Nigel
Christmas Australian Alps Walking Track Spring
2006 Walhalla to Tharwa
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Equipment Food Reflections & Planning
Tuesday
3rd October Day 3
I
ended up with thermal lowers and a beanie as well; nice and warm then. I had
plenty of clothes to go though. Still morning, birds calling etc. Slept in till
6:30 am; the prolonged climb yesterday has belted me around a bit. There was
ice on the tent; I wonder how cold it was last night? I traveled along to Mt St
Gwinear junction and left my pack there to climb Mt St Gwinear. It gave
reasonable easterly views; I have been here before. Continuing along the main
track I took a wrong turn and ended up a few hundred metres off the track. The
track is dense vegetation and quite often not visible when you are 5 metres
away. Anyway I decided to get the GPS out and then head back to the track; bad
move as it took a long time and was extremely hard going. I learnt a lesson to
follow your location on the map even though there are no junctions/offshoots. I
had lunch at the ruins of Mt Whitelaw hut. The ruins are interesting as they
are a concrete slab/chimney; apparently destroyed in the 1939 bushfires. I kept
going past Mt Whitelaw and made my way to Stronachs Camp; water very sluggish but ok. The
bushwalkers only camp site appeared to be dry and very small. Elevation is
1140m and the Thomson Valley Road
is next to me. I am finished with the Baw Baws.
23 On the side trip to Mt St Gwinear,
snow hasn’t melted yet.
24 Mt St Gwinear.
25 Mt St Gwinear.
26 Mt St Gwinear.
27 Mt St Phillack.
28 Woopee 45km done with a little way too go.
29 Stronachs Camp
Very happy as I had a table this evening.
Wednesday
4th October Day 4
Left
Stronachs around 7am. The
track that cuts across to the upper Thomson
Road had been redirected due to logging. It
created a little confusion easily overcome. The advantages of the logging were
that it gave a clear view of the Thomson
Valley. The descent onto Park Road was very
harsh on the body/knees. I then came across the Mt Easton Dam. It is a little
dam with a long spillway and an intake for the Melbourne Water scheme. The
intake has me confused as it has an island of gravel before it; it seem the
intake is more for a surge situation as if the water comes out here it will end
up back in the Thomson Dam from where it originated. I was at the designated
campsite at 11:30am so I had lunch and pushed on; I wish I hadn’t. The climb to
the false summit of Mt Easton and then to Mt Eason was very cruel. Then falling
off the hardly traveled “path most traveled” made it worse i.e. logs, trees,
scrub etc. Finally got that out of the way and then trudged towards the Jordan River. The final descent was painful, put it this
way the road had been graded with a bulldozer. I believe it fell around 200m in
600m horizontal according to the topographic map. It was called Casper Creek
track; it should be renamed. Knees are sore now and feet nearly blistered from
the final descent. I got to Red Jacket at 4:30pm, in bed at 7pm.
30 Overgrown trail heading to Upper Thomson Road.
31 Clearfelling
just above Upper Thomson Rd.
32 Clearfelling
just above Upper Thomson Rd.
33 Heading off this way. Valley
of Thomson River then Jordan River and
finally Black River.
34 Just above Upper
Thomson Rd.
35 Looking back at where I came out of forest.
36 On the descent to the Thomson River Looking uphill. Not happy as it is
bloody steep.
37 On the descent to the Thomson River Looking downhill.
38 Easton Dam on the Thomson River.
39 Crossing the Thomson River
Had my first bath here.
40 On the ascent towards Mt Easton
looking back towards where I came from. The clear felling area can be made out
in between the trees near the horizon.
41 Finally reached the summit of Mt Easton
Probably the hardest climb on the walk.
42
Mt Easton was obviously treeless long ago judging by the survey mark.
43 The descent to the Jordan
River 200m descent in 600m horizontal.
44 The descent to the Jordan
River looking downhill.
45 Gold diggings on the Jordan River
at Blue jacket.
46 Gold diggings on the Jordan River
at Blue jacket.
47 Gold diggings on the Jordan River
at Blue jacket.
Thursday
5th October Day 5
I
got out of bed early and examined feet/evaluated knees and then checked the
topographical maps. I basically rise from the Jordan
and then descend into the Black River with
more steep descents. I decided to call it a rest day as I didn’t want to end up
with problems. Slept into 10:30am with a bit of reading in between. I strolled
around Red Jacket, found cemetery, old chimneys, riveted water box, numerous
gold workings and a diversion channel that was probably used to run a water
wheel powered battery as per the information board (see photos). It is an
interesting place; a pity the blackberries cover nearly all of it. Black River tomorrow; will see if it lives up to ‘leech
infested hell hole’.
