Tawonga Huts Hike - Bogong High Plains

The Tawonga Huts are in the Bogong High Plains, about 4 km from the Pretty Valley Pondage carpark.

The carpark is is reached via a turn off from the Pretty Valley Rd, about 6 km from the Bogong High Plains Rd, which starts just past the Falls Creek Village.

The turn-off and descent to the Pondage is signposted, and this is an extremely rough, dusty, corrugated, 2 km track, with a surface consisting of large sharp loose rubble and stones.

The walk starts by crossing the Causeway (1637 m) near the carpark then a 4 km hike (each way) up the stony Fainter Fire Track. Over the top (1814 m), the track drops down into the valley of the Tawonga Huts Creek - the Huts are nearby (1675 m).

The Fainter Firetrack continues north, ultimately ending at Bogong Village.

A side footrack, starting at the huts, marked with orange triangles on trees, goes to the highest peak (1852 m) in the Jathmathangs, formerly known as the Niggerheads.

Maximum altitude reached is 1814 m - lowest is 1637 m.

The wide plain surrounding the huts is used as a major gathering point for cattle mustering each autumn.

The first hut in the area was built by John Ryder prior to 1888 but it was pulled down by a horse teathered to the post, and was then rebuilt in that year.

The third hut was built in 1923 of palings. Many cattlemen used the Tawonga huts, notably Ben Cooper, for whom a cairn sits nearby. This is passed at the top of the Fainter FT on the way in.

The current huts were built in the 1950s about 250m south of the original set. The "Refuge Hut" as named, was built by the SEC in 1928 and pulled here in the 1980s. The fourth hut, was originally a cookhouse and brought to the site on a truck by Billy Hicks, but was burnt down in 2000 and a replacement was then built, similar to that whch was destroyed.

All huts survived the 2003 fires.

The views are stupendous from the Fainter Firetrack, with a sweeping panorama extending from Mt Hotham in the south, then Mt Feathertop (1922 m), the twin peaks of Mt Fainter (1839 m and 1880 m), and the Bogong Massif (1986 m) to the north. The Jathmathangs (formerly known as the Niggerheads) are in front of Mt Feathertop. Mt McKay (1849 m) is nearby.

We visited the Huts on March 8, 2009.

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Lake Guy Hike, Bogong Village

Bogong Village is a small village with 26 houses available for rent, the Alpine Village Belle restaurant and bar and an Outdoor Education campus for school children attending Victorian Government schools.

It is located on the Bogong High Plains Rd, midway between the towns of Mt Beauty and Falls Creek, about 320 km NE of Melbourne.

A resident manager looks after accommodation and guests as well as overseeing care of the gardens and facilities.
The village was established between 1938 and 1940 by the State Electricity Commission (SEC) to provide accommodation and services for engineers and construction workers on the Kiewa hydro-electric scheme. A post office, a primary school and a shop were also established. The existing Bogong Outdoor Education Centre was established much later, in the 1970s.

Following completion of the Kiewa scheme in the early 1960s, the SEC took steps to beautify the village by planting the terraced wedding garden and garden beside the lake. A team of gardeners were employed to maintain the beautiful seasonal villages gardens that people enjoy today.

With the passage of the seasons the gardens burst into life in spring with the flowering of the rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas and dogwoods, take on a cool and leafy green appearance in summer and then transform into a spectacular blaze of colour in autumn. About once every winter the village wakes up to snow.

Energy company AGL Energy is constructing a new $230 million underground hydro-electricity station at Bogong Village.

The 140 MW power station, which is being built adjacent to the village beside Lake Guy, adds the final power station to the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme as it was envisaged in the 1950s.

There are two construction sites at Bogong, with the one closest to the village being tucked away out of sight around a bend of the lake. Both construction areas have been closed off to the public but there is a viewing platform near the Lake Guy site so that visitors can watch heavy equipment such as dozers and excavators at work. The construction site has its own access road to the Bogong High Plains Road.

The project does not involve building a new dam but instead will bring water via a 6.5 km underground tunnel from the existing McKay Creek Power Station to the new station at Bogong before recycling the water yet again through Clover Power Station and then the West Kiewa Power Station.

McConnell Dowell, the principal civil contractor responsible for construction of the tunnel, has reassembled a tunnel boring machine, at its construction site. The machine is 30 metres long, but with all the back-up gantries including control cabin, transformers, staff amenities and conveyor belt it is 140 metres long.

The Bogong Power Station, due to be commissioned in late 2009, will produce an additional 140 MW of electricity and generate 94,000 MWh of emission free new renewable electricity each year. This is enough to supply approximately 18,000 Victorian households’ annual electricity usage, abating around 93,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

An interesting 4 km circuit walking track has been constructed around Lake Guy, some of it passing through forest, with views of the Alps. The track goes through the inspection tunnel and under the spillway wall of the original dam.

We did the Lake Guy Walk on October 18, 2008 - signs along the track indicate the containment lines of the big bushfires of 2003.

See http://www.bogongvillage.com/ for information about the Village and the Power Station.

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Bungalow Spur Walking Track to Picture Point, Harrietville

The Bungalow Spur walking track is a well known and used walking track within the Alpine National Park. It starts in Harrietville, 370 km NE of Melbourne, and is the most popular route to the spectacular and popular destinations of Mount Feathertop and Federation Hut. The track is well graded and sheltered most of the way.

The information board at the beginning of the track indicates the following destinations and distance from Harrietville: Federation Hut (10.2km), Mount Feathertop (11.8km), and MUMC Hut (14.1km).

