195409
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| 195409 [2018/07/30 13:06] – tyreless | 195409 [2018/07/30 13:13] – tyreless | ||
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| __Itinerary__: | __Itinerary__: | ||
| - | Transport arrangements must be rinalised | + | Transport arrangements must be finalised |
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| - | === Bushwaler | + | === Bushwalker |
| Not, not S & R., but at Queen' | Not, not S & R., but at Queen' | ||
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| Sometimes when you are far from signs, it is most important to keep on that mighty watershed; and it's just at that time when you wrinkle the brow and ponder between Gungarton and the Brassy or in the timber between the Cascades and the Tin Mines. Of course, there are strips of range where you'd merit the proverbial Lead Medal if you made a mistake... Cunningham' | Sometimes when you are far from signs, it is most important to keep on that mighty watershed; and it's just at that time when you wrinkle the brow and ponder between Gungarton and the Brassy or in the timber between the Cascades and the Tin Mines. Of course, there are strips of range where you'd merit the proverbial Lead Medal if you made a mistake... Cunningham' | ||
| - | Ah! Yes! The Crosscut Saw! Now there' | + | Ah! Yes! The Crosscut Saw! Now there' |
| Some years back we had our first taste of this country when we " | Some years back we had our first taste of this country when we " | ||
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| Once again, we had some invaluable details from our Melbourne friends and were able to get food packed in to Howitt Hut by Fred Fry who has a holding on the Howqua where we proposed to make a start on the trek. | Once again, we had some invaluable details from our Melbourne friends and were able to get food packed in to Howitt Hut by Fred Fry who has a holding on the Howqua where we proposed to make a start on the trek. | ||
| - | The Coach took us through Mansfield to Merrijig where, camped on the Delatite, we were qdite close to the beginning with Mt Buller and Timbertop rising directly to the north of the campsite. Once on the Howqua, the walking... or should I say the splashing... began. There were twenty four crossings in the first eight miles, at which point, a forestry hut... the Eight Mile... is established. In a day and a half we had progressed to the final flat at the foot of the Howitt Spur after a valley of great beauty and many flats clothed with fine Manna Gums. Ritchie' | + | The Coach took us through Mansfield to Merrijig where, camped on the Delatite, we were quite close to the beginning with Mt Buller and Timbertop rising directly to the north of the campsite. Once on the Howqua, the walking... or should I say the splashing... began. There were twenty four crossings in the first eight miles, at which point, a forestry hut... the Eight Mile... is established. In a day and a half we had progressed to the final flat at the foot of the Howitt Spur after a valley of great beauty and many flats clothed with fine Manna Gums. Ritchie' |
| The Howitt Spur is steep but not a killer... perhaps its worse features are the wealth of scrub (largely young ash and Daviesia, products of the fire scourge) and the washed out and overgrown track... all in the earlier stages of the climb. As the elevation figures rise, a wild profusion of peaks begin to sort themselves out... west and north are Buller, Stirling, Thorne, the Stanley Name Range, Cobbler, Koonika, Speculation round to the Crosscut; south and east are Square Gin Bluff, Lovick, Magdala and Big Hill whilst straight ahead is the great massif of Howitt getting more and more vertical. Gradually the track improves, becoming a well-graded zigzag and although the party ahead appear to be crawling along an almost vertical face, we move up easily into the snow gums (carpetted with flowering Snow Daisies). Finally above the treeline, comes the first crest... a pleasant plateau of snow grass; and there across a shallow depression stands the cairn, the Howitt peak. | The Howitt Spur is steep but not a killer... perhaps its worse features are the wealth of scrub (largely young ash and Daviesia, products of the fire scourge) and the washed out and overgrown track... all in the earlier stages of the climb. As the elevation figures rise, a wild profusion of peaks begin to sort themselves out... west and north are Buller, Stirling, Thorne, the Stanley Name Range, Cobbler, Koonika, Speculation round to the Crosscut; south and east are Square Gin Bluff, Lovick, Magdala and Big Hill whilst straight ahead is the great massif of Howitt getting more and more vertical. Gradually the track improves, becoming a well-graded zigzag and although the party ahead appear to be crawling along an almost vertical face, we move up easily into the snow gums (carpetted with flowering Snow Daisies). Finally above the treeline, comes the first crest... a pleasant plateau of snow grass; and there across a shallow depression stands the cairn, the Howitt peak. | ||
