Snowy and High country trip Dec2012

[idw]

PART 1

Well better off late than never, last year in late December we went on a family touring trip through the Snowy mountains and Victorian high country.


I only had a few things I really wanted to see, Mckillop Bridge and brumbys. One of the great things about having little plans is what you can find when you don't have anywhere you really need to be. So we packed up Blinky and the Pajero with 10 days worth of suppliers some spare fuel and the Christmas tree (yes my partner made me bring a Christmas tree!) and went for it.

We left early to have some time to meet family in Lakes entrance and get up to Buchan Caves camp ground before dark. Didn't have any trouble getting on the freeway and I was surprised at how fuel efficient Blinky is with the roof rack loaded up on the open road, about the same as with the rack taken off! But we got to Buchan Caves and setup camp with the kangaroos for the night. Earlier in the year my partner and me had been up that way and had a cave tour, if your up that way I highly recommend the cave tour's they are great for everyone and much more easily assessable then I remembered when I was a kid. They are a network of limestone caves with some of the most extensive stalagmites and stalactites in Australia and well worth the tour cost. Buchan Caves camp ground surprised me as well it's not only huge, but also well equipped with showers/toilets lots of space, cabins to hire and a very old fresh springs pool. There’s a small cost for camping on the grounds but all the money go's to parks and considering the cost of caravan parks with similar facilities a good last stop before heading up bush.

After packing up the next morning and grabbing some supplies in Buchan it was time to head for Little River tk and Little River camp ground. Stopped on the way scared some cows...then got back on the road and finally hit the dirt. When coming into the park from Buchan or up from Orbost the first stop you can make is to look at Little river falls. It's a short walk off the main road as you enter the park, or a short track to the lookout a little further up the road.

The track down to Little River was bloody steep in a couple of sections up otherwise reasonably easy to get down. But what a great camp ground we were there in late December and it was empty! Lots of shade and only a couple of huntsman spiders in the drop dunny, but what made it such a great little camp ground was the river. Little River camp ground is at the fork of the Snowy river and Little river, uphill and reasonably out of reach of seasonal flooding. The water is great and just down the track to the river is a protected little swimming hole between some large boulders.


Looking down to Little river/Snowy river from Little river camp ground

Swimming spot

Video of part of the Climb back up Little River tk
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE1Kl9llyEg"]Little river climb Little River tk - YouTube[/ame]

The next morning it was time to checkout McKillop Bridge and take some photos along the river. You don't really appreciate the size of this bridge until you've seen it. It was built to cross the valley and amazing to think when nearing completion was washed away by a flood 2m higher than on record. After some photos we stopped for lunch and planned our next move, it was 43 degrees (that’s 109 F) that day and still 38 in the shade. So after reading the tourist info board about why the one of the hottest places in Victoria was next to one of the wettest places (Snowy being the hottest and the Gelantipy rangers the wettest). We marked the next stop and headed for Limestone road

https://imageshack.us/a/img21/3092/oba1.jpg panorama

under Mkillop bridge down river

It's a big wooden bridge!

After missing the turn with my navigator asleep we made a u-turn and hit limestone road. Looking at the Hema maps on my tablet we found the way to Rams Horn tk and the lookout. A good more challenging track which left a big dent in my exhaust hot dog, but well worth it for the view. This lookout doesn't have much to see from the base but if your adventurous and climb up the rock its a 360 view of the Gelantipy Rangers! We were slowed down by much needed road works on limestone road and run off the road by a truck with a dogleg trailer doing something ridiculous down the road no one hurt nothing damaged we kept moving. After that we started radioing the road crews announcing our approach. We didn't make it to limestone camp ground and stopped at Native Dog flats. With the creek right next to camp and much nicer weather we stopped for a couple of days to relax and look around.

 

[idw]

PART 2

Rams Horn lookout is a great stop and a short hike up the rock with a small amount of rock climbing to get to the top. The older maps show it as a loop tk back to limestone road, it in fact is not with trees felled over the track to stop acess after the 2007 fires. So expect to turn around and come back down the way you came, its a very tight and pokey track.

