An Epic Challenge: The Three Capes Walk in Tasmania
An Epic Challenge: The Three Capes Walk in Tasmania
Plus, in today's papers, 'Three of the biggest retirement myths, busted'
In this edition:
Feature: The Three Capes Walk in Tasmania: An epic challenge
From Bec’s Desk: I’m back!
In today’s SMH & The Age: Three of the biggest retirement myths, busted
Prime Time: How healthy relationships are built (and broken) in midlife with Nahum Kozak
The Three Capes Walk in Tasmania: An epic challenge
[This article is a newsletter version without the picture galleries - I urge you to visit the website edition and enjoy all the photos here.]
“You have nothing to do over the next four days but walk and eat. So put your phones on airplane mode and really enjoy the opportunity to disconnect.”
These were the words of our guide Dandy, as we packed our handful of clothes, water and rain jackets into backpacks to head off on one of Australia’s and possibly the world’s most iconic walks, The Three Capes Signature Walk, hosted by the Tasmanian Walking Company. Our four-day hike was a luxury experience, staying in stunning remote lodges, eating chef-prepared three course meals and sipping local Tasmanian wines. But it was more than that. It was rustic, outdoorsy, and challenging.
I’ve never been on a multi-day hiking trip before so the whole concept of this trip was new. I’m no fitness fanatic. Sure, I go to the gym 3-4 times a week and walk the dog on other days. But I really only started training for this hike 6 weeks ago, walking up Brisbane’s Mt Cootha and Mt Gravatt one or twice weekly to prepare my legs and lungs. I’m certainly glad I did, as the hike was every bit the physical challenge I’d hoped. And yet it was also achievable for an ordinary, not super-fit person like me.
I’m calling this trip the first of my “Prime Time (or Epic) Challenges” – things I want to challenge myself to do in midlife – hard things, wild and interesting experiences that keep me learning and push me out of my comfort zone in midlife.
So, onto the trip.
We started on Wednesday in a room in Hobart. 14 strangers, two guides and a pile of backpacks. Into our backpack, which we had to carry for three of the four days, went our carefully planned clothes, toiletries, sheets and water bladder, raincoats and lunchboxes. If you wanted to wear more, you had to carry more. Mine weighed about 12-13kg when we departed. My husband’s less–he teased me. The weather was cold, grey and gusty — but we were optimists – this was going to be special. It was the first walk for the 2024-25 season. Spring was peeking through, or so our guides promised.
Then it was off to Stewarts Bay near Port Arthur where we boarded a small boat, and cruised around looking at the sights on our way to Denmans Cove, a small deserted white beach where the hike begins. We had to strip off our shoes and pants and jump into the water carrying our packs to kick things off. The water was freezing so there was lots of squeals and giggling–a terrrific way to start our easy contact with the elements which for me was one of the ongoing highlights of the trip.
Day one was a polite opener to the days ahead. We hiked 7.5km – about 3km of which was firmly uphill. The trees and the undergrowth change in Tassie as you climb. So every kilometre brings something new to look at, distracting you from the stairs you’re climbing and the screaming of your legs and lungs. New mosses and ferns, wild flowers, different shaped trees, each interesting in their own ways.
We’ve arrived in the beautiful Crescent Bay lodge before sunset to a hot cuppa, fresh homemade cake and a magnificent views across to Cape Raoul! We found our rooms for the first time, appreciating their simple, rustic beauty, comfy beds and warm doonas.
Then, we gathered for wine and dinner. Both lodges on the hike are designed of wall-to-wall glass, wrapped by captivating ocean views, soft Tasmanian timber floors, warmed with roaring fireplaces and including a big sitting area, a large dining table, and an open kitchen where the guides and chef worked to prepare our meals.
We exchanged stories. On our tour were two groups of four women in their fifties travelling together, leaving their hubbys and kids at home; one couple in their forties; one recently retired couple and us… all Prime Timers it seemed, chasing a physical challenge and an escape. All but 4 were first-timer multi-day walkers.
Day two arrived we packed up our things, revelled in a hot breakfast then we were off to climb Arthurs Peak for a magnificent view across to Caspe Raoul and across to Bruny Island. Our guides came into their own today, boiling tea on the track, telling us stories of the conflicts between indigenous Australians and early settlers, explaining the history of the lands we walked on and helping us really appreciate the landscape and changes in nature.
We ate our healthy packed lunches overlooking Haines Bight with views towards Black Head. Then we walked through Tornado Flat to Munro before climbing the big entry-hill to the magnificent Cape Pillar Lodge… where hot tea and warm cake were waiting for us again.
