Beeripmo Walk

Beeripmo Walk – 21kms, 11 hours total, 2 day circuit.

The Beeripmo walk winds through Mt Cole State Forest & Mt Buangor State Pak, about half way between the Grampians and Ballarat.

It was an easy 2 day walk which meant we could take our time instead of pushing through in one day. The walk passes through fern gullies, alpine plateaus and tall forests. Unfortunately recent fires had seriously affected the forests and for much of the first day we were amongst burnt out trees, ash and charcoal. I'm not sure when the fire went through, but the park had only just reopened.

On the way back to Ararat where we spent the last few days since getting out of the Grampians, we saw a Challicum wind farm. There are about 8 wind farms in Victoria totalling 428 MW which generate enough power for approximately 200,000 homes. According to www.sustainability.vic.gov.au a further 900 MW of wind farms are under construction and are scheduled for completion by 2012.

The Grampians National Park, Victoria

The Fortress 3 day walk - Grampians National Park, Victoria

The Fortress is a 3 day walk in the lesser known area of the Victoria Range within the Grampians.

The Grampians ranges are a series of exposed sandstone ridges separated by valleys. Water erosion has increased the cracks and weaknesses leaving the spires behind, of which the Fortress is an example.

The Grampians were originally named Geriwerd by the aboriginals. The caves which are a feature of the area, and the many shelters throughout the ranges show evidence of their occupation of 5000 years. With colonization the area was used for mining gold, cattle grazing and logging. In 1964 the national park was created and many of the old overgrown logging roads today form part of the 3 day walk.

Day 1 – 6.1 km, 3.5 hours

Waking today straight up into the ranges themselves. With our packs filled with camping gear and food for 3 days it was a fairly challenging few hours.

After one hour we reached Manja shelter. It’s a cave known as the Cave of Hands because of the aboriginal art of hand stencils made from ochre. The next 2 hours was pretty much uphill, until we reached the steep descent into Western Cave, we we camped in a small cave for the night. The cave was a great spot, well sheltered, and in the book I was following the walk on, there was a photo of a tent in the cave. But the problem was that it was down slanting which didn’t make for such a comfortable sleep. As we came into the area we could hear people who turned out to be 2 teachers and 7 kids on a school excursion! Luckily it was a big camp area and they were on the other side of the creek, so they didn’t bother us at all. There was dead wood in the cave so we were able to cook on a fire and keep warm. It got to about 5 degrees.

Day 2 – 8.1km, 4.5 hours

It’s almost unfair to have to set up the campspot just for 12 hours when you have to pitch the tent, blow up the air mat, zip the sleeping bags together, and then pack it all away again to keep walking! Today wasn’t as difficult going, although still a gentle ascent. Atleast some of the weight in my pack was gone due to eating some of the food. We left late- about 10.30am, but what’s the rush? Today we began to see some really good view of the Fortress and other rock formations. We made it to Mt Thackery campground about 3pm to setup. After the setup we took the side trip up to Mt Thackery 940 metres. Amazing view from up the top and very windy.

Mt Thackery camp ground was a great spot, but because of the rain we couldn’t have a fire. By about 9pm it got really dark so we headed inside.

Day 3 – 13.5km, 5 hours

We awoke in a cloud of fog. The whole campground was foggy, but it quickly cleared to a nice day. Today the track used some of the old logging roads. They were easy to follow, but very rocky and steep at times, but mostly downhill. There was a part of the track where we had to cross a creek 3 times. On the 2^nd time we got completely lost. What had happened was a huge tree fell over the track, so people had diverted around the tree, but in the process had made a track which leads to the creek. We followed that track, crossed the creek, then tried to follow an imaginary track to somewhere. Busting through branches, spiderwebs, ferns and shrubs we got very lost. After 20 minutes we decided to go back and when we did we realised our mistake. As there were some many flowers in bloom we sneezed the rest of the walk back to the van. We were very tired when we got back and drove to Halls Gap to have a coffee. It was a great walk, and being 3 days is a run up to the 6 day Overland Track we’ll be doing in December in Tasmania.

8-11 Oct King's Canyon to Wilpena Pound

Friday 8^th October 2010

Last night after leaving The Olgas we drove for a bit and ended up at Curtin Springs on the Lasseter Highway to buy petrol at $1.88 per litre! They had a campsite there which was free. A hot shower cost $3. There was a hungry emu getting into someone’s food in one of these photos! We also met a desert frog at our campsite.

We got up early and drove up to King’s Canyon. There is nothing here except a resort (smaller than Ayer’s Rock Resort) and the canyon itself. It was a fantastic walk, about 3 hours long to walk right around. The waterholes were full and the garden of eden was very green. There were plenty of lizards around and few of the ancient cycad ferns which are estimated to be around 400 years old.

After King’s Canyon we drove and drove and drove until we got to the NT/SA border where we camped the night. There were a pair of nutjob cyclists camping there. They do about 150-200 kms a day… in the heat… crazy.

Saturday 9^th October 2010

We got on the road at 7.30am to head to Port Augusta. It was a long drive and got there about 6pm. We saw so much road kill. But we also saw a few live cows and and emu with 4 young. Port Augusta town was absolutely dead. The fish n’chip shop was closing just as we arrived at 7.15pm. We got the local prized King George Whiting for $6 each. We ended up staying at the motorhome place where you can stay for $5. It’s basically a block of land next to a sporting club, but only 4kms from the town.

Sunday 10^th October 2010

We woke up early and did the shopping. Then went to the newly developed foreshore for some breakfast. Heaps of campervans around. Local kids jumping off the jetty. We wanted to do fishing/crabbing but it was Sunday and everything is closed. There was a camera shop according to a brochure we picked up but it must of closed down. So all photos are taken on the 2mp mobile phone camera until we get a new charger, probably in Adelaide.

We decided to just got to Port Germein where we went before to stay a the van park, then get some fishing gear in the morning. But along the way we were thinking if Port Germein even had a fishing shop and so quickly turned off Highway 1 and decided to go to Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges.

So we got there about 3pm yesterday. There is a resort and caravan park here. But the van park is in the middle of the bush and you just go wherever you want. So we pulled up and started doing our washing. There was also a couple with a teepee tent here!

We met a bloke from the country here with his friend and we got talking and they ended up taking us for a 4WD into the ranges. Then we camped out for the rest of the evening around a fire. They slept in the open in a swag. They’re both from Adelaide but the guy does shearing and bar tending in NT, and knew everyone we’d met in Alice Springs. There are kangaroos around the park and we’re sitting in the middle of the bush doing emails, but our phones don’t work because they’re on Optus & broadband is on Telstra.

Tomorrow we hope to the the Wilpena Pound walk and up to Mt St Clair.