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Belated: High Country trip

Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 19:12

Mike Harding

I posted this to another forum about 2 or 3 months ago but don't think I've posted it here - it may be of interest to some and I think this area is largely unaffected by the fires.

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Just returned from a six day trip across the High Country. Had a great time with no real dramas.

Day 1 – Melb to Benambra and on to a campsite on Limestone Creek. Nice grassy campsite with enough water flowing in the creek for showering etc – not enough flow to drink. Heard a few brumbies and wild dogs nearby and about 3am one of the brumbies came very close to the camp, he seemed to be a bit annoyed to find us there.

Day 2 – Continued NE on Limestone Creek Track climbing all the time – had to do a bit of scrub hopping to avoid a large fallen tree which was too big for my chainsaw. Track condition was reasonable but rocky. Turned left onto McCarthys Track and continued to climb, up to around 1200m by now. Turned right (north) onto Davies Plain Track and continued to climb to a maximum altitude of 1720m. The sky is vivid blue at this height and the air crisp. Snow Gums and wispy alpine grasses abound. Track condition is poor in places and very rocky with lots of sharp sugar bag sized rocks. Continued to Davies Plain Hut. Nice spot with a clean hut the only mountain hut Ive seen which I would actually consider sleeping in, in preference to my swag. Still on Davies Plain Track begin the descent towards the Murray River at Tom Groggin. Hear a funny noise and spend about a minute wondering what it is decide to stop and check the tyres front left tyre now more holes than rubber. Discover that I should have checked whether bottle jack (with which I replaced the OEM scissors jack) would fit under vehicle with flat tyre; it wont! About one hour and 2lt of perspiration later continue journey. Steep descent to Tom Groggin and ford the Murray without any problems.

Lovely grassy campsite at TG next to the river, unfortunately accessible by 2WD from the NSW side so have to tolerate youngsters in ute setting up 50m away (they were OK really, I just like to camp alone). Was attacked by a kangaroo for failing to provide it with a biscuit.

Day 3 – Continue into Jindabyne on bitumen and take the chair lift up Mt Kosciuszko then walk to The Lookout. Discover I am only half as fit as I think I am. Offer to take photographs of couple with their camera and spend 10 minutes thoughtfully lusting after the female – and I’ve only been in the bush 3 days!

Continue to Thredbo (noon Sat) and try to buy replacement tyre, tyre places closed, no tyres available until Monday morning, hhhhhmmmmm…? Decide to stay with plan and head south on the Barry Way back towards Vic. The Barry way is a beautiful drive, although a steep mountain road (downhill if going north to south) with hairpin bends and zero margin for error if you want to avoid sheer 300m drops! It reminded me of the Alpine roads of Europe with scenery just as beautiful. Although much of it is dirt it would be driveable by 2WD (probably not in the wet) but make sure your brakes (and brake fluid) are in excellent condition before setting out. I used low range for large chunks of it to minimise brake usage. Had trouble finding a decent campsite and ended up at Willis just over the border in Vic – DSE type site with tables and about 150m back from the Snowy River. No one else around , thankfully, but not a good site really.

Day 4 – Continued on to Seldom Seen and, after stopping at the service station for petrol, wondering around calling “Hello” for about 10 minutes discovered the place must have been named after the proprietor. Good job I had enough fuel without a refill. Was hoping I might be able to buy a tyre here but no joy.

Headed on to McKillops Bridge, another beautiful drive along a mountain road. Stopped to take a look at Little River Gorge – impressive. No sign of the waterfall though. Arrived at McKillops and began the search for the beautiful campsite by the river which I know I must have missed the last time I was here. After about an hour of searching decided all the campsites here were crap and the least bad was at Bulls Flat on the Deddick River about two km from the bridge. Fortunately someone had already saved me the trouble of removing the barriers which the DSE (or Parks?) had erected to ensure anyone coming here in a vehicle (how else!? Helicopter!?) couldnt actually drive to the camping area but had to stop 25m away and carry all their gear across.

Found a spot in the Deddick River about 1m deep stripped off and had a beautiful swim/paddle/laze around for an hour or so. Made an excellent camp oven stew for dinner.

Day 5 – As I had no spare wheel I decided not to head south down the Deddick Trail as was my original plan (I’ve done it before anyway) but to take the bitumen to Bruthen and wonder across in the direction of Deptford to camp at a spot I know on the Nicholson River. Although some 4WDing involved this area is far less isolated than the Deddick Trail so getting a puncture would not be a disaster.

Day 6 – With that mixed feeling of sadness at leaving the bush and it’s simple lifestyle behind but looking forward to the comforts of home I packed up for the final time in and headed west to Melbourne.

Much of my bush time is spent gold prospecting so it was really good to get out simply for leisure and relaxation. Setting up and taking down camp on a daily basis is a bit of a pain but it means you get to cover a lot more ground and see much more. Total distance covered was 1212km.