Panorama https://imageshack.us/a/img545/3184/1otq.jpg

I'd recomend stopping at the lookout it's an amazing view, and a fun 4x4 track lots of loose rocks very tight and technical in some sections, with a hairpin uphill climb at one point

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4gCSytKG54"]Leaving rams horn lookout Rams Horn tk 2 - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TTFNwfw8kM"]Leaving rams horn lookout Rams Horn tk - YouTube[/ame]

 

[idw]

PART 3

Native Dog flats is in a part of the high country what was effected by the 2003 and 2007 bushfires, I wasn't a member of the CFA back then and only just in 2007 so I wasn't on a crew for those fires. Looking around and knowing first hand what the erickson sky crane's can do (Elvis,Roadrunner,Elsie and Gypsy lady) and the lay of the land I've a greater respect for those pilots. But what always amazed me the most is how the bush comes back after being burnt and thrives on it. So it was a good time for some photos, I took a quick look at the map and took a compass bearing marked and started the gps plotter on my phone and went for a walk to take some photos. Where ever you are out bush be careful once you loose sight of the road or camp everything looks the same, do not rely on electronics learn to read a map and use a compass.


the problems rabbits cause

this is coming up on that rabbit warren from another angle, you cant see it untill i almost fell into it

I went walking north looking at some of the fire regrowth, alot of plants in australia don't release seeds or reproduce without being burnt

When we finally left Native Dog flats a wedding party had rolled in, nice bunch of people but not as quiet any more. So we made the move to Limestone tk to checkout the camp ground and further up the track to checkout the Poplars and cross the boarder where few people ever have. At the bottom of the gully there's a short creek crossing and then one ridiculous steep long climb! And Blinky didn't make it up the climb a mix of clearance and low range stopped him, with more time in the day and not needing more ice for the esky we could of made it. Getting stuck wasn't so bad but the way the track was going we were worried about how long it would take us to get to the end, and return back up the track to head over to Omeo. So after a recovery and a 15 point turn next to a cliff drop we turned and went the other way, before breaking anything or getting really stuck. With that we didn't get to see any brumbys but there’s always a next time. So it was through the creek and back to the black top and Omeo for a resupply and lunch.

I've spent a lot of time in Omeo and alternatively Harrietville in the snow season, but its a much different place in summer which is good to see. We stopped behind a forester with big maxxis bravo mud tires at the supermarket and wishing I got a photo or talked to the owner, it looked tough. Then we hit the road again and checkout the tourist stops on the way to victoria falls for the night. One of the places we stopped was Oriental claims (Oriental being the name of the company owning the rights to the mine) where they performed hydrologic sluicing. A very dirty kind of open cut mining using a water jet to break away the rock and land, but it was also one of the reasons Omeo became a known town, the mines not only brought them better supply of water but work, and the hydro electric dam at Victoria falls increased the ability to mine gold.


Mining here began in 1855

The top of these man made cliffs in this and the previous photo, was dug with a water jet and the soil and dirt was then processed for the gold. I just can't get over the scale of this.

Theres a few dug in mines around oriental claims as well, would of been a dangerouse kind of mining. None of the ground is stable these caves are fenced off and collapse regularly one of the park rangers was telling us.

Victoria Falls is a nice little camp ground for a night's stop I probably wouldn’t stay there longer. There's a short track up the road which follows the river to Victoria Falls and the remains of the hydro plant. A lot of locals were out fishing along this track, with the track being next to a lot of private property there wasn't much deviation from the track. The left overs of the Hydro plant are at the end of the track and then its a turn around back up the track again to the black top.


