Koalas And Lava Tubes at Mount Napier State Park

After just about suffering heat stroke walking up the Chimney Pots yesterday, we got an early start in the morning, drove south, and walked to the top of Mount Napier, an old volcano, before it got crazy hot. This is a short but moderately interesting walk as the crater is still pretty obvious and there seems to be a healthy population of koalas in the surrounding forest (we saw three).

The old crater on Mount Napier

Just a bit further south are the Byaduck Caves which are actually lava tubes with collapsed roofs. These are pretty interesting too, especially when you consider that these passages run for almost 30 km underground. The caves are formed when the roof collapses and opens up an entry into the lava tubes. One cave has an easy scramble down into the bottom and you can wander in the back where it is delightfully cool and moist. 

 Lava tube at Byaduck Caves

By lunch, we had set up for the afternoon and were doing what you do when you live in a caravan without air conditioning and the temperature is in the high 30's Celsius. You just try to survive until it cools down. 

Mount Napier Koala

Last Grampians Walk: Chimney Pots

A last hike in the Grampians on a hot day, way too hot to be walking uphill in the burning sun, but, we can be stupidly stubborn sometimes. Chimney Pots is a big many tiered rock buttress accessible off the Glenelg River Road. The track is not where marked on the topographic map, but is actually about one kilometre further east along a short spur road that parallels the Glenelg River Road. 

It all starts casually enough strolling along a good trail, crossing a dry creek and then climbing gently until you reach a junction where you can either circle Chimney Pots in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction. We went clockwise, which was really silly as we panted up the steep track in full sun and came down in shade.

Heading clockwise, you bump along the bottom of a cliff for a short distance and then climb steeply until you crest a shoulder and traverse around the north side still climbing. Another junction is reached and a short scrambly side trip leads out to a fine viewpoint on a big prow of rock just below the final cliffs of the Chimney Pots. It was interesting to see Mount Abrupt and Mount Sturgeon, both of which I had walked up from this angle and there are many interesting rock outcrops on the hillside north of Chimney Pots. 

Back at the junction, the track climbs a short distance to crest the ridge and then heads downhill through a shady, green and very pretty valley to the main track. 

 Viewpoint at Chimney Pots

Mount Sturgeon

It's always good to stop for a short walk when you are driving, so, the day after we walked the Major Mitchell Plateau, we stopped at Mount Sturgeon track on the way south. Doug sat out this walk as his bung knee from Umbrawarra Gorge was a bit tender after the long descent from Mount William. The track to Mount Sturgeon starts where indicated on the topographic map, but actually heads northwest to junction with a track that goes up Bainggug before climbing Mount Sturgeon from the north. 

My legs felt a bit heavy after the previous days walk when I started out, but, as soon as the track started gaining elevation I limbered up and made good time to the top. There are a couple of short descents before you get to the very top where you have a grand view of the eastern plains and north up the Victoria Valley. A nice diversion on a day otherwise spent driving. 

 Mount Abrupt From Mount Sturgeon

Along The Major Mitchell Plateau: Jimmy Creek to Mount William

If you are walking in the Grampians, the obvious choice for a long day walk is the Major Mitchell plateau and the track that runs from Jimmy Creek to the gated road on Mount William. I had this on my tick list of walks to do while at the Grampians, but was not expecting too much of the walk as the ridge does not have the interesting rock features of some of the other areas of the Grampians, and, I suspected the trees would be too thick to prevent views. 

 

Turns out I was wrong and this long walk (19 km, 1500 metres of gain from Jimmy Creek) was one of the best walks we did in the Grampians. Apparently, Victoria Parks considers this a "remote" area so you have to register out to do the walk and back in again when you finish. This is easily accomplished at the Visitor Centre, but, when questioned by the Parks staff, I glossed over the fact that I would be walking solo from one end, and my partner solo from the other. All these bureaucratic bodies get unduly concerned about people walking alone or doing other things they consider foolhardy.

If you had someone to drop you off and pick you up, the logical way to do this hike is from Mount William down to Jimmy Creek as the track is overall down-hill. Without that luxury, one of us had to endure a lot of elevation gain, and the other had to endure a lot of elevation loss. Personally, I - and my knees - would rather walk up than down but I gave Doug, who has a slightly bung knee after an adventure in Umbrawarra Gorge, the choice. Secretly, I was glad that he opted to start from Mount William leaving me to start from Jimmy Creek.

