on cost to the walk, but it is worth every cent.  

First you have to be kitted up with safety harness ...


and then it's off on a slow 400m climb, suspended from a steel rope strung high over the Huon River.

   
In the side bar on the right is a slide show of 19 in-sequence shots taken by Barbara, as I was raised over the river, and then suddenly released for an adrenalin-charged high speed return.

Another "flight", at slightly slower speed, gave me the opportunity to be the photographer:

Two children who had been waiting for their turn to "fly" were so relieved when this old guy with a grey beard finally got off.  To compensate for their patience, I promised I would feature them in this blog.  There you go kids ... now you can skite to your friends on Facebook  you are blog stars!


Our almost 620m trek high in the tree tops, including a "H{AIR}Y WALK" out on the springboard-like cantilever section 48m above the river, is recorded in a series of pictures in another slide show in the left panel. 
You'll also see photos taken along some of the magnificent trails that took us alongside and across the Huon River via two swaying suspension bridges. Barbara just loved those sus... sus ... sus ... pensions .. NOT!!! Now she cannot wait till we visit the Cataract Gorge Reserve near Launceston (yeah sure!)

So, tomorrow, a new day dawns.