MBW Walk magazine 1964 - Melbourne Bushwalkers

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WALK
A JOURNAL OF THE MELBOURNE BUSHWALKERS
1964
NUMBER FIFTEEN
CONTENTS:
*
SAFETY: IN PERSPECTIVE ............... .
FIVE THOUSAND PLUS ................... .
FIVE UNFORGETTABLE DAYS ............... .
THE MAN CALLED WILKIE ................... .
BUSHWALKERS ON SKIS .... .... .... .... ....
THE BUSH - MY BATHROOM .... .... .... ....
NGRUNG A NARGUNA .... .... .... .... .... ....
NEW MAP ISSUES .............................. ..
BARMAH FOREST ................................
HUT BUILDING - A HISTORY .... .... .. .. ....
THAT WELL KNOWN SPOT ....................
MOUNTAIN MUSTER ......................... ..
MOUNT ANNE .................................. ..
CLUB COMMENT .............................. ..
DIFFICULT IT WAS! . ....................... .
BOOKS FOR THE BUSHWALKER .......... ..
SOUTH ISLAND WALK .... .... .... .... .... ....
TO CAPE SCHANCK .... .... .... .... .... .... ....
EMDEE W - 1963 .... .... .. .. .... .... .... .... ....
3
R.E.N....................... ..
A. Guthrie .............. ..
W. F. Waters .............. ..
S. Mizon ................... .
G. Errey ................... .
F.C........................... ..
A.B. & P.v.d.D......... ..
A. Schafer .... .... .... .. ..
Dougo .... .... .... .... ....
J. Siseman ................... .
F. Halls .................. ..
L. Richey .... .... .... .... ....
F. Chesterfield .... .... ....
A.G. .... .... .... .... .... ....
WALKS SECTION
Castleburn Ck. - Jump Up - Mt. Kent
Mt. Stirling - Stanley's Name Spur Crosscut Saw - King R ................ .
Macedon- Mt. Macedon- WoodendEmerald - Hultgren's Bridge - Cockatoo
Bald Spur - Strathewen - Mt. Sugarloaf
Sylvia Ck. - Blowhard Ra. - Victoria Ra.
*
COVER PHOTO: A FERN GULLY IN WILSON'S PROMONTORY
NATIONAL PARK -By John Brownlie.
Clyde Press, 608-610 High St., Thornbury
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The
Melbourne Bushwalkers
OFFICE BEARERS, 1963-64
President:
BILL THOMPSON
Vice-Presidents:
VAL GOLDSMITH
FRED HALLS
Hon. Treasurer:
ARTHUR WHYTE
Hon. Walks Secretary:
JIM HESTER
Hon. Secretary:
ROB TAYLOR
Hon. Social Secretary:
DOUG POCOCK
Wilkinson Lodge Manager: GRAHAM ERREY
General Committee:
FAY CHESTERFIELD
JOAN SKURRlE
ATHOL SCHAFER
ANNE BADGER
BARBARA MUlR
WARREN OLLE
PETER VAN DER DUYS
Editorial Sub-Committee: V. GOLDSMITH, B. MUIR, R. BITTNER.
CLUBROOM:
Room 110, Victorian Railways Institute,
Railway Building,
Flinders St., Melbourne, C.l.
(Open every Friday evening from 8 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.)
Advertising:
R. G. Bittner,
49 Elizabeth St., Melbourne, C.l.
Tel.: 62-1716
Distribution:
Barbara Muir,
43 Court St., Box Hill.
Tel.: 88-1834.
"DEDICATED TO ALL WHO APPRECIATE THE GREAT OUTDOORS" •••
WALK is a voluntary, non-profit venture published by the Melbourne
Bushwalkers in the interests of bushwalking as a healthy, enjoyable and educational recreation.
PATRONISE OUR ADVERTISERS!
WALK could not be published without the assistance of our advertisers,
and we are grateful to them for their support. We urge all our readers to
patronise them whenever possible, and so help us to continue our efforts in
publishing this magazine.
Poge Two
WALK
Editorial:
Safety : In Perspective
Flying and walking might seem to be at opposite poles, but a recent article
in a gliding magazine proved that they have one thing in common: to be responsible without being inhibited. This need is basic to all activities. It is
particularly acute when there are obvious dangers, especially if the activity
is confined to relatively few people. Recent happenings have highlighted this
need. Last June three 15-year-olds walking in the Lerderderg Gorge were in
the headlines almost before they realized they were overdue; in August there
was the Hume Weir canoeing tragedy. The anxieties and personal loss associated with such events as the latter can be appreciated only by those who
have suffered them, and words are certainly inadequate to convey our sympathy.
However, all too often after these occurrences there arise demands that
such activities should be banned, or at least severely regulated. This is a natural
reaction. It demands that we consider the matter of safety, and the right of
the individual to decide for himself whether the flame is worth the candle;
and included in the cost of the candle must be the worry and effort demanded
of others if things happen to come unstuck - and that even then there are
limits beyond which risks should not be taken. Our gliding author maintained,
however, that one of the Freedoms worth fighting for was the freedom of an
adult human to risk his or her own neck; and that modern society in its fullest
sense is only workable on the assumption that this is so. There is no such
thing as absolute safety. The best that can be done is to quote the odds against
any event happening, and then to accept or reject those odds. We have to
accept the fact that even life is given a value. These are accepted facts in
scientific circles although apparently as yet little known to the popular press.
They are seldom made obvious, but the case is quoted of an inquiry into the
cost of equipping all airliner passengers with parachutes. It turned out to
be £29 million per life saved. Airliners still do not carry parachutes! In
this case, the passengers know that all the risks have been assessed, and they
consider them to be acceptable when balanced against the fares that they are
prepared to pay. And so does the third party to the deal: the community.
Aircraft occasionally crash on homes, factories and schools, but flying is never
banned in consequence. It is one of the very things which make the richness
of texture of present-day living. And despite the dangers attached to their
use, so are such things as the motor car, electricity, ships; and even eating
and drinking.
In our society the acceptance of a personal risk almost invariably involves
the community. It is the duty of us all to see that we do not take too much
upon ourselves. We must assess the risks as well as we can, and do everything
within reason to minimize them. This applies to everything: walking, gliding,
motoring, or what-have-you. It means that we should adequately train and
equip ourselves, and that we must learn our limitations and not be stunters
or show-offs. But surely it does not mean that we should never accept any
challenge; that we should be afraid to pit ourselves against natural obstacles.
If it does, then nothing but decadence lies ahead of us. Mostoutdoor activities
can at times entail some risk. Occasionally these get to headline proportions;
but let's keep them in perspective. There may be some form of craziness that
should be banned, but bushwalking and gliding - and canoeing for that matter
- are not among them. All who take part in them must, as we said in the
beginning, retain a sense of responsibility without becoming inhibited.
Let's
hope that in return others will continue to talk safety: in perspective.
WALK
Page Three
Five Thousand Plus
-R.E.N.
"There are fairies at the bottom of our garden!"
Yes, and there's a fairy ring around our mountains - or so I think magic ring formed by the five-thousand foot contour line.
a
In south-eastern Australia this altitude forms a good working approximation to the snowline. True, Donna Buang's modest 4080 feet represents snowfields to the Melbourne Press; but it is not until the five thousand foot line
is crossed that you feel wholly in the land of the bushwalker or skier. Now
the going is smoother. Victoria's great, old smooth--topped ridges lead you
on - their humps and peaks, embedded with bulging masses of granite, basalt
and quartz, form the water table which keeps the high plains green.
It is along the edges of the high plains, in the bogs among the snow
grass that thrives above the five thousand foot line, that you can see the
miracle of creation that is the birth of a stream. Take the weight off your
legs and sit for a minute, pack beside you on the ground. If you feel like it,
fish out your mug and drink - and reflect that the fate of civilization has
always depended on the existence of little streams just like the one before
you. If you will allow your mind to wander a little you will soon find that
there is no limit to the pictures for which your little stream is the inspiration
- mighty rivers, green pastures, great cities - they are all there for the
imagining. And what better place to dream?
It is only here in the high country that you can see the slow meandering of a crystal clear brook. As soon as the five thousand level comes in sight
the water starts to race and skip as it shoots swiftly downhill, eager to reach
the plains - rushing and spraying headlong into and over the rocks which
litter its way. On the plains the stream becomes slow, and maybe muddy,
and too grown-up to be personal - it now belongs to everyone and is not just
your own special joy. Even the horses and cows seem more part of it than
you do. But up top, things are different. What bigger perplexity ever faced
the walker than to have to decide between the rival claims of a dozen little
bends of a mountain stream when camp time came along? South Sea islands
may have their charms but there can be few things more calmly satisfying
than such an overnight camp.
There, you are in the land of the snowgum - a tree that seems to prize
its own personality. No two of these hardy veterans ever consent to be alike.
Always subject to nature's wildest moods, the snows and blizzards of the alpine
winter, they fit snuggly into their environment and mould their shape and
mood to wherever they happen to grow. Given a little protection from the
constant thrusting of the winds they grow into a tall, proud, symmetrically
bushy tree - a tree fit to provide the forest shelter any camp should have.
Out in the open, exposed to the ever-coercing fannings of the wind, they drift
more and more sideways as they battle upward, until they finish up with
nearly all their branches and leaves drifting off downwind from the trunk,
each a little higher than a bush, but every one a different shape from its
fellows. The snowgum is protection and warmth to the walker. The living tree
shelters his camp and its dead branches provide him with the "burningnest"
of all firewoods. All of us know the ease with which a handful of dead
snowgum twigs can be fired by a match without the aid of any kindling, and
the beautiful glowing coals provided by the heavier timber. (Unfortunately,
we also know the mile upon mile of dead snowgum that litters the five-thousandplus altitudes, silent witness to disaster - bushfires, particularly those of 1939.)
By some standards five thousand feet is not high. In central Asia thousands of people are born and spend their whole lives above this height - in
Page Four
W A L K
some parts of the world, especially South America, there are large cities at
ten thousand feet and more. But Australia is an old land, its surface has
been worn flat and only a small amount remains above the five thousand feet.
None of it has perpetual snow, but all of it is covered in winter. Apart from
a few isolated peaks, the contour encloses the broad backs of the Great Dividing Range from about Mt. Skene, to the west of Jamieson, north then next
to the Mt. Howitt area from whence long broad arms reach out southwards
along the Snowy Plains to Mt. Tamboritha and ultimately to Mt. Wellington,
westward to The Bluff and northward to Mt. Cobbler. Buller and Stirling, to
the west of Howitt, have their own little fairy ring. The Barry Mountains,
although spiritually at one, don't quite make the grade - but once we get
to the Hotham area we come upon our line well before we reach the top.
The peaks of Hotham, Feathertop, Bogong, Wills, Nelse and Cope, and most
of the area between them reach up another thousand feet. This includes the
Bogong High Plains, now easy game to the day-tripper, but still only to be
MT. BULLER
-J. Smith
savoured by those with time to dally and to sample at close quarters its world
of clear air, sunshine, sparkling waters and distant views. Again towards the
border the country rears up beyond the five thousand feet, tentatively at first
around Marengo, Nunyong and Bindi, but soon confidently as it nears the six
thousand foot Cobberas before it crosses into N.S.W. to go on and upward to
the heights of Kosciusko. To the west the contour is now easily located as
it clings to the side of the steep carp of the Main Range, stretching far north
into the distance of the mountains south and east of Canberra. This is the
Monaro country, the Manneroo from which some of Victoria's first settlers
brought their cattle in the 1830's. It is a large shelving tableland slipping
gradually down to the east from Kosciusko's seven thousand feet. Whereas
the Barry Mountains, although lower than five thousand, have much of its
spirit, much of the Monaro is quiet farming country and has little in common
with the mountains. Here there is regular settlement and our contour loses
its special significance, but through all the other areas protected by its magic,
human habitation is represented only by the odd ski village or temporary
hydro activity.
Whoever cares to roam here may go at will - he or she has the free·
dom known to no lord of the manor no matter how extensive or feudal his
demesnes. You may roam here for days and not meet another soul, but if
WALK
Page Five
by chance you do, he'll be your friend. In this magic world there is no place
for animosities - they're just not worth the trouble. Campfire debates may
become intense, but never bitter - there is much to philosophize about, but
nothing to fight over.
In this world there are still struggles between good and ill, but they are
of the elements, not of men. The winter blizzard tests the survival capability
of those most experienced and best prepared. The wise person then leaves
the spirits of the mountains to their own struggles, but when the inevitable
sunshine returns it seems as though the fairies have cast their spell anew.
The earth is fresh, the streams sparkling and bubbling, and the sun has a
new radiance. It enfolds you snugly and browns your skin, but never gets
as torrid as it does below. The clouds rise and sweep and billow with every
varying puff of wind and at night there is renewed interest in the moon and
stars as you sit and watch them - the air sometimes so clear that there appears
to be nothing between - you and they seem to be part of the one existence.
ALONG THE EDGES OF THE HIGH PLAINS
-Courtesy of N.R.C.L.
I always feel sad coming home as I step over the magic ring, and I'm
sure most other walkers do, too, although they may not know why. On the
way up things are different. It is a goal, and incidentally is generally welcome
as the end of an arduous climb. I've almost a personal intimacy with the
five thousand contour crossing in many of our mountain tracks, and I'm not
at all friendly with those new forestry roads where they've taken over the functions of the tracks at my line. A five thousand foot crossing on a road just
doesn't seem the same.
But as with many things the method is unimportant, everything depends
on the result. Not everyone could see the fairies at the bottom of our garden,
but those who could were looking into a wonderfully different world.
All
who cross into the magic of five thousand plus are entering a similar world
of wonder if they give their minds the time to see the things their eyes reflect.
It was once a world peculiarly the walker's own. Now roads are bringing
more people into it, but most of the newcomers do not take the time to see
- they never feel its magic.
Page Six
WALK
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There's Kodacolor film also for exciting prints for
any 127, 120 or 620 size Camera. Before you
leave, be sure to see your local Kodak Dealer.
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WALK
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Kodak Dealers Everywhere
Page Seven
Five Unforgettable Days
-A. Guthrie
I shall never forget those five days which constituted my first Christmas
bushwalking trip. The scenery was spectacular and, as usual, the fun and
companionship of camping and hiking irresistible. Here are some vivid
recollections.
I remember waking in the early morning at Long's to see the pale stars
above me and to breathe that unearthly quietness which belongs to the hour
before dawn; I was glad I had not put up the tent.
I remember the delicious breakfast by the creek. How juicy the grapefruit
was and the blue sky promised a wonderful summer's day. There followed
much bustling and packing and then the party set out, following the Castleburn
Creek.
At first we had to pass through a burnt scrub area whereupon we took
on a rather sooty appearance. However, this was satisfactorily remedied by
dips in the deep cold pools. I remember the hilarity which resulted from
these sudden dives into the water-the divers all being fully clothed. Small
boys love to "duck" people and alas, this trait persists even among the most
adult of the male bushwalkers.
Camp that night was mirthful-the capture of a young lady was almost
effected, and there was much informative discussion about the cooking and
serving of "Dehyds".
Early next morning we rose to the leader's insistent "Up you chaps!"
and attempted to climb up a horrible hump called "Jump Up". It certainly
did jump up. The ascent was arduous; an agonizing crawl; you just had to
suck glucose, glare at the track, and hope for the best. Query: Why is it that
unpleasant bushwalking experiences never seem that way when they're over?
I wish life in general were like that. So much for philosophy.
During lunch (unfortunately dry), I remember wondering how many like
climbs lay ahead. Happily, however, the afternoon brought us to the top
of J.U. and into Dairy Farm flats-a region of snow gums, wildflowers and,
thank heaven, water. Also the rain came and did two delightful thingscooled us down and brought out all the reds and oranges in the snow gum
trunks.
Dinner that night was superb. It consisted of Christmas tucker with all
the trimmings-chicken (out of an enormous tin which one noble member
had carried), "real" vegetables-DEB potato and tinned peas, and yesChristmas pudding. We had the campsite looking specially gay with loads of
balloons and streamers. We even had a Father Christmas complete with tinsel
beard and gifts for all.
Next day took us from Dairy Farm flats where we'd camped, to the Little
Round Plain with its white daisies and fairy rings, up to Mt. Kent. The
weather was unkind enough to draw white curtains of mist across the views
from Mt. Kent-our climb for nought. Still, the cool weather made walking
pleasant.
I was most impressed by the leader's navigation. He dropped us two
and a half thousand feet in one mile to Shanty Hollow, where we spent a
freezing night.
But with the morning came perfect weather again. We climbed down to
the Wonnangatta in glorious sunshine, Mt. Kent in outline against the blue
Page Eight
WALK
THE CAMPSITE LOOKED SPECIALLY GAY . • •
-A. Whyte
sky behind us, and Snowy Bluff to our left. The countryside was all sunlight
and shadow; a pleasant dapple of colour, and the wildflowers were plentifulpinks, reds and whites. At one stage we were waist deep in yellow flowersSt. John's Wort I learnt later-a pest-but like so many bad things, most
attractive.
At length we reached the river and made our camp after hacking away
the bracken. A cool plunge in the Wonnangatta was next on the program.
