South Coast Track

Frequently Asked Questions (and Honest Answers)

How fit do I need to be?

You need to be able to walk 10 to 15 kilometres per day carrying 15+ kilograms for consecutive days. You need to be able to climb elevation gains of 500+ metres per day. You need to have some hiking experience.

If you regularly walk 10+ kilometres, you're probably fit enough. If your longest recent hike is three kilometres, you're not ready. Do practice hikes first.

Age doesn't matter as much as consistent fitness. A 60-year-old who hikes regularly will do better than a 30-year-old who's sedentary.

Is this a beginner-friendly hike?

No. It's frequently described as moderate, which is misleading. For beginners to hiking generally, this is difficult. For beginners to multi-day hiking, this is very difficult.

If your hiking experience consists of day walks of 8-10 kilometres on established trails, you're not ready for the South Coast Track. You need to have done at least one or two multi-day hiking trips before attempting this.

Do shorter multi-day hikes in more forgiving locations first. The South Coast Track should not be your first multi-day hiking experience.

How much does it actually cost?

Total cost breakdown:

Budget scenario (you have some gear): - Par Avion flights: $700 - Jetstar flights: $500 - Hobart accommodation: $100 - Food: $200 - Park pass: $50 - Gear upgrades: $500 - Total: approximately $2,050

Budget scenario (you have no gear): - All of the above, plus base gear: $2,600 to $3,000 - Total: $3,300 to $3,750

Budget scenario (you already have quality backpacking gear): - Par Avion flights: $700 - Jetstar flights: $500 - Hobart accommodation: $100 - Food: $200 - Park pass: $50 - Minimal gear adjustments: $200 - Total: approximately $1,750

The Par Avion flights are non-negotiable. Everything else has some flexibility. The minimalist approach is roughly $1,000 if you already own quality gear. The realistic approach is $2,000 to $2,500.

When's the best time to go?

January and February are best. These are the months with lowest rainfall and warmest temperatures (relatively). Even so, rain is frequent and cold is common at night.

December is possible but the weather is less settled. March and April get progressively wetter and muddier. May through October are not realistic unless you're very experienced in cold weather hiking.

January is particularly good because you get settled weather, dry season conditions, and the New Year provides psychological lift for a challenge like this.

How much water is available?

Water is everywhere. Streams, creeks, and seepage zones are constant. You will not run out of water to collect.

The challenge is filtering every source. Giardia is present. Filter or boil everything.

How long does it take?

Guidebook times (usually John Chapman's) underestimate actual time by about 30%. If the guidebook says three hours, budget four.

Most hikers take 8 to 10 days. Faster hikers (experienced, fit, light packing) do it in 7 to 8 days. Slower hikers take 10 to 11 days.

The actual movement time varies by section and conditions. Ironbound Range might take 5 hours when the guidebook says 3. Coastal sections might be close to estimated time.

Plan for 9 days as a realistic estimate. Book the plane for day 10.

What if I get injured?

If you have a serious injury (broken bone, significant bleeding, inability to walk), you can radio for extraction via Par Avion or other emergency services. This is expensive. Helicopter extraction can cost $5,000 to $15,000.

Travel insurance covers this. Get insurance.

For minor injuries (blister, small cut, minor sprain), you manage with first aid supplies and keep moving. The track is challenging but not remote enough that basic injuries prevent hiking out.

Can solo female hikers do this?

Yes. The track is safe from a crime perspective. There are no significant hazards specific to women that don't apply to men. Solo females do it regularly.

The main challenges are the same for everyone: fitness, gear, mental preparation, and physical endurance.

How many people do this track per year?

Roughly 200 to 300 people complete the South Coast Track annually. It's popular but not crowded. You might see other hikers but you'll spend most of your time alone.

This makes it feel remote while actual rescue is theoretically possible if needed.

Is it dangerous?

Yes. Not extremely, but yes. People have died on the South Coast Track. Roughly one death per five years, usually from fall, exposure, or accidents.

The danger is real but manageable if you're prepared. The track is not inherently deadly but it doesn't tolerate stupidity.

Exposure, especially on Ironbound Range, is the biggest hazard. Slips can have fatal consequences. Cold exposure is a risk if you're unprepared. Getting lost in bad visibility can lead to panic and poor decisions.

With proper fitness, gear, mental preparation, and caution, the risk is low. Without these, the risk is genuine.

What happens if the weather is really bad on my scheduled extraction day?

Par Avion will not fly in dangerous conditions. If weather is truly dangerous, they'll delay. You'll need to stay another night (or more) at the Cockle Creek end and try again the next day.

This is why you need travel insurance and flexibility in your schedule. Don't book flights out the day after your scheduled track completion day. Budget at least two days of buffer.

I haven't personally experienced this but I've heard of groups delayed two to three days by storm systems. It's rare but possible.

Can I do this in a group?

Yes. Groups of up to about 10 people do the track. Larger groups have more impact on campsites and the wilderness experience.

