A group 4WD trip around Eildon
Trip Leaders | ||
Peter & Mollie McGregor | Discovery Series 2 | Landrover Owners Club |
Participants | ||
Roger & Brenton Stewart | Landrover Series 3 | Landrover Owners Club |
Gerald Wolmer | Landcrusier MWB | Landrover Owners Club |
Rod, Christine, Rachael, Hanna, | ||
Miriam & Naomi White | Defender | Landrover Owners Club |
Phil & Helen Rubinstein | Landcruiser Series 80 | |
David & Caitlin Danks | Discovery | Landrover Owners Club |
Ian & Daniel Matthews | Range Rover | Landrover Owners Club |
Michael Smith | Landrover Series 3 | Landrover Owners Club |
Rob & Barbara Hillman | GU Patrol | Pajero Club |
Mark Fitzgerald & Mark Linkin | GU Patrol | Range Rover Club |
Report: Mark Fitzgerald
Photos: Mark Linkin, Mark Fitzgerald
This trip was so popular, that it what was broken into two groups. This report is specifically for Group 2, with Group 1 being led by John Hassler and Jim Parker.
Saturday, 19th May.
We met at the Ranger Station across from The Orchard campground, on Walshes Road Goughs Bay, and departed pretty close to the agreed time of 10:00. We headed off Walshes Road into the Delatite Plantation State Forest along a well graded road following the high voltage power transmission lines.
This took us up to our morning tea location on Highett Point Track.
We continued along Highett Point Track, which offered many spectacular views across the Delatite Arm of Eildon until we reached Harrops Hills, where a wallaby, many kangaroos and even a wombat were spotted before our descent down to Delatite Plantation Road.
We stopped for lunch at one of the many camping grounds (possibly Dumbells Campsite) along Delatite Plantation Road, where Mollie and Mark Linkin spotted a White Bellied Sea Eagle. After lunch, we continued along to the end of Plantation Road and then climbed up a 4WD drive track, with one very short quite steep section before coming down and around Maintongoon Inlet.
We made it to Middle Camping Ground on Maintongoon Inlet very early, around 2:30pm. After setting up tents, we, gathered enough firewood to last the night, threw the Aerobie around for a while, then settled down around a glorious campfire for dinner, where many interesting stories and some kindly treats from Gerald of stewed persimmons in Muscat, and chocolate were all shared.
The night was perfectly clear and the number of stars and the view of the Milky Way was absolutely breathtaking. A number of shooting stars were also spotted.
Sunday, 20th May
We awoke to a cool morning, with the whole campground shrouded in mist. It was quickly acknowledged that the planned departure time would require revising. We all ate our breakfast and then packed up our tents. We mingled around the warmth of the fire as long as possible before drowning it with water. We were all packed and ready to go around 10:00, and headed up the spur.
We drove around Woolshed Inlet heading towards Stillmans Point, driving through foggy conifer forest, before doubling back towards Stillman Track. The track climb appeared steep, and I was volunteered to ascend first as my Patrol was fitted with difflocks. I didn't get far, hanging my truck on the cross cut drain but the difflocks did get me over. I was able to make the climb without locking assistance, and called the rest up. Roger, Michael and Gerald decided that they would head back to Goughs Bay on the 2WD track, the rest of the convoy made it up the climb with no problems. The climb up towards Mount Enterprise was the first real 4WDing we had done on the trip, but was not too difficult. The track was reasonably steep in some sections, and had some loose rock.
The views all around were fantastic, being above the fog which was sitting in all of the arms of Eildon as far as we could see. By the time the last truck climbed up, all of the fog had burned away and we had some morning tea before continuing along across the top of Mount Enterprise towards Stillman Plateau. We were able to see across to the Mariner at Anderson Harbour on the other side of Lake Eildon, and also the dam wall before arriving at some old concrete footings and wire guy ropes, which were the supports for some long gone pylons of past transmission lines. We stopped for lunch on Stillman Plateau, amongst some very "Middle Earth" tall tress and bracken. Stillman Track through this area was recently graded, and easily 2WD.
After lunch, we continued along Stillman Track, arriving back on Highett Point Track heading East and then turning South towards the 2.25km power transmission line spanning across Lake Eildon. Much debate was held over the means in which the transmission lines were hung across the lake.
We then back tracked, to Highett Point Track, and headed East along Allan Peak Track, which had many reasonably steep ascents and descents on rocky slightly rutted tracks before reaching Allans Peak. At this point radio contact was made with Group 1, which was surveying around the Jerusalem Creek area. We then all headed down the steep descent from Allans Peak into the Pine Plantations around Goughs Bay. The descent was quite steep and rocky,and we were rewarded at the bottom by watching some trail bike riders try unsuccessfully to climb the track. We made our way through the maze of tracks in the pine forest, having to remove a pine tree that had fallen across the track with the drag chain before arriving in Goughs bay and heading off home our various ways.
Track Summary (All tracks were dry):
Walshes Road
2WD gravel road
Walshes Rd to Highett Point Link Track
2WD gravel road
Highett Point Track
Easy 4WD track with some moderate ascents and descents.
Delatite Plantation Road
2WD gravel Road
Stillman Point Track
Easy to medium, with some moderately steep ascents in Stillmans Point/Mount Enterprise area, becoming easy 2WD graded road in Stillmans Plateau area.
Allan Peak Track
Medium, tending to hard in some places though no recoveries were required. Steep ascents and descents on uneven rocky tracks. Long steep descent from Allans Peak to Goughs Bay.
No comments:
Post a Comment