I'm afraid by this stage we were all grubby and rather strange looking. One
of the boys' singlets was incredibly torn and the leader's shirt looked fit for
the rag bag. Beards had grown of course, and the female members of the
party, all with straggly hair, had lost any look of delicate femininity they might
have had at the beginning.
Supper that night was most entertaining since one member inadvertently
knocked over another's boiling billy. The sound-track was very interesting.
Whilst we are on the subject of food, it could be added that mushrooms
improved the breakfast menu next morning.
Our fifth early morning found us meeting up with the cars and leaving
in streaming sunshine, watched by the sleek black cattle at the lonely farm.
Again we had splendid views-but this time we were not so much in
the mountains as surrounded by them. I very much enjoyed the drive back
to Long's-the river flashing in the sun far below as the road twisted and
turned upon itself.
This wonderful drive was a fitting end to five unforgettable days.
(For further details of this walk see the Walks Section:
Castleburn Creek-Jump Up-Mt. Kent- Wonnangatta.)
WALK
Page Nine
The Man Called Wilkie
-W. F. Waters
The late Robert Wood Wilkinson was born at Talbot, Victoria, in 1874.
When 16 he was apprenticed to his father, then a chemist, at Maryborough, and
after further study in Melbourne he became an assistant chemist in Bairnsdale.
Subsequently, he practised in the Windsor Hotel building in Spring Street, Melbourne.
He was a keen cyclist and did many long trips in various parts of the
State; and while at Bairnsdale became a yachtsman on the Gippsland Lakes
and an enthusiastic oarsman, and about 1898 he rowed on the Yarra in the
Bairnsdale eight.
In 1909 he was induced to visit Mt. Buffalo in winter, and then made his
first acquaintance with ski. They were then merely long pieces of wood, with
a slight upturn at the tips, very rudimentary bindings, with long sticks for use
as stocks. It was before the days of the Chalet, as Jim Mansfield's Hut then
stood on the Chalet site. The Buffalo Plateau at that time in winter was a
remote world of its own, though the first winter ascent had been made on the
23rd August, 1890.
Interest was developed in Buffalo and the Alps by the Bright Alpine Club,
formed in 1895, and it made arrangements for Alpine tours and ascents, and
supplied snow-shoes, alpenstocks, ropes, etc., and issued an Illustrated Guide.
It is probable Mr. Wilkinson was a member.
He became an ardent and adventurous skier and as he was a great lover
of the mountains in summer and winter, he found in skiing a delightful means
of seeing them in winter under their snowy mantles. He was a very keen photographer and produced many pictures of summer and winter subjects, but his
studies of snow-clad landscapes, sunsets and ice-encrusted trees in winter were
a perfect delight.
He made many exploratory trips to Mts. Buffalo and St. Bernard
and the Alps, in company with Mr. A. G. Connell in both summer and winter.
He and Mr. Connell made their first trip to the Bogong High Plains from the
St. Bernard Hospice, and back in one day. It was a long trip and fired their
enthusiasm to see more of the wide expanses of the Bogongs in winter.
It should be realised that the hospice at St. Bernard was in those days
the only accommodation house then existing in the Alps, as the Hotham Heights
Road House was not erected until early in 1925, and that as skiing was then
only in its infancy, excursions into those mountains in winter were regarded
as venturesome. As far back as 1863, an accommodation house of log walls
and shingle roof existed at Mt. St. Bernard for travellers between the Crooked
River and Harrietville diggings. In 1882 a galvanised iron building was erected
by the Victorian Government after the road to Omeo was completed about
1880. It served the needs of travellers mainly, but in the early 20's skiers
began to holiday there, until the 1939 fires destroyed it. In summer and winter
when Fred Paull and Barney Rush were the licensees, I had the good fortune to stay in the old building with its curious entry and exit by ladder against
the chimney when snowed in.
"Wilkie", to give him his popular nickname, stayed at the Hospice in the
winter of 1912 with Mr. Fay, the then Norwegian Consul, who after various
excursions, was amazed that such extensive snowfields were so little used. In
the following winter they traversed the Razorback from Mt. Hotham to Mt.
Feathertop on ski and probably were the first to do so.
Page Ten
WALK
In November, 1919, with his wife and a friend, "Wilkie" stayed for the
first time on the Bogong High Plains and subsequently made several winter
trips with his friends, A. G . Connell, E. C. Dyason and R. H . Gregory. He
was the leader of the first party of skiers to cross the Bogongs in the winter
of 1926, from Kelly's Hut to Mt. Hotham, and to climb Mt. Nelse; and the
following year he and a companion ascended Mt. Fainter for the first time
on ski. Enthused. by their des':ription~ of the Bogongs, a party of which I
was a member, skied over the High Plams from Mt. Hotham to Kelly's Hut in
the winter of 1927, along the old snow pole line which had been erected years
earlier to enable miners to travel between Harrietville and Glen Wills. Many
of the poles had then fallen, and it was difficult to follow the line in bad
weather; and there was no suitable shelter about the centre of the Plains as
Wallace's Hut, one of the oldest on the Bogongs, with walls of upright sapling
logs, was then in very poor condition, and there was almost as much snow
and daylight inside as outside.
SUMMER ON THE HIGH PLAINS
-J. Sm ith
In view of these conditions and with characteristic energy, "Wilkie" worked
hard to obtain Government approval to restore the snow pole line and to build
a hut at the head of Middle Creek. He was successful, and by 1929 the pole
line had been replaced and the Cope Hut had been erected from hand-hewn
timber by the late Bill Spargo. It was to have been sited further down the
valley, but Bill Spargo placed it where a commanding view was available. A
sketch of the hut and an appeal for funds appeared in the 1927-28 Year Book
of the Ski Club of Victoria.
"Wilkie" joined the Ski Club of Victoria early in the winter of 1924, and
on July lOth that year was elected to the Committee, then two months later
In May, 1926, he relinquished
on 22nd September he was elected President.
the Presidency, but continued on the Committee, until in May, 1928, he was
again elected President and remained in that office for years. About 1930 he
joined the Melbourne Walking and Touring Club while I was Hon. Secretary,
and retained an active interest until his death. In his skiing days "Wilkie",
WALK
Page Eleven
like the majority of other skiers, wore military-type knee-breeches with puttees,
leggings or long stockings, and he was fond of an ancient felt hat adorned
with pins and pieces of string, to which in summer he added a few corks that
swung purposefully to keep flies on the move.
On 2nd July, 1929, "Wilkie" as President and one of a party of nine Ski
Club members visited Cope Hut - his particular interest in regard to design
and construction - and stayed some days during which they made the first
ascent of Mt. McKay on ski. In August, 1931, he was again at Cope Hut
with "Fitzgerald's Circus" - a party of members of the Melbourne Women's
Walking Club and some men friends - with the late Geo. Fitzgerald, known
affectionately as "Dad", as party guide. They toured on ski with old George,
but he wouldn't use •'them things" and walked everywhere through the snow. In
August, 1935 and 1936, he spent a fortnight each year with parties of Alpine
Rover Scouts in Cope Hut and did a number of ski tours.
It will be understood that in the 20's and 30's winter visitors to the Bogong
High Plains went on ski into snow-clad mountains that were then very remote
by today's standards of accessibility, as there was no road to the Bogongs till
1939-40, when that from Tawonga to Rocky Valley was being formed. The
Rover Scout Chalet on Middle Creek was being erected in February, 1940,
and most of the timber came from Albury along that new road which was then
being bulldozed by a rugged and cheerful character nicknamed "Mad Mick".
On several occasions when visiting the Chalet he obligingly bulldozed the road
to enable our cars to pass to and fro.
The only means of access till then were the snow-pole route between Mt.
Hotham and Glen Wills, and the few cattle tracks, viz., from Freeburgh via
Dungey's track, from Tawonga over Mt. Fainter, by Roper's track and from
Shannonvale to Fitzgerald's Hut. The Middle Creek track to the State Electricity Commission Cottage - now Wilkinson Lodge - was cut in 1932/33, to
enable weekly food supplies to come in on packhorses.
The early visits on ski to the Bogongs by "Wilkie" and his friends obviously
had an element of adventure, and in the event of an accident or in becoming
lost in fog, a serious problem could have occurred, but they were careful to
avoid unnecessary risks.
The Electricity Commission Cottage was designed by Mr. W. E. Gower,
later the Chief Architect for the Commission from 1939 to 1962. In the design
he was guided by engineers who had made yearly visits to the area since 1925
and knew the climatic conditions. It was constructed during the summer of
1932/33 by the late J. S. Holston and Mr. C. Jaasund under the supervision
of Mr. T. Olsen, who took up residence with his wife and son after completion in April, 1933, and remained until November, 1934. The materials
and equipment were sledged or packhorsed from Mt. Hotham by Mr. Geo
Hobbs, of Tawonga.
Mr. Olsen commenced an elaborate hydrological research programme in
December, 1932, in which the aim was to forecast the run-off and check of
stream flow in critical periods and it involved more than simple measurement
of rainfall and snow cover. Mr. A. Rufenacht succeeded him and remained
till August, 1936.
Mr. A. J. Holston had been employed by the Commission for years and
at this stage he occupied Wallace's Hut until a more comfortable hut was built
for him below the cottage, near the aqueduct road line. It was destroyed by
fire in 1941. Mr. Romuld then took charge till early in 1942. In leisure time
he was a keen skier and tennis player and won various Victorian and Australian Ski Championships. He built a tennis court near the Cottage in 1936
and conducted a tournament there in 1939 with 30 entrants. Mr. Stan Trimble
succeeded him and carried on some of the routine work, and lived there with
his wife and two children until the station was closed at the end of 1946.
Page Twelve
WALK
A BRONZE PLAQUE TO HIS MEMORY
-W. F. Waters
A memorably heavy snowfall that winter completely buried the Cottage
until only the top of the chimney was visible. It took two days for the Rover
Scout party at the Chalet to dig out the five feet of snow covering the roof of
the Cottage to avoid a collapse on the Trimble family. It was an extraordinary
sight to look down on the Cottage embedded in its pit of snow.
When "Wilkie" finished skiing he gave me two historically interesting pairs
of ski - an early Kiandra type about 8 ft. long, little upturn of the tips, no
groove and leather toe-loop bindings used by the miners of Glen Wills and
Kiandra in the 60's, and his own pair with pronounced upturn of the tips,
Huitfeldt bindings and Ellefsen heel clips. They are a prized collection in my
home.
On the 22nd May, 1939, "Wilkie" passed away suddenly in Sydney, to the
deep regret of his many friends who knew him as a delightful personality.
Mrs. Wilkinson asked me to scatter his ashes on the Bogong High Plains, and
on a stormy day of falling snow in September, 1939, the ceremony was carried
out by me with Alpine Rover Scouts in the shelter of a cornice in the Rocky
Nob Range. In August, 1947, also with the Alpine Rover Scouts, I unveiled
a bronze plaque to his memory. It is bolted to a rock facing Mt. McKay
about ten yards north-west of a small cairn on a nob mid-way along the range
and overlooking Rocky and Pretty Valleys.
In 1947 the Commission Cottage was purchased by the Ski Club of Victoria for the use of ski tourers, and renamed "The Wilkinson Lodge" in memory
of its former President, and in 1960 it was purchased by the Melbourne Bushwalkers.
(Acknowledgements for some information to Victorian Ski Club Year Books
and to Mr. M. Romuld.)
WALK
Page Thirteen
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Bushwalkers on Skis
-Stan Mizon
EDITORIAL COMMENT: Readers will be struck by the similiarities between this article and
"The Man Called Wilkie" by W. F. Waters. It seems that a full circle has
been drawn in the story of skiing in Australia.
It has long been my belief that the experienced bushwalker makes the best
ski-tourer. This belief is a considered opinion based on some 15 years' experience of bushwalking, skiing and mountaineering. The average bushwalker has
all the important requirements to successfully undertake a ski tour in a selected
party - the ability to carry a weighty pack, navigational sense, and the cheery
disposition to make overnight stops wherever and whenever circumstances dictate. Of course some training in snow and ski craft is necessary, so that the
ability to walk on ski and control a safe, if necessarily slow, descent down a
slope is unaltered, but ski ability rates lowest in my scale of pre-requisites for
a ski tourer. Compared with the average downhill weekend skier one meets
at Mt. Buller or Falls Creek, the average bushwalker with some ski training
is far fitter, better equipped mentally, and more able to cope with the hazardous
situations or adverse weather met on ski tour.
These thoughts ran through my mind last summer when I read the Club's
news sheet furnishing details of Wilkinson Lodge. My interest was immediately
aroused by the location of the Lodge - about five miles south-east of Falls
Creek on the edge of some of the best ski touring country in Victoria, dotted
with huts already known to many M.B.W.'s who have walked in the High Plains
in summer. In my early days of bushwalking I turned to ski touring as a means
of overcoming the hazards and difficulties met by the bushwalker seeking to walk
over snow-covered country, and thus to enjoy in winter some of the advantages obtained from summer bushwalking. An M.B.W. party had attempted to
reach the Lodge in the winter of 1962, but had failed by some miles because
of the adverse snow and weather conditions. This knowledge affirmed my belief
that a selected party of bushwalkers could attain their objective on snow-covered
ground with the assistance of skis and suitable training. So was born the idea
of the first Bushwalkers' winter at Wilkinson Lodge.
Let me make it quite clear that the possession of a pair of skis does not
convert a bushwalker into a ski tourer. Hazards not normally met with in
bushwalking must be expected, and the party members must therefore be suitably
trained and equipped to meet those hazards. Accordingly, for this expedition
the final composition of the group was an amalgam of bushwalking and ski
experience, with a decided bias towards the former. The ski experience of the
group was mixed - ranging from beginners to quite experienced. Last summer
the beginners learnt the rudiments at a "dry" ski school, and early this winter
as many of the group as possible spent their weekends in the snow.
All members were advised to select skis with suitable touring/release bindings - Ramy Securus and Tyrolia Skimeister downhill/touring bindings were
suggested. Those who favoured only the Marker type downhill release bindings found their later touring a little uncomfortable unless they had been able
to obtain the special Marker touring attachment. Ski plush or seal skins were
a compulsory item for all, as an ascent on ski was envisaged over Basalt Hill,
and subsequent trips to Mt. Cope and Mt. Nelse were planned. Only five members of the party owned ski equipment - the rest hired the best equipment
they could afford, rejecting any without release bindings. A "blizzard bivouac"
was provided for by emergency rations, tents, groundsheets and stoves being
carried by the majority of the bushwalkers and pre-selected items of clothing,
suitably protected by plastic wrappings, were positioned on top of every pack
ready to be cached for future portage should the party strength falter, or bad
WALK
Page Fifteen
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Page Sixteen
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WALK
weather conditions warrant it. Clothing could shortly be described as that re·
quired in a cold, wet base camp.
Reference maps used were those from the Bogong Ski Club ( 1959) and
M.B.W. "Bogong High Plains" (1%2) . It was planned to follow the car route,
with the variation that Basalt Hill would be climbed if the strength of the party
was adequate. In fact. the longer, surer route under adverse weather conditions
was taken- around the aqueduct race line from Langford's Gap to Pole 10200
before the turn-off was made to the Lodge.
The party left Falls Creek car park at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday on a beautiful alpine spring morning, after reporting party membership and plans to
the Ski Rescue Centre. All had gigantic packs. The skiers skied, the walkers
walked, while those who had experience of both sampled both mediums, but
finally settled for walking. The surface snow was ankle deep sitting on an old
layer of some feet and softening in the sun. After the first It miles to Rocky
Valley Dam (a silent world of ice and snow) it was evident that advance and rear
WINTER AT WILKINSON LODGE
-S. Mizon
parties were needed as several of the girls were feeling the effects of unaccustomed heavy packs. The advance party reached the Lodge at 4.30 p.m., principally on ski, but two members (one of a mere twenty years' bushwalking experience) elected to cache their packs so as to reach Wilkie before nightfall.
The slower rear party reached Wilkie at 6 p.m., making several caches of clothing and equipment en route as planned. The trip in could be summed up as
a long, hard trek for all - for some, 6-!- hours to cover 6 miles. However, the
objective was reached, and the group was kept intact. The same route was
followed on the return trip a week later, all members used ski exclusively this
time - one party followed the aqueduct route and took 4 hours, the other party
sidled around Basalt Hill then down to Langfords Gap - they took 31- hours.
Directions for use in bad weather are as follows: From Wallace's to Pole
189, 350 deg. along the pole line to Pole 209, then 25 deg. to the road bridge
across the aqueduct at Langford's Gap.
The Lodge was surrounded by about four to five feet of snow. The roof
had thrown clear all snow deposited on the downhill side, but the uphill roof
was covered with several feet of drift snow, so much so that John was photographed later in the week skiing (or falling?) from the roof. The spring had
WALK
Page Seventeen
not frozen. We burnt all the firewood we had collected in the summer - old
fencing posts, etc.-as the fire had to be alight continuously, but the place was
kept at a comfortable temperature. This means, however, that future parties
will have to make sure they do have sufficient fuel.