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| The trail goes northerly round the Terrible Hollow (the head of the Wonnangatta) passed Macalister Springs (where the river of that name finds birth)... a happy campsite ringed by snow gums... on to the Howitt Plain, a wide and long plain around five thousand feet above sea level. Away to the eastern end of this plain is the Howitt Hut, a hut apparently of great age, perhaps built by the Bryces, the pioneers of the Snowy Plains. | The trail goes northerly round the Terrible Hollow (the head of the Wonnangatta) passed Macalister Springs (where the river of that name finds birth)... a happy campsite ringed by snow gums... on to the Howitt Plain, a wide and long plain around five thousand feet above sea level. Away to the eastern end of this plain is the Howitt Hut, a hut apparently of great age, perhaps built by the Bryces, the pioneers of the Snowy Plains. | ||
| - | North again, from the Howitt Plain the track goes down some 3,000ft to the Dry River. This was nww country to us and we were amazed by the width of the valley floor which continued to broaden right down to the junction with the Wonnangatta. Here a terrific clearing greets the traveller... the "home paddocks" | + | North again, from the Howitt Plain the track goes down some 3,000ft to the Dry River. This was new country to us and we were amazed by the width of the valley floor which continued to broaden right down to the junction with the Wonnangatta. Here a terrific clearing greets the traveller... the "home paddocks" |
| Downstream from the Conglomerate, | Downstream from the Conglomerate, | ||
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| The Wongungarra together with its tributary the Crooked River, have valleys of great historic significance. Many hundreds once peopled such towns as Grant, Talbotville and Howittville... now just names or a clearing overgrown with thistles, so elusive is the yellow metal. | The Wongungarra together with its tributary the Crooked River, have valleys of great historic significance. Many hundreds once peopled such towns as Grant, Talbotville and Howittville... now just names or a clearing overgrown with thistles, so elusive is the yellow metal. | ||
| - | Thus the first section of our Skyline Tour finished as we boarded the coach at "Glen View", the homestead on the junction of the Wonnaagatta | + | Thus the first section of our Skyline Tour finished as we boarded the coach at "Glen View", the homestead on the junction of the Wonnagatta |
| Loathe to leave the wide plains of the high altitudes, the Coach made off through Dargo township and along the rapidly rising range, into the snow gums and out on to the Dargo High Plains and the summer home of the Treasure family. Once these plains were the scene of much activity as the gold miners dug down through the basalt on "deep leads" | Loathe to leave the wide plains of the high altitudes, the Coach made off through Dargo township and along the rapidly rising range, into the snow gums and out on to the Dargo High Plains and the summer home of the Treasure family. Once these plains were the scene of much activity as the gold miners dug down through the basalt on "deep leads" | ||
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| It's got to be seen to be believed. Wellington, Howitt, Buller, Cobbler, The Twins, a huge granite monadnock that is Buffalo, Feathertop flecked with snow, Fainter, the wide expanse of peaks and flats making up the Bogong High Plains, Mount Bogong (more snow), Kosciusko (the Main Range glistening with snow patches), the Pilot, the Cobberas, the Bowen Mtns and the Nunniong Plains... indeed a complete circle to sea and a magnificent day to enjoy it. | It's got to be seen to be believed. Wellington, Howitt, Buller, Cobbler, The Twins, a huge granite monadnock that is Buffalo, Feathertop flecked with snow, Fainter, the wide expanse of peaks and flats making up the Bogong High Plains, Mount Bogong (more snow), Kosciusko (the Main Range glistening with snow patches), the Pilot, the Cobberas, the Bowen Mtns and the Nunniong Plains... indeed a complete circle to sea and a magnificent day to enjoy it. | ||