The Cape Pillar Lodge has a spa treatment room and masseuse who was booked-solid by the 14 people on the trip over the two days we stayed there. Her skill–working knots out of every corner of your body, and making 30 minutes feel like an hour–bliss.
Then a joyous three course dinner with our new friends, a Tasmanian wine or two, a briefing about what we’d done that day, and what lay ahead tomorrow, and early to bed.
Day three of this hike is the day the postcard-like photos come from. We left the lodge with a belly full of gourmet porridge carrying only day-packs, a welcome relief, knowing we were returning to the same lodge that night.
Whilst the winds were gusting at up to 90 km/hr, and the rain was threatening, we felt every bit of the joy of the Tasmanian outdoors, putting on raincoats, taking off raincoats, then putting them on again. In the morning we hiked through Corruption Gully where the plants which would normally be tall trees are shrubbed or ‘bonsai’d’ by the winds. Then, on through Hurricane Heath, along a 2km climbing boardwalk up to Resolution Point. We looked out over Tasman Island at the lighthouse and its three homesteads–absolutely spectacular scenery. Then we climbed the very steep and very narrow, The Blade, a hair raising five minutes at the very top of this rocky outcrop, with the winds threatening to push us off the rocks as we took pictures of our bravery. Finally, we walked around to Cape Pillar for another healthy packed lunch! Lots of stairs, hills and stunning views. After lunch and some storytelling we walked the 6 or so kilometres back to the lodge at our own pace where a hot cuppa and warm cake was waiting!
In keeping with the Tasmanian natural vibe, dinner on day three was Wallaby Tagine, a gamey-flavoured meat worth trying. Then board games, storytelling with our guides and another briefing of the day ahead.
On day four we set off early, with our large packs, to the top of Mt Fortescue, 480m above sea level–a challenging and beautiful climb that took about 45 minutes. That was the hardest stretch of the trip given the weight of our large packs! Our guides had mentally prepared us, telling us to predict how far we had left to climb based on three chairs - one chair at the bottom - one chair a third of the way – and a third chair two thirds of the way and our guide with a hot brew waiting at the top. It wasn’t until we’d made it to the top they realised the first chair had been removed during winter - so all of us had reached the top, exhausted, thinking we had only made it about two thirds of the way!
The Gondwana Forest as we got closer to top was a sight to behold with amazing ancient tree ferns and stunning mosses and ferns, dwarfed by towering eucalypts, some of the tallest in Tasmania – stuff out of fairytales really. We had lunch and caught our breath looking back over Munro Bight and Cape Pillar - and The Blade we climbed yesterday.
Our group then split into two, with the uber-fit tackling a 3km round trip to Cape Huay– down 600 stairs, up 200 stairs, then, in return up 600 stairs and down 200 stairs. The rest of us felt confident that reaching our intended 19.6km today would be enough of a challenge and started the gradual, tough and seemingly never ending descent back down to sea level to the squeaky white sands of Fortescue Bay.
With aching feet and a few blisters we stripped our shoes and went into the ice cold 12.5 degree water. Some even went for a swim (not me!).
Then, the bus ride back to base for a celebratory champagne with our fellow travellers and our two guides. We walked about 54kms in four days and it was magical! The highlight – the challenge of the walk, eating healthy and delicious food I didn’t have to prepare, the stories and lessons from our guides, taking time to really enjoy my surroundings, and the rugged, chilly, spectacular beauty of the Tasmanian outdoors.
I’m a convert - more hiking trips ahead for me. Tasmanian Walking Company – our hosts – run 8 different walks in Australia, five of which are in Tasmania. And they also offer a range of international walks too. They’re the only company that offers private hut accommodation on the Three Capes Lodge Walk. TWC’s collection of walks also includes The Overland Track, Bay of Fires Lodge Walk, Bruny Island Long Weekend and Wineglass Bay Sail Walk. And if you’re keen to try the Three Capes for yourself, I’m told that there’s still a couple of spots available later in the year.
I couldn’t fit the photo galleries on this newsletter - so I’ve made a special article on the site here and published all the photos from this epic challenge. You can see it here.
I took a week away from writing, and did some hiking, as you read above. And I’ve bragged enough about that. But it’s back to cooking my own food, running our awesome course and writing my book this week. (And replying to emails I promise 😁).
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Our Spring Edition of the Flagship Course is in week 5. To kick off the week we’ve got our ‘Finding your purpose’ session in the Epic Retirement Course, with Rowena Millward on Monday night. Then our interactive session, where everyone jumps on-screen and talks about the process of finding their purpose together.