Day tours only were undertaken as the skiing ability of only a few would
permit safe overnight journeys. The week was spent on the slopes adjacent to
the Lodge (appropriately named Wallaces, Aqueduct and Wilkies Runs), visiting
the Scout and Cope Huts, and generally improving on skiing ability. On Thursday powder snow was falling - beautiful pinhead snow - the kind a skier
dreams about. So a party set forth to visit Mt. Nelse - a round trip of about
15 miles - through lightly falling snow. A snow pole line was followed from
the aqueduct race line running to Langfords Gap, the point of departure being
Pole 7200. After 3! hours an emergency S.E.C. hut was reached at the junction
of the Mt. Hotham and Mt. Bogong snow pole lines. The visibility had reduced
so the party turned off on a bearing of 105 deg. with the idea of locating Fitzgeralds Hut for lunch. Most of the snow poles have disappeared and the country
is liberally covered with trees, so frequent compass checks were necessary. The
hut was reached at 2 p.m. and found to be clear of snow. The hut book indicated that our group had been the only one to visit so far this winter.
The weather conditions caused us to abandon the idea of Mt. Nelse, so
the return to base was made via the gully leading down to the creek at the
rear of the hut, on to the aqueduct race line at Pole 20000, thence along to
the Langfords Gap junction. The Lodge turnoff (Pole 10200) was reached in an
hour from the Gap - the previous Saturday it had taken the group 2! hours.
By Friday, despite the still falling snow, the confidence and skill of the group
had advanced to the stage of an all-out assault on the Scout Hut Run - a long
slope with an uphill runout at its bottom. As the Scouts were not in residence,
this was not disputed and wounded snowgums and "sitzmarks" were the only
evidence of our "instant" ski school.
Much of the food was taken by car to the Lodge in summer, the good kitchen facilities allowed for more variety than the usual walking fare. Jim did
a wonderful job in the planning of this. Words are inadequate to describe
the culinary delights concocted by our cooks - the delectable goulash prepared
by Sue, June's breakfast pancakes, Valda's mocca cake, Margaret's spaghetti.
Bev's apple and peach pies, Stan's curry - all these gems and many more
satisfied our appetites. We ate well and heartily, our hunger stimulated by day
shade temperatures of 30-38 degrees F. and the program of ski tour activities.
The return ski trip was uneventful and the trip was concluded with a day
at Falls Creek. There, the isolation of the slopes around Wilkie was further
highlighted as people poured from the top of the tows and as busy as ants,
flocked around the bottom slopes. Ski touring seems to offer far more than a
pull up a slope and a descent with the multitude, then on for a repeat serve.
May I sum up the success of this venture by saying that the bushwalking
members of this trip are already planning a return to Wilkinson Lodge next
winter!
*
IN WET CONDITIONS most boots, no matter how well proofed, will
eventually leak. To keep your feet dry wear a plastic bag between your
two pairs of sox. There is a chance that your feet will perspire and get
wet this way, but if this idea is adopted in camp then it will certainly work.
Page Eighteen
WALK
The Bush - My Bathroom
-G. Errey.
I ':Day have had other baths in the bush. before the one on the Kosi. trip,
but this, as best I can remember, was my first. I remember it because it was
also the coldest. That morning we had left Dead Horse Gap, ascended the
Ramshead Range to clim~ 1\;lt. Kosciusko and then down the road to camp
at Charlotte Pass. After pitchmg the tent, towel and soap in hand, I made my
way to a hole in the roadside fed by a water run-off. A full-scale bath was out
of the question, so I decided to wash my legs by placing one then the other
in my improvised hip bath. My right leg took the plunge first-five seconds
later I was tingling from toes to thigh, ten seconds later there was no feeling
at all. No doubt the water, not many hours before, had been snow resting on
the surrounding mountains. Needless to say the rest of my ablutions were a
hurried affair.
A TASMANIAN BATHROOM
-V.G.
Near the end of the same trip I had a somewhat more civilised bath.
The hut we had arrived at possessed a tub which obviously was used as a
drinking trough for cattlemen's horses. A kerosene tin was found, water heated
in it over the fireplace and each member of the party in turn enjoyed the bath
as they rubbed and scrubbed off several days' accumulated dirt.
While writing of cold baths an incident comes to mind of a happening
on a recent trip in the Cathedrals. The day had been a hot one and the descent
from the Cathedral Mt. a trying affair. When we reached the bridge, our pick-up
point, it only took a short while for the first group to slip into the water to
cool off. One person, for some reason, took to the water clad in what one
could best describe as a big smile. All was well-the cool water soothed tired
feet and limbs. Presently a small female group appeared, having taken the
descent at a more leisurely pace; the first group had all finished their bathswith the exception of our smile-clad friend. Hiding under the bridge was his
only escape until the girls had left. But the girls, not realizing the situation,
continued to approach alarmingly close. Eventually they sized up the situation
and left to bathe further downstream. We then managed to retrieve a slightly
chilled and bluish body from under the bridge. Yes, mountain streams can
be cold!
WALK
Page Nineteen
Tarli Karng is the bushwalkers' bath supreme. If approaching the lake
from the south one crosses the Wellington River so many times that one loses
count, but if the weather is good the river crossings are very pleasant. There
is then the long slow drag up Riggall's Spur where, at the top, the first
view of the lake can be seen far below. On reaching the lake one can realize
that here is peace indeed, with the surrounding mountains sheltering it from
the outside world. In these deep waters live a species of trout different from
all others. How did they get there? Who knows? In the late afternoon when
the shadows are growing long, they swim close to the surface to make a meal
of the unwary insect should it alight on the water. I think one could return
to this lovely spot time and time again and never tire of its peacefulness.
My bathroom has seen history too. So many of Victoria's rivers have seen
the hordes of gold-hungry men wheeling barrows, riding horses, or on foot,
panning and sluicing for the precious metal. It needs little imagination as you
walk in the Buckland Valley to picture the thousands of miners who once
lived there or the tragic race riots between the white and the hard-working
Chinese in the 1850's. These rivers have seen towns spring up overnight and as
gold became scarce, and the inhabitants left for other places, seen those towns
die.
The Yarra is often nearby when we walk in the eastern hill country and
I remember a pleasant swim in that river at Yarra Glen one summer after a
walk in the surrounding hills. At Warrandyte, the Yarra, unlike the polluted
waterway so many city folk see, is still fresh from the Warburton Ranges and
here is a pleasant spot to bathe on a hot day. The Lerderderg is another popular
river, fast flowing in winter, a series of water holes in summer, it is hard to
imagine, as we swim in our favorite pool, that many thousands of years ago
this river carved the gorge which now bears the Lerderdergs' name.
Not all baths are planned-every walker can tell of that day or days when
he walked in the rain for hours-looking towards the grey wet sky above
hoping for that clear blue patch to show. One Christmas trip was notable for
its hot days but, almost without fail, the sky would open up for half an hour
late in the afternoon to be followed by a cool mild evening when the smoke
rose from the campfires, straight up to the starry sky.
One could write on and on, about the enjoyable bathing places to be
found on our ramblings, for there are so many that one visits it is hard to
remember them all. Whether it be the Wonnangatta or Werribee River, the
Barwon or the Buchan, can there be a greater pleasure than to dip your tired
feet or body into a cold stream and let the water soothe away the ache of a
day's walk.
Maybe one day when I have sampled for myself the waters of all those
places of which I hear so much, I will be able to say the bush is indeed-my
bathroom.
*
IN THE OTWAY RANGES the narrow gauge Weeaproinah Railway was
closed in June, 1962, thus adding another abandoned railway track to Victoria's
list. The National Trust were given a year to consider plans for its preservation,
but they unfortunately cannot manage to support it, so it seems that it will be
dismantled. There is the thought that it would make a good walking track.
Page Twenty
WALK
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WALK
Page Twenty-one
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Page Twenty-two
WALK
Ngrung a Narguna
-F.C.
403 acres of land in the Mitchell Valley in East Gippsland previously owned
by a large paper-making organisation has recently been presented to the State
Government for declaration as a National Park.
The most interesting feature of the area is a chasm in the depths of which
lies a world belonging geologically to a bygone age. The vegetation found there
is normally seen in sub-tropical forests of Northern New South Wales and
Queensland, and is certainly found nowhere else in the State of Victoria.
I'm talking, of course, about Ngrung a Narguna ... or, if you're an English-speaking native, the "Den of the Nargun".
DEN OF NARGUN
-A. Whyte
Alfred Howitt, explorer and police magistrate, discovered an enchanting
creek (known by the most unenchanting names of either "Dead-Cock" or "Woolshed") about 90 years ago, in company with two aborigines - Bungil Bottle
and Turnmile, while on a canoe trip via the Mitchell River from Tabberabbera.
About a mile from the mouth of this creek they came across a cave which
Bungil Bottle believed was the home of the Nargun - the "ngrung a narguna"
as he called it. This was a mythical creature composed of stone except for
breast and arms. It inhabited caves, especially those of the Mitchell Valley,
to which it dragged off unwary passers-by. It was also able to turn back a
spear or a bullet and thus wound its attacker. There's an interesting account
of Howitt's discovery in "The Educational Magazine" of June, 1954.
However, I, in company with three other Club members, visited the area
in early January of this year, and this is an account of our journey.
We left Melbourne after work one Friday night and arrived at the "car
park" near the den at about 2 a.m. the following morning. We had no trouble
in finding the way in the dark as the area has been well signposted by the
Bairnsdale Shire Council. It didn't take me long to pitch a tent, crawl inside
and fall asleep, even though on a downhill slope! Well after sunrise we awoke
W A LK
Page Twenty-three
and ate an unhurried breakfast, shouldered packs and set off to find a campsite closer to Deadcock Creek.
The beginning of the track, after passing the Rosevale Hut, was a little
obscure, but we eventually found and followed it for a mile or so, first through
dense tea-tree scrub, then on to higher ground and open eucalypt forest. Suddenly we found ourselves on the brink of a sheer drop of some hundred feet
and realized we were looking out over the cliffs of Deadcock Creek, and there
was the Mitchell winding away to our right.
Swinging right, the fairly well trodden track led down a rather steep slope.
At the bottom we found a tiny campsite just big enough to accommodate our
four tents. It was almost at the junction of the creek with the river - so no
need to worry about water.
Now we could take our cameras and begin exploring. The Nargun's Den
is about a half-mile upstream and is the second of two "shelf-and-cavern" formations.
The first of these formations, a short distance from our campsite, would be
ideal for an open-air theatre. The creek runs on two levels here with a dramatic
30-40 foot drop between them. It is quite easy to walk behind the small but
rather forceful waterfall tumbling from the overhanging ledge, which stretches
on each side to the warmly tinted rose-coloured cliffs rising from the lower
level of the creek, forming the "wings" of this natural arena or "stage". The
ground here is of solid rock and in front of the waterfall there's a large, clear
pool some three to four feet deep. It made a perfect "Roman" type bath for
me next morning when I found I wasn't brave enough to face a shower from
the no-doubt exhilarating, but none-the-less freezing pelting under the waterfall.
From this pool the water trickles quietly away across the expanse of rock
floor, over a small drop and out to the river. It is here, on the far side of my
outdoor theatre-cum-bathroom in an open cave, that members of the F.N.C.V.
have thoughtfully placed a visitors' book on a large rock, as people have already
seen fit to deface the cave wall by carving their initials thereon.
To visit the Nargun's Den we continued past this cavern and up a very
steep wallaby track which leads sharply back, over the roof of the cavern to
the upper level of the creek. Then it's a simple matter to follow the creek bed
until the second cave- the Nargun's Den, is reached.
We stopped many times along the way to take photos of ancient gnarled
old Kanooka trees twisted in fairytale shapes, with bright green ferns growing
along their limbs and lacey curtains of green, but strangely dry, moss hanging
from them.
There are Lilly-pillies, Pittosporum and Blackwood trees festooned with
twisting vines of the "Tarzan" variety, and many other strange plants to wonder
at. The foliage above was so dense I hardly noticed the narrowness of the
gorge and the cliffs rising more than 300 feet above our heads. The hot summer
sun filtered softly through the hanging mosses - we could hear the drone of
flies above our heads somewhere, but were strangely not troubled by any.
Most of the way we clambered over and around great blocks of stone,
the creek preferring to disappear underground and water only appearing in the
form of lovely pools here and there. One I particularly liked seemed to be
a faint pearly-blue colour. All were still and clear, and very photogenic.
But now the sound of falling water could be heard, and as we climbed up
a gentle rise, there was our goal - perfectly reflected in a large, dark pool,
right in front of us.
Here again is a rock ledge forming the roof of the cavern and stretching
from side to side of the gorge at a height of some 20 to 30 feet. The focal point
of this remarkable picture is a large stalactite mass partly screening the cave
Page Twenty-four
WALK
and extending from the roof to the floor.
skirt the pool and enter the cave.
We found it was quite simple to
Looking at the roof only a couple of feet above our heads, we could see
hundreds of tiny stalactites and the floor of the cave is covered with correspondingly tiny stalagmites growing up from years of steady drips from above.
One or two are even now well over a foot high and several inches through at
the base. We took flashlight pictures of the cave side of the stalactite mass
and discovered in the strange formations what looked like the figure of a tiny
king seated on his throne.
Later back at our campsite we whiled away a pleasant evening around a
campfire and after more exploring along the Mitchell River next morning we
headed back to Melbourne satisfied that our long journey had been well worth
the trouble.
I hope my description will encourage you to visit this strange and lovely
little piece of Victoria one day, too - but note - a tender young maiden
should be taken as a peace offering in case the Nargun happens to be at home
when you call. Fortunately for me, the day we called, he wasn't.
Directions for reaching Deadcock Creek:
From Melbourne to Sale, 139 miles; Sale to Stratford, 11 miles; Stratford
to Fernbank turnoff, 13 (turn left off Highway here); Turnoff through Fernbank to Dargo Rd. Junction, St miles (Fingerboard corner); Junction to Wallers
Road (over Stoney Creek & Iguana Creek) , 6t miles (turn left along Dargo
Rd.); Wallers Rd. to junction with Friday Creek Road, 1 mile (right turn into
Friday Creek Road); Total, 179t miles.
Now see map for remainder of journey from here.
WALK
"car park" is about 2 miles
Page Twenty-five
New Map Issues
3. YEA
4. TALLAROOK
1. MONBULK
2. RINGWOOD
5. LONGWOOD
6. NAGAMBIE
Scale: 1 to 50,000
Military Maps
As foreshadowed in the mapping news of WALK, 1962, a number of
Military maps of Victoria produced at the now-conventional scale of 1 : 50,000
have become available during the past year. 3 and 4, 5 and 6 are "scale
conversions" of existing standard one-mile military maps Tallarook and
Nagambie respectively. I and 2 replace the old Ringwood one-mile military
map and are compiled from one-inch-to-ten-chains maps of the Lands and
Survey Department.
Date compiled: I & 2 3, 4, 5 & 6 -
1958.
1961.
7. NAGAMBIE
Military Map.
Scale: 1 to 100,000
This is a new scale but the map covers the same area as two one-mile
military maps sheets. However, the scale is probably too small for effective
use in walking.
Date Compiled: 1961.
9. PRINCETOWN.
8. BEECH FOREST.
Dept. of Lands & Survey.
10. PORT CAMPBELL
1 mile to 2 inches. i.e. 1 : 31,680
Multi-coloured contoured maps in quarter sheets - A, B, C & D for 8
and 9, B for 10. This makes it possible to get a more up-to-date cover of the
Otway Ranges where previously the only maps available were road maps or
dyelines. This should fill a long-felt need.
Date compiled: 1957.
11.
MT. COLE FOREST
Forests Commission.
2 miles to 1 inch.
This is essentially a tourist map of this area near Beaufort but walking tracks
are also marked so it could be of use to walkers.
Date compiled: 1962.
12. MT. BRIDE AREA
Boy Scouts' Association.
1 mile to 1 inch.
This is a coloured map with 50 foot contours, covering about the same area
as Melbourne Bushwalkers "Warburton - Powelltown Area". Certainly a handy
little map to have for walking in this beautiful forest area - and only 2/ -!
Date compiled: 1963.
Page
Twenty-siJ~
WALK
13. UPPER COTTER
14. CABRAMURRA
15. TANTANGARA
Hi. TOOMA
17. EUCUMBENE
18. INDI
19. NIMMO
:ZO. GEEHI
:zt. JINDABYNE
Snowy Mountains Authority.
1 mile to 1 inch.
These multi-coloured, contoured maps are the result of activity in
the Snowy Scheme-maps are being produced at a great rate. There is also
available a general map of the area at a scale of 4 miles to 1 inch.
Date compiled: 1961-1962.
:Z:Z. TASMANIA-WEDGE & OLGA
Tas. Lands & Survey.
1 mile to 1 inch.
These maps are contoured and cover the area - Mt. Anne in the east to
Elliott Bay in the west, and Maydena in the north to Lake Pedder and the
Franklin Range in the south. Copies may be ordered through the Hobart Walking Club, G.P.O. Box 753H, Hobart, at the cost of 5/- each, plus postage.
Date compiled: 1958.
WHERE TO PURCHASE:
Military Maps: John Donne, 372 Post Office Place, Melbourne.
Auski, Hardware St., Melbourne.
Hartley's, 270 Flinders St., Melbourne.
