VICTORIAN HIGH COUNTRY

Easter 2011 VICTORIAN HIGH COUNTRY Cold Nights, Clear Skies and Great Four Wheel Driving 36 TLCC NEWS AUGUST 2011

MAKIN' TRACKS PARTICIPANTS: Andrew Boyd (Trip Leader) VDJ78R Troopy TD Philip & Cheryl Meade (Assistant Trip Leader s) 80 Series petrol Mark Willock 100 Series Petrol Rob & Carol Alexander 80 Series TD Colin & Jenny Mawbey 80 Series TD Peter & Mark Murphy 80 Series TD Stephen Kay 120 Series Prado 3.0L TD DAY 1 SATURDAY, APRIL 23RD Andrew Boyd The group met at The Best Western motel in Wangaratta (Victoria) on Friday night. After waking to a very foggy cold morning, some two degrees, we headed off through East Wangaratta on the Great Alpine Road (B500) through the towns of Myrtleford, Bright, and Harrietville after which the weather cleared with stunning blue skies. We started the long twisty climb on the Great Alpine Road that eventually leads to the Mount Hotham Ski resort and turned onto the Dargo High Plains Track, stopping after a short distance to let our tyres down. The next part of our day s driving would take us along the Blue Rag Range Track out to the highest point where once the trig point stood at an elevation of 1719 m. The drive out on the Blue Rag Range Track would have to be one of my favourites in the High Country - great scenery and good four wheel driving with a mixture of ascents, descents, and some rocky sections. Although a little brisk, the summit provided us with a great morning tea location. The Blue Rag Range is a track where once you reach the summit, you retrace your path. It is also is a track where your TLCC driver training definitely pays off. We then proceeded along the Bassalt Knob Track, stopping at the Bassalt Knob lookout, some 1512 m in elevation; again great views, including many of the other surrounding tracks, and picture postcard views of the National Park. We continued to follow Bassalt Knob Track down to Talbotville, a very popular place during the school holidays. We crossed the Crooked River one of many river crossing encountered during the trip and proceeded on to the Racecourse Area to camp for the night on a large open flat plain. DAY 2 EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 24TH Peter & Mary Murphy We had a leisurely start to the morning following a surprise visit to the entire campsite from a couple of Easter bunnies. A beautiful day awaited us on our second day as Col and Jenny Mawbey took up the lead. We travelled northwest up the Tea Tree Spur Track stopping for morning tea at the intersection of the Mt Hart Track. Two vehicles carrying members from the Friends of Wonnangatta valley joined us - little did we know we would spend a lot more time with them later in the day. It was then on to Guy s Mt Sarah Hut and a nearby lookout. Being up high we could hear a lot of radio chatter from groups nearby (as the crow flies); there were certainly many groups taking advantage of the long weekend. After leaving the hut we headed towards our planned lunch spot and onto an early camp for a baked dinner, however as we a rounded a corner our plans were to quickly change. The two vehicles we had met up with at morning tea were now blocking the track. The lead vehicle, a Rodeo, had broken a rear spring and they were attempting repairs. TLCC to the rescue! It was like moths to a flame. After several attempts, and over one and a half hours later, with tools, chains, and straps coming from all directions, the makeshift repairs were enough to get an appreciative group on their way back to camp. Our group moved on to a lovely lunch spot at a lookout and then we followed the Sarah Spur Track and then onto the Water Spur Track, reaching our campsite along the Wonnangatta River about 5:00 pm. TLCC NEWS AUGUST 2011 37

