Andrews Hill, Kinglake National Park - Sunday 26th August

Today six Walkabouters walked up a hill. 

Who's hill? Andrews Hill, in Kinglake National Park.

It is only two and a half years age since the devastating bushfires that destroyed much of the forest and townships in and around Kinglake National Park. Many of the local communities are still struggling to recover and rebuild from this traumatic event.

 We decided it was time to visit this well known National Park 50 kilometers northeast of Melbourne to see how the bushland is recovering from the bushfires.

We met early in the morning at the Island Creek Picnic Ground in the
Wombelano Block of Kinglake National Park. The effects of the bush fires
were very evident. New signage and picnic tables had been built to replace
what was lost to the fire. 

The bridges had also been replaced which was good,
otherwise we would have got really wet!

As we walked through the forest, we could still see evidence of the bush fires. Most of the eucalypts had blackened trunks and some were like skeletons.

 However, it is wonderful to see how much the bush is in the
throws of regeneration. The lower story of the forest was thick with
wattles, goodenia and grass trees.

 Eucalyptus trees were shooting new leaves and branches along their trunks
and many new saplings were stretching young foliage towards
the sun after shooting from seeds that were set in motion
from the heat of the fire.

 We walked along Blackfish Way which followed the Blackfish Creek.
We didn't see any Blackfish.

Crossing the Kinglake-Glenburn Road we commenced our climb
up Andrews Hill following Andrews Hill Track.

It's just around the next corner, honest?!

Nearly there!

And we made it!

Ian pointed out that if we did that climb ten times, we would have walked
the distance from sea level to the top of Mount Fuji in Japan.

No one wanted to join Ian in this feat.

Once we were at the top, we had lunch!

 After lunch, it was all downhill.

 We walked along Dusty Miller Track named after the indigenous,
prolifically growing shrub not the popular singer from the 70's.

Oh, that was Dusty Springfield, whoops.

There they are, all the way down there!

This track finished at a T intersection with Mountain Creek Track.

 Turning right onto Mountain Creek Track, we walked to the next
junction with Stringybark Track.

Eucalyptus saplings amongst blackened trunks

 After inspecting the sturdiness of the new metal signs, we took a right hand
turn onto Stringybark Track which we followed back
to the Island Creek Picnic Ground.

It is screwed on!

The sun shone through the young leaves of the gum trees, 

creating a lovely afternoon glow as we walked through the regenerating bush.

 It wasn't long before we were back at the picnic ground 

enjoying a well earned cup of tea, tim-tams and teady bear biscuits.

(Thank-you Angela!)

Don't fall in!

 It was a great walk and wonderful to see that life can return after such devastation.

Click here for the stats of the walk. 

In brief, we walked 12 kms and reached a breathing taking altitude 625m 

and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

Walkabouters Club of Victoria Inc.

A0019863A

Andrews Hill, Kinglake - Sunday 26 August

The Walk:

We will return here to see the how the area has recovered from the Feb 2009 fires. The walk is a loop from the picnic area, downstream along the creek for about 2km, a climb to the top of the hill and then it is downhill all the way back to the cars. The area is good for wildflowers and has many tall trees. The picnic area at Island Creek has been rebuilt with new toilets, signboard, paths and fences.

Grade:

This is a walk of about 11km on paths and tracks, with a moderately step section as it climbs 320 metres to the summit of the hill. For those not wishing to do the complete loop, there is the possibility of short walks from the meeting place.

Walking in Winter!

It's Saturday. No, it's Sunday. No, it's Saturday. NO! It's Sunday!! 

I will double check. Okay, yes, it's Sunday.

See you all on SUNDAY the 26th of August for a walk up Andrews Hill.

Hopefully it wont be too muddy!!

 For more information about the walk please email

 walkabouters@hotmail.com

Boar Gully, Brisbane Ranges, Saturday 4th, August

We met in Bacchus Marsh in bright sunshine, after a wet drive, and drove
to Boar Gully Campground in the Brisbane Ranges National Park. After a
bit of stumbling around trying to find a path which had vanished in two
weeks, we set off to explore the North East corner of the park. 

We walked Farm Track, Spring Creek Track, Loop Track and on Hare Track,
where we met a furry friend (not a hare - see photo). 

Not a hare!

Then onto Bluff Tk, with kangaroos bounding off through the forest
and a wedge-tailed eagle circling low overhead, inspecting us.

Back to Loop Track, with a large stand of grass trees (see photo)

Grass tree

 

and onto Glider Track, with wattles whose bright yellows stood out amongst
the brown stringy barks (see photo of Acacia pycnantha - of Australia's floral emblem).

Acacia pycnantha amongst stringy barks

Close up of Acacia pycnantha

These tracks all run along the edge of the Spring Creek gorge, with views
across to distant hills. At a little dam on Loop Track, we had lunch
(see photo of one member of the group).

A Walkabouter!

Walkabouter's Picnic Point

Back across Reids Rd and down Pea Track to Aeroplane Rd, where we talked about the air force pilot who crashed here in Dec 1936, was badly injured
but was rescued and recovered after months in hospital. 

Then onto Oblique Tk, where the leader gave the compulsory botany talk, this one on the different types of eucalyptus bark, at a spot where a number of species
(stringy bark, box and ironbark ) grow together.

The track

We speculated as to whether the track
was named after the asymmetrical leaves of the messmate stringy bark, a
sample of which just happened to be lying on the track. Then on to Old
Thompson Rd and back to Boar Gully for a cup of tea. The total walk was
about 16km of relatively flat terrain.

Walkabouters Club of Victoria Inc.

A0019863A