 Serra Range

The track climbs steadily from Jimmy Creek until it reaches a big gently inclined plateau where the various Wannon Creeks drain to the west. There's not much point giving a step by step breakdown of the hike as there is really only one track, and you simply follow it, mostly up, but occasionally down. At about five kilometres (roughly 1.5 hours) you reach a cleared helipad and the track joins a rough road for a short section. You can escape off to the south here down to Mafeking. Shortly after this junction, you encounter the steepest climb of the walk where the track gains about 200 metres in half a kilometre. There's also a bit of rocky scrambling here. 

The next five kilometres along to Wannon Campsite is wonderful walking along the ridge top with expansive views in all directions, but, most prominent the jagged Serra Range to the west. The bush is low scrub reminiscent of the heathland bush found along much of Australia's east coast and flat slabs of rock provide easy walking. There were masses of different coloured wildflowers blooming when we did this walk in late November. I met Doug somewhere around point 1152 metres about 45 minutes from Wannon Campsite. 

I stopped for lunch at Wannon Campsite where there are clear tent pads, an outhouse and water from Wannon Creek. A short climb out of Wannon Campsite leads to the steepest descent on the track down into Boundary Gap. This is a scrambly section of track that eases as you descend but you'll lose about 170 metres of elevation in just 300 metres. It feels like a long climb out of Boundary Gap - it's about 250 metres - and, once up the first climb, the towers on Mount William look very close. But, there are still two or three more short descents followed by slightly longer climbs until you finally reach the paved road at Mount William. Turns out that Mount William (1167 metres), or perhaps point 1167 metres south of Wannon Creek, is the high point in the Grampians, so you can feel good about completing a long walk and tagging the highest point in the Grampians. 

Apart from Doug, I didn't meet anyone until I was almost back down at the gate on the Mount William Road and that gives this walk a wonderful remote feel. If you don't mind humping an overnight pack, there are definitely worse places to spend the night than Wannon Campsite.

Back In Time For Lunch: Through The Wonderland Range

This is an easy walk that is only about 11 or 12 km long and visits a number of the highpoints (both literally and figuratively) of the Wonderland Range. Start either behind the caravan park in Halls Gap or through the Botanic Gardens, and follow the steps (many, many steps) up to Mackeys (Cherub) Peak. If you're old, you can probably blow past a few 20 and 30 somethings who are staggering along the track with shopping bags and cameras held out on poles to snap narcissistic pictures of themselves. 

In not too long, you meet the track that comes up from the Wonderland car park and the hordes of people who have managed to stagger up this way, also carrying shopping bags. I had no idea shopping bags had replaced backpacks. Stroll along the track towards Bellfield Peak. There are some good overhanging rock formations perfect for a few pull-ups or ankles to bar (rock formation) as you walk past. 

 Tower Hill

Instead of taking the shortest route down to the Sundial parking lot, you can take a slightly longer loop out to Lakeview Lookout where you may find some dubious abseiling going on. Beyond Sundial carpark, you'll leave the crowds behind as you stroll up to Sundial Peak where there is a sundial (and a view), then wander down the track passing one more lookout and following a curving ridge down to Lake Bellfield. Be back in time for lunch.

Mount Rosea Circuit From Borough Huts

Mount Rosea, at the northern end of the Serra Range is usually hiked from the old Rosea picnic ground, but, I much prefer either a through walk or a circuit walk to an out and back, so I came up with a loop walk that started from Borough Huts campground, passed over Mount Rosea and returned back to Borough Huts. Be warned, however, that this is much longer than simply walking up Mount Rosea from Rosea Turntable and includes much more elevation gain. Below are my track notes, use them at your own discretion.

There is no sign at the start or any indication in the Borough Huts campground that this walk starts there. At the west side of the campground, cross Fyans Creek (low) and follow an old road for about 175 metres heading west. Memorial Track (new sign) branches off to the right (north) and almost immediately crosses (dry) Middleton Creek. The track climbs gradually and in about a 0.5 km crosses another old road. Continue gently climbing for another 700 (horizontal) metres and cross another old road (easy to miss as it is quite overgrown). From this point on, the track begins to climb, gently at first but soon getting quite steep. In half a kilometre, you cross another old road and you could follow this old road up to meet the track higher up, but it is easily as steep as, if not steeper than the track and might be best saved for the descent. One section of track has a washout where the track all but disappears, and the track is also a bit bushy and overgrown.

