GOW in Dec - questions

[ronsaik]

Hi - we're going to be doing the GOW over 4D/3N in December. On the first day, our plan is to drive down from Ballarat, where we'll be staying the night before, leave our car at 12 apostles and get a taxi or shuttle back to Apollo Bay to start the walk.
Our itinerary looks like this (already booked):

D1: start from Apollo Bay in the afternoon and camp at Elliot Ridge (9.8 km walk) - hike-in campsite
D2: camp at Aire River (32.1 km walk) - group campsite
D3: camp at Ryan's Den (27.6 km) - hike-in campsite
D4: Ryan's den to Gibson steps (27.6 km) and drive to Melbourne.
The distances are from Park Victoria's website.

Questions:
1. I can't figure out the difference b/w a hike-in campsite and a group campsite. The Parks Victoria website just states which is which, and does not explain the difference. Can anyone please help clarify?
2. I've read on a previous thread about how other hikers may just show up at a campsite without having paid for it. Is this still a current problem? The last thing I want to do is walk 32 km to find out that my paid spot has been taken up by someone else!
3. What is the remedy in case of (2)?
4. Are hiking boots needed on this trek? From the pictures, it appears to me that there is a fair bit of boardwalk on this trek, and not a lot of clambering over rocks. I'd prefer walking in sneakers or sandals (on the beaches, esp) instead of my heavy hiking boots, if I can help it!
5. Is the water at Aire river potable, or is it brackish? I'm happy to boil or chlorinate if the water isn't saline.

Any other tips will also be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Eremophila]

Hi Ronsaik,

1. I would have said that a "group campsite" is one accessible by road, whereas a hike-in campsite is exactly that.
According to the official GOW map, there are 3 campsites at Aire River - Aire River East Campground (20 sites), Aire River West Campground (50 sites), and the Aire River GOW Campsite (8 sites). Check which one you're booking.
Presumably the first two are vehicle-accessible, although Aire River West appears to have a locked gate just before it.
Aire River West and the GOW Campsite are both shown on the map as having a water supply.
As for questions 2 and 3, I assume you would have to challenge other campers to show their booking/receipt. I'm not sure how much of an issue it is during busy season.
4. I've only done the last 1/3 or so of the walk, from Milanesia Beach to 12 Apostles. Sneakers would certainly be fine. I'd avoid sandals due to the large number of tiger snakes.
5. Can't help you on this one.

Wreck Beach is a pleasant stroll, but you definitely need to time it with low tide.

Enjoy.

[jimjim]

Hi there!

I think your plan looks great. Four days is totally doable but there is, despite appearances, lots of little ups and downs so it can be hard to get a good rhythm up in places.

I found shoes to be fine. There are only a couple of very minor rocky bits. But there is lots of snake habitat. I felt comfy in my low cut shoes with gaiters.

The water at Aire river was brackish when I tasted it in Springtime, but there are lots of tanks about. Given the worst I am sure you could scab a few litres from a camper or fisherman....? Aire campground is big big. I'd avoid it at Easter and Christmas, but was quite in Spring. The walkers camp is close but most campers wouldn't be able to walk up the hill to see it- surprisingly private.

The rocks at Milanesia beach are fantastic. If the tide is OK you can keep going west along the beach and there is an old and partly overgrown stairway at the west end of the beach which gives you the great rocks and avoids a steep climb and descent from the middle of the beach.

I have encountered (twice) a generously placed water barrel on the road walk between Johanna and Ryans Den. A very nice man seems to put water there for walkers - it was even cold! He came out for a chat as I passed and basically told the redneck grader driver who was passing to bog off and leave the walkers alone ... "the're allright...don't leave rubbish round like some...."

Have a great walk!

[Eremophila]

Oh yes.... Forgot about the well-placed cold water, it's a couple of km before Milanesia Beach.

[ronsaik]

Thanks, Eremophila and jimjim - very handy tips.
I'll have fun breaking the news flash about tiger snakes to the wife. Might have to do the dishes tonight, though!

[Eremophila]

Yeah they are certainly plentiful. I had a standoff for a while with this chappie!

On the other hand, this bloke was very generous with the cold water

[ronsaik]

Bailed out on Day 4, near the Gables car park (so did about 80k of the full 100k in 3 days), in 40 degrees heat. Can't say we enjoyed the walk - the constant exposure to the sun on all days but the second made it sheer torture. Summer is definitely, definitely not the season for long hiking days on this track.

[neilmny]

Bailed out on Day 4, near the Gables car park (so did about 80k of the full 100k in 3 days), in 40 degrees heat. Can't say we enjoyed the walk - the constant exposure to the sun on all days but the second made it sheer torture. Summer is definitely, definitely not the season for long hiking days on this track.

Sorry to hear that ronsalk. Unfortunately you've copped a hot and dry December. This happens from time to time or has done over my 61 years living in Melbourne. I've probably seen about 10 droughts in that time. Mostly our December is a mix of quite cool (sometimes cold) and warm up to about low thirties. With the current El Nino event and the consequent very dry conditions we have a hot summer this year and unfortunately you've bagged it. Since the last really hot dry summer in 2008/2009 (Black Saturday Feb 7 2009) we've had mild summers with temps over 40 a rarity but with enough rain over the 2010/2011 period to fill our lakes like Eildon to the chockers level.
Typically Victorian weather is fairly unpredictable

[sim1oz]

@Ronsaik, what a shame, Victorian weather is the luck of the draw... It would probably have been quite pleasant to do the GOW this week as it is predicted to be mainly high teens to mid-20s with some possible rain to fill up the rain tanks. That is why I prefer to do walks that don't need to be booked, you can change the destination depending on the forecast. I hope you have better weather for your next walk. I gather you didn't have any trouble with finding and using your booked campsites?

[ronsaik]

@sim1 - the campsites were easy to find, and we encountered no issues. The sites were quite good, actually, and worth the money paid in my opinion. Even Aire river, which has a caravan parking spot not too far from the GOW site, was pretty good. The walk itself had some great moments, such as descending to Station Beach on Day 2 (amazing sand dune at the entrance!) and spending half an hour lying down in the cool sand with the sun low on the horizon - one of my most cherished memories in a long time.
@neilmy - we bought some camping equipment in Colac, one of them being a jumper, on Day 1...that's how cool it was at the start!! I've seen days go from hot to cool in Sydney, but Victoria is definitely a bit more extreme. Beautiful state, though - Mt Buffalo completely stole my heart.

[neilmny]

Ah ronsaik, you are welcome back anytime. Anyone who has been bitten by our crazy Victorian weather and still has good things to say........
Yep Mt Buffallo is beautiful, you should have a crack at the Bogong High Plains in wild flower time. Did it for the first time myself last....nope the year before 2014. It was stunning.

Good luck with your travels. Neil.