Mt St Gwinear
I’ve returned from a few days visiting Victoria. I caught up with my parents at Moe and made a short trip to Mt St Gwinear.
Western Australia doesn’t have any alpine country and I miss it. I haven’t been to the Stirling Ranges yet, but they’re as close as it gets in this state and they only climb to 1100 metres.
I haven’t found a mountain stream, or a river of any description, in WA where it’s safe to swim either. Victorians take these things for granted. Read more
Kalgoorlie dawn
We’ve had some mild weather lately and I’ve taken to going for longer walks in the morning. I discovered a little-used track (pictured) at the back of Hannans Golf Course which I follow and then cut back through the fairways.
I’ve actually seen more wildlife on these walks than in the Karlkurla nature reserve.
There isn’t much grass on the golf course and the “greens” are sand. For those who don’t know, an 18-hole international-standard grass course was supposed to have been finished by now and it is supposedly still under development.
There is some grass on the Hannans course though and it greened up nicely after last week’s rain. In the dawn light it looks quite attractive and the kangaroos love it.
Porepunkah River Walk
I checked out the “new” river walk in Porepunkah this morning. Most of it isn’t actually new, but I’m pleased to say it’s an improvement.
The track is wider and has a better surface; the blackberries are still along the bank though.
Last Wednesday’s storm brought down one tree on the pre-existing section between the old bridge and Solly Lane, but it’s easy enough the get around.
Unfortunately the new section from Solly Lane to Roberts Creek and the rail trail is almost impenetrable. There must be a dozen or more large trees over the track, some in clusters.
I was just able to crawl and climb through to where Roberts Creek joins the Ovens River, and both streams are running extremely fast after the rain.
Feathertop via Bungalow Spur
The population of Victoria is five million people, but I was the only one of them today on the summit of our second-highest peak, Mt Feathertop.
The mountain was awe inspiring, humbling, powerful and beautiful in a mesmerising package of contradictions.
Normally I have Friday spare to pursue private business, but I swapped it for today to take advantage of the fine weather for my first proper bush walk in nine months.
My last ascent of Feathertop was via the easier Razorback route in November 2003. The forecast for Mt Hotham was six degrees and in the valley we were expecting 20 with a light breeze. Read more
Mount Buffalo Road
Juliet and I have enjoyed several walks along a new track beside the Mount Buffalo Road from Porepunkah to the Buckland River bridge.
The surface is fine gravel, looser than the rail trail, but similar in color. I’ve no idea who created this track, because there’s been
zero fanfare. It’s a terrific service for local residents and people staying at the caravan parks.
We usually branch off into the pines for Snowy to chase rabbits. The bunnies are totally safe from apprehension.
Rollasons Falls
We enjoyed a family outing today to Rollasons Falls in the Mount Buffalo National Park. Fanie and Ouma came too, which meant we had to go in two cars. We took some of the neighbourhood children as well, so it was quite an expedition.
There is a 2km walk to the falls from the main road about 7km into the park. The walk is through ferns for the most part and descends quite steeply at the end.
We went to the lower falls, where there is a great swimming hole. The scene is absolutely stunning, like the pictures I’ve seen of Kakadu and other tropical waterholes, except this place is only 15km from home!
The difference here, of course, is that the water is freezing. It took some courage to plunge in, but after immersing myself I had no regrets.
The swimming hole is about 20 metres long and five metres across. The bottom is sandy and the depth is okay for standing in most places.
I tried swimming to where the water cascades down, but the current was too strong. It was like being in an ice spa.
The kids had a great time and the babies were able to paddle in a small rock pool.
The Twins walk
I walked from Mt St Bernard near Mt Hotham to The Twins today. I had Tyrone Thomas’ book, 70 Walks in Victoria’s Bright and Falls Creek Districts, for reference, and it was pretty accurate.
It’s a good time of year to go walking, before the tracks are opened to 4WDs and trail bikes. I had the entire landscape to myself.
The track starts where the Dargo High Plains Roads turns off from the Great Alpine Road. It meanders for about a kilometre through snowgums before a walking track veers to the left. This is part of the Australian Alps trail and should be clearly signposted with regular yellow markers.
I lost them pretty quickly though and the track simply faded away. My solution was to travel cross country directly uphill. The undergrowth was minimal and I knew from sight that the trees thinned out towards the top.
