Bushwalk Australia

For Australia Day weekend, friends and I planned to hike Mount Feathertop but there's been reports of bushfires around the area: http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-rest ... 45627.html

If the condition doesn't improve then we need a last minute location change! Can anyone recommend a place that doesn't require permits/bookings?
Cheers

Breaks my heart to know that there are fires up at Feathertop again.

What kind of walk are you looking for? Mountains? Or do you like beaches? Rivers? etc etc

What happened to my post? I suggested MacDonald/Clear, if they don't mind dealing with some possibly awkward regrowth on the lower part of the route up the north face of Big Mac, but the post isn't here!
I've been robbed!

ryantmalone wrote:Breaks my heart to know that there are fires up at Feathertop again.

What kind of walk are you looking for? Mountains? Or do you like beaches? Rivers? etc etc

Mountains and rivers would be good. Camp sites, flats or near water to rest our feet at the end of the day.

I was thinking as an alternative Lerderderg but don't have a map at the moment to plan the route.

MacDonald/Clear - will look see now!

Mifferz wrote:

ryantmalone wrote:Breaks my heart to know that there are fires up at Feathertop again.

What kind of walk are you looking for? Mountains? Or do you like beaches? Rivers? etc etc

Mountains and rivers would be good. Camp sites, flats or near water to rest our feet at the end of the day.

I was thinking as an alternative Lerderderg but don't have a map at the moment to plan the route.

MacDonald/Clear - will look see now!

Lerderderg would be great, permitting the weather is under 30 degrees. Plenty of walks from Mckenzies Flat, or even Obriens Crossing. I did the scenic rim the weekend just gone (viewtopic.php?f=46&t=12205), however, you could probably extend that out over three days by heading further upriver to the Ah Kow ruin, and back via the Blackwood Ranges track.

I'll give props for Mt MacDonald, its an amazing place, although for some, the walk from Mt Clear over to MacDonald is a bit indistinct and tricky to follow.

Another good one in that area is to do a circuit over Mt Magdala and Mt Howitt. Plenty of good tracks up, steep climbs though. I'll always recommend Helicopter Spur, however finding the start of the spur can be a challenge, and some airy scrambling part way up as well.

Wouldn't some of the stuff near howitt be fairly hairy at the moment with a large brushfire in that general area??

Mudmav wrote:Wouldn't some of the stuff near howitt be fairly hairy at the moment with a large brushfire in that general area??

That is a good point. Havent checked the warnings for that area. Would be a good idea to assess the dangers before planning a hike around there.

Not exactly any river flats in the mt clear area! How about a wander up to riches hut from 7 mile on the howqua river.

We were planning on doing a 3 day loop including Feathertop also this weekend.

We ended up booking in to do the Northern Loop of the Prom. Should be a decent walk with 58kms to cover in 3 days.

Not an easy one though, plenty of off-track walking in that Northern section.

Thanks ryantmalone, we have agreed we'll goto Lerderderg and follow your advice. The Scenic Rim and Bears Head Circuit

Mifferz wrote:Thanks ryantmalone, we have agreed we'll goto Lerderderg and follow your advice. The Scenic Rim and Bears Head Circuit

Very nice! That should make a good few days. Lerderderg is fast becoming one of my favourite haunts.

Mudmav wrote:Wouldn't some of the stuff near howitt be fairly hairy at the moment with a large brushfire in that general area??

Fire's at Harrietville. That's a fair way away. Was a small fire near Merrijig, but it's safe now. Helicopter, Magdala, Howitt, Crosscut would have been my second suggestion. Plenty of routes down if needed.

Isis wrote:Not exactly any river flats in the mt clear area!

None on Feathertop either, and that was their original plan. There are more water sources on the Big Mac or Howitt circuits than on the Razorback.

north-north-west wrote:

Mudmav wrote:Wouldn't some of the stuff near howitt be fairly hairy at the moment with a large brushfire in that general area??

Fire's at Harrietville. That's a fair way away. Was a small fire near Merrijig, but it's safe now. Helicopter, Magdala, Howitt, Crosscut would have been my second suggestion. Plenty of routes down if needed.

Fires near Licola. Still a way away, but with how fast fires have spread over the past ten years, maybe too close for comfort for some, and cuts off Howitt Plains as a starting point.

That said, as NNW said, plenty of quick exits, probably if based near the bottom of Howitt Spur/Helicopter Spur.

Maybe even Cobbler Lake across to Spec/Koonika?

I wouldn't start at Howitt Plains though.

The Licola road is closed, so no access to Howitt from Gippsland side.

Only completed the Scenic Rim and finished today instead of tomorrow I was concerned with finding any water because all the creeks/rivers were dried up... and four girls' first time hiking with camp gear on. So I adjusted their bag straps and carried 2kgs of tent poles of their SEVEN POINT FIVE KILO 3-man tent!
Reached Long Point Track and BlackWood Ranges Track at 6ish and camped near there. Then had a vote who wanted to go home tomorrow

Got a nice fire going, brought wine in a PlatyPreserve bag and chocolates - I was their hero. This morning was raining and stopped about 10am and we completed the track. Awesome swim in Graham's Dam to finish off.
Will be definitely doing this route again with experienced hikers and more than 4L water.

Nice work! It was a bit dry there a week or so ago when I was there. Heading downstream (in the direction of Mckenzies) from the weir, there was a good supply of water at the campsite. Water quality was hit and miss when I was there, but wasn't too hard to find a clean pool of water.

That must have been an epic tent that you bought in! I remember carrying a 3 man OzTrail tent to the top of Bogong once, and that would have been in the range of 5 - 10kgs. Wasn't fun at all...

Pool of water - do you purify/filter it first? I ask because been taught to always collect water from running sources.
The tent they used looked comfy I must admit but after carrying it they prefer to get a much lighter one now hehe. The ground surface is hard and I bent a couple of pegs ugh.

Mifferz wrote:Pool of water - do you purify/filter it first? I ask because been taught to always collect water from running sources.

I carried in around 6 litres when I went in, however I boiled a fair amount of water for the last day. Water near camp looked good, but didn't take any chances with it.

How about SteriPen! Have not used it; but recently seen two people using it. Very handy, compact and light weight instead of carrying many litres of water.

Watties Creek Track and The Old River can make an interesting loop.

Is the Licola road still closed to non-residents ? I'd like to go to Mt Howitt this week-end.

[edit] Nevermind, both the concerned section of the Alpine NP and the road are now reopened.