APRIL 2021 : VICTORIAN ALPS : Diamantina Hut - Mt Feathertop and return : 22 kms : 9 hours with stops

Another walk on our bucket list. My sister, Ros, has been having family skiing holidays at Mt Hotham for over 30 years and has recommended the nearby Razorback to Mount Feathertop walk. Ros, sister-in-law Jenny, and I planned to do this together before the winter season. We travelled from Canberra (6 hours) and Ros from Melbourne.

The weather forecast was perfect!

On our way we stopped for coffee at the Long Track Cafe  in Jugiong.

Lunch in Beechworth. A beautiful historic town on the Victorian Alpine Way.

On the ascent to Mt Hotham we found an interesting section called The Meg. A good omen, I hope.

I’d booked an Air BnB in Dinner Plain. A purpose built village with good amenities.

Our destination - Mt Feathertop

The route, beginning at Diamantina Hut

An amazingly clear Autumn day. We set off about 8.30.

Ready for the challenge!

A variety of surfaces, gradients and paths

Spectacular views -east and west

Only a few small creatures and wildflowers

We reached the base of Mt Feathertop about midday.

The climb to the top is 6 kms return. Some steep sections but most was on the ridge line with fabulous views of the surrounding ranges.

Happy to have reached the summit

As always the return trip is long and tiring but the weather remained perfect for the whole trip. 21oC with a light breeze. Not a cloud in the sky.



We regrouped at 5.30, just as the sun was setting. Mark and Chris had mixed success with their day’s walk, finding the shale and rocky paths stressful to navigate. A beautiful sunset to crown the day.

After leaving Dinner Plain early on Friday morning we had breakfast together in Bright, another special town on the Alpine Way.

International travel restrictions, caused by the continuing Covid global crisis, have certainly made us appreciate what amazing opportunities Australia has to offer.

M&M

APRIL 2021 : VICTORIA : GREAT OCEAN ROAD ROAD WALK : Day 7 : Princetown - Gibson’s Steps - Twelve Apostles : 7 kms : 2.5 hours

Tuesday. A short walk today from the protected wetlands at Gellibrand River, Princetown. We walked along the undulating coastal track into Port Campbell National Park with the Twelve Apostles looming closer. We all met at the Gables Lookout so that we could walk into Wreck Bay, climb down the Gibson’s Steps on to the beach and have lunch near the visitors’ centre.

The Twelve Apostles, east and west.

It’s unanimous - we all loved it!

The Great Ocean Road Walk is on the world walks’ register.

110 kms - done and dusted!

A 3 hour drive back to Melbourne. And goodbye to our guides. 10/10 - a superb trip!

M

PS I did find a large blue snail today but the jury is out to whether it is of the flesh-eating variety!

APRIL 2021 : VICTORIA : GREAT OCEAN ROAD WALK : Day 6 : Moonlight Head - Devils Kitchen - Princetown : 17 kms - 7 hours

Back to Moonlight Head to resume the next stage.

Monday. Another chilly morning, where any weather was possible. There seem to be squalls that pass through which means we haven’t had to suffer for too long in heavy downpours. Rain gear at the ready.

Very pleasant walk down into a valley and then onto the coastal paths for the occasional views, amidst the walls of thick bushes. We even encountered a blue tiger snake on one of the bridges. Shady casuarina forests were the highlight today.

We finished at the estuary, with extensive protected wetlands in Princetown.

One of our group, Robin, requested a drive to some of the far reaching ‘Apostles’ and rock structures which will not be included in our tour. A sunny afternoon, which was reflected in the sandstone. Absolutely stunning.

First, The Razorback.

London Bridge. This was attached to the mainland until 1990. An unfortunate couple were illegally taking photos on the structure when at 3.30pm a large section of the bridge split and fell into the ocean. Pre-mobile phones, the couple had to wait to contact help and be rescued by helicopter.

A great shot of our trusty guides, too. Many thanks to them for an extraordinary week.

A spectacular afternoon! Some ventured to the beach to view the creative natural erosion from the beach.

Happy campers!

Last meal together at Waves in Port Campbell.