Near the top of Mount Rosea

After you have gained about 200 metres, you cross the same old road again (alternate route) and the gradient eases but the track still climbs to cross one last fading old road. The track levels out a bit and begins heading more north (rather than NW) and a new track is intersected. This is called the Chislett Track on the map and it has had major work done on it and is in very good shape. It climbs gradually to Sanderson Gap and then weaves through rock formations to the top of Mount Rosea where there is a compass rose, seat and lookout. The Wonderland Range looks low from here, Mount Williams may have its head in the cloud, and the southern Serra Range looks suitably remote.

From Mount Rosea, the track descends the north ridge winding through rock formations, tunnels and caves until you are below the escarpment and the track becomes wide and fast walking down to Rosea Turntable at the intersection of Stoney Creek Road and Silverband Road. About 50 metres downhill on the Silverbank Road, a pile of cut logs marks the old Silverband Falls track (long since closed by Victoria Parks) which leads down Dairy Creek and intersects the Silverband Road at a U bend in the road. You can follow this track - brushed in but passable - or follow the road down to the Burma Track. Either way, you'll walk about 800 metres. If you follow the track, it disappears into the creek after about 200 metres but there is still a faint foot pad visible most of the way and it is easy enough walking in the creek. If you've followed the creek, you need to walk back up the road for 40 metres or so to get on the Burma Track (so you don't save any distance only some road walking).

Walking off Mount Rosea

The Burma Track has some impressive washouts from floods and some huge boulders are poised to roll onto the road below next time heavy rain falls. You have to scramble down into and out of a couple of large gullies in the first two kilometres. After about two kilometres, there is a very faint old road branching off to the left which runs down Glen Hills to meet the Grampians Tourist Drive at Lake Bellfield. If you carry on, in less than a minute, you reach a much more prominent junction. The uphill fork is a new track not marked on the map that steadily gains elevation and intersects the Chislett Track (you'll recognise the junction from earlier in the day). If you want to avoid the extra elevation gain (and subsequent loss) take the lower left hand fork and intersect the Memorial Track just before it begins it's steep descent.

We took the new (upper track) which is in really good shape but climbs more than necessary to the junction with the Chislett Track. Instead of following the bushy and washed out in places Memorial Track down we took the road down until we were below the steep descent/ascent and had intercepted the track again. The descent on the road feels steeper even than the track. Then, simply follow the Memorial Track back to Fyans Creek, and have a dip if there is enough water in the creek. This is a nice remote feeling hike and you'll only meet other people on the section from Rosea Turntable to Mount Rosea.

Mount Stapylton and Mount Zero

Most of the northern Grampians is currently closed after a bushfire ran through last year, and, Victoria Parks does not seem to be in too much of a hurry to open up the tracks or climbing areas, but, two hikes at the northern end - Mount Stapylton and Mount Zero are currently open. Both are short so you can easily do both in either an afternoon or morning. 

 

 Overlooking Stapylton Ampitheatre

Mount Stapylton is definitely the most interesting. The track runs up rock slabs to Flat Rock where there is a grand view of the impressive Taipan Wall, then descends a short distance to cross a burnt valley before climbing around the south side of Mount Stapylton and heading up to the summit on more rock slabs. A sign marks the end of the hiking track (marked by yellow triangles) but, if you are a peak bagger, you'll immediately notice that you aren't actually on top of Mount Stapylton which rises a short distance higher. Some old faded red arrows led out on rock slabs around the west side of the mountain and a few scrambling moves (some may not like this section) lead to the real summit. There is an impressive amount of rock all around and most climbers will be dreaming of wild new routes waiting first ascents.

 Mount Stapylton

On the other side of the road, Mount Zero takes less than an hour round trip along a similarly well marked track gaining a saddle on the east side and then romping up rock slabs to the top. A great view of Mount Stapylton awaits and a compass rose helps identify the surrounding features.