Buckland Valley to Walhalla

We are back, Out of lock down and I knew this trip was going to be a full one. We had 18 vehicles and I had to plan two trips this weekend a convoy of 10 and a convoy of 8. It wasn’t to hard finding a trip leader to lead the second trip as along as tail end Charlie stayed the same.

Having such a large group I had to plan finding campsites big enough to fit all of us in, so Buckland Valley and Wonnangatta has quite big campsites, so we were able to spread out enough to all fit in.

We all met at the corner of Buckland Valley road and Mt Selwyn road in the big open area on the Friday night or Saturday morning some come across from Bendigo.

Saturday

As we woke to a very cold morning, with some having a heavy frost on their awnings, we knew it was going to be a nice day. The fire was going to keep those hands warm as we packed up and rolled up the frost layered awnings.

We had a briefing on the days driving and we also had new members that have not even been to High Country before, so we worked out the order for the convoys and who was going in what group. The first group of 10 took off at 9.00am heading up Mt Selwyn road and the second group took off about 30mins later. Roughly 5 kms up Mt Selwyn road we turned left onto Dingo Creek track through the little river crossing and into Low Range and a Very Steep climb. I went up first to see if the track was going to be ok for the rest of the group, the track had very good traction as the tyre pressures were down to 22psi. I called the next vehicles up saying plenty of traction and keep up the momentum. Everyone made it very easy, then we got onto the Mt Selwyn road again from the other end and the turnoff to the Mt Selwyn summit, I took our group up to the top with the magnificent views of the Buckland Valley down below. The track up has been graded so the big wombat holes have been taken out. We headed back down and the second group was waiting for us to come down off the summit, we pulled over to the side as they went up to have a look as well, it was a bit of traffic control down the bottom as another group came through at the same time, but we managed and all vehicles got through. We continued along Mt Selwyn road a bit then turned left down Canyon track, this track is a very picturesque track to drive especially during the winter months covered with

snow, we continued on with a small rocky decline but very easy. We came to a intersection and turned left onto Whites track, as I’ve never driven down Whites track before it was new to me. The track was very easy at the start and goes for about 20kms then heads straight down a steep decline and rutted in spots to 3 river crossings. The river crossings had deep sections in them coming up to the top of the bonnet, so you had to take it easy going through. The track brings you onto Humphrey track and we turned left towards Wonnangatta, we had a few more river crossings and bog holes to contend with making it fun getting through. We found a clearing to have lunch so we pulled up and had a break for about one hour.

After lunch I was going to turn around and go along Reillys track, but seeing that we were so close to Wonnangatta we kept on going along Humphrey track. The track had hill ascents and descents and a few more river crossings, and out of one crossing Nathan blew a CV on his Ranger coming out of one of the steep climbs, so being so close to Wonnangatta he put it back into 2wd and drove the rest of the way in. We cut firewood as we got closer to the valley and got in to Wonnangatta about 3.00pm, with the other group catching up to us so we found a good campsite around to the right handside of the Wonnangatta Station homestead. We all found a spot and spread out a bit, lighting the fire setting up camp and enjoying some drinks around the fire. Nathan pulled out his CV cut it off and put the bearings back in so he could continue with the trip in 2wd Low Range.

Sunday

We woke to a be another good day, having breakfast and packed up camp, we had a briefing on the long day it was going to be, as we were heading towards Chromite Mine area. We headed out of camp stopping at the homestead for a look and take some photos.

The Homestead was built by Oliver and Ellen Smith who settled in the Wonnangatta Valley in the late 1860s. When William and Annie Bryce and their seven children came to help them farm in 1872 they built a house here on the Spur, well away from floods, and with views across the valley. It was their home for more than 40 years, and in that time it grew from a small hut to an eleven room homestead. They planted a windbreak and continued to improve grazing and farming in the valley.

The homestead burnt down in 1957 but the chimneys, hearths, and stone laid paths and drains remain from the early days.

We then moved onto the Cemetery, which we had a little time to look around and how young people back in those days died so early.

After a look around we headed off out of the Wonnangatta and at the other end I set up the drone and filmed us driving through the valley, I was bringing the drone back to me and the battery got down to 30%, then started to head for home where I set off from , so I had to get Jim to go back and get the drone, all good.

We split up into groups again and headed up Zeka Spur track, the track took longer than I estimated, being 20kms long and very windy and steep hill climbs in some sections bought us up to Howitt Plains road around 12.00pm, so we stopped at the Howitt Hut for a break. The Howitt Hut has a lot of history and it’s great to spend a bit of time there looking around. We headed off again along Howitt Plains road and then we turned right down Caledonia River track, as you drive along the ridge line you over look Butcher Country, then you start to head straight down and into the valley. After passing a couple of groups coming the other way we pulled up into a campsite for lunch around 2.00pm and the other group caught up as well. We headed off again going through more bog holes where David and Deb got stuck taking a wrong line and winched out, then more river crossings, passing all the campsites which were full, then the track turns into Dingo Hill track and a very steep climb for 5kms with rocks and rock steps and about 7 switch backs to deal with as well. At the top we all waited for everyone to make it up before we kept on going. We made it with no problems at all, everyone enjoyed the climb and wanted to do it again, but we had to keep going along, heading along the easy bit of Dingo Hill track looking for a campsite and hoping at the bridge on the Shaw creek was empty but it wasn’t, so we turned around and headed along Scrubby Hill track towards Kellys Hut. As we were driving along a clearing was sighted and a track in to the clearing, so we all headed in and found an amazing spot to camp. This camp had plenty of space and plenty of firewood laying there on the ground. So we all found a spot, set up camp and lit the fire and we had a nice fire that night as it did get cold as the sun went down.