M

APRIL 2021 : VICTORIA : GREAT OCEAN ROAD WALK : Day 5 : Milanesia Gate - Moonlight Head : 13 kms : 6 hours

Sunday. Gale warnings overnight. Snow in the Victorian alps and solid covering at Cradle Mountain in Tasmania. Our program was affected during the morning, when we realised the power nature of the Bass Strait currents. We were well prepared in all our wet weather gear, when we set off down the track to Milanesia Gate, the beach where we were to begin today. The descent to the beach was down a slippery, steep bush track, covered in volcanic rocks. The area is also known for having some dinosaur fossils - but we were not to see them today. When we reached the beach, near an iconic fisherman’s cottage (100 years old), there were several groups of walkers gathering to discuss the thick foam that covered the beach and inlet, where we were supposed to cross. It was so dense there was no indication of its depth and with the big seas, too risky to attempt to cross on to the other side of the beach. 

Volcanic rocks common in the area

So the executive decision was to return up the path and drive to the next point. The path included names such as Ryan’s Den and Devil’s Kitchen. It was marked as hard grade and there were certainly some challenging sections but it was a day of variety and exquisite coastal views to Cape Otway in the east and to Cape Volney to the west.

In and out of forests

There was a big push at the end to finish as we continued up paths, meadows, stone steps, stairways, wondering when we would reach our destination at Moonlight Head, surrounded by pastoral land - cows and sheep.

Our accommodation for the next two nights is in Port Campbell. Southern Ocean Villas. Again, an excellent choice. Port Campbell was famous as the active port from the 1850s after the discovery of gold in Bendigo and Ballarat. Thousands of international ships and boats passed through here at the time as diggers came to make their fortune.

Dinner at a local pub..and well - deserved after our efforts today!

M

APRIL 2021 : VICTORIA : GREAT OCEAN ROAD WALK : Day 4 : Cape Otway Lighthouse - Milanesia Gate : 14 kms : 6 hours

Saturday. A chilly, windy morning, with an expected temperature of 13o. We set off from the lighthouse, continuing faithfully along the whole trail. We passed the small cemetery at the beginning of the path with reminders of the families and their hardships, who lived here from 1848.

The wind and rain continued. We also encountered a tricky river crossing at the mouth of the Johanna River, which was exciting and left most of us with wet socks and boots. The surf was big today with crashing waves, a reminder of the treacherous currents that caused so many shipwrecks in the area, the Johanna being one of them. The large seas have caused a lot of penguin casualties. Dries, our guide, found one on the beach, still breathing, so rescued it and took it to a refuge in Apollo Bay. Walkers sheltered from the winds in a hut and some in the toilets nearby, waiting to gauge if the storm would blow through. It was interesting passing through Aire River and Castle Cove.

Here are some highlights - a little out of sequence!

We loved the Black Boy grass tree grove, the fabulous coastline views and the energy of the rough seas.

Gillian, our accompanying guide, effervescent in any conditions.

As the rain set in, we were given a choice of returning to the lighthouse accommodation or continuing through a similar terrain. Four of us decided to return, particularly to recover and rest our feet and knees after such a long hike yesterday.

Flags were at half mast to honor the Duke of Edinburgh, who died this week at 99.

While the others braved the elements, we had coffee at the lighthouse teahouse, visited the museums and started preparations for dinner by a warm, freshly lit fire. The afternoon included a hailstorm so we were pleased to be safe and cosy in this historical setting.

We are encountering a range of wildlife. The penguin below is the one Dries rescued this morning. The tiger snake also found by Dries near the walkway to the lighthouse. The little blue wrens dart through the bushes, particularly around our lunch spots. There have been Eastern Grey kangaroos - small and elusive, feeding in the high grasses and the odd turnip patch. Water birds in the estuaries.  Wedgetail eagles hovering in the strong wind currents, some like this one , with huge wingspans. No sightings of the flesh eating snails, as yet.

Our roast lamb, beetroot salad and accompaniments were very much appreciated by the others, after their extra efforts on the slippery, muddy track.

I braved the dark and the rain to get a night shot of the very impressive lighthouse, whose light beams 48kms to warn ships of the dangerous coast and reefs.

Our final night here. Such a fascinating experience, adding so much meaning to the walk.

M