| - | We got out to Mt Loch aboard the Coach and stood by to commence the third ana last stage of our sojourn on the heights. Bogong High Plains are well known to Sydneysiders though familiarity does not detract from the magnificence of being on them. But the changing scene is here apparent as the Kiewa Scheme with painful slowness takes over Pretty Plain and Rocky Valley. Our route went from Mt Loch to Dibbin' | + | We got out to Mt Loch aboard the Coach and stood by to commence the third and last stage of our sojourn on the heights. Bogong High Plains are well known to Sydneysiders though familiarity does not detract from the magnificence of being on them. But the changing scene is here apparent as the Kiewa Scheme with painful slowness takes over Pretty Plain and Rocky Valley. Our route went from Mt Loch to Dibbin' |
| From Rocky Valley on the land grows bald and mighty. At Mt Nelse one looks out towards Bogong, notes the great depth of the Big River that separates the two masses and scans the huge rifts on Victoria' | From Rocky Valley on the land grows bald and mighty. At Mt Nelse one looks out towards Bogong, notes the great depth of the Big River that separates the two masses and scans the huge rifts on Victoria' | ||
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| Bogong is a little world of its own. The northern and western faces dive down in a terrific plunge, the south is bordered by the deeply entrenched Big River whilst the east tapers away along the Long Spur to Mount Wills. Here are little glades and plains... some treed, some bald. In keeping with the majesty of the mountain, Bogong' | Bogong is a little world of its own. The northern and western faces dive down in a terrific plunge, the south is bordered by the deeply entrenched Big River whilst the east tapers away along the Long Spur to Mount Wills. Here are little glades and plains... some treed, some bald. In keeping with the majesty of the mountain, Bogong' | ||
| - | It was Wills that attracted most of our concern at this stage, because alongside that Mountain (and connected to it by a low saddle) ran the Long Spur... an unexperimented line of descent. From the Cleve Cole Hut the start of the Long Spur was readily located by snow poles going up past "Hotel Aptex" and out along the spur itself. Then followed a well-defined track for some miles, the Mitta Mitta Route going down the Mulhaussen Spur to the North. The early stages of the Long Spur are narrow like a backbone; but slowly as the altitude drops and the slopes of Mt. Wills are approached, the Spur widens, snow gums give place to groves of Mountain Ash and we come upon a small log cabin... Hodgkinson' | + | It was Wills that attracted most of our concern at this stage, because alongside that Mountain (and connected to it by a low saddle) ran the Long Spur... an unexperimented line of descent. From the Cleve Cole Hut the start of the Long Spur was readily located by snow poles going up past "Hotel Aptex" and out along the spur itself. Then followed a well-defined track for some miles, the Mitta Mitta Route going down the Mulhaussen Spur to the North. The early stages of the Long Spur are narrow like a backbone; but slowly as the altitude drops and the slopes of Mt. Wills are approached, the Spur widens, snow gums give place to groves of Mountain Ash and we come upon a small log cabin... Hodgkinson' |
| And now we have come to the time to reminisce. The difficulties of terrain, of attention to provisions and of personality repercussions, | And now we have come to the time to reminisce. The difficulties of terrain, of attention to provisions and of personality repercussions, | ||
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| May I ask you to think about a vast Alpine National Park stretching from Mt Erica (The Baw Paws) along the Great Divide through Mts Matlock, Skene, MacDonald, Magdala, Howitt; The Howitt, Snowy and Wellington Plains; The Barry Mtns; The Dargo, Bogong and [illegible]. | May I ask you to think about a vast Alpine National Park stretching from Mt Erica (The Baw Paws) along the Great Divide through Mts Matlock, Skene, MacDonald, Magdala, Howitt; The Howitt, Snowy and Wellington Plains; The Barry Mtns; The Dargo, Bogong and [illegible]. | ||