Dept. of Lands & Survey: Central Plans Office, Treasury Place, Melbourne.
Forests Commission: 453 Latrobe St., Melbourne.
Boy Scouts' Association: 384 Elizabeth St., Melbourne.
Snowy Mountains Authority: 143 Queen St., Melbourne.
···············-------------···········------------·
JOHN DONNE & SON
CHART HOUSE
372 POST OFFICE PLACE MELBOURNE
for
MAPS, COMPASSES AND BOOKS
For the Walker
Included in our Range are:
e
TRANSPARENT PLASTIC FOLDERS, suitable for Map Cases,
10/-
e
PEDOMETERS 87/3.
~--·················································
WALK
Page Twenty-seven
Barmah Forest
-A.B. & P.v.d.D.
"Barrnah" is the aboriginal word for "Meeting Place". The Barmah State
Forest is situated on the south bank of the Murray River, twenty miles east
of Echuca. It is an area of 7600 acres of river flats covered by its natural
vegetation of river red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis). Grasses form the
main part of the sparse undergrowth of this open forest. The successful growth
of river red gum depends on the area's being flooded every few years, but
as well as this there are some areas of more or less permanent swamp where
the trees have died. On the Queen's Birthday weekend in June we had our
first club trip to this area.
We left the city at about 7 p.m. on the Friday evening and reached
Nathalia, a small town about sixteen miles south of the Murray at 11 p.m.
Light rain was falling when we arrived, so we were glad to find shelter at
the Showgrounds. Here we had a choice of accommodation - a beer pavilion,
poultry sheds or stock yards.
Next morning we passed through the township of Barmah East and entered
the forest at Barmah, a distance of eighteen miles from Nathalia. The van
followed the Moira Lakes Track to Rice's Weir then continued north along
Sandridge Track. This is one of the only two tracks in the forest that are
trafficable in wet conditions, the other is further east - the Gulf Track. We
alighted from the van at the point where Bunyip Track joins Sandridge Track
and continued along the track, stopping for lunch about two miles further on
near the dry bed at Little Budgee Creek. Shortly afterwards we left the
track as it turned slightly westwards and headed for Thistle Bed. On the
way we saw a few brumbies which disappeared on seeing us. We joined
the track again and followed it for about a mile to the Thistle Bed huts which
are situated on the river bank. These two huts belong to the Forests Commission - they are in good condition and would provide adequate shelter in
bad weather. They have rainwater tanks, washing troughs and even a squeaky
old bed.
On Sunday morning we rose at daybreak hoping to see some wildlife. We
split up into small parties to avoid making too much noise, but Felix was
the only one lucky enough to see some kangaroos. However, there was plenty
of bird life on the river and we spent some time watching black swans swimming or taking off· into the air by paddling the water with their feet. After
breakfast we went upstream, passing Canalla and Campbell's Landings which
were used by the paddle steamers in the old days, to Punt Paddock Lagoon a distance of five and a half miles. Here there is another Forests Commission hut, this one is very rough and draughty, and has no floor. The only other
hut in this area is at Sandspit Creek, still further upstream, but we did not
visit this. On the way to Punt Paddock Lagoon we saw many beautiful fungi
and our photographers were kept busy. We did not keep to the track on the
way back to Thistle Bed, as navigation is relatively easy in the open forest.
After an early tea we sang around the campfire and were entertained by Felix
playing the flute.
We were away by 8.30 a.m. on Monday intending to follow a track shown
on the map as passing through Boal's Deadwood Swamp. This we were unable
to find, so we followed the line of live trees which denoted higher ground, in
a south-easterly direction until the dry area ended and wet feet became inevitable. Continuing south we crossed a couple of swamp areas. Further on in
the drier regions we saw several red-bellied black snakes, one of which was
about five and half feet long - this was greeted like a long-lost pal by Jack.
We crossed what appeared to be a man-made watercourse, but it was probably a widened Smith's Creek. To cross this it was necessary to balance on
the thin tree trunks laid across by the gentlemen bushwalkers - or slip in the
Page Twenty-eight
WALK
mud with water up to our thighs. After some time we crossed Bunyip Track
and met the van at the beginning of Corry's Mill Road, about a mile down
from Corry's Old Mill. Unfortunately, the van became bogged while turning
in the narrow road and we were stuck until Mr. Corry himself came and
pulled it out with his tractor. After this, it was an uneventful trip home.
This beautiful area of forest is suitable for walking in any season except
summer when there are hundreds of snakes, and water would become a problem away from the river. In winter the trees provide a certain amount of
protection from rough weather and the huts can be used for sleeping provided
that permission is obtained from the District Forest Officer at Nathalia. It
IN THE BARMAH FOREST
-Courtesy N.R.C.L.
is also advisable to contact him for information regarding drinking water, condition of the roads, areas of any flooding being carried out by the Forests
Commission and any use of rabbit poison. The areas laid with 1080 poison
are clearly marked, so don't drop your chewing gum and pick it up again.
The area provides pleasant and easy walking and although the country is flat,
the scenery is not monotonous. The diverse colours and shapes of the red
gums interspersed with patches of grey dead gums and the rushes of the swamps
give the forest a unique beauty.
The map we used is "Barmah Forest", issued by the Forests Commission
of Victoria; scale 1 inch to 1 mile.
WALK
Page Twenty-nine
Hut Building
-A HisToRY
-Athol Schafer.
After a slog along the muddy tracks or a push through a range of soaking
scrub there is nothing like a snug hut with a cheery hearth to right things
at the end of a hard day. Bushwalkers often seek shelter in all sorts of bush
dwellings. Not many are permanently occupied and it is really a case of bad
luck to find a hut full up with other parties-a situation which is only likely
to occur on the more popular walking routes.
Nowadays the people whose business takes them into the bush are well
served with access roads and there are not many of them who call their huts
and shacks "home". Yet access has not always been so easy. The halfforgotten buildings found in the bush, standing or in ruin, humpy or home·
stead, were often the scene of great activities m the past. A glance at the
history of rural settlement may show why and when these buildings were
erected.
Our story starts with the arrival of the First Fleet-1788. Over the
millenia the nearest thing to a building structure achieved by the aborigines
was the gunyah, humpy or mia-mia, these bemg rough shelters of bark and
bough, and often little more than a wind-break. Then England set up a penal
colony on the eastern coast of the continent at Port Jackson.
The tools brought by the convicts to cut themselves timber for shelter
soon blunted on the native hardwoods. Other materials were sought and
had to be literally torn from the earth-clay, turf, grass, rocks. The first
huts were tent-shaped frameworks of wattle boughs, plastered with a mixture
of loam and wiry grass, the roof thatched with reeds or long grass, the fireplace
and chimney a misshapen pile of turf lined with stones. To brighten the
appearance the walls were given a coat of whitewash.
The governing class had some elegant and substantial buildings erected,
but the majority of the population, whether convict, emancipist or free settler
lived in homes barely more pretentious than the one described above. The
settler's "first house was of wattle and daub, his second pise (rammed earth),
his third of bark sheets, his fourth a log cabin, his fifth of axed slabs." Thus
writes Robin Boyd in his book "Australia's Home", where he traces the long
road of development of the early hut into the cream brick veneers of today's
suburbia. However, we are interested here to see how the hut that stayed
in the bush fared over the years.
An observant traveller has no need to venture far off the roads to find
examples of primitive bush architecture and methods.
A couple of years
ago in the Bairnsdale area, a party of Melbourne Bushwalkers returning on a
main road noted a house which appeared to be tenanted and roofed partly
with bark! A wander through the Eltham hills may bring one to some
enthusiast's attempt to build "a cabin of clay and wattles made". It was the
use of the Acacia sticks which earned that species of tree the popular name of
''wattles".
Log cabins and bark-roofed slab huts should be familiar to any
walker who has completed a few trips in the mountainous region of north-east
Victoria.
When the early explorers breached the Blue Mountains the gates of the
Pastoral Era were opened to the waiting plains beyond. The order of the
day was first there, first share; so the main requirement was speed, for any
delay in occupying a run would result in its being "jumped" by other landhungry pastoralists. Communications being stretched over vast distances, no
time or expense could be spared in carting materials, so it was often the
tomahawk stuck in the belt of the rider which was the only tool available in
Page Thirty
W A L K
the shaping of the first huts in the new lands. later the bullock and horse
drays would move in with stores, bringing the saws, adzes and axes with which
to buil~ the first ho~esteads. Some of these early adzed slab buildings still
stand m good condttwn, but most were replaced by fine mansions as the
squatters became more prosperous and the laws relating to land tenure altered
in their favour.
Mention must be made of the shepherd's hut. This was a box long
enough to sleep in and small enough to be trundled about from past~re to
pasture by , the lonely man,. who was usually an assigned convict, as he followed
hts master s flocks, guardmg them from wild dogs and hungry blacks dispossessed of their tribal lands. At night the sheep would be herded into a
temporary fold of portable hurdles. When the idea of fencing pastures swept
the country new economies could be effected and the shepherd disappeared
from the scene. In his place came the boundary rider keeping the fences in
BUSH ARCHITECTURE
-D . Sullivan
repair, and based in comfortable huts. In the high foothills of Eastern Australia
huts were built to be temporarily occupied during lambing and shearing, and
some are still used today despite the advent of four-wheel drive motor vehicles
which easily negotiate the steep grades. A walk over the open, undulating
hills will often bring one to these huts, or an old site usually marked by a
planted windbreak grown to a line of tall pines.
The gold rush quickly filled the country with canvas towns"The little homes of calico
That dotted all the scene,"
for the diggers had little time and capital for building. However, where the
gold showed any sign of persistence a certain amount of permanent building
would appear such as banks, hotels, post-offices as well as miners' cottages,
and during this period many new names of villages and towns appeared on
the maps, some of them developing into prosperous provincial centres like
Ballarat and Bendigo in Victoria. When the gold eventually gave out in these
areas, and if there were no other economic development to hold the population,
they soon became "ghost towns" disappearing into the bush again. In the
Central Highlands of Victoria, north-west of Melbourne, the gold towns were
often constructed with the local stone and thus have resisted the ravages of
the fires. By the blue-stone walls of the larger ruins one may trace the
outlines of the miners' cribs, some of them barely large enough to fit a bunk
in. One of these small huts or humpies was found a couple of years ago in
WALK
Page Thirty-one
the Heathcote district, still standing and housing an ornate brass bedstead
which filled about ninety per cent. of the interior!
Mining huts of later periods perhaps reflect the better conditions demanded
by organised labour. The well-built and comfortable hut south of the Grey
Mare Bogong in the Kosciusco State Park could well suggest this, the mine
nearby being last operated earlier this century. Miners trudging across the
Bogong High Plains would stay overnight at a hut built by the government
on the lower slopes of Mt. Cope.
When the alluvial gold gave out the miners looked around for other
occupations. The idea of farming appealed to these independently minded
men who were used to country life. As a growmg political force, the ex-diggers
succeeded in wresting from the squatocracy reform measures "unlocking" the
big estates. But they were not completely successful and many an inexperienced
selector found himself on an unsuitable block of land, sometimes in remote
hill country far from transport and markets, often in areas of infertile soil
or low rainfall. This, plus fire, drought and depressiOn, hastened the end of many
a fatming career and so the "drift to the city" swelled as they looked for
better livelihoods.
An old farmhouse blocked by blackberries or a half-hidden hearthstone
is all that survives of many of the selections. The clearing that was so painstakingly won from forest will be found to be covered in bracken. In the more
fertile areas many more have been re-incorporated into larger holdings and
the old buildings turned into store sheds.
The selector would be a married man rather than the miner who was
probably an immigrant and single. Therefore, when he built his dwelling he
would add a few refinements to the plan which otherwise differed little from
the layout of the primitive bush hut. This invariably had the doorway next
to the fireplace for convenience to water and firewood while the bunks were
nailed up in the far corners-thus the sleeping quarters. The selector generally
made his plan longer and shifted the door to the centre of one of the long
walls, adding a couple of glazed windows. The bunks would be partitioned
off forming a bedroom, a skillion added to the back for a kitchen, and a
verandah in front. A wooden floor instead of clay, the inside of the weatherboards lined with hession on which newspapers and magazines would be
pasted as wallpaper. The roof would be of galvanised iron.
The frontierswoman toiled at her household duties
"In some slab-built, zinc-roofed homestead
on some lately taken run"
The slab constructed house had the drawback of large cracks between the
boards which were sometimes sealed with clay. Henry Lawson put his "Drover's
Wife" in such a building where the wind blew through the cracks which also
harboured a dangerous snake.
The type of hut bushwalkers are most familiar with is surely that of the
cattlemen of the high country. Strong and sturdy, designed to withstand the
pressures of wind and winter's snow, and yet comfortable. Tiny, yet it is
surprising the number of people who can cram in snugly to cook and sleep
during a bad spell of weather.
In the wooded valleys the log cabin is the favourite mode of construction.
An example which comes readily to mind is the Pretty Plains hut in the
Kosciusco State Park. At higher altitudes there may be only the twisted
snowgum available close at hand, and though some of the straighter boles
can be used as uprights most of the timber may have to be brought up from
the valleys below, so the slab panel mode of construction is the rule.
Page Thirty-two
WALK
. A famous hut is Wallaces near Rocky Valley on the Bogong High Plains;
thts has stood for well over 70 years. There are older huts on the Plainsthe ~ld Tawai_tga ~ut is one-but this is now derelict. Some time ago a
walkt~?-g party mvestigated the flattened ruins of Young's Hut and saw names
of skters who had sheltered there during the twenties and thirties charcoaled
on the old tim~ers. These huts were used by the stockmen mustering before
the autumn blizzards. Through the long wmter months the huts remained
empty save for occasional cattle duffers and bushrangers "lying low".
In later years, due to new policies towards erosion, summer pasturing has
been restricted or banned in some of the alpine areas. Thus the Soil Con·
servation Hut above the Snowy River not far from Mt. Kosciusco is perhaps
a symbol, in its contemporary style, of the new outlook, but unfortunately
some of the older cattlemen's huts are becoming more and more derelict.
TOURIST HUT -
TASMANIA
-A. Schafer
Even from the earliest days timber and forestry workers seemed to favour
a temporary kind of shelter. Splitters and sawyers from the Penal Colony
who were working deep in the bush built huts of split slabs or of bark sheets
stripped from the trees during spring or early summer. Who hasn't been in
an area without a Splitter's or a Sawyer's Creek? Today, because of the
temporary nature of huts erected by timber interests, which are left to rot
after the stands have been cut out, the expenses incurred in the building are
allowable as tax deductions.
Both the Forests Commission and the Country Roads Board have a
wonderful variety of huts, both permanent and movable, including the famous
pre-fabricated "Masonite" cabins. Unfortunately, the buildings of the latter
body, being by public roads, are much subject to vandalism. One C.R.B. hut
famous with walkers is the Diamentina Shelter just below Mt. Hotham.
Australia has been described as a "dry continent", so various water
utilization schemes have been put into operation to ensure continuous development of industry and agriculture. It is the south-east mountainous cor~er
which is the scene of the more ambitious schemes-mainly the Snowy Mountams
Authority in N.S.W. and Kiewa Scheme in Victoria, both depending largely
WAlK
Page Thirty-three
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on the storage and melting of winter snows. Thus a later phase of hut building
was inaugurated by these construction authoritie& in alpine areas previously the
domain of the cattlemen and the miners. The surveyors of the schemes often
had to live through the long wintry months close to their work, so their field
quarters were well equipped with such home comforts as rubber mattresses
and showers. One of the first buildings of this type on the Bogong High
plains was the S.E.C. Cottage (now known as the Wilkinson Memorial Lodge),
which was fitted with a hot water service and other indoor plumbing.
But now, with the completion of the schemes, the huts stand empty, as
are the iron cylinders which once supplied the gas needed to heat the showers.
The sprawling construction camps, once filled with a multitude of polyglot
workers, have been gradually replaced by a new phenomenon-the Alpine Ski
Village-a development which is still in its beginning in this country. When
developed by commercial interests all the amenities and luxuries of the Affluent
Society can be had for the paying, while the voluntary efforts of many small
groups and clubs have provided comfortable accommodation for the more
humble. In N.S.W. the Snowy Mountains area has been exploited mainly by
commercial interests while in Victoria the field has been left mainly to the
clubs. If the construction authorities had not left their access roads open
it is doubtful whether the villages would have ever been built.
Carefree and contemporary would describe the design of many of the
new buildings, the log cabin tradition almost forgotten. But still the sawmills
in the valleys below send up the boards cut from the same species of trees
as those chosen by the early settlers, though used in architectural designs far
from their wildest dreams. Some buildings have an anteroom left open to
shelter travellers caught out in rough weather. Seaman's Hut, Mt. Kosciusco
and Cleve Cole Hut, Mt. Bogong, were specificially erected as shelter huts
in memory of victims of the harsh alpine climate.
Lastly, and perhaps of greatest interest to walkers, are the huts built
for their comfort and shelter. Tasmania is a state which caters for walkers.
