Victorian Alps - November 2009

We have just returned from a weekend of hiking in the Victorian Alps with 13 other members of the Geelong Bushwalking Club. Our leader, Richard Michael, took us up to the top of "the Bluff" - a very solid 70 minute uphill climb -and you can see three photos of us when we reached the top. We continued along the ridge to Bluff Hut and back to our cars along the road. On the next day we followed the high level track from 8 mile creek to Richies Hut and back along the low level track. This was quite a challenge as the low level track required us to ford the Howqua River 12 times, each time with water well above our knees. The river was flowing fast and staying on our feet was quite an achievement. A really great holiday. We must go there again sometime.

Bibbulmun Track completed

It took us 27 walking days, but we made it. We left the start of the track at Kalamunda, east of Perth, at noon on Sept. 9 arriving at Dwellingup 13 days later. A rest day there, 7 more days on the track, and then into Collie for another rest day. The last 7 walking days were broken with a rest day in Balingup before taking taxi, bus, train, another bus, plane, shuttle bus and another taxi to get home yesterday morning. The total distance walked from Kalimunda to Donelly River was 465km. and this, with the walking in 2007 and 2008, makes us end-to enders. And we feel pretty good about that. Our knees and legs got stronger the more we walked, so we are now wondering where our next big hike might be. Could it be Jade Mountain (Yushan) in Taiwan?
We will upload some photos in the next few days.

Here are some of our better photos:-

Video update

Please note that we posted a draft version of our "Holiday Highlights" on 24/08/09. We have a greatly improved 5 minute video which we urge you to watch ou youtube. We have two links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0zaVV1Oc8c
and
http://www.taiwanbesttrip.net/group/arthur-j-and-beth-f-gilks/final/the-best-trip-to-taiwan-of-the-senior-australians?lang=en
The first link takes you to what we want as many people around the world to watch, so if you are able to help us with this, we will be most grateful. The second is a text summary of our trip with extra pictures.

Otways Waterfall Walk

Yesterday, Rosemary Vince led a magnificent walkto the Allambee Beek and Staircase falls in the Otways. The recent rain made the falls even more spectacular. The photos, taken by Kim Attard, show us at the Allambee beek falls and crossing the Cumberland river on a fallen tree. An excellent day.

Video of Highlights

We have prepared a draft version of the video clip of our holiday highlights. We expect to make a few changes before we upload to the Taiwanbesttrip website. Please let us know your reaction to it.

Taiwan - best holiday ever

We have been to Taiwan since our last upload to the blog, and what a great holiday it has been. Very sadly, typhoon Marokot devasted the southern part of the island causing extensive loss of life. The number who died when mudslides completely buried a village may never be known, but a death toll of 500 is expected. We were quite safe and were able to donate a substantial part of our prize money to a typhoon diasaster relief fund.

Our planned 4-day itinerary had to be changed because all roads to the mountains were cut by the landslides. But we would ask you to follow our exploits (video clips and text) using the link: http://www.taiwanbesttrip.net/group/arthur-j-and-beth-f-gilks/intro/group-introduction-of-the-senior-australians?lang=en

And we also ask you to vote for us by registering on the taiwanbesttrip website. Here is a photo of us having breakfast at the start of Day 1.

WALK REPORTS
Two Winter Walks
1. Steiglitz to Fridays Picnic Ground. Thursday July 16.
Walkers: John Lee, Hilary Prideaux, Glenda Oakley, Tony Wright, Angus Hartshorn, Richard Slade, Rosemary Faris, Gemma Statton, Cath Vassie, Philomena Slee, Joe Gilks, Beth Gilks (leader)
The walk started at the Bert Boardman picnic ground just south of Steiglitz on the Maude-Steiglitz road. A track leads west to Wrixon Street, passing a huge mulloch heap. We stopped at the pine tree that has an historical association with the formation of the GBC. We then followed the Deadman’s Loop markers to the Meridith road. Crossing it we followed the Burchell Track markers to the Crossing Picnic ground where we had lunch in pale wintery sunshine.
We followed Hut Road east until we joined Native Youth Track. We walked north for about 2 kms until we joined Yankee Gully road. The remains of Kinglock Mine were passed before we turned south on Mulrooney,s Track and followed it to the Durdidwarrah road. Turning north we followed it to Friday’s Picnic Ground which has recently been enlarged to have designated camping spots.
This is an interesting 12km walk with lots of gold mining history. There is pretty new-growth forest, some shy kangaroos and lots of raucous white cockatoos in the overhead trees.
2.Wombat State Forest: Barkstead to Sailor’s Falls. Thursday July 30
Walkers: Marg Bethune, Frans Bregman, Pamela Bregman, Kathryn Graham.
Hilary Pridaux, John Lee, Michael Williams, Pam Nurnaitis, Daphne Sands, Glenda Oakley, Ina Costin, Rosemary Vince, Tony Wright, John Hofstele, Joe Gilks, Beth Gilks (leader)
An early start was needed to drive to Barkstead (off the Ballan-Daylesford Road) and do a car shuffle to leave cars at Sailor’s Falls.
The first section of the 16km walk was Anderson’s Tramway walk. This is part of The Great Dividing Trail: Wallaby Track section. The walk criss-crossed the tramway track through the forest until we reached Wombat Station for our banana break.
We followed the disused railway line, climbing down a steep embankment to look at a well preserved red brick culvert running underneath the track.
Lunch was had at White point Road where there are a lot of old shafts marking the White Point diggings. Entering the Hepburn regional Park about 5 kms later, we then ascended to Sailor’s Falls . We passed a couple of springs before going up a steep flight of steps to arrive at our cars.
New growth forest, a few pink heaths, damp leaf litter, gold mining relics, a winding track, the inevitable white cockatoos screeching overhead and brisk winter weather all make this a great walk.
Beth Gilks