Mike Harding

mike_harding@fastmail.fm
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AnswerID: 212911   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 19:21

Member - Tim - Stratford (VIC) replied:

Mike,

The campsite on the Limestone - was this at Native dog Flat? If not can you let me know where, either directions or GPS co-ord's?

We camped at NDF in September - told we were guaranteed to see/hear brumbies - nothing, mind you when we left heading back down there was about 20 horsefloats around the corner so I'd say they'd been out 'chasing'.

Tim - Stratford.
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Reply 1 of 4
FollowupID: 473281   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 03, 2007 at 14:35

Mike Harding posted:

Hi Tim

Nope, nowhere near NDF - this was on Limestone Creek Road east of Benambra, there is a pleasant campsite at WGS84 55H 593694E 5920693N. Only heard him (them) though didn't actually see him, quite pleased really because he seemed a bit miffed! :)

Mike Harding
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AnswerID: 212935   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 20:56

Mikee5 (QLD) replied:

Mike,

With your flat tyre/jack problem, find a rock of 'sugar bag size' and drive the flat tyre/wheel up onto it. Hey presto the jack will fit under.
Took me years to figure that out - I used to dig a hole under the truck for the jack!!!

Mike.

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Mike
Reply 2 of 4
FollowupID: 473284   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 03, 2007 at 14:42

Mike Harding posted:

Good idea Mike!

I managed to get the jack under the very front of the chassis - raise the vehicle a bit then put rocks under the middle of the chassis - next move jack to middle of chassis - repeat in reverse for lowering. Your system sounds better, thanks :)

Mike Harding
FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 213787   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 09:19

Member - Chris D (Newcastle) replied:

Thanks for your notes Mike, we are heading along Limestone Road, McKillops Bridge, Deddick Trail and Barry Way in two weeks and your comments are helpful.
Chris

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FollowupID: 474087   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 09:39

Mike Harding posted:

I'm pleased to hear that Chris. It is a beautiful area so take plenty of film/storage.

The rivers are _very_ low currently and I'd be a little reluctant to take drinking water from them in many places so you may wish to carry extra water?

Do a trip report on your return please, when I can't get up there I enjoy reading the reports of others who can :)

Mike Harding
FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 213808   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 10:26

Wayne (NSW) replied:

Mike,

I was down there last week. First 4 days around Tom Groggin and Davies High Planes.

Next day we went to Seldom Seen. It is marked on the map as a road house. More like a old run down house on the side of the road in the middlel of nowhere.

Went over to MacKillops bridge and then onto the Deddick Trail. Only saw two other vehicles on the track. It was steep in parts and one section very lose and dusty. Almost got bogged in the dust.

Apart from that the track was very good. This is the first time I have been on this track but will be back there next week.

Had to clear one big tree on the Tingaringy Track. The way it had fallen there was no way around and the drive back would have taken too long.

I hope to get some photoes of the tree and how it was winched off the track soon.

Wayne
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FollowupID: 474104   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 10:32

Member - Darren T (VIC) posted:

Did the MacKillops bridge get washed out? A chap who stopped by at Pinnabar Hut had said the bridge had been washed out after recieving 45mm of rain in 10 minutes upstream of the bridge on New Years eve.
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FollowupID: 474110   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 11:03

Wayne (NSW) posted:

Darren,

The bridge was still intact. However you could see the evidence of the rain with a lot of soil and branches on the side of the road.

Wayne
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FollowupID: 474116   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 12:11

Mike Harding posted:

Hi Wayne

It sure is a beautiful area isn't it. The Deddick is a great drive, I did it first about two years ago in January and camped on the trail at 1200m and had very heavy rain, hail and an overnight temp. down to 2C. However it is a bit remote up there and some of the climbs/descents are a bit steep so I would not recommend it for the inexperienced or ill prepared and it _definitely_ needs low range.

As for Seldom Seen?! I dunno... it reminds me of the film Deliverance (American backwoods stuff) - I'll say no more.... :)

I'll probably be around there again before too long, I might even buy VKS membership at some point and maybe we can meet for a beer?

Darren: It would take more than 45mm of rain to trouble McKillops Bridge since the Snowy flows were restricted in the 30s? Perhaps your friend was referring to an old wooden bridge on the McKillops Bridge Road which collapsed a few weeks ago when a sand truck crossed it?

Mike Harding
FollowUp 3 of 4
FollowupID: 474175   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 18:56

Member - Darren T (VIC) posted:

Could have been, never met this bloke before and don`t know where he got his info from, but definately said McKillops bridge has been washed out with a flash flood due to heavy rain new years eve, 45mm in 10 minutes. Must of been wrong or slightly exaggerated I think.
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