Ironstone Mountain and Bastion Bluff circuit

[doogs]

I did this walk as a quasi overnight walk starting from Smoko Creek at 3pm one day and arriving back at the car at 9am. All up I walked for approximately 8 hours with an overnight pack so this could easily be done as a day walk. From the Smoko Creek car park to the final creek crossing the bubbling stream is magnificent, it seems like there is a waterfall around every corner. This was my second time on this track and I had almost forgotten how beautiful it is.

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After getting to the top of the treeline the scenery is very 'Central Plateau', I was hoping that there may be some Scorapia in flower but unfortunately not. I plodded on up to the plateau of Ironstone and pulled out the GPS to determine where the summit was, bugger! 1.2km away. I dumped my pack a scurried off across the open walking to the top. I returned to my pack as the sun was starting to get quite low on the horizon and I continued on my merry way to Bastion Bluff, wandering over the top and dropping down to near the descent gully to the Dell where I had planned to camp. As hoped I found myself a perfect bit of waterfront real estate as the sun was setting.

Ironstone summit plateau

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Real Estate

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I was up early the next morning and on my way shortly after sunrise. I had the usually early morning stumbles across the boulders, became temporarily spatial disorientated from time to time but soon finding the track again. I wandered back down the lovely creekside track including the log over Chasm Falls enjoying the thought that I would have done a 3 hour walk before most people would have finished their Cornflakes on a Saturday morning. When I got back to the car a group had just arrived and were busily packing their gear, they must having wondered what I was doing getting back to the car at that time at the start of the weekend!

Chasm Falls crossing #look mum no hands!

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[tibboh]

Nice Real Estate.
Have been meaning to do this little loop (or Mother Cummings-Ironstone-Bastion) for a while now. What is Smoko Rd like? Could I get a family station wagon up to the end?

[simonm]

Thanks Doogs will add that one to the growing list.

[doogs]

What is Smoko Rd like? Could I get a family station wagon up to the end?

It's not too bad I got up there in a 2wd and there was a 2wd stationwagon in the car park when I returned.

[tigercat]

I've been up smoko rd in a corolla, rather carefully.

[stepbystep]

Lovely stuff Doogs. Must get up that way again soon.

[ofuros]

The next time I'm down there, Doogs, I'll try & check out this access to the plateau....thanks mate.

[NicD]

Nice Real Estate.
Have been meaning to do this little loop (or Mother Cummings-Ironstone-Bastion) for a while now. What is Smoko Rd like? Could I get a family station wagon up to the end?

I've been on this road many times in my Corolla hatchback.

[Peak Bagpiper]

Did a day walk to Mt Ironstone this week via Syd's track and up the front of Ironstone. Pleased to have ticked the box, but seeing the job strectched across a few km from the last cairn to an inhospitable scree slope, is it unkind to call this one a chore?

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[north-north-west]

You were a month early. The scoparia last week was wonderful.

[Peak Bagpiper]

There was a bit still in bloom, some in two tones. Fortunately, I did Barn Bluff from Dove Lake and back via Scott-Kilvert and Hansons between xmas and new year and scored some great shots of some then.