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AN AUTUMN TRILOGY 2005 “Where else can you put your four wheel drive into low range and drive for a fortnight without doubling up on tracks traversed”.- Overlander Magazine December 2004 The Victorian High Country is renowned for its rugged and steep trails, magnificent views, where as you look further into the distance you see successive ridges tailing off into lighter shades of blue and where every steep descent inevitably brings you to shady mountain streams with fern tree covered gullies and pleasant camping spots. Following on from the successful summer trip to Davies Plain and Tom Groggin in the Northern High Country, during January, the Wesley 4x4 club embarked on an ambitious trilogy of Autumn trips in the Southern areas of the High Country. The trips, spaced at monthly intervals from March to May 2005, were designed to make best use of an unusually warm autumn and to spend as much time as possible in the mountains prior to closure of the tracks for winter in mid June. Trip 1: McAlister River – Butcher Country; Labour Day long Weekend 9-11 March 2005
Trevor Cooke and Con RangeRover The first planned trip was based around a three day camp on the McAlister River. On a very warm Friday afternoon with temperatures expected to reach into the mid 30’s an advanced party set off on for a pleasant three day trip camping by streams, swimming and fishing in the high country – “Home of the Man from Snowy River.” The plan for the first night was to find somewhere to camp along the Wellington River past Licola and to meet up with the rest of the party arriving from Melbourne the next morning in Licola, before proceeding Northwest through Glencairn in the direction of the Black Soil Track and the McAlister River. Unkown to us however, the Department of Scorched Earth had other plans, and our intrepid advanced party was forced back to double bunk in with others in Licola as fires were burning in the area and firefighters couldn’t guarantee that an evacuation wouldn’t be necessary. (Apparently the DSE believes that long weekends and Easter Breaks are the best time to inconvenience visitors to the high country by starting their winter fuel reduction burns early).
The next day, passing by weary firefighters and with a smoky
atmosphere, we headed for a yet to be determined campsite on the McAlister
River. The drive over the mountain track and along the McAlister River was
thankfully pleasant and uneventful with the low level of the river ensuring that
all crossings were negotiated easily with only the odd bog hole causing some
excitement. As we proceeded northwards we were gradually getting clear of the smoke laden air and the day was becoming sunny and warm. Enticing glimpses of sunlight glistening off the river below made sure that we kept our objective of setting up camp early, in sight . With other four wheel drivers likely to already be in the area we decided to ignore more obvious campsites and headed for a well hidden campsite that we sometimes use – the site is so well hidden that three vehicles miscounting the stream crossings missed the overgrown turnoff and started up a precipitous track heading away from the river. (We were actually given crook directions by TL. Ed). The chatter over the radios was very interesting to those who having already been alerted rechecked their bearings (and GPS’s) and found the correct turnoff. By the time the others had found a safe turnaround and headed back down to the river the rest were already setting up camp. The rest of the day was spent by the river quietly fishing and swimming, exploring and being pestered by March flies (some outfitted with grass straws), followed by the evening fire, courtesy of the expertise of the Cooke Bros and with an unexpected visit by Nigel of the Crackatinny Tribe.
Next day saw four vehicles deciding to tackle the Butcher
Country track whilst the remainder of the party opted to stay at camp fishing
and reading. The Butcher Country track provided quite a challenge being
extremely cut-up and loose topped - especially on the steep sections. Two
vehicles on the track ahead of us were experiencing severe difficulties
maintaining traction and eventually agreed to let our group go ahead. Views over
the ridges were very impressive with the skies clear and blue.
The rest of the party safely returned to camp to report on the day’s driving. The final day saw four vehicles again decide to brave the Butcher Country Track on the return home, whilst the remaining two vehicles retraced the original journey along the McAllister River. Being forewarned of the difficulty of sections on the Butcher Country didn’t make the driving any easier but all vehicles completed the journey safely and with a number of stories to tell.
Trip 2: Haunted Stream ; Anzac Day long Weekend 22-25 April 2005
Trevor Cooke, RangeRover The second trip was one not having been undertaken in recent times and was to take us to the Haunted Stream and gold Mining areas between Bruthen and Dargo Friday night saw us driving past our usual turn-off at Traralgon and driving an extra hour to Bairnsdale where we had booked overnight cabins at the Mitchell River Caravan Park. The next mornings plan was to travel North via Bruthen to Tambo Crossing and then to pick up and follow the Haunted Stream track westwards. The Haunted Stream was so named following a murder that took place during the Gold rush days. It is said that if you camp by the stream, screams can be heard at night. We found the trip up the stream to be extremely interesting. There are still remnants of the many former gold mining sites along the track and a look at the map shows many long abandoned townsites bearing names such as Sterling, Dog town and Dawson City – reminiscent of a Wild West drama. The drive along the valley floor was very interesting and very pretty – it was a photographer’s paradise, with filtered sun lighting the numerous crossings of the stream, the track surrounded by deep verdant bush made up of myriads of tall tree ferns, mountain ash and wattles with cliffs towering high above.