In the Cradle Mt.-Lake St. Clair Reserve a chain of huts, the material for
some of them each being cut from a single tree, are spaced at various stages
along the sixty mile track. At the northern end is "Waldheim". The creator
of the chalet, Gustav Weindorfer, gave it the charm of old Swiss rusticity
when he built it. In Victoria, stretching across the Baw Baw Plateau was a
chain of huts maintained by the government for pack-horse tourist parties.
However, these huts have been lost in bushfires and not replaced. Another
famous horse route was the one from Harrietville up which the skiers would
trudge to the Mt. Hotham Chalet in pre-snowplough days. The half-way BonAccord hut is still in a good state of preservation. No doubt, because it is
well off the beaten track and so escapes the attention of vandals. In the eastern
States there are a few huts which are either owned or maintained by walking
and scouting groups.
As a summary here is a list of the various movements which have left their
mark on hut building styles: Penal, Pastoral, Gold Rush, Selecting, Mining,
Timber, Construction, Tourist.
*
"How much better has been all this than lounging in too much comfort
at home?"
(From the diary of Robt. Falcon Scott.)
Pe~ge
Thirty-six
WALK
That Well Known Spot
-
Dougo
-R. Weeks
When the
After
When the
Then
Christmas trips are over and everyone is back,
all the strenuous walking in the days upon the track,
Busbies are relaxing and the days are mighty hot,
it's up the Lerderderg River to that well-known spot.
The big van leaves the city a few minutes after nine,
The city dwellers stay there - but their choice isn't mine.
With food, tent and sleeping bag and billy quart pot,
I'm off to Lerderderg River to that well-known spot.
With accompaniment of singing
Jumping down from off the
Introductions are soon over and
For it's three miles up the
we see the Bushy horde
van right at the Darley Ford.
we're off with lazy trot,
Lerderderg to that well-known spot.
So we're off now on the walk that we've waited for all week,
Some are walking on the bank and others in the creek,
Till in the shade of gum trees each selects his little plot,
On the banks of Lerderderg River at that well-known spot.
Then all into the river where the water's beaut and cool,
We have our Lilo Derby the full length of the pool.
We are swimming, sunning, eating, for the morrow we care not,
While singing round the campfire at that well-known spot.
Then in the wee, small hours, we lie down with a sigh
And curl up in our sleeping bags beneath the starry sky.
City folk can live their way - I'll not share in their lot,
I'd rather be up Lerderderg at that well-known spot.
WALK
Page Thirty-seven
Mountain Muster
*
On the HOWITT PLAINS they have built a substantial airstrip-no one
seems to know quite what for. It is situated 1 to 2 miles north-west of the
Howitt Hut and is in the form of a T, the vertical part running N.-S. and the
crosspiece E.-W. At Easter 1963 the E.-W. runway has only been roughly
ploughed. These runways are between t and t mile long. Perhaps it's a
new top secret jetport?
The MARCH OF THE JEEP TRACK continues! That reported in
WALK 1963 as going along the Crooked River as far as Wombat has now
been continued. Over Wombat Spur, along the Wonnangatta River up the
Dry River and the spur to Howitt Plains. This provides the link with the
tracks already existing on these plains.
Another point of interest in this area is a NEW HUT (unlocked) which
has been built about one mile north-west of the existing Howitt Hut.
It was reported in WALK 1962 that the BON ACCORD TRACK to
Mt. Feathertop was in poor condition. This year members of Y.H.A. spent
two weekends on it and the major part of the track (except for a small section
around Bon Accord Hill) is now in fair to excellent order. Bright Shire
Council have been asked to clear the blackberries from the river crossing.
In the same area, FEATHERTOP HUT is looking rather sad. The
chimney is non-existent now, and the window is broken. Recent parties have
also made inroads into the wooden ceiling to light fires. The Hut is controlled
by the Harrietville Progress Association; they say they are prepared to do
some work on it but find difficulty in transporting materials.
The base of the BLUE RANGE has been opened up for good walking
both in winter and summer by the appearance of a new ridge line jeep track
from the Royston Gap road on Echo Flat near Lake Mountain to Sugarloaf
saddle in the Cathedral Range. For winter walks Keppel's hut is in good
condition as an emergency shelter. This area is excellent for anyone wishing
to gain snowcraft experience. This club has track notes available.
FROM TASMANIA comes a plea to all walkers in the Cradle Mt.-Lake
St. Clair Reserve. They ask that you do not "create an unauthorized track"
in the Park. It seems that various parties have blazed routes which are often
poorly sited and later lead to a maze of revisions which often peter out in
thick scrub. These efforts, while probably well-intended, create confusion
and safety problems. So whilst they welcome help they ask that you only
do so after having sought permission and explained your intentions. It is
also pointed out that in some areas it is intended not to provide tracks so as
to preserve the essential wilderness character of the area.
Also from Tasmania comes the news that the HOMESTEAD AT GORDONVALE is no longer under the control of the Hobart and Launceston Walking
Clubs. Permission to use should now be obtained from Mr. S. Richardson,
Sandford, Tasmania.
Page Thirly·eight
WALK
THE FIREWATCH TOWER at the East Pinnacles, overlooking Wonnangatta valley, is at ground level but still commands a 360° view-do you know
of any others like this?
The lovely HOWQUA RIVER is now more accessible to visitors with the
improvement of the road into Frys, and the construction of a bridge about a
mile upstream from Frys. Whilst this is good for the motoring fraternity,
there are many walkers who will sigh for the old days when this lovely spot
was only accessible by foot and horse.
The club ran an exploratory walk in the TOORONGO RIVER AREA
(north-east of Noojee) recently, with the idea of finding suitable walks. One
of the things we did discover was the thickness of the bush away from the
tracks-mostly very wild and woolly bracken. THE FALLS on this river
are well worth a visit though.
TALKING OF THICK SCRUB, we also took a trip along the ridge on
the eastern side of the LERDERDERG RIVER; here we had to push through
miles of thick prickly bushes-perhaps the trackclearers might feel like doing
a spot of clearing here. The walk is an attractive one apart from the effort
of the scrub bashing.
The Ranger of the KINGLAKE NATIONAL PARK told us that early
July was the expected date for the finish of a 5-mile track connecting Arthur's
Creek, Mt. Sugarloaf, and Mason's Falls-so it should be open now.
The official opening of the Tamboritha and Bennison Plains roads in
March brought to mind the fact that it was now possible to get to TARLl
KARNG with very little effort. No longer is it necessary to climb over Mt.
Margaret or up Riggall's Spur; cars can be taken to Mt. Arbuckle or maybe
beyond that and the lake approached from the north. But it is still a lovely
walk along the Wellington River and well worth the climb up Riggall's.
THE SUMMIT OF MT. WILLIAM in the Grampians is the site for a
Civil Aviation Radio Station. To this end a road is being constructed from
the Halls Gap-Dunkeld road some seven miles south of Halls Gap (where
it crosses the Bovine Creek) to a turntable half a mile from the summit. From
there a jeep track connects the turntable with the radio station. It is expected
that this road will be finished by Christmas. For those unfamiliar with this
part of the Grampians, Bovine Creek is the one immediately to the north of
Fyans Creek, along which the walking track to Mt. William passes.
THE STRONACH'S MILL TRACK to Mt. Whitelaw in the Baw Baws
was the venue for the Federation's track-clearing activities this year.
This
should leave that track in a suitable condition for use-there are many fallen
trees along it, so it will, however, probably continue to be a log hop.
When walking in the DJERRIW ARRAH CREEK AREA
observed great activity amongst earth-moving equipment. The
be dammed and we hope this might add to the beauty of this
so close to Melbourne. We think it's to provide more water for
WALK
recently we
creek is to
lovely valley
Geelong.
Page Thirty-nine
'NALKERS I
ACCEPT mE CHALLENGE OF BEAUTIFUL •••
TASMANIA
WHERE ADVENTURE AWAITS YOU IN A WONDERLAND OF
SCENIC GRANDEUR.
SPECIAL WALKERS TOURS.
Cradle Mountain: Leaves Melbourne by TAA on January 24th, 1964, and
March 6th, 1964. Inclusive cost £23/10/-.
Mt. Field National Park: Leaves Melbourne by TAA on March 6th, 1964.
Inclusive cost £26/15/ •.
SPEND TWO DELIGHTFUL DAYS IN TASMAN lA'S SPECTACULAR
MOUNTAIN AND LAKE COUNTRY.
BOOK NOW!
Literature, maps etc., and full details from-
TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT TOURIST BUREAU
254 COLLINS STREET, MELBOURNE.
And at the Southern Cross Hotel
Page Forty
PHONE: 63 6351
W A L K
Mount Anne
l. L. Siseman
Itself, by itself, solely one everlastingly, and single. -
Plato.
.
The morning dawns fine and promises a good day ahead - only the second
m about ten days - but then we would come to South-West Tasmania in
a_utumn, so I suppose we must expect rain. However, today is to be an exception.
Peter and I have made our camp at Condominion Creek situated right
at the foot of the cli~bing ridge to Mt. Anne; the camp being a large, permanent tent sheltered m a grove of trees. Not a breath of wind disturbs the
air, the only noises being the merry sound of the creek and of ourselves as
we prepare our breakfast prior to starting the climb.
We leave at 7 a.m., a short battle with the button grass and then we
begin to climb up the ridge with more than 3000 feet to go. A couple of
hundred feet further up we pause to look back at our camp. It can be seen
as a small speck amongst the trees and further out across the plains low-lying
mists appear as a sea, with the mountains protruding through like islands.
We continue to climb up, stopping only to regain our breath and to look up
at the dark majestic peak above us. This is Mt. Anne, our goal, shyly hiding
her head from us in a plume of cloud. Still climbing, past the high and exposed campsite and into a belt of dead timber. The climb now becomes a
rock scramble leaving behind all traces of the accursed button grass.
Suddenly we come to the end of the climb and find ourselves on a small
peak, Mt. Eliza, on the edge of a plateau. A mile or so across this plateau
stands Mt. Anne, now devoid of her guardian cloud. A rest for morning tea,
then off. Up here there is a complete change of vegetation - not a tree exists,
just small, hardy scrubs and many pools of crystal clear water, looking for
all the world like miniature rock gardens. Further across the plateau vegetation almost ceases and we find ourselves hopping across an extensive boulder
field which takes us down into a small saddle immediately below the cliffs of
Mt. Anne. Here we gaze upon the towering cliffs above us and wonder if it
is possible to climb to the summit without the aid of ropes. Fortunately, however, the route is cairned, and we climb and scramble up the mountain, twisting
and spiralling around the cliffs until we finally reach the summit.
This is the moment when I know why I walk in the bush, and I feel that
all the hard, sometimes miserable, walking across the button grass plains has
been worthwhile. We sit for some time on the summit taking in the view.
From here we can see a full unobstructed 360 degrees and the impression
gained is similar to flying in an aircraft. The sky is cloudless and in the distance Lake Pedder can be seen as a streak of silver glinting in the sun. And
immediately below-the endless button grass plains, from this height deceptively
smooth and gentle, stretched out like a carpet until they merged with the
distant mountains. And while I sit there, almost hypnotised by the view and
the stillness and silence, I reflect upon the chain of events which has brought
me here. The nine months of planning for the trip; the scenic flight from Launceston across Cradle Mt. to Port Davey-where we were marooned for three
days waiting for Denis King and his ship to arrive and ferry us across the
harbour; the week of rain and bad weather (which began as soon as we started
walking) causing us to abandon the climb to Federation Peak-and which then
immediately improved for a day or so as if to taunt us; more bad weather
as we approached Lake Pedder; and then the minor accidents that prevented
the other three members of the party from climbing Mt. Anne with us.
W A L K
Page Forty-one
It is along this line of thought that I am engaged when Peter reminds
me that we should leave and return to camp. It has taken us five hours to
reach the summit and at least another five will be needed to return. We more
or less follow the same route home, although a short detour is made across
to the far edge of the plateau. Here we stop suddenly, for 2000 feet below
in a large valley lies Judd's Charm. a huge lake-a beautiful study in dark
blue and green, with the cliffs falling away from our feet almost sheer to
the water's edge.
But,
and the
near the
sun, and
alas, we cannot stay here, so sadly we turn our backs on Mt. Anne
plateau and plunge down the ridge to the camp far below. As I
bottom I turn back to look at Mt. Anne, golden now in the setting
I know that some day I will return to this wild and beautiful country.
Club Comment
FIFTEEN ISSUES BACK our magazine WALK was first published to
assist in spreading the pastime of walking and to provide material of interest
and assistance to all walkers. The fact that it has survived is perhaps sufficient
indication that it is serving this purpose. At first it needed quite liberal
subsidizing from Club funds, and even now is no goldmine, but it has always
managed to find something to say-and we think that something has been
worth saying. It has always been our aim to have a smile at ourselves when
the occasion warranted, as we feel that a light-hearted approach should be
the basis of all our walking. It is not too much to hope that it always will
be and that WALK will do its share to keep life bright and interesting for
all of us, bushwalker, ex-bushwalker, or armchair walker.
NEW MEMBERS are always welcome in our Club, but lately perhaps
more so than usual. Some of them will help to keep up the rapidly decreasing
numbers of single people. The Club's main function was thought to be
to provide bushwalking facilities and information-now some people are
beginning to doubt this. During the last twelve months we have had eight
inter-Club marriages! Tent manufacturers will be complaining of the decrease
in sales if this keeps up. That is one reason why we suggest that all those
interested (in what?) should come along and help keep up the reputation of
the Club.
Then Why Not Join IJs ?
The Club arranges trips and transport
New fields, far and near, open to you
Annual Subscriptions:
Seniors 30/Juniors (under 20) 15/Married Couples- 40/For further details see page 2.
Page Forty-two
WALK
See VICTORIA First
This Holiday State has the best to offer
at any of its varied natural playgrounds.
*
For all information and Rail, Road, Sea and Air Bookings:
VICTQUR
The Victorian Government Tourist Bureau,
272 Collins Street, Melbourne.
TELEPHONE: 63-0202
SPECIALISTS IN GROUP TRAVEL
WALK
Page Forty-three
Difficult It Was
~
-F. W. Halls
Difficult it was, there's no doubt of that fact, we found as we were clambering hand over heels on steep, knobbly sandstone (quite an airy feeling) or
pushing through dry banksia and casuarina packed in the narrow stone chimneys; sidling and slipping on the moss of rocky ledges, crossing from one ledge
to another until we finally attained the stony cairn on Mount Difficult.
This happened on the fourth day of our walk from Flat Rock, near Mt.
Zero, southwards through the Mt. Difficult Range to Mt. Victory.
It had been our plan to spend the first day roving the high wind-blown
caves and fretted top of Mt. Stapylton, looking for aboriginal cave paintings,
but the difficulty of the terrain and the icy spring wind blowing curtains of
hail across the top kept us to the lower regions and sent us searching in vain
for shelter.
It's an amazing corner of a fascinating range. A track past the quarry
near Flat Rock Junction (east of Mt. Stapylton) led us a few hundred yards
south-east to a cave of aboriginal art, situated in a low overhang on the northeastern slopes of a sandstone outcrop. On the roof was the finger painting,
in orange pigments, of the track of a large emu; on the wall were pictures of
hands, other emu tracks and what appeared to be the crude finger painting
of a human being. Behind wire screens as a protection against vandalism,
the markings were of a lighter orange tone than that found with the red ochres
of the Victoria Range caves, but these may have faded more due to greater age.
Further along, we followed a track which rose, skirting sheer orange red
cliffs, past the one-time haunts of many an ancient aboriginal warrior. Nearby,
there was a massive sandstone block split asunder, the centre hollowed out
and etched deeply by winds of the past. Then high on the side of Stapylton
was seen a larger natural arch etched sharply against the blue sky, and other
weathered sandstone arches. The big cave (Erno's) had many entrances and
chambers at several levels - a sandy floored lower cavern leading to a mezzanine level with a roof etched and eroded into shapes of fancy rosettes and
thin shells, then higher still the penthouse passages through which the wind
blew strongly, making the attic like an ice chamber.
We decided to camp in the caves, the problem was to find the warmest
position, and each in his own way found a sleeping berth with some degree
of comfort - some behind a tent screen in the mezzanine, others on the sandy
ground floor and the rest under a deep overhang by the high cliff wall; but
I'll tell you this, I never wish to camp again in a draughty cave - that's for
sure.
We found that the narrow twisted ridge of Stapylton was inaccessible from
a view point lookout, the deep gorge behind Erno's Cave lying athwart the
ridge. Since we also couldn't find a way across to Flat Rock because of the
steep scarp, we had to drop again by the narrow path under the red cliffs
and find another route around on a lower level.
Along the rocky ramp of Flat Rock we clambered, passing through low
bushes of fresh pink micromyrtles and thryptomene, beautiful waxy, deep pink
blooms covering the low shrubs, also through the soft, delicate pink blooms
of the small leaf wax flower. When we reached the spot fronting the vertical
striped wall of rocky Stapylton, we found our way south barred once more
by the cliffy scarp, so again we returned to Flat Rock picnic ground. We then
decided that we would be obliged to skirt the bluff faces.
