Water at Bluff Hut and Hells Window, Jan 2018

[tiny_tol]

Hi All,

Would love to know if anyone has done Eight Mile Flat to Speculation Rd recently (via Bluff Hut and Hells Window)? Am looking for an update on the water level of Bluff Hut water tank and if there is water in Hell Fire Creek. Will be heading out the first week of Jan should anyone be out there in late Dec and can provide an update.

Also, if you anyone knows of any water collection points on route between these campsites, that would be great too.

Cheers,

Tol

[eggs]

Bluff Hut water was fine a few weeks ago. They received a lot of rain during the storms at that time.
Monster hail storm while I was there on 27th Nov.
Thunderstorms probably over a 1 to 2 week period were distributed over the area each afternoon.
[Did not go via Hellfire Creek, but other springs in the general area were ok]
The school groups advised there is a spring on the upper Jamieson North system near the AAWT junction before King Billy 1 - a fair way down the gully but reliable with a pipe to assist access.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Water was visibly gushing from Hellfire Creek and audibly from the spring on Stanley name spur which feeds the King river. This water was there in November. It has rained a lot recently and Camp creek was flowing well last month too.I went to all of those places in Nov. 2017.Ground water levels have been given a top up and fair weather soaks should be traceable well into January. Take a 4 litre spare water transport bladder anyway.
Take a pump up water filter so you can fill containers from just a pitiful trickle .

Last edited by paidal_chalne_vala on Wed 20 Dec, 2017 8:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[tiny_tol]

Thanks to both of you for your replies.

@eggs do you have a grid ref for that pipe? I'm not sure exactly which gully you are referring to.

[eggs]

I have not been there personally, so I have to rely on others.
This blog report has references to actual locations he used..https://waynemerry.wordpress.com/2013/01/02/the-bluffmt-mcdonald-trip-new-years-201213/

Relevant snippet:
"Our first water stop was from the headwaters of the Jamieson River, just underneath Picture Point at 634832."
{I believe this is a different arm to the one with the pipe and they just went down they slope till they found water in the gully.}

Another blog gives very detailed descriptions - but no grid references.
https://timbo.id.au/The%20Howqua%20River%20to%20Mt%20Howitt%20circuit

Relevant snippet - describing the descent of King Billy 1:
"If you like you can follow the Alpine Track and cross King Billy One and King Billy Two. Or you can just take it easy and follow Bluff Track road until you get to the turn off for Mt Magdala (which is posted with an Alpine Track marker). There are camp sites at the turn off.
But! If you follow the old and faint four wheel drive track that heads off from the camp site/clearing beside Bluff Track in a vaguely eastern direction (it quickly becomes a foot track and then fades away completely) you will find more camp sites. You will also find seeps and if you go far enough, a little spring. There are a whole series of lovely little, verdantly green clearings that have been lovingly “mown” by the local animals and they make wonderful, sheltered and quiet tent sites."
I believe this is the campsite the school kids were aiming for. They called it the King Billy campsite and I believe it is right at the track junction of the Bluff track with the AAWT as it heads for Magdala.
But looking at this description again - I may have got my directions wrong. This indicates that this spring is actually in the headwaters of King Billy Creek - not the Jamieson.
But it is not impossible that water could be found descending on either side - so I am now confused as to where exactly the pipe might be.
Perhaps you could ask Timbertop School about it - as they are regularly going through that area?
Based on this report though - I would be heading east from the track junction.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I would be interested to know about this water source near King Billy 1. I will check it out this Easter.

[north-north-west]

"But! If you follow the old and faint four wheel drive track that heads off from the camp site/clearing beside Bluff Track in a vaguely eastern direction (it quickly becomes a foot track and then fades away completely) you will find more camp sites. You will also find seeps and if you go far enough, a little spring. There are a whole series of lovely little, verdantly green clearings that have been lovingly “mown” by the local animals and they make wonderful, sheltered and quiet tent sites."
I believe this is the campsite the school kids were aiming for. They called it the King Billy campsite and I believe it is right at the track junction of the Bluff track with the AAWT as it heads for Magdala.
But looking at this description again - I may have got my directions wrong. This indicates that this spring is actually in the headwaters of King Billy Creek - not the Jamieson.

I've camped there and it is a lovely area, although I prefer the higher option (rock slabs and gravel beds just below the summit ridge, on the northern end). Water was collected from rock pools and the small creek that crosses the Bluff Track a little way to the south, although on subsequent trips through there, work on the track seemed top have blocked this. Was not aware of the piped spring.

[tiny_tol]

Thanks @eggs!

[paidal_chalne_vala]

If you are hard pressed for water or find Mac. Springs to be too crowded then camping on the Cross cut Saw in the small saddle where the Stanley Name spur track meets the AAWT is a option.It is a sheltered and scenic. You can scramble down the three rock bands with empty water containers inside your nearly empty pack , having left your gear inside your tents and fill up at the King River spring on the northern Gully next to the obvious and excellent Stamely Name spur campsite , 1 kms down from the top of the Cross Cut Saw.
Lake Cobbler at this time of the year will be a yobbo festival ,so cart water and camp near the Mt. Cobbler Summit track cairn.There is water running across on the Staircase section of the Speculation road but not any on Muesli spur.