There was a flurry of activity as we lit the fire and got the camp ovens ready for our baked dinner. During happy hour, our Wonnangatta friends again visited us. They reported that they had made it back to camp with no more problems and were very thankful for the assistance of the TLCC. DAY 3 MONDAY, APRIL 25TH Colin & Jenny Mawbey We left the Wonnangatta Valley for the Howitt High Plains at 8.40 am in sunshine, but with mist around. We passed the group next to us preparing to leave on horseback for their climb out of the valley. I presume that their route was via the Bicentennial National Trail up to the Howitt Plains. We travelled via the Zeka Spur Track that was wet and eroded in places. The diff locks were put to good use and we arrived at the Howitt Road in around two hours of travel passing a group of bush walkers on the way. With trips I have led in the past, I allow three hours to climb out of the valley that includes a stop for morning tea. The extensive 4wd experience in our group showed up in negotiating the climb. Morning tea was at the junction of the Zeka Spur Track and the Howitt Road, before moving on to Minogues lookout for a brief stop. The distant views showed the dead tree skeletons from past wild fires going back to New Year s Day 1998. We moved on to the turn off to Caledonia River track for the descent into the valley. Sections of this track are steep, along with being wet in the shady areas. The bush is encroaching onto the track and there is limited passing for vehicles. Once onto the valley floor, a suitable lunch spot was located. During lunch, two TLCC Victoria members stopped and spoke with us about various subjects that we share in common, including the joint trips agreement. They spoke about the Cruiserkana 2012 event and we invited them to attend our Willowglen Challenge in return. After lunch, we moved off and passed the Butcher Country Link Track on our way to Dingo Hill Track. At one of the creek crossings, we had an audience watching us climb the steep and slippery exit. No problems occurred, probably to their dismay. The climb up Dingo Hill was dry and with its many switchbacks, we could see the vehicles below ascending in altitude from approximately 600 m to 1300 m. After reaching the top, the track runs along a flatter section and our lead vehicle almost had a head on with an approaching vehicle travelling fast on the narrow track. Our camp for the night was at Kelly s Lane, and we reached it from Scrubby Creek Track. Our two preferred campsites were occupied so we camped near the bridge below the Howitt Road. The group set up camp as best we could due to the tight space. It was our turn for happy hour nibbles and we set up our shower for those who needed it. Some low cloud drifted over later but cleared, there was still a mist about, our campsite was at approximately 1460 metres and the night got very cold. DAY 4 TUESDAY, APRIL 26TH Rob & Carol Alexander Today started out with very frosty and cold -1.1 degrees inside Andrew s car. Everyone ate breakfast around the fire to try to keep warm. The water buckets left out overnight had frozen over letting us know how cold it was. We packed up camp and left at 8:40 am, (with Peter and Mary as trip leaders for the day) turning right into Kelly s Lane then onto the Howitt Road; driving through a large stand of bushfire burnt trees with lots of new regrowth. Turning left onto the Moroka Road, both are very good dirt roads. Looking down into the valley a huge cloud mass looked like a snowcap with mountain peaks poking through. A right turn onto the Moroka 38 TLCC NEWS AUGUST 2011

MAKIN' TRACKS Range Track then onto the Mt. Wellington Track, a very moist area with some large beautiful ferns. Peter and Mary had a Lyrebird run across in front of their vehicle, then after crossing the river, Mary announces, we just saw a huge reindeer. I m thinking to myself this is Easter not Christmas. The top of Mt Wellington (1643 m) is covered with bushfire burnt Snow Gums that now have a lot of new regrowth. It is very rocky on top near the Cairn, with magnificent 360-degree views, looking towards Mt Valencia and the Pinnacles. The sky was blue, sun shining, and a slight breeze making it a perfect spot for an early morning tea stop with spectacular scenery. We were so high that you looked down on the tops of the trees in the distant valleys. The views were breathtaking. We returned onto Moroka Range Track towards the Moroka Hut. This section has very thick under growth and the track is muddy; this area has not been burnt for a long time. The hut is about 300 metres from the car park. It is in good condition with a dirt floor and a sprung bed and table inside. The area surrounding the hut is lovely with short lush green grass, and the creek running close by. This was a very tranquil spot. From Moroka road, we turned off to head towards the Pinnacles and the Billy Goat Bluff Track. A short distance along the road our vehicle made a loud roar and we stopped to discover that the exhaust dump pipe had sheared off at the turbo. We were able to continue to the car park even though it was noisy. At the Pinnacle s car park, we walked up to the fire tower. The tower is now a huge metal square structured with a walkway all round so you can safely take in the magnificent views, especially when you have such excellent weather. This building replaces the old wooden one that burnt down in the 2007 fires. Returning to the car park and following lunch, Rob and the boys were able to do a temporary repair on the exhaust pipe. As we still had our Easter eggs from Easter Sunday, I coaxed everyone into rolling their Easter eggs. I did this every year with my family, as it is a Scottish tradition. You have to roll them until they crack and then you can eat them it is all good fun. Once the repairs were completed, we headed off to tackle the Billy Goat Bluff Track. Anyone who has travelled in the high country would know this track is very steep, rocky, and a bit scary at times (but lots of fun!!!). Fortunately, we did not meet any other vehicles until we made it to the helipad. Just a helpful hint - never leave your vehicle running and rely on your handbrake to hold the vehicle on a very steep hill while getting out to take a photo. Vehicles can and do roll away! Stephen saw another deer on the track, making it two in one day. It really must be Christmas. Continuing down, we then proceeded onto the Crooked River. TLCC NEWS AGUST 2011 39