The dynamics of group hiking are different from solo. You move at the slowest person's pace. You camp when others want to camp. The shared challenge can be bonding or frustrating depending on group composition.

If doing it as a group, agree on expectations beforehand. Clear communication prevents conflict mid-trip.

How much gear weight is realistic?

Your pack will weigh 18 to 25 kilograms loaded with 10 days of food. This is substantial. The weight compounds over distance.

With my gear setup and 10 days of food, I was carrying roughly 22 kilograms. This is reasonable for a fit hiker but not lightweight.

Lighter hikers might get down to 18 kilograms by minimising gear. Heavier setups might be 25+ kilograms. It depends on your choices.

Is the track overcrowded?

No. You might see other hikers but the track doesn't feel crowded. Campsites are in various locations along the route, so you're not seeing the same people every day unless you're walking at similar pace.

The isolation is part of the appeal. The track feels wild and untrammelled because it is.

Can I do this with kids?

Theoretically yes, but practically, kids younger than 12 or 13 would struggle significantly. The daily walking distance, the exposure, the cold, and the general discomfort would be challenging.

I've heard of teenage kids doing the South Coast Track with parents. It's possible if the kid is fit and genuinely wants to do it.

For younger kids, there are easier multi-day hikes in Tasmania that provide similar experience with less difficulty.

What's the gear worth buying in advance versus renting?

Buy: boots (personal fit matters), sleeping bag (critical for safety), backpack (fit matters).

Rent or borrow: tent (possible to find), cooking gear (basic and generic), water filter (basic model).

New gear for the South Coast Track costs $2,000 to $3,000. Renting some items could save $200 to $400 but the essentials should be new or confirmed to be reliable.

Is there a permit system?

No permits required. Just park pass for Tasmania, which is very cheap.

You book with Par Avion and they coordinate with the ranger at Melaleuca. That's it. No complex paperwork.

What's the biggest mistake people make?

Underpacking for cold weather. People arrive with inadequate sleeping bags and insufficient insulation. Then they're cold all night and miserable.

The second biggest mistake is overpacking. People bring comfort items and end up with 27-kilogram packs that make everything harder.

Pack for cold, pack for wet, pack minimally otherwise. Get this balance right and everything else is manageable.

Is the track maintained regularly?

Yes. The Tasmania Parks Service maintains the track. It's cleared seasonally. Bridges are repaired. Erosion is managed.

That said, "maintained" doesn't mean "easy." The track is deliberately kept challenging. Some sections are muddy by design. Some rocks are left rough intentionally.

The maintenance is about safety and accessibility, not comfort.

Should I bring a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon)?

Yes. A PLB is a genuine safety item for the South Coast Track. If you're injured and can't walk, a PLB sends your GPS coordinates to emergency services and initiates a search and rescue. You can rent one from outdoor stores in Hobart for roughly $50 to $80 for two weeks.

I didn't carry one on my first trip and that was stupid. I carried one on my second trip and never needed it, but the peace of mind was worth the cost and the 200 grams of weight. If the stick at South Cape Rivulet had gone through my ribs instead of sliding off, a PLB would have been the difference between rescue and a very bad situation.

What phone signal can I expect?

None. Zero. For 10 days. Your phone becomes a camera and a paperweight. There's no mobile coverage anywhere on the South Coast Track. The ranger at Melaleuca has a radio, and there are emergency markers along the track, but your smartphone is useless for communication.

This is either terrifying or liberating depending on your personality. For me, by day three, I stopped reaching for my pocket. By day five, I'd forgotten what a notification sounded like. By day eight, I was dreading turning it back on. Get comfortable with the idea of being unreachable. Tell your family you'll be out of contact. Set up an auto-reply on your email before you fly in.

How do you celebrate finishing?

The second time, we celebrated by getting hot showers, sleeping in a proper bed, and eating food that wasn't dehydrated.

The emotional response varies. I felt quiet satisfaction and general exhaustion. My partner cried. Not sad tears. More like the release of 10 days of accumulated tension and effort finally letting go.

The sense of accomplishment comes later. In the moment, you're just glad to be clean and fed and horizontal. The first hot shower after 10 days is genuinely one of the best physical sensations I've experienced. The first proper meal is almost religious. We went to a pub in Hobart and I ordered the biggest steak on the menu and ate the whole thing in about eight minutes.

Final Thoughts

The South Coast Track is not for everyone. It's challenging, uncomfortable, expensive, and requires genuine preparation.

But if you're at a point in your life where you need to do something difficult, where you need to test your capabilities, where you need to disconnect from normality and face actual challenges, this track is life-changing.

I've done it twice. The first time was transformative. The second time was connecting. Both times, I came back different.

The track doesn't care about your life circumstances. It doesn't care if you've had a bad year or a great year. It just presents itself: rain, cold, mud, distance, exposure. And you respond to it.

Something about that clarity, about being stripped down to the essentials, about being alone with what you're capable of, matters.

If this resonates, if you're considering it, if you're asking yourself whether you can do it, the answer is probably yes.

Just pack properly. Train properly. Respect the mountain. And go.