Page Forty-four
WALK
Ice-laden winds sought us out as we wandered southwards in the teeth
of a freezing hailstorm, past that great bluff, that huge block of orange sandstone thrust a thousand feet above the bright sandy floor of the western plain
and crowned by a diadem of fretted brown rock. About halfway across a
wide scrubby valley floor the tinkling of fairy bells impinged upon my consciousness. Ah!! Bellbirds, was my thought, then just as quickly I dismissed
the idea from my mind. There were no bellbirds in this part of Victoria,
were there? Besides, we had to reach Dead Bullock Creek before nightfall,
so I gave it no further thought. Later that night, Ian said, "You didn't happen
to hear any bellbirds today, did you?" Then followed the tale that prompted
the question. It appears that about a quarter of a century ago several bellbirds were brought from another part of the State and released in the Grampians, and while it was surmised that the birds had survived, nothing further
had been heard of them in the meantime. So perhaps I did hear the music
of bellbirds in that secluded valley; I hope so, anyway.
HALL'S GAP FROM GRAMPIANS LOOKOUT
-F. Halls
Over the ridge dominating this wide basin was a mountain top shaped
like an ancient reptilian monster, poised high on the flat rock of the ridge;
perhaps he was the guardian of the bellbird colony. From a vantage point near
this spectacular place we had the distant view of miles of orange cliffs dominated by the forbidding mass of Mt. Difficult, our target for tomorrow. The
path to the top of Difficult appeared fraught with difficulty, while the mountains further south along the ridge seemed a most formidable barrier, rugged
peaks of chrome and brown thrust high against the blue sky.
From the ridge between Golton and Potter's Creeks (near "Reptile Mountain") we gazed across a wide, flat valley towards a distant line of orange
cliffs, wondering whether we would reach Dead Bullock by nightfall.
To
do this we'd have to negotiate that rock barrier and walk into Brigg's Creek
Valley before crossing the low ridge into Trooper's Creek valley near Dead
Bullock Creek.
"How are we going to approach that one, Ian?" I said, referring to Mt.
Difficult.
"We climb along the gully of Dead Bullock Creek, cross below the lower
falls on that creek, then clamber up above the top falls. See those slanting
ledges about two fingers above the falls - we'll follow one of those to the top."
WALK
Page Forty-five
LIKE
TO
HIKE?
••••••••••••••••••
Special tickets enable
hikers to leave Melbourne
on one line, walk across
country to join a return
train on another line.
FULL PARTICULARS AVAILABLE AT:
The Victorian Government Tourist Bureau
272 Collins St., Melbourne. (63 0202) or
Chief Commerical Manager, Railway Offices
Spencer Street (62 0311 ext. 1346)
Poge Forty-six
WALK
On our way south many great grey forester kangaroos fled away from
our path, birdlife in the wide, scrubby valley was very prolific and the peaceful
atmosphere was broken only by the faint twitterings and the many bird calls
of our feathered friends.
Like a scene from "Fantasia", the rugged peaks of this part of the range
breathed an air straight from the beginning of time. I shouldn't have been
greatly surprised if a dinosaur had lumbered slowly on to the scene.
Well, in short, we did reach camp site near Dead Bullock Creek just
after nightfall, after climbing through a break in the orange cliffs. "Charlie
Bulldozer" was very useful through the thick scrub and head-high thryptomene
- he seemed to relish battering a path through the rough scrub.
Next morning we began up Dead Bullock Creek passing through spiny
scrub between a series of parallel cliffs and ledges; halfway between the peaked
cap of Brigg's Bluff and the bulk of Difficult we passed along the foot of magnificent eroded brown cliffs of near vertical sandstone. On through thick scrub
we bashed past the lower falls on Dead Bullock Creek, crossed the creek above
these, then on through glorious shrubs of the round leaf mint bush before
angling up to the second and largest of the three falls.
Almost my first thought after a five and a half hour's climb to Mt. Difficult's beehive cairn was how similar the valley of Lake Wartook was to that
of Wilpena Pound. The same wide, flat-bottomed valley, but now with a lake
in the middle, and the some pound-like depression, the same inward sloping
basin with the steep scarp on the outside.
Oft times our descent was far from dignified as we slithered down (often
on our tails) over mossy boulders. Fortunately the scrub was less dense than
expected, yet it was late as, with rain falling steadily from a weepy sky, we
ranged out on to a flooded jeep track. Then just as morale was dropping way
down low with no tolerable camp site in view, "Charlie Bulldozer" brought
the news that the Mount Difficult Road was just round the bend; and so in
a couple of hundred yards, on the banks of a good creek, a well drained camp
site was found (time 8 p.m.). Then, heigho, for a dry camp, a good hot
brew and peaceful rest.
A heavy frost overnight was followed by a fine day. Little now remained
but the long walk through on the Mt. Difficult road to journey's end near
Mt. Victory, with beautiful views of Hall's Gap from the Grampians' Lookout
at lunchtime. It was a beautiful spring day for walking through the numerous
blooms lining the sandy-floored road.
Since much of the walk had been through wild, trackless terrain, we passed
through great masses of unspoilt Grampians blooms, and this in itself became
one of the memorable features of a most enjoyable walking trip through the
Mt. Difficult Range.
*
The subtle effect of advertising.-A small girl, out with her father on
one of our walks, asked if octopuses and spiders were put out by the same
company.
WAlK
Page Forty-seven
Books for the Bushwalker
SAFETY FIRST WHEN WALKING IN TASMANIA
And for that matter, anywhere. But it is in Tasmania that special precautions should be taken before planning a walk. The island state lies some
300 miles south of Melbourne and is in the path of the Roaring Forties, which
readily produce weather that may bring disaster to the unwary. It is not only
the adverse weather conditions that the traveller has to contend with, but the
bewildering density of plant life which smothers the deep valleys and rain
forests; the endless miles of button grass plains; and the exposed, serrated tops
of rugged mountain ranges, making an extended tour no light undertaking.
There is certainly no place for the inexperienced or poorly equipped in the
Tasmanian Bush. Then, if you are thinking of a trip to Tassie, we recommend
this manual compiled by the Search and Rescue sub-committee of the Hobart
Walking Club. Subjects include Equipment, Food, River Crossings, Climbing,
Air-drops, Difficulties and Dangers, First Aid and, very important, bush manners!
There are notes on what to do if lost, S & R signals including the ground to
air visual code. Walkers who prefer to remain on the mainland will find lots
of hints and commonsense ideas equally applicable.
Safety in the Bush.
Published by the Hobart Walking Club, Box 753H,
G.P.O., Hobart, Tas. Price 3/-.
SNOWY MOUNTAIN WALKS
The Geehi Club comprises mainly of Snowy Mountain Authority personnel,
who spend time off duty exploring and marking walking tracks in the Kosciusco
State Park, which embraces the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales.
One outcome to their activities has been the publication of a guide to
seventeen of the routes, each of which is well documented and illustrated with
special maps. A number of general articles on the geology, wildlife, climate
and history give a background to the various types of scenery, from alpine
glacial to lowland forests, to be found within the boundaries of the Park. A
handbook to be carried on the next visit there.
Snowy Mountain Walks. Write to Geehi Club, P.O. Box 332, Cooma North,
N.S.W. Price 3/-.
MORE ABOUT THE SNOWY
Two slim volumes obtainable from the Tourist Bureau deal with the Snowy
Mountains region. "The Snowy Mountains of Australia" is the sort of thing
to send to friends overseas, being a 32-page collection of some very fine colour
photos of the area in all phases and seasons.
The thirty-six paged "The Snowy Mountains Story" is an excellent reference book for the scheme. The story of the Snowy goes back to the early
1880's, when disastrous floods on the western plains of the Murray and
Murrumbidgee Valleys brought enormous stock losses and much hardship
among settlers. From that time on various schemes were advanced to divert
the waters of the Snowy, though it was not until well after World War II.
that this was accomplished. In concise terms the Authority describes the
problems and the subsequent investigations and constructions which has led
to the success of the almost completed scheme. This book is beautifully
illustrated with colour photos and diagrams.
Price 8/6
The Snowy Mountains of Australia
The Snowy Mountains Story.
Published by Snowy Mountains Authority.
Price 8/-.
Page Forty-eight
WALK
THREE BOOKLETS ON MT. BUFFALO
Although these have been obtainable for some time, new editions have
been printed by the Victorian Railways and are obtainable at the Government
Tourist Bureau:1. "The Romance of Mt. Buffalo" (9d.) is its history as given by the late
Dr. 1. F. Wilkinson at the Chalet, 1929. It seems that the doctor was the
original secretary of the Alpine Club and was largely instrumental in
cutting the tracks. But the story goes back to the really early days of the
fifties. The first chalet was built of paper!
2.
'Flower & Feather at Mt. Buffalo National Park" (1/-) should prove a
helpful guide for those seeking the attractions of the park.
3. "The Buffalo Mountains- A Geological Survey" (2/-) is a re-publication
of the report first made by the late Mr. E. J. Dunn, F.G.S., for the Dept.
of Mines and is illustrated by map and 20 large photos of the tours and
views.
CAN YOU RECOGNISE A GUM TREE?
This book was first published in 1942 but is now available in a paper-back
edition. It is an introduction to the study of the more common eucalypts,
particularly those found in south-eastern Australia and is edited by the former
Senior Lecturer in Botany at Melbourne University. Its aim is to assist in
the identification of the trees that flourish between the plains and the tree
line of the Alps. It is well illustrated with photographs and drawings showing
distinctions in bark, leaves, fruit and flowers. A handy guide to all who wish
to know more than the fact that it is a "gum tree".
Know Your Own Trees, by R. T. Patton. Published by Melbourne University
Press. Price 5/6.
GLOMERA
PRISMATIC BINOCULARS
A NEW WORLD OF VIEWING AWAITS YOU WITH THESE
FINE PRECISION MADE BINOCULARS AT PRICES YOU
CAN AFFORD
Direct from Importer to YOU
At concessional prices to all Club Members.
J. A. R. HERBERT
72 MALING ROAD, CANTERBURY, VIC.
Telephone: 83 2656.
WALK
After Hours: 83 2878
Page Forly·nine
I
In Melbourne it's . . .
AU SKI
Pty. Ltd.
for all Bushwalking and Camping Gear
*
Victorian Distributors for:
Paddy Pallin Equipment, Bushwalking and Army
Survey Maps, Compasses, Hiker Stoves, Bergan
Rucksacks, Waterproof Clothing, Boots, "Stubai"
Climbing Gear, Dehydrated Foods, all types of Auto
Tents and general Camping Gear.
Hire of Tents, Hike Tents, Sleeping Bags, Rucksacks,
Stoves, etc.
Trade-ins accepted on Auto Tents.
*
NOW IN OUR SUPERB NEW HOME
AUSKI HOUSE
9- I I Hardware Street, Melbourne
(2 doors from Bourke St., facing City Parking)
Phone 67 1412
Page Fifty
67 1412
W A L K
South Island Walk
-L. Richey.
The spectacular beauty of the famous Milford Track is known to many
thousands from films, or the experience of tourists who have walked this area
of New Zealand under the guidance of the government of that country. Yet
it is only one small pocket among the innumerably rugged peaks and tumbling
river valleys of the 500-mile-long Southern Alps, which divide the length
of the island from north to south like a sharp backbone. It would take more
than one lifetime to explore a fraction of them, so steep and impassible are
they. The trees and vegetation on the eastern slopes of the range - mainly
beech trees, manuka or tea-tree, and ferns-are quite different from those
on the west side where it is more densely wooded with many varieties of
trees, sub-tropical palms, creeping vines, native flax and tree ferns or pungas
as they are known there.
THE FAIRY QUEEN
-L. Richey
I was one of a party of seven Christchurch Trampers who spent nine
days on the eastern side of the Lewis Pass area, near the centre of the island,
the programme being to walk up the river valleys to the headwaters of several
streams, along gorges, and across the lower foothills. We left the city by the
10 a.m. bus on Christmas Eve, and after passing through the neat farms on
the Canterbury Plains the road wound through dry and bare-looking hills.
Then along beside the widely rushing Waiau and Hope Rivers until we were
among huge peaks, some around 5000 feet high-a few starkly bare above the
snowline, others covered with beech forests. From a distance these resembled
dark green curly wool on mountain sides gashed by white water courses and
grey screen slides. Before the summit of the Lewis Pass (2840 feet) we alighted
from the bus and descended sharply to the river below, scrambling over mossy
bogs and boulders, glad to eat our lunch by the cool water before allotting
the party gear.
Two of the articles were a strong rope and an ice-axe, to be used if the
emergency arose for crossing a swiftly-flowing river as these New Zealand
streams can become suddenly dangerous so great is the force of water released
by the melting snow on the peaks. Three tents, two primus stoves, three large
billies and a light-weight pressure cooker completed the list, food having already
WALK
Page Flfty-ane
been weighed and packed. It was similar to that carried on Victorian walks
with the addition of hard service biscuits and tins of dried beef mince.
Our first river crossing was rather frightening to me, with the many large
moving boulders on the bottom and the current so swift, but my heavy rubbersoled boots helped and the rope was not needed. It was a wearying ten
miles along the gorge that day, up and down ,over logs and rocks and we gladly
pitched tents on grass among the beech trees, cooked a hearty meal and fell
asleep to the music of the stream rippling over its stony bed.
Christmas Day was spent sunbathing by the lazier members while the
more energetic climbed Glorianna, a peak nearby, returning to enjoy a sumptuous spread of luxuries for tea.
We set off next morning along a track, more pleasant now, through grassy
flats and attractive beeches, with here and there a steep snow-capped peak
adding to the scene, until our path brought us a view of the most magnificent
mountain of the trip. Known as The Fairy Queen it dominated the lovely Ada
Valley for several miles. We saw it from various angles, finally camping with a
grand view of it. Around 6000 feet high, with huge shoulders of dappled snow
spread each side of a small white peak, it did resemble the sparkling wings and
silver crown of the Queen of the Fairies. That afternoon we wandered through
the dark gloom of the beech forest towards the little stream which came
tumbling from the slopes of a slended white-capped peak. High up among
the great boulders a rushing spring helped to illustrate one of our first geography lessons. The melting snow formed a little creek, that became a river
gouging its way through steep banks onward to the sea.
An exhilarating walk through the soft grass beside a crystal stream so
clear that every pebble of its bed was visible, rugged peaks flanked by tender
green trees, and all around us that wonderful air that the combination of
sunlight on snow produces. Then on through acres of large white daisies
as we approached the Ada homestead, deserted for many years, now used
occasionally by musterers.
In the old garden laden gooseberry bushes were
soon yielding a welcome addition to our menu that night. Then we pressed on
through the heavily wooded shores of the jewel-like Lake Guyon. We looked
forward to a rest day in its thick green grass and sheltered places, with a
swim and a wash.
That evening we were given a piece of venison by a passing deer-culler
as this was one of the many areas patrolled by the Forestry Service. When
deer were introduced to both islands for sport it was not foreseen how greatly
these animals would increase. They have climbed thousands of feet, eaten the
vegetation and caused erosion and landslides to such an alarming extent that
a permanent force of men is employed to shoot them. Each man has been
trained at a special camp, receiving instructions of all types from safe handling of fire-arms to bread baking. He receives free ammunition and a bounty
varying from 16/ to £2 per tail. Living in primitive huts in remote valleys,
each man has his own area to shoot in, and realizing the strenuous climbing
and isolated life we felt they had to work hard to earn the large cheques
they are reputed to receive. This is a far cry from the days when Robin Hood
had a price on his head for shooting the King's deer-now it was the deer
with a price on his tail-a pity that it has to be so. Unfortunately the carcasses are mostly wasted as they are in such highly inaccessible country. The
meat has to be hung for several days and tastes like rump steak. We cooked
it on an open fire.
Alas for our plans to swim-that night a cold wind blew across the lake
and we awoke to find a white crusting of snow on the higher ridges. Clad
in our warmest clothing we retraced our steps past the homestead through
more open country with undulating hills and valleys, the only trees being
matagouri, stunted prickly bushes about twelve feet high. For the next two
days while the weather improved again we picked our way by stony streams,
Page Fifty-two
W A L K
along the tops of gorges where the rnanuka flowered pink and white, to camp
once more by the Waiau River, now a rushing expanse of water. We were
awakened early by the call of a bell bird, a different sound to our Australian
variety. The same day as we rested high on a slope in the trees we were
fortunate to see a wood pigeon. These large grey birds with the handsome
dark blue-green chest are strictly protected as they have been almost wiped out
by Maoris and settlers, such good eating are they. Their downfall was their
own habit of good eating-they would feed so heavily on berries that they
became fat and drowsy and it was no trouble to catch them.
The last day we climbed high to the top of the Waiau Gorge, where a
good track along its banks gave wonderful glimpses of the river, green as
emeralds, swirling on the white beaches below, and stiff little patches of trees
darkly mysterious in the noonday heat. On either side the dry brown mountains,
holding great patches of navy blue shadow among their sharply gashed sides.
It was beside this narrow track that a pretty little fawn, still white-spotted,
sprang up from the bracken where it had been resting in the sun, almost
startling me into losing my balance. Down the precipitous side of the gorge
it jumped, through the tree tops, each long leap sending it so quickly that it
seemed it must surely break a leg, but it safely gained the shelter of the bushes
below and disappeared from view.
