Approximate Walking Time: 5-7.5 hours
Whilst most people head from Granite Beach to South Cape Rivulet, we decided to go an extra 4 kms to Lion Rock.
This was to make the last day nice and easy.
The 13 kms to cover started with a forested climb of some 400 metres elevation.
It was quite a rough track with plenty of mud leading up to our first rest spot on Flat Rock Plain.
Heading to Flat Rock Plain
This gave us a lovely view back over the beaches and water.
Flat Rock Plains view
More scrubby up and down, with plenty of mud, eventually gets you to Trackcutters Camp – a small campsite at the start of a nice, long descent.
Muddy Flat Rock Plain
The descent track is rough much of the way, with boardwalk in some sections.
Flat Rock Plain track
There’s another small climb before the track once again descends through forest to come out at the South Cape Rivulet.
A wade across this and you’ll see the campsites about 100 metres up the side of bank of the rivulet.
Then you have a nice flat walk along the beach (gotta love those beach walks), before you climb up a headland and go down into the next beach in South Cape Bay.
South Cape beach
Along that and you’ll see markers for the track heading inland a few hundred metres before the end of the beach.
It’s a nice sharp climb up over Coal Bluff that affords a great view.
View from Coal Bluff
You start your descent and you’ll see Lion Rock on your right.
Lion Rock South Coast Track
Here’s a magical shot of Lion Rock by Mark Ashton.
Lion Rock - Click for larger image
Down onto the sandy/rocky beach and you’ll spot the creek a few hundred metres along where the campsites are (fill up your water bottles here).
2 Main Campsites
There are 2 main campsites here – beside the creek on the right (a bit of a way in) and at the top of the steep wooden steps on the right.
We camped up the top in a well protected spot.
View of Lion Rock from top of steps to campsite
Difficulty Rating – Moderate
A nice day with some short sharp climbs.
You’ll be well and truly walk fit by now if you weren’t already, so it will be a fairly comfortable day if the weather is half decent.