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Australian Alps walking track
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ray
Mar 25, 2009, 12:02:55 AM3/25/09
to
Had cause to be visiting the AAWT north-west of Walhalla yesterday. What
a mess. The track is of course closed, I just bashed in anyway.
The fire in question got to within 1 km north-west of Walhalla and was
stopped on top of the ridge, the bare area of burnt trees visible from
the valley.
In something of an irony, the fire started at O'Shea's mill, which was
destroyed in the 1932 bushfires. The exact spot, clearly visible, was a
convenient tree fern out of view of the road just behind the picnic
area. I have no sympathy for the bastard who obviously started it.
I went down Fingerboard Spur which was totally devastated. The objective
of the trip was the cartoon-type picnic setting north of Poverty Point,
christened Pebbles Point for this trip.
Unfortunately, I didn't get there. I got down to within 100 horizontal
metres of the Thomson River, to a water point christened Bam Bam Spring.
Beyond this point, the trail narrowed to barely 30 cms clinging to the
dust, loose rock and ash of the cliff face, then to effectively zero, at
which point trip was abandoned, only 500 metres from Pebbles Point, as
being too frigging dangerous. I assume Poverty Point bridge survived as
this appeared to be out of the fire area. But it's obviously going to be
a while until Parks and/or DSE get the track back in commission.
I followed this debacle by twisting my ankle in the middle of nowhere
north-east of Walhalla later in the day, then got flashed and thus
acquiring a speeding fine with 800m of home. I guess it was one of those
trips. New growth is already starting to re-emerge, but it will be a
long time before it looks like it did even when I was last up there,
September last year.
Cheers,
Ray
a mess. The track is of course closed, I just bashed in anyway.
The fire in question got to within 1 km north-west of Walhalla and was
stopped on top of the ridge, the bare area of burnt trees visible from
the valley.
In something of an irony, the fire started at O'Shea's mill, which was
destroyed in the 1932 bushfires. The exact spot, clearly visible, was a
convenient tree fern out of view of the road just behind the picnic
area. I have no sympathy for the bastard who obviously started it.
I went down Fingerboard Spur which was totally devastated. The objective
of the trip was the cartoon-type picnic setting north of Poverty Point,
christened Pebbles Point for this trip.
Unfortunately, I didn't get there. I got down to within 100 horizontal
metres of the Thomson River, to a water point christened Bam Bam Spring.
Beyond this point, the trail narrowed to barely 30 cms clinging to the
dust, loose rock and ash of the cliff face, then to effectively zero, at
which point trip was abandoned, only 500 metres from Pebbles Point, as
being too frigging dangerous. I assume Poverty Point bridge survived as
this appeared to be out of the fire area. But it's obviously going to be
a while until Parks and/or DSE get the track back in commission.
I followed this debacle by twisting my ankle in the middle of nowhere
north-east of Walhalla later in the day, then got flashed and thus
acquiring a speeding fine with 800m of home. I guess it was one of those
trips. New growth is already starting to re-emerge, but it will be a
long time before it looks like it did even when I was last up there,
September last year.
Cheers,
Ray
Adriaan Homburg
Mar 30, 2009, 8:53:36 AM3/30/09
to
That is terrible news, I hiked from Walhalla along the AAWT to the
rock cave at Mount Saint Gwineer in December and was thinking about
how good the track was getting, Start all over again I guess!!!
Hopefully the track will be fixed sooner rather than later.
Cheers,
Adriaan
Dz Nguyen
Apr 6, 2009, 6:28:40 AM4/6/09
to
Will do a part of AAWT with the start from Lake Guy near Bogong township.
Walk south to Weston Hut, West to Mt Feathertop then back south to Mt Hotham
via The Razorback. Cross Great Alpine Road and walk East to Mt Jim, Mt
Nelse via AAWT. If weather permitting, will head north to Cleve Cole Hut,
Mt Bogong then descend to Bogong Creek Saddle via Quartz Ridge. The final
climb is up to Mt Arthur and the final down is back to the car via Black
Possum Spur. Plan is about up to 10 days including two spare days just in
case of bad weather. I would appreciate any updates on the route
conditions. Thanks Dzung.
Walk south to Weston Hut, West to Mt Feathertop then back south to Mt Hotham
via The Razorback. Cross Great Alpine Road and walk East to Mt Jim, Mt
Nelse via AAWT. If weather permitting, will head north to Cleve Cole Hut,
Mt Bogong then descend to Bogong Creek Saddle via Quartz Ridge. The final
climb is up to Mt Arthur and the final down is back to the car via Black
Possum Spur. Plan is about up to 10 days including two spare days just in
case of bad weather. I would appreciate any updates on the route
conditions. Thanks Dzung.
ray
Apr 6, 2009, 6:58:25 AM4/6/09
to
forests on the slopes were destroyed in the 2006-07 fires. An eerie
experience, walking through a dead forest. Climate change and all else
being equal, the forest should eventually grow back, but how long?
ziggy99
Apr 7, 2009, 5:42:57 AM4/7/09
to
Think Weston's got burned. Roper's is rebuilt.
Dz Nguyen
Apr 7, 2009, 7:24:02 AM4/7/09
to
"ziggy99" <rs...@westnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:cb226627-e6ad-4f3f...@s22g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
news:cb226627-e6ad-4f3f...@s22g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
Yes, I can recall. Wilkinson Lodge was also destroyed. Weston Hut is also
being rebuilt and due for completion in mid 2009 according to SV maps scale
1:50 000, Bogong Alpine Area, bushwalking, 1st Edition 2009. It is my 3rd
Bogong Alpine Area map. Have to make up another plan (going west?). Thanks
Ray.
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