30x zoom lens on the camera helps sometimes, need to get a uv and polarised filter. Victoria falls

Panorama of the camp grounds - https://imageshack.us/a/img404/6092/jzrt.jpg



After that it was a drive over Mt Hotham and a bush walk to a mine I cant remember the name of just off the road. We stopped just out the other side of the resort at Dannys Lookout for a great view of Mt buffalo, and then drove down into Bright to see some family camping for Christmas. Bright is always a nice town to visit summer or winter, there's a hedge maze which is good fun and a lot of shopping. We met my parents at the Bright Brewery for a drink, I recommend their Razorback its a nice drop, they also have a nice brewed cider. But it was only a short stop for a couple of days to wash up clean up the cars and head to the family Christmas gathering in funnily enough where we started Lakes entrance. To finish the trip I got to have some fun on the road from Omeo to Lakes entrance, great drive along the Tambo river, would have been a lot more fun in an impreza or on a motorbike, a fast road with alot of bends.


Panorama of Mt buffalo from dannys lookout on mt hotham - https://imageshack.us/a/img96/2917/6eyj.jpg


Just over those rangers were on fire at the time

It was a great trip all up and a little different to the usual Dargo trip a lot of people do which is a lot of fun too haha. Ended it a great way by relaxing by the beach in Lake entrance, with the king parrots



Massive beak on these guys, I didn't notice untill she was eating sun flower seeds out of my hand lucky she didn't bite me

 

[adinafloyd]

Wow, what a great trip. Gorgeous views AND adorable kangaroos..although the spiders woulda ended my trip very quickly.

 

[idw]

Thanks I've put up all 3 parts now, wasn't the most fun chasing huntsman spiders off the dunny seat!. Was a really good trip all up...besides carrying around a potted Christmas tree! Next stop Fraser Island!

 

[yarney]

Great story idw there is a really good lookout near Seldom Seen servo i think it was on Seldom Seen rd 360° views you can drive right to the top about 1200m
Little river track was great fun and Native Flat Camp is very nice we camped there it got down to -4°
Victoria Falls camp is nice cold for us tho -6.4°

Jan

 

[NachaLuva]

Awesome! Amazing to think that floods have flowed over McKillops Bridge in the past!

Love King Parrots, so colourful :biggrin: They wont bite, even though their beak is so powerful.

Its sad the damage rabbits, cats & foxes have done to our fauna & flora, I really hope we can find a cure rather than patchy "control"

You will love Fraser I...truly an Aussie masterpiece

 

[Ratbag]

Great write up and pics, ID, thanks. Lot of work in doing that.

^ NL, you forgot to mention dogs in your list. The greatest mass extinctions of small birds and animals in the last 5,000 odd years occurred as a result of us humans introducing dogs (dingos) into this country.

[EDIT]

BTW, I fixed the typo in the thread title.
[end edit]

 

[mr turbo]

Wow, wow, wow, what a fantastic trip report idw
I can only imagine how big/long the bridge looks in the flesh, especially after seeing how small your Forry looks in the pic


And the other pics are fantastic too mate, especially the panoramic pics, just magic

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[thunder039]

looks like a awesome trip. i've never ventured in the snowy region, even though i live so close!

 

[idw]

really good lookout near Seldom Seen servo i think it was on Seldom Seen rd

I'll pop in a way point and check it out next time, glad it wasn't that cold when we were out there

Amazing to think that floods have flowed over McKillops Bridge in the past!

they would of had to be some really deep flood water, but also looking at where the old river bank used to be before the hydro electric plant, the river is alot smaller than it used to be. The pest animals seem to be a problem everywhere you go its sad there isn't any effective control.

^ NL, you forgot to mention dogs in your list...BTW, I fixed the typo in the thread title

I did forget to mention the road back to Omeo had a wild dog hanging from most st signs. Thanks for fixing up the typos theres probably a lot more in the body of the text :rotfl:

And the other pics are fantastic too mate, especially the panoramic pics, just magic

That trip was a good time to test out the new camera, the panorama pics turned out pretty good without a tripod. Amazing what the new image stabilizing tech can do, my old camera those would of been terrible.

The bridge is huge when your on it, every now and then theres also a bolt sticking up 30cm out of the deck near a wheel.

i've never ventured in the snowy region, even though i live so close!