48 Red Jacket Cemetery.
49 Red Jacket Cemetery.
50 Red Jacket Cemetery.
51 Red Jacket Cemetery.
52 Red Jacket Cemetery.
53 Red Jacket Cemetery.
54 Red Jacket signage board.
55 Red Jacket ruins Firepace.
56 Red Jacket ruins Riveted tank.
57 Red Jacket campsite, stayed here for a rest day.
58 My first Tiger snake Very grey
compared to the Deniliquin
ones.
Friday
6th October Day 6
Rose
5:20am, packed up and got walking by 6:30am. Five minutes later I was already
starting to puff and pant as I headed up Victor Spur. I decided not to scramble
down to the ‘Old Harbinger’ mine site below the spur, I did however come across
two shafts (which were presumably air shafts). It was a pleasure to find the
top section of the pathway before it rejoins Victor Spur Track had been recently
cleared. I found a very derelict hut on the Walhalla-Woods Point Road and beyond that
a tree the original road surveyors had marked in 1926. The tree has since died,
been painted to preserve it and even has a roof over it; yet some bastard has
hacked half the names off with an axe. It is amazing so many people travel so
far to vandalize things e.g. gates/signs/boards etc. The roads kept rising
until Mt Singleton and then a few more unnamed ones. I missed the turn for the
AAWT which is easy to do with the short post markers, this added another 2km to
the day. The descent to the Black River was
not as bad as the others but was still long. I took more time and even walked
backwards for short stretches to rest. Eventually arrived at Black River and
the track disappears, so I changed to my sandals, left pantyhose on and tucked
pants into them (leeches). Literally walk down the river which is fine until
all of the dead trees. I eventually spot the track on the eastern side of the
river and follow it for a short while before going back to wading the 1km
stretch. Eventually set up camp at 5pm. Got my first leech shortly after
removing sandals (not sure if from river) and tried to brush him off. Didn’t
work so I put the lighter on him, he didn’t like it and let go; no blood = no
bite, but he was quite excited. Total distance was supposed to be 21.5km but
the mistake made it 23.5km. Elevation went from 500m (Jordan River) up to 1343m
(Mt Singleton) and finally 600m (Black River),
with many ups and downs in between. Tomorrow up to Mt Shillinglaw and my first
food drop; I can smell the chocolate.
59 Victor Spur looking south over the Jordan River Valley.
60 Country Roads Board surveyors
inscribed this tree in 1926. Vandal with the axe needs to be hung.
61 Champion Spur Track junction just past Mt Singleton.
62
Descending an unnamed fire trail to Black River
Very Steep and not happy once again. Had to walk in the Black
River itself for 1km downstream just after this photo.
63 Dinner on the Black
River I was still throwing out a hand full of rice pasta etc at
this stage as I couldn’t eat it all.
64 Black River campsite.
65 Black River campsite,
looking downstream.
Saturday
7th October Day 7
Just
for a change today I climbed and descended some mountains. Glad to say no more
leeches attacked, I would hate to see them in a wet year. The track left Black River just around the corner from the
campsite/river crossing. The path was cleared to there. After that to the
unnamed peak and through the saddle on the way to Mt Shillinglaw it was not.
The overgrown I don’t mind; the masses of dead trees (big ones) across it were
the problems. I missed the saddle that crosses from the unnamed peak across to
Mt Shillinglaw initially, but soon found it. At the lower parts of Mt
Shillinglaw a cleared fire track was picked up (steep) that lead over the
summit and onto the Jamieson Licola Road. The Skene lookout was a waste of time on really
overgrown fire trails for a non existent view. The snow gums have claimed it. I
picked up my first food drop and inscribed the tree for family just in case. I
set up camp in a clearing approx 1.5 km past Rumpff Saddle. The chocolate didn’t seem that
special as too date I am well overfed and have no cravings. Getting water was a
real pain, about 300+ metres down a gully, eventually found it. I was sweating
heavily when I reached the top again.
I
met my first person since day 2 today. Hunters with the usual white land
cruiser tray top with dogs cages right across the back. Warned me to keep the
food in the tent as the dogs may come sniffing. Seemed pleasant enough and took
my food drop drum for disposal. Is it deer season? Altitude is 1240 m and
weather is windy and blowing from north. Temperature is not as cold as I
expected, it might cool a lot.
66 Well defined track on the way to Mt
Shillinglaw from Black River.
67 Finally hit the Jamieson Licola Rd that I had driven down
a few weeks ago.
68 Old truck on the Jamieson Licola Rd.
69 Jamieson Licola and Middle
Ridge Rd junction.
70 Jamieson Licola Rd at Barkly
River Jeep track
junction. My 1st food drop was here.
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Equipment Food Reflections & Planning