| - | Anyhow, we are at Mt St. Bernard, by one [illegible] stores could be taken on and the route that we followed across the High Plains to the Bogong Peak (or similar) followed. Many routes lead off from Bogong and although our Long Spur was a headache, this was largely due to poor tracking. Such a track would not be following the Great Divide which you will notice doubles back from Mt Hotham around Omeo and Benatbra. Hereabouts it is low and developed for agriculture. I would suggest two alternatives... down the Long Spur to Glen Valley, then transport through Omeo to Benambra. From Benambra, the Tin Mines Track leads finally to Kosciusko via The Pilot and the Ramshead Range. The other alternative would be to follow the Long Spur until it connects with Mt Wills, then Mt Wills, Glen Wills, across to Gibbs Creek, over Mt Gibbs and on to the Buenbar Hut track to Tom Groggin and then the Leatherbarrel route to Dead Horse Gap and Kosciusko. (A further suggestion still from Benambra on to the Nunniong Plain, the Cobberas, the Pilot, Kosciusko.) | + | Anyhow, we are at Mt St. Bernard, by one [illegible] stores could be taken on and the route that we followed across the High Plains to the Bogong Peak (or similar) followed. Many routes lead off from Bogong and although our Long Spur was a headache, this was largely due to poor tracking. Such a track would not be following the Great Divide which you will notice doubles back from Mt Hotham around Omeo and Benambra. Hereabouts it is low and developed for agriculture. I would suggest two alternatives... down the Long Spur to Glen Valley, then transport through Omeo to Benambra. From Benambra, the Tin Mines Track leads finally to Kosciusko via The Pilot and the Ramshead Range. The other alternative would be to follow the Long Spur until it connects with Mt Wills, then Mt Wills, Glen Wills, across to Gibbs Creek, over Mt Gibbs and on to the Buenbar Hut track to Tom Groggin and then the Leatherbarrel route to Dead Horse Gap and Kosciusko. (A further suggestion still from Benambra on to the Nunniong Plain, the Cobberas, the Pilot, Kosciusko.) |
| - | trust you have had patience with me during this outline of routes. Pour over your maps and you too, will see a dozen routes for the choosing. Many places are tracked... many tracks shown or pre-existing have gone because of lack of use, or fires or washaways, or simply because it has been ndbody's business to care for them. To my knowledge no Huts for General Public use exist anywhere in the area planned. No wonder one needs to be a virile walker to make the grade! These lands are national property... how often do we hear that they are wasteland because they are seldom visited and only then by the most adventurous! | + | Trust you have had patience with me during this outline of routes. Pour over your maps and you too, will see a dozen routes for the choosing. Many places are tracked... many tracks shown or pre-existing have gone because of lack of use, or fires or washaways, or simply because it has been nobody's business to care for them. To my knowledge no Huts for General Public use exist anywhere in the area planned. No wonder one needs to be a virile walker to make the grade! These lands are national property... how often do we hear that they are wasteland because they are seldom visited and only then by the most adventurous! |
| Obviously, the difficulties of use are far too great for most, even though they have a continuous hankering to see and know. Sufficient facilities MUST be provided... at least decent tracking and construction of Huts could be undertaken. No manner of voluntary work could be comparable to the possible effort of an enlightened administration. | Obviously, the difficulties of use are far too great for most, even though they have a continuous hankering to see and know. Sufficient facilities MUST be provided... at least decent tracking and construction of Huts could be undertaken. No manner of voluntary work could be comparable to the possible effort of an enlightened administration. | ||
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| === Cameras Are Valuable... === | === Cameras Are Valuable... === | ||
| - | Your Camera, Exposure meter, Tripod, extra Lenses, can be covered in an inexpensive All Risks Policy against fire, burglary, theft, loss by misdaventrue, smashing or leaving in the train!!! | + | Your Camera, Exposure meter, Tripod, extra Lenses, can be covered in an inexpensive All Risks Policy against fire, burglary, theft, loss by misadventure, smashing or leaving in the train!!! |
| Ask all about it from Club Member Brian Harvey. ' | Ask all about it from Club Member Brian Harvey. ' | ||
195409.txt · Last modified: 2018/07/30 13:17 by tyreless