Monday

We woke to another good morning with the sun just coming up over the trees, warming you up as we were having breakfast and packing up camp. We left camp before 9.00am and I told everyone to head out and all meet up at Tamboritha Saddle. At Tamboritha Saddle we got back into our groups and headed down Tamboritha road for 2.5 kms then turned left onto B1 track. This track has steep ascents and descents and is a really great drive, looking at views over the Avon Wilderness. When we got down to the Wellington river they had floods come through in the weeks leading up to this weekend, the section of the track had been washed out, back up the track a bit someone else had already made a new crossing at a much shallower spot, so we all made it through this section. When David had his go he was that excited about the crossing he took off through the river and left his mum (Deb) on the other side of the river and then was asked, did you forget something, maybe your mum. All was good and Deb jumped into another vehicle.

The track then changes into Chromite Mine track, with nice steep climbs up to a lookout, then down into the Chromite Mine campsite for a quick break. This camp is a very large spot for large groups. We headed off again and a long climb out up to the Mt Margaret track, where we turned left, heading along the Mt Margaret track for 9kms, we then turned right onto Burgoyne track. This track is well known for its steep rocky terrain and straight away you are straight into it with rock steps and a very steep rocky descent, which you really had to watch what you were doing, but the views looking back over Licola was amazing, we got up to a campsite called Big Hill and stopped for lunch. During lunch I went around asking, how are people going with fuel and some were getting low, so we headed off again down to Burgoyne Junction on the Licola road, so about 8 vehicles headed into town of Licola for fuel, whilst we waited for them to get back, we just sat on the side of the road. Zac, Sarah and Adrian left the trip here to head for home via Melbourne. When they all got back we headed up the next section of Burgoyne track, steep at the start then there was a section, it was very steep and rocks as big as basketballs, so I went into 1^st Low Range with the rear diff lock and crawled my way up. Simeon came up behind me as his Hilux is twin locked and made it easy as well, next was Andrew, he made it the first little bit and couldn’t make it. So I figured, if I had to winch most vehicles up to the top would take about 2 hours or so, cause this section was over 100m to the top. So I made a decision and turned us all around and we headed back to Licola to work out where to go from here. So out came the map and I decided to head along Glencairn road towards Barkly bridge campsite, but it was full. As we were driving along I could here a squeaking noise coming from my front right wheel, as I kept going it was getting louder, so a campsite was urgent to find. We found this little open area on the side of the road, where we managed to all find a campsite, while everyone set up camp and lit the fire, I pulled the bearings out of the Toyota and they had fallen apart, so Dale had a new set in his Toyota and we changed the bearings over, put it back together then had a good night around the fire.

Tuesday

This morning we all had a good sleep in, seeing that it was the last day before heading home. So we sat around the fire for a while and packed up slowly. We left camp at 10.00am, heading up Middle Ridge road and going past Black Soil Gully road, the road becomes a little rougher, but the scenery was spectacular with the high cliffs as the road headed down to the Barkly river and across the bridge. We passed Rumpffs Flat campsite then we turned left up a N21 track, at the start is steep with some fairly deep ruts and the track just keeps climbing, we had some trees to remove off the track as it hadn’t been driven for a while. It was amazing how the track changes at the top with the different vegetation. We came out onto the Jamieson/ Licola road and the road gets rough as soon as you change Shires. On nearly reaching Mt Skene we turned left down Lazarinis Spur track. At the start you can stay in 2wd for about 8.5 kms, then you are into Low Range and the track becomes really tight, with the over hanging branches, not good for your paint work. Then the track starts to head straight down, with some good rock steps that you can crawl over the top of. At the bottom you cross the Goulburn river then you cross the Goulburn river again, they were a little deep with the water coming up to the top of your bullbar, it made some great photos. At the campsite there we had lunch and during lunch we heard a vehicle coming down Holylands track down to the river crossing, this crossing is usually deeper than the crossing we just did. So one of the guys walked the river and bought over his winch rope, just in case and we backed one of our vehicles down for a potential recovery, he drove it with no problems at all. So we all headed off along Army track to Woods Point/Jamieson road, turning right here then we pulled into Snakes Reserve and we aired up, this is where we finished up the trip and said our good byes and we headed home along Woods Point/Jamieson road then onto Mansfield.

Participants

Russell. 105 LandCruiser

Andrew. Triton

Adrian. 200 LandCruiser

Jim and Narelle. Nissan Patrol

Nathan. Ranger

Tim Mc. BT 50

Simeon. Hilux

Frank and Grace. Nissan Patrol

Zac and Sarah. Ranger

David and Angela. Nissan Patrol

Dean. Ranger