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I’ll be launching our next How to Have an Epic Retirement Flagship Course - the Summer Edition, for earlybird bookings this week. The initial discount will be 25% off the RRP to the first-in (which means you’ll get it at $359). The next course will kick off on the 10th October - not long now! I can’t wait. Keep an eye out as the earlybird deal will be for those who are first in. Register your interest here. This is my last course for 2024.
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If you’re part of a couple and you haven’t yet listened to this week’s Prime Time Podcast, with Nahum Kozak, do yourself a favour and turn it on. I learnt a lot speaking with him, and it pointed me to things we should all be thinking about that maybe we don’t discuss much because of how personal and intimate they are. So much insight into our relationships and how they change as we get older in this one- and so many sensible tips for things we can and should do!!
And a big thanks to HESTA who’ve joined us as a sponsor of the Prime Time podcast for the next quarter!
And that’s the week’s update, done. You can always email me at bec@epicretirement.com.au. I love getting your letters. Until next week… make it epic!
How healthy relationships are built (and broken) in midlife with Nahum Kozak
In this edition of Prime Time we explore how our most important relationships change in midlife and how we can connect better with our partner as these shifts occur. I’m talking with Senior Psychologist Nahum Kozak from Lighthouse Relationships who has so much wisdom, empathy and expertise in this area, it’s boggling.
This episode unpacks the shifts and changes that relationships undergo as we transition from working life to retirement. Nahum offers deep insights into how these changes can impact our identity and intimacy, and shares practical strategies for strengthening connections and navigating conflicts. Whether you're looking to deepen your relationship or understand the complexities of love in your Prime Time and retirement, this conversation is packed with valuable advice and real-world solutions.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE OF THE PODCAST HERE:
Three of the biggest retirement myths, busted
Extract of article published in print in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times, WA Today on Sunday 8th September 2024.
There are a few retirement myths that seem to persistently buzz around, no matter how much we try to swat them away. Today, I’m tackling three of the biggest ones that keep cropping up in my retirement courses and events. It’s time to lay these myths to rest once and for all.
Myth 1: You need a million dollars to retire in comfort
For ages, there’s been this overwhelming notion that a million-dollar superannuation is the ticket to a comfy retirement. But let’s set the record straight – this isn’t necessary for most people. Data shows that the median super balance for Australians between ages 65 and 69 is far less than a million. In fact, as of the last report in 2021, it was $213,986 for men and $201,233 for women.
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia says that the average Australian couple needs $690,000 in superannuation as they enter retirement, to be able to reach the level of income they declare will provide for a comfortable retirement of $73,337 a year. And a single person will need $595,000 in super for a comfortable retirement, allowing them to rely on an income of $52,085. These numbers assume that you retire at 67, own your own home outright, and you can access a part age pension and the pension concessions to help manage your cost of living. If you are ineligible for the pension, or you don’t own your own home, you’ll need to budget more.
But everyone’s idea of a comfortable retirement varies. For some, it means travelling the world and enjoying life’s greatest luxuries, while for others, it’s about simplicity, spending time with grandchildren, indulging in hobbies, or spending time on passions and purposeful volunteering. Your retirement goals are at the core of knowing how much you actually need for the comfortable retirement – and you need to spend some time working on them.
The best way to assess how much you need is to take those goals, then build a detailed budget, incorporating the amount you want to spend on everyday living, the amount you want for one-off expenses and big ticket items; and the amount you want to put towards your epic retirement experiences. Then, get onto a retirement calculator, such as the one on the moneysmart website, and see whether your current superannuation balance can support the budget you’ve built over your projected lifespan.
Myth 2: You should move all your investments to conservative assets
When people shift into retirement, they can feel gripped by the financial realities of never earning a pay cheque again, with many people becoming quite concerned about protecting their capital. Some even consider shifting their entire portfolio to conservative assets. However, completely turning your back on growth assets might not be the smartest move. The reasons are twofold. First, life expectancy has risen dramatically. For many, retirement could now span 25 to 30 years, or even longer. This extended timeframe means you need to maintain some exposure to growth assets to maintain your capital pool over and above inflation. If you shift all your investments to conservative, they might struggle to keep pace.
This article continues. Read the rest of the article here.
Hey! Two last things.
If you aren’t an Aussie and you don’t want to read all this guff about “Superannuation”, sign up for my Epic Retirement International newsletter here… international.epicretirement.net.
And, if you haven’t got yourself a copy of the book, How to Have an Epic Retirement, you can order it on Amazon here.