There is a choice of either going over the bridge or taking the river crossing. Most of us had done the river crossing before so the bridge was taken. However, Andy was coerced into christening his Troopy, so it was the river crossing for him and Colin. Once across the river, we met up with a few members of the Nissan Club who were also having a good time over the Easter break in the High Country. Once we were on our way again, we followed the Conway Track then turned onto the Hibernia Track, winding our way passed Harrison s Cut a lovely river view from above while driving towards Birregun Crossing camp area arriving at 4:00 pm. We set up camp and had happy hour, then dinner around another great campfire. Tonight was a much milder night than yesterday. DAY 5 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27TH Philip & Cheryl Meade Birregun Crossing is great place to camp a large area with plenty of flat sites, the Dargo River providing fresh water, and a Parks Victoria long drop saving the manual labour otherwise required. The 8:00 am start was much easier today the temperature was a mild 7 degrees compared with zero or thereabouts at the same time the previous day at Kelly s Lane. The clear blue sky and the almost complete absence of traffic on the tracks made this a great start to the day. With very few steep descents or ascents, the morning s drive was quite relaxing when compared to the other days. The navigation skills were tested late in the morning when we found that numerous changes had been made to the forestry roads. There were new logging tracks used to remove dead timber following the severe fires in early 2007. A one-hour stop at Omeo provided the opportunity for supplies, including fuel. Our 80 series petrol used 155 litres (or 29 L/100 km) for the 540 km travelled from Wangaratta. Bentley s Plain was an easy 2 hours run from Omeo. We had a brief stop at The Washington steam winch, which was used for logging in the area some 50 years ago. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment has done a great job carrying out restoration work and providing historical details. Bentley s Plain now includes a horse corral for use by recreational riders. The campsite remains assessable and is one of the best in the area. DAY 6 THURSDAY, APRIL 28TH Phil & Cheryl A quick stop at MOSCOW Villa Hut (acronym for My Own Summer Cottage Officially Welcomes Visitors Inside Light Lunch Available ), close by the Bentley s Plain campsite, provided the opportunity to view one of the best hut restorations in the area. Bentley s Plain is not a remote part of the High Country, but the area contains some challenging driving. In particular, the track out of Hells Gate is steep and should be avoided if wet. Fortunately, there had been no rain for at least a week in the area, and although the track was greasy, there were no problems. Colin and Jenny left us late morning to return to Sydney. The remaining vehicles headed northeast and we stopped at The 40 TLCC NEWS AUGUST 2011

MAKIN' TRACKS Playgrounds for an early camp. The afternoon was leisurely, with a short walk to finish the day along part of the track and then to Rams Horn. No other vehicles passed the campsite that afternoon and, at 1400 m above sea level, we knew we were in for another cold night! DAY 7 FRIDAY, APRIL 29TH Stephen Kay The days travel was to continue along the Cobberas Trail. As we progressed further east, the track condition became much and more interesting. At one point there was a very rocky decent with large sections of rock exposed from erosion. At the bottom of this section, we came across a Vic park vehicle parked at the side of the track. On close inspection, the vehicle appeared to have had trouble in ascending the track as the rear tail shaft was missing. At this point, we were still some hours from any major exit point, so we hope the occupants of the vehicle did not have to carry their damage tail shaft out by hand. This incident was a good reminder as to the benefits in travelling as a group, and why there was a warning notice to that effect placed at the start of the track. It was not until after lunch that we finally arrived at the Barry Way and turned south to follow the Snowy River. The road along the river is very scenic, at a high level above the river, but very narrow. Camp for the night was overlooking the Snowy River at Little River. This site would be very popular in the summer, overlooking the river though it required some walking to reach the river. DAY 8 SATURDAY, APRIL 30TH Phil & Cheryl Meade Little River Junction camping area provided good camping by the spectacular Snowy River. The start to the day required some mechanical work after Rob and Carol s 80 series lost five of the six wheel studs (and nuts) on one of its rear wheels. These were quickly replaced. No trace of the broken studs despite Carol and Mary walking the kilometre or so we had travelled since leaving camp. It pays to a carry spare wheel nuts as well as studs! McKillop s Bridge was our next stop. The original bridge was built in 1934 and was 15 m above the Snowy River. It was destroyed by floodwaters 11 days before the bridge s official opening. Reconstruction of the 256 m long bridge commenced immediately. It was built 5 m higher than the original and opened in December 1935. If you are in the area, it is well worth a visit. Unfortunately, the Deddick Trail was the only track that we had time to sample in the area. It s a 43 km four-wheel drive track through the heart of the Snowy River National Park. We travelled south for about 20 km of its length; however as our ultimate objective was Jindabyne (north), we retraced our steps after about 90 minutes. There are many other activities in the area, including rafting, canoeing, and bushwalking, so it is certainly a place to be marked for a return visit. After exiting the McKillop s Bridge area, we returned to the Snowy River Road and headed north to Jindabyne where the trip ended. From Cheryl and me - many thanks to Andy Boyd for arranging it, and of course, thanks to all involved without whom the trip would only have been a fraction of the fun it was! Off Road Fuel Consumption 80 Series 4.5 litre petrol 27 L/100 km 120 Series Prado 3.0 TD 13.2 L/100 km VDJ78R Troopy TD V8 18 L/100 km TLCC NEWS AUGUST 2011 41