Donna Buang to Dom Dom Saddle -hints and tips.

[fairman]

I'm considering doing a winter hike this year from Donna Buang to Dom Dom saddle folliwing the Boobyalla - Mt Vinegar track. I just wanted to check in with the forum to see if any one has done this whole route recently (I see some people have done parts of it), what season they did it in, and how they found it.

Also, given that it's winter and with not much day light I'm considering camping one night along it, once we get towards the State Forest end to avoid any issues with Melb Water. Any one camped along it and can recommend a good spot? Is the top of Mt. Vinegar flat?

I've read up about it from Siseman's classic "Melbourne's Mountains" Seems like it would be quite an interesting walk passing through a lot of old-growth ash forest, myrtle beech, before crossing into the logged and or 2009 burned regrowth above the Acheron Way. They also make mention of the Cleft Rock detour from the track, and a forestry hut maintained by scouts along it, but I'm getting the vibe that's been obliterated by either 2009 or logging - the book is 24 years old, after all!

Anyway - just keen to hear people's thoughts.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Take lots of salt. That is LEECH country.

[neilmny]

Have a look at Google Earth. Logging coupes abound through the whole area just outside the catchment.

[fairman]

Yep - have already scoped it. Guess I'm interesting if anyone knows whether that has made track conditions better or worse in the last little while...

[fairman]

Take lots of salt. That is LEECH country.

I spend a lot of time in wet forests as part of my work, I have grown very used to those little suckers!

[stry]

You will need to find a pad or whatever to walk on. I haven't done what you are proposing, but the bits of that ridge that I have been on are pretty thick, crappy country to try and get through. Overgrown deadfall timber, regrowth etc. Simply trying to follow the lie of the land and the topography could be frustrating and hard.

[north-north-west]

... the bits of that ridge that I have been on are pretty thick, crappy country to try and get through. Overgrown deadfall timber, regrowth ...

Does the track no longer exist? It used to be very easy to follow four or five years back, which was the last time I went through there.

[fairman]

I haven't done what you are proposing, but the bits of that ridge that I have been on are pretty thick, crappy country to try and get through. Overgrown deadfall timber, regrowth etc. Simply trying to follow the lie of the land and the topography could be frustrating and hard.

Which bits have you been on, roughly? And when did you do it? Interested to learn a little for what I am getting myself into.

[neilmny]

There is a 10 year old report on this walk Fernshaw to Warburton here - http://bandc.pbworks.com/w/page/1277822 ... 0Warburton