It was a steep and difficult climb, and I certainly wouldn’t like to attempt the downhill equivalent, but I found it a direct route to the summit of the eastern Twin.
From there it was a pleasant meadow walk across the roof to the trig marker and summit of the higher Twin, at 1703 metres. There were no trees on top of the ridge, giving spectacular 360 degree views of the Razorback (pictured), Blue Rag Range, Mount Buffalo and Mount Murray. There were snow patches on the southern slopes.
I thought about continuing to Mount Murray. The total distance of 30km was a little less than I hiked last week, but my boots were pinching my feet and I was concerned at the lack of yellow route markers. Thomas’ description suggests the track is faint and sometimes hard to follow.
A safer alternative, probably taking longer, would be to follow the jeep track, which I did going back to Mt St Bernard.
The walk is rated as medium and expected to take three and a half hours. I completed the journey in two and a half hours, but considered the climbing part to be very hard.
Clear Creek and Paddys Hill
I went for a 34km hike in rugged country south of Porepunkah yesterday. The eight-hour trek started up the Buckland Valley where the Clear Creek Track joins the main road.
I walked along Clear Creek for 8km until it joins the Demon Ridge Track.
The beginning was easy and interesting along creek flats. There were some cattle grazing in several clearings, I could hear and see the creek (which is nearly as big as the Buckland River) and there was evidence of past alluvial gold prospecting.
After about 5km the track crosses the creek into a wide clearing, where there were some people camping. The track then ascends from 500 metres to 1150 metres in just over three kilometres. Although very steep, it’s a well-made road and I came across two people riding trail bikes.
I then followed Demon Ridge to the Albion Track and took a link trail to the Paddys Hill Track. There was a steep climb to reach an unnamed ridge above 1250 metres in snowgum terrain with spectacular views, including the snowcapped peaks of Mount Murray, Hotham and Feathertop.
A few steep undulations between 1150 and 1250 metres followed. The track here was poorly maintained, with many fallen trees blocking the “road”. Unlike the Clear Creek and Demon Ridge, I doubt there had been any vehicle traffic here for at least the past couple of years.
There was a steep descent from the winter snowline to around 900 metres, followed by a pleasant ridge walk in mountain ash before yet another climb to Paddys Hill, elevation 985 metres.
From there it was a steep and tricky downhill climb back to Clear Creek and my car, which I had left on the other side of the Buckland River, fording the stream in bare feet.
My feet froze in the morning crossing, but welcomed the icy water on the return effort.
I have confidence now in my physical fitness to complete an ambitious walk like this one, and pulled up okay this morning apart from some sunburn and small bruises on my heels.
Not everyone would like the steeper aspects of this hike, but I can strongly recommend the flat section along Clear Creek for a casual stroll in an interesting landscape.
Porepunkah plantation walk
This afternoon I walked for 90 minutes in the Porepunkah pine plantation between Roberts Creek Road and Bright. It’s a walk I first undertook about this time last year, and it’s pleasing to note my stronger fitness today climbing the hills.
Hancocks harvested pine from part of the hill several months ago and I wanted to see the view from the top.
Starting on Tom Briggs Road near Karnu Village, I walked to the second of three tiers that ascend from bottom to top. I then took a shortcut along a bulldozer track to the ridge. It was one of those tracks that you can just walk up, but almost certainly couldn’t walk down.
Reviewing the topological map, I now know that I climbed from 300 metres to 500 metres in a matter of minutes.
The view was terrific, but narrow because of pines on either side. Basically, I saw the golf course and parts of the Back Porepunkah Road and rail trail.
I then followed the ridge towards Quins Gap, descending along the gentle gradient of Templars Road to near the entrance of Bright.
I was surprised to cross paths with two mountain bike riders along Quins Road in the middle of nowhere.
It’s a good walk and a nice reminder that we have some wonderful forests in this area, both pine and native.
Guys Hut
Guys Hut near Mount Sarah somehow survived the bushfire of January 2003. It’s on the Sarah Spur Track, which is closed to vehicles during winter, about one kilometre from the Tea Tree Range Road.
It doesn’t look all that inviting, but for a cross-country skier caught in a blizzard it’s probably heaven. The inside (pictured) features some abandoned bottles and graffiti, including the sign “Mt Sarah 5 Star Resort”.
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