Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

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Victoria specific bushwalking discussion. Please avoid publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks.

Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby redisthefastest » Thu 30 Nov, 2017 9:31 am

Hi all,

I was planning a day hike to Mount Donna Buang this Saturday, and was wondering if anybody knows if there are any risks of flash floods in the area or whilst climbing?
I imagine getting to and from Warburton may prove the bigger issue if roads are flooded.
I have no problem getting saturated, so if rain will be my only obstacle and the trail is safe then I'm happy to head there.
I am playing it by ear at this stage and would love your opinion.

Thanks!
Rohan
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Re: Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby north-north-west » Thu 30 Nov, 2017 10:37 am

I assume you're taking the track from near the golf course?
Only place I can imagine flooding might be an issue is the gully you cross shortly after the start of the track. Beyond that it gets a bit high for flooding.
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."
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Re: Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby highercountry » Thu 30 Nov, 2017 10:46 am

I'd stay home.
There's a Severe Weather Warning out for the whole State.
The BOM have forecast a one in thirty year rain event.
Up to 200+mm of rain on and North of the ranges.
Do you really want to be out in that?
In that sort of rain any gully has the potential to flow and/or flood.
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Re: Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby Lophophaps » Thu 30 Nov, 2017 12:11 pm

This is very steep track, and is well-known to be slippery with mud in winter. The BOM forecast is not good for such places, and perhaps anywhere in the bush. There will be no floods on Donna Buang, but rivers and creeks will rise, perhaps a day or three later, maybe sooner. Any Victorian alps trip with a river crossing needs to be assessed in light of the BOM forecast.
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Re: Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby north-north-west » Thu 30 Nov, 2017 12:17 pm

With that forecast, the only place I'd be walking is a treadmill.
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Re: Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby redisthefastest » Thu 30 Nov, 2017 12:23 pm

Thank you all - all great advice.
I'll probably stay away I think... or do the wuss version halfway up the summit road ;-)
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Re: Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby redisthefastest » Thu 30 Nov, 2017 12:29 pm

I have a mate currently doing the AAWT, he's well into the later stages heading to Thredbo... hope he can batten down the hatches somewhere over this weekend!
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Re: Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby Lophophaps » Thu 30 Nov, 2017 1:21 pm

redisthefastest wrote:I'll probably stay away I think... or do the wuss version halfway up the summit road ;-)


The road goes all the way to the summit, and there's a nice picnic shelter. Reach this and you can say that you climbed Donna Buang. Details such as a car being employed for most of the trip are petty. There's still the tower to climb. It looks like the best maps are Juliet South and McMahons Creek. Can anyone advise of the scale and availability of these maps, and which is best?
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Re: Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby redisthefastest » Thu 30 Nov, 2017 5:36 pm

I've climbed it from the golf course twice before in years past, so perhaps a summit via vehicle just for something different is in order. I'll miss the leeches though.
I've actually never climbed the tower due to it being clouded over, so I guess I've never actually summited in it's entirely!
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Re: Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby Lophophaps » Thu 30 Nov, 2017 5:43 pm

The leeches will miss you! Remember, in a national park, leeches are protected.
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Re: Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Fri 01 Dec, 2017 2:00 pm

Mt. DB is leech central. yeeeeekk!
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Re: Mount Donna Buang - severe weather

Postby stry » Fri 01 Dec, 2017 3:23 pm

Apart from the discomfort, I wouldn't be too worried about the rain itself. If anything on that track floods to the point of being a problem, you will be looking for Noah.

So far the rain has been pretty steady, but heavy, and to my mind, the bigger risk would be trees rolling over on their root balls. This can affect roads as well as the walking track. I'm pretty sanguine about crap falling on me, but careful and vigilant at the same time. The way it is now, you won't hear much coming.

You are also not going to be able to see anything when/if you get to the summit, but if you simply fancy the slog and the achievement, go for it. :)
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