Do it! with the zook nothing will stop you, theres so many great spots and not that many people traveling up there.

 

[Ratbag]

G'day again ID

I did forget to mention the road back to Omeo had a wild dog hanging from most st signs. Thanks for fixing up the typos theres probably a lot more in the body of the text :rotfl:

I took quite a few photos of foxes doing the same in west Gippsland a while ago ...

As for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, I draw the line at fixing typos in the thread title ... :iconwink: :rotfl: .

Unless they're my own, in which case I get a lot more pedantic about things . Personal responsibility ... :ebiggrin:.

 

[Dedman]

Nice report. I need to do a trip up there sometime.

Were the panoramas taken with a wide angle lens or are they multiple shots stitched together? If so what camera/software did you use for them? They look great

 

[idw]

In camera stitch of multiple photos. Its a fujifilm sl300, best way to describe it is a point and shoot compact with a 30x optical zoom making it look like an slr can customize most photo settings but doesn't shoot in rawr. The over the dash video was out of the same camera. I cut the audio as its just my girlfriend complaining its too bouncy or to steep she can't see the track. And yb compression didn't look the best.

I've a set of filters and a hood coming to take some better photos with it but otherwise really happy with it. And a wide angle lens for videoing off a tripod

 

[Dedman]

In camera stitch of multiple photos.

Any idea how many photos it took to make each of the panoramas?

Either way they turned out heaps better than anything ive done using Photoshop to join individual shots

 

[idw]

Only 3 photos, in camera it also compressed them a lot. Most of those photos I downscaled for posting, the panoramas are about a 1Mb out of the camera, vs 4-6mb individual photos. So there's some quality loss that way. Stitching in Photoshop I've only found works well with a good tripod, or a camera that has a small fixed X on the screen to line them up AND takes the photo automatically none of that half shadow line up thing focus and snap the shot yourself, I've never got them to work well.

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday ID

Nice panos.

I have found that stitching full size JPEGs (or even RAW files) works extremely well in PS since PS4. I currently use PS5 and PS6 as part of CS Web and Design Premium.

I use handheld shots all the time. Sometimes these have been taken a year or more ago, with no intention at the time of making them into a panorama. The "secret" is to use the same focal length and aperture for all the shots you intend to use, and don't move your position too much. I have found that a 35 mm equivalent focal length of around 50-70 mms works well.

If you select the images in Bridge, then go to TOOLS/ PHOTOSHOP / PHOTOMERGE, PS will do the whole process semi-automatically, including honouring the Bayer array pixel quartet boundaries. The resulting image will be exposure and colour balanced, straight and huge (in MBs and pixel dimensions). The resulting panos are utterly seamless IME. I have one four shot pano that is 200+ MB and nearly 12,000 x 3,200 pixels. The detail is amazing! There is a facility to do this in-camera with my dSLR/s, but I have never used it. I reckon PS does a far better job than any camera for this kind of heavy lifting ...

 

[Dedman]

Thanks, Good info. Im currently using photoshop elements 2.0 so im thinking an upgrade is in order. Super keen to see what the later versions can do :ebiggrin:

 

[idw]

I'll leave it to you two then. I'm not into photo editing a lot, I've gimp and PS 4 but haven't used it much since high school. I rather a little in camera tweaking and snap then leave it or print it! Might post some bigger photos of mt buffalo see if someone can join them for a banner

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday DMW

PSE 2.x!

Now that's a blast from the past. You need at least v 3.01 before you can even handle DNG files ...

I have PSE v 3.01 and v 7.x. I understand that the later versions of PSE (currently at v 12, IIRC) are far more powerful and flexible than PSE 7.

If you want to look at freeware, Lightzone is back, and free. Available here for PC, Mac, Linux:
https://lightzoneproject.org/

Another great freeware program is FastStone Viewer, here:
https://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

I use FSV all the time because it's fast and better than Adobe for some very few things - it is the only program I know of that can print high quality, high resolution thumbnails, along with filename and other EXIF data, for example.