High Country Fire damage
Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 10:37
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Des Lexic
I'm wondering in the aftermath of the recent fires up in the high country, how many of the historic huts were destroyed by the fires. We all know of Craigs being lost but what about the likes of
King Hut, Tommahawk Hut etc etc? Has any one been up there for a recce yet and can fill us in as the the extent of the damage?
Cheers and have a happy new year to all.
Des
Reply By: Leroy - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 10:45
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 10:45
I think Fry's hut went as
well as the
lookout at the East Pinacle at the top of Billy Goats
Bluff. I'm yet to go out for a drive but was discussing this with friends over the weekend.
Leroy
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Follow Up By: Member - Julie P (VIC) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 12:34
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 12:34
Just had a week in
Porepunkah (near
Bright) - while most of the "tourist" things are open for business - there are a lot of restrictions as to where you can drive in the area - for instance the Mt Buffalo Road was closed - apparently the chalet was abandoned by staff on recommendation until further notice - also the Buckland Valley road was open for travel - but no camping or off road stuff was possible - the DSE and firies are doing a tremendous job and would have welcomed the rain on New Years Eve - from our
campground we could see a lot of smoke from backburning -
We came back through Whitfield to
Mansfield and
Yea - and this is where you can see the extent of the fire up there - right up to the edge of the road in a lot of
places -
The effects will be far reaching - for instance the La Cantina winery (who do wine with no preservatives and don't filter like ordinary wines - prices are good too - wine is terrific) are still waiting to find out what damage the smoke will do to the grapes - having already had about 60% of their grapes damaged by frost - this is another blow to the area.
Lets hope people head up to these
places to support them, and realise that at this stage camping is limited in the bush. We stayed at the Riverview Caravan Park in
Porepunkah - nice relaxed setting - plenty of trees and right ono the river. Nice people running it as
well.
Happy New Year
jules
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Follow Up By: Leroy - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:41
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:41
I haven't driven around too much. I went up to
Falls Creek and across to
Bright to have a bit of a look around. Doesn't look as bad as the '03 fires as these fires appear to have kept close to the ground.
The grapes maybe still unaffected. A wine guru was saying on the radio that the grapes are to immature but then I had a Chardonay from Annapurna Winery from the '03 fires (which burned around the area in Jan) and it had a
smokey taste!
Leroy
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Reply By: Member - John (Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 12:42
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 12:42
Des
Craig's Hut was not historic, but a movie mock up remember so no real loss as the tourist people / council will probably have it back together pretty quick (Mores the pity) with no doubt a big entry fee to see it.
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:13
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:13
the new look Craigs Hut...
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Follow Up By: Member - Andy Q (VIC) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:14
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:14
G'day
John,
well said 'Craigs hut was not historic, but a movie mock up...'.
There was certainly too much hysteria about that 'loss'
andy
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 18:34
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 18:34
Craigs might not have been hoistoric but it was quintessential. Many ppl, including myself are drawn back to look at it time and time again. It has a great feeling about the place. Yes its a film set, blah bla blah but I reckon it was a great place
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Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 19:05
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 19:05
"Quintessential"!! yep for sure agree with you 100%.
"Quintessential Hollywood"!!
Its appealing because that's the effect the movie makers wanted, God forbid they make it ugly for the film.
Me I find the feeling's and the view of the High Country as "Quintessential" as you can get without the need to add a tourist attraction to blot the scenery.
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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:14
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:14
yes, frys went too, as
well as probably 40-50 others out of the 400 odd out there...
heading to Heyfield this weekend for a look at the club property, and surrounds, will have photos then..
Many areas are closed, but
Walhalla and others are begging for visitors... I feel for these
places, they will die.
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 14:00
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 14:00
I feel for them too mate.
Woods Point too will feel it for a while. High fuel prices
test them but this is worse. Have a good trip to Heyfield. Hug for Cammo.
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 14:23
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 14:23
thanks for the grass while there.. cam had a blast as usual..
will hug and have good time in Heyfield.
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 15:10
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 15:10
Hey mate, careful the way you put that. People may think I am a local supplier.......
Cam seems to be building confidence which is great to see.
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Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 15:17
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 15:17
You mean you're not????
Give me my money back if you can't supply ;-)
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 23:50
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 23:50
Hey,
John, thats your Port Campbell mob. There connected with the fishos. We watched over by the Feds this week anyway...... LOL
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Reply By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:47
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:47
If anyone has specific information about huts mentioned in the 2
Vic High Country trek notes on this site (see Trek Notes) could you please use the Trek
Feedback section to make your comments in the relevant pages so that this information is captured for the benefit of people using the Trek Notes.
Thanks for your help!
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 14:22
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 14:22
Mich..
contact the Vic Huts Association.. they *MAY* have the most up to date info, but with mass backburns still going on round the place, I wouldnt expect any thing final for few mths yet..
www.vhcha.org.au/
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Reply By: Member - MUZBRY (VIC) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 15:36
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 15:36
Gday all
As i am on" holidays" i think that i might wander up to Bruntons
bridge on the weekend and have a look. My little boy Wes might come as
well..I'll let you all know if and when i leave.
I hope that you all had a good New Year and are all safe.
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Reply By: 98nav - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 20:15
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 20:15
just got back from
dargo, spoke to jim tresure he said that the tresures huts x3 have been saved just off the high plains road. grant m
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Reply By: annez - Wednesday, Jan 03, 2007 at 08:49
Wednesday, Jan 03, 2007 at 08:49
Fry's hut has not been destroyed. In fact minimal damage to fry's flat.
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Follow Up By: Des Lexic - Wednesday, Jan 03, 2007 at 09:53
Wednesday, Jan 03, 2007 at 09:53
That's good news annez. We were there about a week before the fires and it is a great spot. I don't hold the same hopes for the houses across the river or the ones up by Tobacco flat.
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Reply By: annez - Thursday, Jan 04, 2007 at 08:29
Thursday, Jan 04, 2007 at 08:29
One house at tobacco flat has gone, the new A frame on the left hand side of the
hill on the way out of tobacco, and a shed on the
farm on the right on the way out, the other houses are ok. All of the houses at sheepyard are ok, as are the houses over the river at fry's.
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Reply By: Crackles - Thursday, Jan 04, 2007 at 21:16
Thursday, Jan 04, 2007 at 21:16
In the Upper Rose river area the local Parks Ranger said ....... "the Sandy Flat toilet is vertical along with the Top Crossing Hut.
Frank Ryan's hut has been destroyed along with the Wabonga Tk bridge and
Paradise Falls Rd bridge ................
Bennies
camping area infrastructure is all still there along with the
White's Gully and Dandongadale Bridge's the
Lake Cobbler Hut is still
intact but alas the toilet has succumb to the flames along with the
large Mountain Gum that stood proudly to the sth/sth/west of the hut."
He went on to say rehabilitaion is well under way on many of the fire breaks & key access roads but no mention of when it will be opened up as it sounded a fair way off yet.
Cheers Craig....
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