We were now at the end of the trip and descending several grassy hills
saw the swing bridge across the Boyle River and the modern white buildings
of "Glen Wye" station across the road where we finally caught the bus from
Nelson back to Christchurch.
Sleep warm •••
REMEMBER - THERE IS NOTHING
LIKE DOWN FOR WEIGHTLESS
WARMTH IN:-
Sleeping Bags
Eiderdown Quilts
Feather & Down Pillows
Kimpton's now make in Australia under licence the
famous Mountain Mule Pack as used by Sir Edmund
Hilary.
For your nearest supplier, contact
KIMPTON'S FEATHER MILLS PTY. LTD.
5 Budd Street, Collingwood.
WALK
Tel. 41-3964
Page Fifty-three
To Cape Schanck
-F. Chesterfield.
Being an account of a pleasant day's walking from Splitter's Creek to Cape
Schanck in mid-November, 1962.
While previewing this walk in October, I was pleasantly surprised with
the variety of scenery and vegetation to be found along the proposed route.
I had expected difficulties because of the number of settled farms on the
Peninsula, however although we had several well strung barbed wire and
rabbit proof fences to clear, most of the route was far enough from habitation
to save me the embarrassment of soothing irate land owners who weren't expecting us.
To arrive at the beginning of the walk we travelled by van down the
Nepean Highway to Moats Corner, then kept straight ahead instead of following the Highway to Dromana. At a point 017691 (Sorrento Military Survey!" to 1 mile) a private road joins Main Ridge Road (the pines lining it make
a good landmark). I had previously asked entry permission from the farmer
who owned this road and the land on which we were to begin the journey,
as the way led almost past his back door. He was very obliging and went
so far as to point out the best route to take through his paddocks as they
were quite muddy from recent rains.
Once over the foot bridge we turned South and followed the creek. Looked
as though we were going to have an ideal walking day-sunny, with a light
breeze-and this being springtime, many wildflowers to appreciate.
After a short way, Splitter's Creek is crossed by Brady's Road-this we
took for a hundred yards or so, then as it swung north-west, our path headed
uphill in the form of a dirt road which eventually comes out on to Baldy's
Road. Here we turned left, heading south-east now, and walked about 2
miles to the early lunch spot at Baldy's Crossing, quite close to the junction of
Main and Splitter's Creeks. Along Baldy's Road the tea-tree was out and also
something I'd never seen before-blackboys, a mass of cream flowers on
their usually brown, poker-like stems.
Lunch was a pleasant affair-lots of tinned pineapple and other such
goodies. We had a good hour's rest enjoying food, sunshine and bush aromas
to the full; then came the relatively hard afternoon's walking as there was
still a good eight miles to cover. Still-there was nothing higher than 450
odd feet to be climbed so who could complain about the distance?
We kept to the western side of Main Creek and followed its course
almost to the coast. Had one tussle with a snake-! really don't know who
got the bigger fright-snake or young man who disturbed it. We were very
cautious about where our feet walked for a while after that!
In the stretch between Baldy's Crossing and the Dromana and Flinders
Road, we walked through some quite varied, fairly open country and saw
many wildflowers, including one isolated stand of flowering blackboys, some of
them grown in fantastically twisted shapes. We also had to drop down
sharply into three or four non-perennial creeks draining into Main Creek.
Here there were lovely tree ferns and-for the unwary-wicked little patches
of stinging nettles. I first discovered these when previewing the walk (by
the sense of feel, not sight) when I jumped a creek fully a foot wide, slipped,
and landed bang in the middle of a large patch! COR! Once these creeks
are passed a quarry comes in sight ahead and the route led in this general
direction. The quarry is on the far side of the Dromana/Flinders Road and
after crossing same, and the bare low hills ahead, we caught our first glimpse of
the sea.
Page Fifty-four
WALK
• . • A STEEP SAND SLOPE
-R. Weeks
From here there is roughly 2 miles to Cape Schanck lighthouse-they
seemed long ones at the end of a fairly strenuous day, but as a final piece of
trickery I headed for a particularly steep sand-slope which rises from Burrabong
Creek-determmed to exhaust any of my party who still felt frisky. It's the
sort of thing where one takes two steps forward and slips back four and
is best not attacked with a rucksack in tow. A well-trodden path leads from
this point round the top of some cliffs giving good views to Pulpit Rock at
the end of Cape Schanck, and in the opposite direction to Picnic Point, finally
ending at the van pick-up point close to the lighthouse.
As we had a short time to spare when we reached the lighthouse, some
of us ran down to the Cape itself, taking heed of the danger signs warning
that people have been swept off the rocks here by freak waves. Pity we
hadn't more time-when the tide is out many rock shelves are left above the
water line and they are full of clear pools which harbour colourful seaweeds, shells, anemones, crabs and even small fish. There is a cove just under
the lighthouse known as the "Angel Cave" because of a column formed of a
united stalagmite/stalactite which, in certain lights, simulates an angel with
folded wings. In fact, the whole area is fascinating and a delight to any photographer or beachcomber and a full day could easily be spent in fossicking
along the shore right around the Cape.
A note of warning: On the eastern side of Main Creek is a property
which is "out of bounds" to picnickers and walkers these days so it is wiser
to keep to the western side of this creek all the way.
*
Leave gates opened or closed just as you find them-unless you are certain
they need altering.
W A L K
Page Fifty-five
\
COME
OUTDOORS
WITH
THE
YOUTH
HOSTELS
Association
161
Flinders
Lane
MF 3754
*
*
HOSTELLING
BUSHWALKING
CANOEING
WATERSKIING
SURFING
SKIING
HORSE RIDING
WALK
Emdee W
-A. G.
March is Moomba time and for the past few years one event on the Moomba
programme has been well supported by bushwalkers - to us it is officially
known as the "Moomba Day Walk" or M.D.W.
Each year one of the bushwalking clubs belonging to the Victorian Federation has a turn at organizing this event: no easy task, since the walk has to
meet many requirements.
(a) It must not be too difficult as it is open to everyone, newcomers as
well as experienced walkers, and it is for all ages.
(b) It must be interesting, to show newcomers one of the benefits of club
membership - the availability of information on many places of interest.
(c) It should be held in an area not too far from Melbourne, and one
reached by train, as this provides cheap transport for unlimited numbers.
Last year the bushwalking group from the Youth Hostels' Association arranged the walk in the Fryerstown area. It was my first experience of the
M.D.W., and I must admit I was somewhat dubious - how on earth would
so many people keep together? What of the peace and quiet I normally associated with bushwalking? Wouldn't it all be rather like a glorified Sunday School
picnic? Well, I think the best proof that I enjoyed myself is my determination
to go again next year. What made it enjoyable?
To begin with, it was most interesting to meet so many members of other
walking clubs. You could identify them by their badges or by their song groups
at lunch time. Here was an opportunity to discover how other organizations
ran their activities and how they differed from those of my own particular club.
Of the eighty-seven people who tramped together on March 3rd this year,
many had not been bushwalking before, so old-timers were able to encourage
new recruits and to advise them on boots and gear.
The walk itself was pleasant and not arduous - we went from Taradale,
the old goldmining town with its picturesque high railway bridge and its many
small churches, to Fryerstown, passing through flat, thinly timbered country
criss-crossed by old, dazzling white, quartz roads. Mentally I made a resolve
to return in the spring, since one fellow walker waxed very enthusiastic over
the wattle and the wildflowers.
At lunch we were refreshed with billy tea thoughtfully provided by the
Y.H.A. As the area was a dry one, and the day warm this was well received.
The walk wound up at Chewton (two stations further on than Taradale), another
tiny country town. Melbourne was reached again by about 8.30 after a pleasing
day.
Admittedly the M.D.W. is not a typical bushwalk - inevitably the walk
itself is easy and the pace slow; furthermore, since difficult climbs are avoided
the scenery is not spectacular. However, the opportunities for observing and
meeting very interesting personalities are many. In the space of one day I met
a man who chatted entertainingly about his recent trip abroad, and two German
Youth Hostellers with much of interest to tell me; I learnt of a new kind of
nylon tent, and discovered that one elderly man had travelled a lot with Alan
Marshall, whose "I Can Jump Puddles", I had just read. I met and talked
with Victorian Mountain Tramping Club and Catholic Walking Club members
... in fact, mine and eighty-six tongues wagged all day.
How about letting your tongue wag on the Emdee W next year?
WALK
Page Fifty-seven
Walks Section
FIVE DAYS
CASTLEBURN CREEK-JUMP UP-MT. KENT
VARIATIONS: There are two end points given for this trip:A. A round trip returning via EAGLES CREST to CASTLEBURN CK.
Distance: 40 miles.
B. To continue from Mt. Kent to SHANTY HOLLOW and from there
to WONNANGATTA R.
Distance: 33 miles.
TRANSPORT: Train to Sale or Stratford, then taxi or bus-these may be
arranged with local companies.
SUITABLE SEASONS: Spring or summer; the latter is the wildflower season
in the high country.
TRIP A: EAGLES CREST First day: Long's-Castleburn Creek
CASTLEBURN CREEK.
4! miles.
Take transport to Long's Old Homestead on the Dargo-Briagolong Road.
To find the start of the jeep track which follows the Castleburn Creek walk
south along the road towards Briagolong. When it turns left continue straight
ahead on the old road to a point halfway up the first hill, then turn right
through a fence and climb to the top of the rise. From here the track will
be seen crossing the gully ahead; follow it and in about 20 minutes it will
be "joined by the creek on the right.
There are many good camp sites along the "burn", a particularly beautiful
one being reached after approximately 4! miles walking and 20 creek crossings
from Longs-this taking about 2-2! hours. Alternatively, continue for another
mile to the junction of the North and South branches of Castleburn Creek,
600 yards along the south branch the jeep track splits, the right-hand branch
crossing the burn to lead up to Jump Up. There is a fair camp site here for
a small party.
7t miles.
Second day: Jump Up-Fairy Farm Flat.
Climb to Jump Up; this is very steep in places. Good views can be
obtained at various points, but mostly it is a hard uninteresting slog which
took a mixed party over 4 hours of actual climbing. The jeep track terminates
towards the top but a foot track continues so follow it steeply for about 30
minutes, coming out on to another jeep track at the top. Good water will be
found a few minutes' walk along this. This is the beginning of easier walking.
If time permits a side trip could be taken to Castle Hill (4,860 ft.) by
following the ridge which runs slightly south of west.
From Jump Up follow the jeep track N.W. for 2t miles as it slightly
descends to the lovely Dairy Farm Flat, with Little River flowing through itan excellent camp site.
Page Fifty-eight
WALK
Third day: Stonehenge-Little Round Plain-Mt. Kent-Billy Goat Bluff.
14 miles.
Climb N.W. up an easy gradient U miles to the rocky outcrop. Stonehenge
( 4,400 ft.), through well-timbered country where a variety of wildflowers are
to be found in season. Good views from the top of the ridge. The short
cut track to Little Round Plain, which is shown on the map, appears to be
non-existent, so continue on the jeep track down to join Hubbard's Track,
which follows the Round Plain Creek E.N.E. to Little Round Plain, then
N.N.E. to its headwaters on the escarpment overlooking the beautiful Wonnangatta valley.
At the signposted T junction a 10-mile return side trip can be made to
Mt. Kent (5,127 ft.). The track follows the escarpment, the good views and
pleasant walking culminating in a fine all-round view from the summit. The
jeep track terminates between Mt. Little Kent and Mt. Kent; water is available
in the Kent Creek waterheads before reaching Little Kent, making this a
possible camp site.
After returning to the packs continue towards Pinnacle Lookout (S.E.)
for about 20 minutes to the saddle below Billy Goat Bluff. This is a good
spot to camp except that water is a tO-minute scramble over fallen timber
down to Round Plain Creek. If the weather is bad Little Round Plain provides
a good sheltered camp site adjacent to water.
WALK
Page Fifty-nine
Fourth day: East Pinnacle-Eagles Crest-Jump Up-Castleburn Creek. 9 miles.
The first objective is Pinnacle Lookout firewatch tower perched above the
Wonnangatta valley at the extremity of the East Pinnacle ( 4,900 ft.) and
providing extensive views including Mts. Taylor, Bogong, Buffalo and Howitt
in the distance and Mt. Kent, Snowy Bluff and Castle Hill nearby.
Leave the jeep track at this point and follow brumbie and cattle pads
through the scrub along Eagles Crest. This is a most rewarding walk with
spectacular scenery, magnificent woollybutt stands, carpets of mountain daisies
and sheer cliffs dropping hundreds of feet to the Wonnangatta valley, and is
well worth the scrub bashing that is required in some places.
By mid-afternoon the track to Jump Up will be rejoined and a choice
can be made between descending that day or camping again in the high country
at the water along the other jeep track mentioned previously. The descent to
Castleburn Creek takes 2-2! hours.
5t miles.
Fifth day: Long's-Home.
A pleasant amble along the Castleburn Creek to the starting point at
Long's Old Homestead. Before heading for home, drive another 5 miles along
the road towards Dargo for a closer look at the picturesque river.
TRIP B:-SHANTY HOLLOW-WONNANGATTA
First day: Long's-Castleburn Creek.
Follow as given for A.
5! miles.
Second day: Jump Up-Stonehenge-Little Round Plain.
Follow as given for A.
11 miles.
Third day: Mt. Kent-Shanty Hollow.
9 miles.
Follow as given for A but instead of making Mt. Kent a side trip, take
packs. From Mt. Kent drop steeply to the west to Shanty Hollow to camp.
The camp site is fair but the nearest water is t mile N.E.
Fourth day: Wonnangatta River.
7 miles.
Head N.E. around the side of Mt. Kent for about 1 mile and pick up
a spur leading down the north side of the mountain. Follow this in a N.N.E.
direction to the river flats and the river-a further 3! miles. Turn east along
this and camp as required.
Fifth day: Home.
Arrangements can be made with the transport to pick up the party at
Happy Valley, but if private ca~s ~ave be~n used it will be necessary t~
consider the matter as the end pomt IS 37 miles from the start-a two hours
drive.
MAP REFERENCES: Crooked R. - Dargo, V.M.T.C. I inch to I mile.
Moroka, Lands Dept., I inch to 1 mile.
NOTES COMPILED: December, 1962.
A.J.H., A.F.W.
pgge Sixty
WALK
THREE DAYS
MT. STIRLING-STANLEY'S NAME SPUR-CROSSCUT SAW-KING R.
Distance: 30 miles.
TRANSPORT: Private-to Woollybutt Saddle, return from Stanley's Name
Gap. This could be made a round trip by omitting Mt. Stirling and
starting the trip at the Stanley's Name Gap.
SUITABLE SEASONS: Early summer, the alpine spring, for the best of the
wildflowers, but autumn is also suitable.
SPECIAL NOTE: Even at the height of summer, heavy rain, thick mists, and
even snow can be experienced in this area. Under such conditions
navigation becomes very difficult.
TO REACH THE STARTING POINT:
From Merimbah take the Stirling road to a junction in 5! miles. Take
the right-hand branch and in a further 4t miles Woollybutt Saddle is reached.
There are camp sites on either side of the road and water should be found
in a small creek about 200 yards on the Merimbah side of the saddle.
First day: Mt. Stirling-Stanley's Name Spur-Thorne Range.
12! miles.
Find the jeep track leaving the road in Woollybutt Saddle on the E. side
of the road. This track is followed E. and then N. for lt miles to the summit
of Mt. Stirling. The track passes within 100 yards of the cairn. Very good
views are to be had from Mt. Stirling.
The jeep track then swings around and heads generally E., passing S.E.
of Monument Hill-beware of track heading N.E. to the Clear Hills at this
point (3-1- miles). Water in gully on left at track junction. Continue east
and in t mile look for a splendid view over the Clear Hills to Mt. Cobbler,
then S.E. until the main road is reached ( 4t miles) . A few huts here, also
road going S. to Bindaree on the Howqua River. A walk of about 1 mile E.
along this road to Stanley's Name Gap.
Find here a signpost "Mt. Howitt"
and a jeep track. Follow this track S.E. for -1- mile to foot of a steep hill.
The track swings S. around the hill, but the route to Mt. Howitt is to E.S.E.
along Stanley's Name Spur. A steep climb of 500 ft. from the jeep track through
the bush and then follow the spur generally S.E. over minor knolls and up
another 400 ft. climb until Mt. Thorne is reached 3 miles from the main road.
A faint walking track will be seen in places, but there is no scrub to speak
of along the spur. Timber, however, restricts vision somewhat.
From the summit of Mt. Thorne the route now heads E. and descends to
the Thorne Range or Red Hills; a ridge with many small peaks making for
tedious walking. Look for good views along the Howqua valley from the
red rock ledges-views from Magdala to The Bluff and distant Eagle Peaks.
As the Crosscut Saw is approached the timber opens out, giving many views
to north and south. Camp for the night is made in the final saddle immediately
below the Crosscut Saw; but just prior to reaching this the ridge twists about,
with side spurs going down into the King River. Care is needed here to find
the correct route and it is helpful to keep close to the top of the cliffs on
the S. side of the ridge. The camp site is a low grassy saddle and water will
be found in about 5 minutes' walk to the N.E. in the right branch of the King
River.