The track is reputed to provide one of the easiest routes to Mount Feathertop, and provides good views of Harrietville and the Upper Ovens Valley. The track goes through alpine ash forest, and snow gums at higher altitudes. The last kilometre of the ascent of Mount Feathertop is more exposed, and provides excellent 360 degree views of the Bogong area.

There is little sign remaining from the Bungalow Hut, and there are some ruins of the Old Feathertop Hut.

The Bungalow Spur Track follows an old bridle track constructed early in the 1900s. It has been used since the 1920s for ski touring and bushwalking. Federation Hut was built by the Federation of Bushwalking Clubs in 1969 as an emergency refuge. The sites of two other huts are located along the track. Bungalow Hut was built in 1924 for skiers, it had 30 beds and was located alongside a ski run. The only access to the hut was by horse on the Bungalow Spur Track. It was managed by the Victorian Railways, but was destroyed by fire in 1939. The 'Old Feathertop Hut' was built in 1912. It survived the 1939 fires, but fell into disuse and deteriorated after that time.

On October 20, 2008, we hiked about 4 km (return) up the Track from Harrietville, to our turnaround at the scenic Picture Point. This was represented by a change in altitude of about 130 m. There were nice views down to Harrietville, and to the distant Alps.

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Huggin's Lookout - Bright

Huggin's Lookout, altitude 487 m, overlooks the town of Bright, 335 km NE of Melbourne.

It is reached from the town centre along Baker's Gully Rd, then McFadyer's Rd, and along unsealed Huggin's Rd, a forest management road passing through plantations and crown land, starting near the town centre, or by a walking-track which starts near the Stadium. Huggin's Rd continues down the valley, ultimately reaching the town.

The views from the Lookout are superb, looking across Bright and the surrounding hills.

I drove up to this Lookout on July 28, 2008, with friend Mick, with whom I was staying for a few days in Bright at his new country home.

On July 29, 2008, I did a 3 km hike up an interesting foot-track near the Lookout, through bushland, with nice views across Bright to the hills beyond, passing a mob of kangaroos which were grazing in a nearby paddock!

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Falls Creek Snow Trip, Alpine National Park

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On July 28, 2008, we went up to the Falls Creek Ski Resort, in the Alpine National Park.

We started at Bright, 335 km NE of Melbourne, and travelled through Tawonga Gap and Mt Beauty, then up the High Plains Tourist Rd, arriving at Falls at about 10.30 am.

The law required us to carry wheel chains, which were to be fitted to 2WDs at Howman's Gap. We were OK, as my Forester Subaru is an AWD, exempt from chains, unless directed otherwise. The general exemption applies to engaged 4WDs.

The snow ploughs do a good job of keeping this road open - paid for from the $30 per car daily entry fee!

Snow had fallen as low as 800 m.

It was our intention to do some cross country skiing along the groomed trails, picking up from our 2007 trip. This turned out to be virtually impossible - the ground temperature was minus 5 at noon, and wind gusts were reaching 60 km/hr. Natural snow depth was about 105 cm!

Blizzard-like snowstorms and high horizontal winds along the High Plains Rd created an almost "no-go" situation.

My friend Mick actually got as far as the start of the Rocky Valley Dam Wall, but was forced to retreat, along with some other skiiers, due to heavy continuous snow and huge winds.

I didn't bother with the skiis, and trudged up towards the Nordic Bowl, then turned back! I did this four times, about 2 km in total, but the wind drove me back!

School groups who had come up for the day were very disappointed at the horrific conditions.

We had our lunch in the Shelter, then drove back down the mountain, stopping at Mt Beauty township, then a big loop through Happy Valley and Myrtleford, back to Mick's new country house at Bright.

There were stupendous views of the snow-covered Alps from vantage points near the Mt Beauty village, and from the Bogong View Lookout on the Kiewa Valley Highway, near Tawonga. There were excellent views also across to Mt Buffalo from Happy Valley Rd.

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Exploring the Mountain Creek Forest, Alpine National Park

The Mountain Creek Forest is at the foot of Mt Bogong, Victoria's highest peak, 10 km east of the township of Mt. Beauty. 300 k m NE of Melbourne.

This riparian forest is characterised by tree ferns, sedges, and tussock grasses, surrounded by forests of Peppermint and Blue gums.

Several walking tracks radiate from the picnic ground, following the Mountain Creek Gully. We visited this beautiful forest on April 26, 2008, exploring the Tree Fern, Black Cockatoo, and Peppermint Walks.


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South Buffalo Viewpoint Track, Mt Buffalo National Park

Amongst the best walks in the Mt Buffalo National Park, 320 km NE of Melbourne is the South Buffalo Viewpoint Track.

This is an 8 km (return) trail, starting at the Mt Buffalo Lodge Carpark, in the Cresta Valley.

We completed this superb walk on April 25, 2008, passing through Snow Gum woodlands and grassy plains.

Many Beds of Sphagnum Moss were evident.

The views across the Plateau were superb, including the Hump, the Cathedral, innumerable balanced tors and boulders.

The track terminates at the View Point, with magnificent vistas across the Park, dominated by the Horn.

See the full set of Photos

South Buffalo Viewpoint Track, Mt Buffalo National Park

Amongst the best walks in the Mt Buffalo National Park, 320 km NE of Melbourne is the South Buffalo Viewpoint Track.

This is an 8 km (return) trail, starting at the Mt Buffalo Lodge Carpark, in the Cresta Valley.

We completed this superb walk on April 25, 2008, passing through Snow Gum woodlands and grassy plains.

Many Beds of Sphagnum Moss were evident.

The views across the Plateau were superb, including the Hump, the Cathedral, innumerable balanced tors and boulders.

The track terminates at the View Point, with magnificent vistas across the Park, dominated by the Horn.

See the full set of Photos