Once on Engineers Road we tried to follow the Quarry Creek Road down to Marthadale to camp. All was well for the first 50 meters or so but it did seem strange to be making our own path through very thick scrub interspersed with saplings and blackberries. Eventually we came across a broken gate hidden by the bush with a sign saying the track was closed because of a damaged bridge at the bottom – all those scratches for nothing - we turned around. When we found our way to Marthadale via an alternate route we found that we could have forded the river at the bottom, not only that but the bridge also looked OK. Marthadale by the Nicholson River provided a good campsite and again a roaring campfire. Next morning we were woken by Gang Gang Cockatoos - a rare treat. Day 2 was to introduce us to what seemed like a never ending succession of ascents and descents in some of the steepest country we have traveled. The climb out of Marthadale led us onto the Morris Track followed by the Steve Track where we stopped at the Helipad for morning tea and admired the view before proceeding to Jones Road via Wayne Track. Jones’s is located on a beautiful open spot on the Wentworth River and a perfect spot for lunch, a spot of gold panning and splashing - in brilliant sunshine. We continued our journey up the Wild Horse Spur Track and then headed westwards along the Dane Track as the steepness of the country seemed to be increasing. We hoped for a campsite in the region of the ruins at “Camms Top Place” but when we arrived found the limited sites already occupied even though we had seen very few vehicles during the day. We set off in search of other camp sites and descended Messmate Spur to the creek before beating a retreat from a steep and dangerous ascent.
We decided to continue our search for a campsite towards
Dargo and Next morning we were welcomed by a myriad of parrots in the trees high above us including Lorikeets and a family of King Parrots. More gold panning in the Dargo River and we headed off to Harrisons Cutting – the site of a former extensive river diversion sliced through solid rock to facilitate alluvial gold mining activity. We found a large deer hunter’s encampment close bye. Morning tea followed by more gold panning and it was time to make tracks via Matheson Track, (our last steep climb), and Bullock Head Saddle where we took time out to visit Treasure’s hut before the descent to Dargo for lunch and a long drive home into a setting sun. Thanks to Trevor and Lindsay Cooke for an extremely enjoyable and challenging trip.
Trip 3: Licola, Wonnangatta Station Dargo, 20-22 April 2005
Chris Hendry and Nick Wirubov, Nissan GU Diesel Patrol The third and final trip was designed as a quick two day run into the Wonnangatta Valley and out again. The weather was now appreciably cooler than for the two previous trips. As usual we met for an overnight stopover courtesy of the Bunkhouse at Licola. This time the only smoke in the air came from our own fire as we tried to keep warm whilst waiting for all to arrive. Rod and Karl-Martin were the last to arrive - earlier in the evening Trevor and Ginny Adcock had dropped in to say hello as they were camping further up the river ready for a weekend trek with friends into the mysterious Lake Tarli Karng. The days are now getting appreciably shorter and with only two days available we left Licola bright and early in the morning for Arbuckle Junction stopping only at Bennison’s Lookout for the compulsory offering to “Gods own Country”. A morning tea stop at Dimmocks Lookout provided a fine overview over the Northern Ranges as the sky was clear and a foreboding blue indicating a strong likelihood of a cold and frosty night ahead. We made an unscheduled stop at the historic Howitt Hut on the Howitt High Plain and marvelled at its freshwater spring. (Little did we know that the area would be covered in snow within three weeks of our visit). Leaving the Howitt Hut we soon found ourselves heading down the famed Zeka Spur Track - even finding time to cut several long firelogs for the evening fire.
After setting up camp, we found time for a late afternoon hike across the valley and by dusk the scene was set for a banquet. In true club tradition we were not let down as the finest foods cheeses, olives etc ever to be made available in Victoria appearing from nowhere. No doubt the best were laid out on the Hendry/Wirubov table, with some fancy Australian wines and meats courtesy of Karl Martin –I didn’t know Kangaroos were still in the valley this late in the season! With such a fine traditional feast it was inevitable that once again Nigel would make a late entry for a fine frosty feast under the clear night skies. Next morning we were slow to break camp but had time to visit the homestead and cemetery before a late decision to depart (the long way) to the East via the Herne and Wombat Spurs. As Rod McGregor had ventured that he had requisite waypoints already loaded in his GPS it was decreed that the Green Landcruiser would lead the charge up the spur and onwards to Eaglevale Station where after numerous photo shots at the river ford, a pleasant lunch was enjoyed in the now warm and dreamy late autumn sun. A long but interesting drive followed along the valley and on to Dargo, rejoining our previous route (Trip 2), at Waterford for another long drive down to the highway and home. We are indebted to our President Chris Hendry for the preparation for this very enjoyable trip.
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As the trip to the
halfway turnaround had taken an hour longer than anticipated Rod and Lachlan
decided that it would be quicker for them to proceed alone and head out via the
Howitt Road rather than retrace the route as they were due back in Melbourne
that evening. Having set their GPS for Zeka Spur and with Lachlan driving they
set off along the ridge but were able to maintain contact with the rest of the
group for the next hour plus and warn them of a very difficult section of the
track where they were held up for over 30 minutes whilst a number of vehicles
pondered their attack. Rod and Lachlan were able to clear the section without
incident and apart from being pulled over by firefighters as they again neared
Licola, and given a warning of fire and smoke along the Tamboritha Road, their
trip home was uneventful.
We
crossed a small wooden log bridge opening onto a small clearing, no larger than
two suburban blocks surrounded by large trees and found we were at the site of
Dawson City. The only way out was up and before we knew it we were scaling a
very steep track to intersect Engineers Road above –we considered ourselves
fortunate that the track was dry as it would not have been possible to use this
escape from the valley if wet.
tackled the
Murdering Spur in the late afternoon. Once again we found Murdering Spur track a
difficult track but we pressed on and found a second track marked “Stock Route”
that headed in the required direction to Matheson Flat – straight down. The
drive though arduous provided tremendous views of the surrounding peaks as we
descended in the last of the day’s sunlight towards the flat where at last we
found a suitable campsite on the Dargo River that we had to ourselves. A big
campfire and again Nigel dropped in unannounced.
Upon
arriving in the Wonnangatta we found few campers were evident except in our
favourite spot, thus forcing us to find a new location well hidden in the trees
and close by the river.