WALK
Page Sixty-one
Second day: Crosscut Saw-Mt. Howitt-Mt. Buggery-King River.
11 miles.
From the camp site a steep climb (1,000 ft. in ! mile) leads to the
Crosscut Saw. Head straight up from the saddle, veering N under some cliffs,
until a saddle on the Crosscut is reached. (Signpost "Stanley's Name").
Leaving packs here, a worthwhile trip may be made to Mt. Howitt, 1t mile to
the south. The route is obvious; follow the Crosscut S.E. for 1 mile and then
head S.W. for t mile to the summit cairn on Mt. Howitt (5,715 ft.). Care
is needed on the summit if Mt. Howitt is in fog.
Return to the packs by the same route and then continue N. along the
Crosscut Saw. The Crosscut is a ridge consisting of 13 peaks all about 5,000 ft.
high and only about 4 ft. wide in places. The views from Mt. Howitt and
the Crosscut are magnificent; the Razor and the Viking across Terrible Hollow
with Mts. Buffalo and Feathertop on the horizon.
The final peak on the Crosscut has a small cairn on it and from here
the Crosscut descends over a couple of small scrubby peaks into a low saddle
3 miles from Mt. Howitt. Again leave packs here and a short climb of 400 ft.
leads to the summit of Mt. Buggery. Good view of Mt. Speculation. Return
to packs by the same route. The route now lies to the W. down the Queen
Spur. From the low saddle sidle around Mt. Buggery heading N.W. and
crossing a small gully until the main spur is reached. Now head W. descending
down the Queen Spur, steeply at first and over one or two small cliffs; and
then along a wide flat ridge. Keep going due W .. descending into a saddle
and then a steep 700 ft. climb to the summit of the Pimple, 3 miles from
Mt. Buggery. From the Pimple head due N. to pick up spur which drops
and swings to the N.W. At a slight rise ! mile from the Pimple avoid spur
going due N., but continue heading N.W. to reach the junction of the two
branches of the King River in a further 1i- miles. Good camp site on river
flats on north bank of river.
Third day: King Hut-Stanley's Name Gap.
7 miles.
From the camp site follow the north bank of the King River for 3 miles
to the King Hut. Wide river flats all the way with occasional glimpses of a
walking track or game pads. Also numerous blackberry patches. At the
King Hut cross the river and follow the jeep track to the west for about 1!
miles. At this point take the left-hand jeep track and follow it for a further
1t mile until the main road is reached. This road is then followed to the
south for a little more than a mile to Stanley's Name Gap, where transport
should be met to return home.
MAP REFERENCE: Watersheds of King, Howqua, Jamieson Rivers.
V.M.T.C. I mile to I inch.
Howitt Lands Dept. I mile to 1 inch.
NOTES COMPILED: January, 1963.
J.L.S.
*
Be prepared for all emergencies. How well do you know the area you
will be entering? Check your knowledge by drawing from memory a rough
sketch map showing the main features.
Page Sixty-two
WALK
DAY WALKS
-A. Whyte
MACEDON-MOOLA TRACK-CAMEL'S HUMP-MT. MACEDONWOODEND
Distance: 13! miles.
TRANSPORT: Train to Macedon, return from Woodend.
WATER: It is advisable to carry this for lunch.
FEATURE: Tree colourings in autumn.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE:
From Macedon Railway Station pass under the line through the pedestrian
viaduct, then through the shopping centre to a T junction. Turn left (N.)
with the town cemetery on the left, then right at the next T junction. A
short distance along this road turn left (N.) into a "Closed Road" (map
reference: 621836) with a farm house on the corner. Pass over two creeks
by small bridges, travelling north. The foot track soon becomes Waterfalls
Rd. At this point switch to the Mt. Macedon map. This road starts to rise
and passes the golf links, the Civil Defence School and Stanley Park all on
the right. At Salisbury Rd. junction continue straight on (N.E.) up Governor's
Drive (steep). In about {- mile turn right into Douglas Rd., and continue to
the main road. Turn left into this for a short distance, then right into Anzac
Rd. (3 miles and about I hour's walk).
WAlK
Page Sixty-three
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Page Sixty-four
W A L K
Follow Anzac Rd. to Stony Ck. On the east side of the creek is a foot
track which follows the creek north-take this until the blackberries get too
thick, then take the vehicle track alongside until Stony Ck. Reservoir (4 miles).
Here the Moola Track starts, so follow it north, ignoring other tracks off it
leading up to the Towrong Mountain Ridge. The track continues up through
shady mossy forest and a pine plantation and joins a vehicle .track on the
ridge of the Great Divide. At about 1t miles from the Stony Ck. Reservoir
it crosses a motor road not shown on the maps. Tum left (W.) along the
ridge track down to the Hump Junction, left (S.) into the main road to Winfield
Junction, bear right to the next road junction where there is a shelter shed
and fireplace (6 miles). A side trip can be taken to Camel's Hump lookout
(3317 ft.) from here by taking the track to the north.
From the shelter shed take the track heading south-west to the western
end of McDonald's Res., then turn left (S.) into Verdon's Drive and continue
along this, passing huts on the left (7 miles). At this point the track becomes
Alton Track; in the right season there are many brightly coloured fungi to
be found along here. About t mile from the huts take a track (Hood's) which
leads towards the south-west-there are good views to Mt. Towrong. When
the vehicle track ends in a roundabout take the foot track until reaching a T
junction. Take the track to the right-very steeply up the mountain to the
fireplace near the memorial cross on Mt. Macedon (3301 f.t). Points of
interest in this area are the Memorial Cross and the Major Mitchell stone
cairn.
At a point along the main road about t mile north of the Cross leave
the road and go west into a pine plantation. Descend sharply to an old
timber track and keeping a general westerly to south-westerly direction head
towards the railway line, using any back roads which may be met. Follow
the railway line north-west to Woodend station.
MAP REFERENCE: Lancefield Military I" to I mile.
Broadbents No. 179 Mt. Macedon.
NOTES COMPILED: March, 1963.
G.P.S.
EMERALD-HULTGREN'S BRIDGE-COCKATOO
Distance: 10 miles.
TRANSPORT: Electric train to Belgrave, Gembrook bus to Emerald.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE:
Alight at Queen's Ave., about 1 mile past the post office. Walk down
this road for t mile to where a footpath branches off to the right, descending
through a fern gully to Emerald Lake park. Keep to the right of the lake,
crossing the footbridge to climb up to the narrow gauge railway line, which
is then followed in an easterly direction; the rails and sleepers having been
removed makes easy walking. In ! mile an earth road cuts the track, and
100 yards further on will be found the site of Wright station. However,
leave the track at the earth road which swings to the north-west and passes
"Mycumbe" on the left, crosses the creek, soon coming to a fork. Take the
left-hand branch which overlooks open country to the west and which climbs
up to the Belgrave-Gembrook road. Turn right and walk for 80 yards along
the bitumen, leaving it for McNamara's Road on the north. This road twists
to the left for 1 mile before joining an E.W. road which can be seen ahead
following the top of a ridge. Turn right (E.) into this road which in a mile
continues as rutted wheel tracks through timber until finally dropping down
to a good gravel road E.W., with Hultgren's Bridge (lunch site) 100 yards on
right and the Cockatoo-Woori Yallock road a further 80 yards. ( 4 miles from
Emerald.)
WALK
Page Sixty-five
H~A-I.E~S
FOR
)
APPROVED
• BUSH WALKING
• CLIMBING AND
• CAMPING EQUIPMENT
CLOTHING •••
Hartley's Special Bush Walkers
Parka .... .... .... .... .... £7
G.!. Jackets .... .... .... .... .... £5
Bush Jackets .... .... ....
£9
Roll Collar T Shirts .... .... £1
'Eidex' of N.Z. Parkas full zip front .... .... .... £7
Ski Type .... .... .... .... .... £7
Eidex Sou'westers .... .... .... £1
Eidex Ski Caps .... .... .... £1
GUARANTEED FULLY
WATERPROOF.
19
5
19
2
6
0
6
6
19 6
10 0
2 6
8 6
£4 9 0
£1 17 6
Gurkha Kukhri Knife ....
Scout Knives .... .. ..
Campers Sets .... .... .. ..
Sll
STOVES •••
Handy Pressure Stoves
(Petrol) .............. ..
£1 s 0
£2 17 6
Gas Pak Single Burner
Gas Pak Cans .... .... .... .. ..
611
s 0
Canned Heat (Solid Fuel) ....
SLEEPING BAGS •
WALKING BOOTS •••
Sonata Standard .... .... .... £3
Sonata "Orion" Special .... £5
Sonata "Orion" Superior .... £6
Sonata "Swaggie" (Waterproof,
bed roll) .... .... .... .... £6
Hartleys Tourist .... .... .... £7
Kimpton Snow Bags (Down
Filled .................... £10
Hartleys Antarctic Super
Down Filled .... .... .... £IS
La Dolomite
Boots ....
La Dolomite
La Dolomite
Boots ....
La Dolomite
Jockey Frame Pack ....
Mountain Pack .... .... ....
Kissling Pack .... .... ....
Weekender Pack .... .. .. ....
Overnighter .... .... .... ....
TENTS •••
"2-Man" Tents .... .... .... .... £6 I
Blacks "Good Companions" £22 I
Blacks "Tinker" .... .... . ... £23 2
Sonata Scout Tent .... .... .... £10 7
6
0
0
9
"Lacadelli"
.... .... .... ........ £12 19 6
"Guida" Boots £IS 10 0
"Cassin"
.... •... .... .... .... £19 10 0
Kletter Boots
ACCESSORIES •••
Ground Sheets --- .... .... ....
Aluminium Mess Kits
....
Aluminium Water Bottles
G.I. Style ............... .
Aluminium Water Bottles
French Style .... ....
Head Lamp Spot Lights
Canvas Buckets .... .... .. ..
Water Bags ............... .
Compass (Pocket)
Compass Prismatic Type
£1
2 6
12
6
£1 8 0
£1 10 0
£2 s 0
10 6
14 0
16 0
£1 5 0
KNIVES •••
Bush Knife 10" .... .. ..
£3 17 6
270 FLINDERS STREET -
19 6
19 6
15 6
19 6
5 0
17 6
IS 0
RUCSACS •••
.. ..
....
....
....
....
£10
£5
£3
£3
£1
IS
19
15
18
18
6
6
0
6
6
CLIMBING EQUIPMENT
Crampons, 8 point .... ....
Ice Axes .... .... .... ....
Karabiners Stubai Snap ....
Karabiners Stubai Screw
Safety .... .... .... .... ....
Pitons 2 Ring Type .... .... ....
Pitons D. Type .... .... ....
Pitons 10" Stubai .... .... ....
Pitons Hammers .... .... .... ....
Nylon Rope 100' Length!" (2000 lb. Breaking Strain)
H" (3200 lb. Breaking Strain)
H" (4600 lb. Breaking Strain)
£8 19 6
£8 10 0
£1 8 6
£2
0 0
12 6
4 6
IS 0
£2 0 0
£S 0 0
£7 10 0
£9 10 0
269 CHAPEL STREET, PRAHRAN
also in GEELONG ••• BALLARAT ... HOBART ..• PERTH
402 SYDNEY ROAD, COBURG
Turn left along the metalled road, in one mile crossing a creek over a
small bridge, then, a short distance ahead a side road will be seen branching
off to the right. Take this road which soon becomes a rough track following
the telegraph line across open heath lands, climbing up to a road junction
on ridge of scrubby timber. At the junction the telegraph line continues along
the northern road, and there is a group of farm buildings in the N.E. corner.
Kirkpatrick Road shown on the map is actually a farm road crossing a cleared
valley to the east. However, turn right (S.) along the ridge road, which affords
good views of the surrounding countryside before it enters a large patch of
forest. Here the track is occasionally confused by parallel snigs.
Two miles from the junction more open country is reached at a sharp
turn to the right (W.), and a further ! mile leads to cross roads. (Poultry
farm on N.E. corner.) Cross junction going west and heading down the
Mountain Road for 2 miles into Cockatoo, finishing along the Cockatoo-Woori
Yallock road.
MAP REFERENCE: Broadbents No. :Z78E.
Emerald Gembrook District.
NOTES COMPILED: July, 1963.
A.S.
BALD SPUR-STRATHEWEN-MT. SUGARLOAF
Distance: 10 to 12 miles.
TRANSPORT: Private, an extra 6 miles walking would make it a round trip.
WATER: Available in June when this trip was checked but should be boiled.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE:
Take the transport through Kinglake to the junction with the road leading
to the Tower marked on the map (now non-existent) west of Kinglake (map
reference 352720). Follow the road to the west for about t mile, then turn
left (S.) into the Bald Spur track. A few hundred yards along this is a hill
called Ned Kelly's lookout-a good view is obtained from here. Follow this
track south-west to the Bald Spur lookout. From here the track narrows,
about t mile along this narrow track turn west down a side spur. Try to
pick up a hint of a track in the pleasant bushland. Cross a creek and
continuing west cross some open paddocks and a back road. By this time
Chad's Ck. will be at the side, also running west. This is a good spot for
lunch.
Continue west, climb a small hill ( 300691) and on descending from this,
pick up a road. Follow this due west past a school. Turn slightly north past
a house with a telephone box, then branch off on a side road about 100 yards
past the house. Still going west, follow this small back road for about l t
miles to the foot of Sugarloaf. Just past a small hut, leave the road and
continue due west to a high point ( 265698), turn north into a slight saddle,
then climb on to the spur to the west. Now head straight for the top (N.E.).
There is a fine view from here. Continue down the road to the Ranger's
hut at the bottom of Sugarloaf. This is a good pickup point for transport.
A side trip may be taken from here to Mason's Falls by taking t~e track
which goes north-west from this point. This will add about I mile each
way to the trip.
To make the round trip, follow the road out to Pheasant Ck., then turn
east into the road back to Kinglake-6 extra miles.
MAP REFERENCE: Yan Yean Military I" to I mile.
NOTES COMPILED: June. 1963
WALK
A.G.
Page Sixty-seven
SYLVIA CREEK-BLOWHARD RANGE-VICTORIA RANGE
Distance: 11 miles.
TRANSPORT: Private-this is a round trip.
SUITABLE SEASON: Springtime is the best, preferably late in October or
early November, when the Balm Mint Bush blooms.
FEATURES: Magnificent Mountain Ash forests on slopes above the Yea River
Valley.
SPECIAL NOTE: The map quoted only covers part of the route, but it is
the only one which is recent enough. These notes are comprehensive.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE:
Take the transport through Healesville and along the Myers Ck. road to
Sylvia Ck. road. Continue along the latter towards Kalatha to the point where
Sylvia Ck. crosses it. Leave the transport and continue on northerly along
Kalatha road to the Yea River Link Road (;1- mile). Turn left (west) on to
this road, walk downhill west and north-west. Turn left on to the "Jeep Track"
at the signpost 1-U miles from start, follow track downhill to the Yea River
( U- It miles). Cross river and follow the jeep track south over a soft leafy
surface to the point where another jeep track joins in from the right (west) ,
2 miles. Turn right and follow this track north before climbing north-west
steeply through beautiful Mountain Ash, on a spur of the Blowhard Range,
reaching the Allison Creek Road at 3! miles.
The jeep track crosses this road, and continues climbing steeply up the
spur in a north-westerly direction, often through overgrown bracken and headhigh Balm Mint. At about -! mile after crossing Allison Creek Road the
spur flattens (4t miles), the track continues north-west through beautiful ash
forest with a soft leafy floor, before rising again to the range top, where the
track divides at a timber loading ramp (Blowhard Junction). The left fork
leaves W.S.W. along the flat-topped Victoria Range, while the right-hand track
follows the N.E. spur (Downey's Spur) (5:t miles). Continue on northerly
downhill along a rough snig track which at times peters out before reaching
Downey's Road ! mile from the top at a large timber-loading ramp (6 miles).
Turn right and follow the earth road north-easterly around the northern
spur of the Victoria Range. After rounding the range end the road turns
right S.S.E. before joining a road running N.S. (7 miles). Turn right (S.)
at the junction. In a quarter-mile at another junction (7t miles) take right (S.)
road; in a further t mile through lovely forest reach another road junction
( 7! miles) . Here again go right. From here the road descends slightly and
crosses a beautiful gully at the head of the Yea River with a fine beech
grove off to the left (8 miles). In a further :t mile look for the Dugout to
the right of the road which climbs slightly and in a further t-! mile reaches
the junction of the Allison Creek Road and the Yea River Link Road (8!
miles).
Turn left downhill and walk through tall ash timber to the Yea River
(9! miles). Cross the river and shortly afterwards avoid the road to the left,
then later another to the right; continue S.E. t mile to the previous Jeep Track
and return to Sylvia Creek by the outward route on the Yea River Link Road.
MAP REFERENCE: Glenburn. Military l:SO.OOO
NOTES COMPILED: June 1963.
F.W.H.
Page Sixty-eight
WALK
Clear a space
of ten feet
around
the fire.
Keep the fire
small.
Be sure it is extinguished before you leave.
and smoken ••• make
sure your cigareHe or
match is OUT before
throwing if away.
FORESTS
COMMISSION
OF
VICTORIA
WALK
with a
Broadbent
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