Cobberas ramble

Trip reports, stories, track notes. Multiple/large photos are OK in this forum.
Forum rules
Posting large/multiple images in this forum is OK. Please start topic titles with the name of the location or track.

For topics focussed on photos rather than the trip, please consider posting in the 'Gallery' forum instead.

This forum is for posting information about trips you have done, not for requesting information about a track or area.

Cobberas ramble

Postby bigkev » Tue 01 Nov, 2016 8:10 am

DSC_0079.JPG
There are still plenty of mature Snow Gums up here.


Last weekend I decided to head over to the Cobberas Wilderness Area and check it out. It is a spot in Victoria that I've never managed to visit before and the un-tracked peaks had me interested. I'm writing up a full report on my blog http://goinferalonedayatatime.blogspot. ... th-of.html and also doing a journal (if you prefer to read thing in a magazine type format) http://hiking.topicwise.com/doc/Cobberas so I'll keep this short and sweet.

DSC_0061.JPG
Moscow Peak from near Cleft Peak, I camped in the saddle below the peak.


I walked the Friday, Saturday, Sunday of the Melbourne Cup Weekend, the theory being that Cowombat Track should be open. It isn't (I missed Xplora's update by a few hours!), so that added a few kilometres to the walk. My route followed Cowombat Track until just after Bulley Creek and then headed up the the untracked spur east towards Moscow Peak. I camped in the saddle to the south of Moscow Peak. The next day I climbed Cleft Peak, Cobberas No 1 and then went over to Moscow Peak. I had rough plans to head over to Cobberas No 2 on Sunday but was woken by thunder and lightening at 4am so abandoned those ideas and headed back down.

DSC_0060.JPG
The ridge I followed from Cleft Peak around to Cobberas No 1.


As far as off track walking goes this is all fairly straight forward, the scrub isn't particularly thick but what does make it a little hard is the amount of rocks and boulders littering the ground, there are lots of brumby pads cris-crossing the hills that sometimes help. The brumbies have spoiled the sphagnum moss swamp that forms the head waters of Moscow Creek a bit so I treated the water, but it looks like there will be good water there until well into summer.

DSC_0059.JPG
Cleft Peak


The hills were all fairly straight forward as far as navigation went, I met the track coming up from Native Dog Flat a few hundred metres before the summit of Cobberas No 1 which made for a change after all the off track stuff. There is a little easy scrambing involved to get to the summit of Cobberas No 1, the scrambling is a bit harder (more exposed) to get to the summit of Cleft Peak but it was still doable for me in walking boots with a fair margin for safety.

DSC_0056.JPG
The Main Range still had a good covering of snow, the Cobberas were snow free though.


I really enjoyed my three days up in the Cobberas, the area doesn't appear to have been burnt in any big fires so there are plenty of mature snowgums around. The walking, climbing and navigation keeps you on your toes and the camping is superb, I didn't meet another person over the whole three days. For what its worth I used Chapmans notes out of his AAWT book along with the Suggan-Buggan Topo Map, but mostly I just made it up as I went along.

DSC_0120.JPG
I'm thinking this is a Copperhead, can any one confirm that for me?
User avatar
bigkev
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 442
Joined: Sat 30 Jun, 2012 6:44 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Cobberas ramble

Postby neilmny » Tue 01 Nov, 2016 4:55 pm

Good work Kev, nice snake :wink:
User avatar
neilmny
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2604
Joined: Fri 03 Aug, 2012 11:19 am
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Cobberas ramble

Postby eggs » Tue 01 Nov, 2016 9:41 pm

Great report Kev. Thanks
Maybe - one day I will journey to that far flung corner of Vic.
Certainly looks inviting.
User avatar
eggs
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 10440
Joined: Fri 23 May, 2008 2:58 pm
Location: Para Vista, South Australia
Region: South Australia

Re: Cobberas ramble

Postby Xplora » Wed 02 Nov, 2016 5:19 am

The Cobberas gets very little attention from walkers compared to other areas but it is extremely rewarding. Possibly it is because of the distance people have to travel. It does get quite a bit of attention from 4wd campers and horse riders. I am a bit annoyed the local PV guys did not give me a heads up about the road closures but they are new and it takes time to build relationships. Just as well I had to go to the Post Office but the decision was only made on the Thursday before cup weekend. It was my suspicion long ago anyway so that is why I posted the warning. Living in the area you get a feel for how things are on the ground and we have water pouring out of places never seen by us before. Feral horses are a big problem in the Cobberas and it is good to see you note the damage they are doing. Yes Kev, your snake is a copperhead. Usually quite placid. I have walked over them or past them without concern (or knowledge until the scream from behind) while fishing on our stream. For anyone looking to venture deep into the Cobberas for other walking tracks then a real 4wd is recommended and a bit of experience. Best also not on your own and with good recovery gear. There would have been snow on the ground a few days before Kev was there. Nice report Kev.
Xplora
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1571
Joined: Sat 01 Aug, 2015 7:24 am
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Cobberas ramble

Postby Snowzone » Wed 02 Nov, 2016 3:39 pm

Thanks for your beautiful photo's and report Kev, I was also in the area for the weekend, Saturday through to Tuesday but went in past Cowombat to Tin Mine Huts and The Pilot. It certainly is beautiful country and we seen lots of Brumbies as well as a wild dog, Sambar Deer, Wallabies, a very friendly Antechinus and a large amount of birds.
The wind didn't let up all weekend and the storms that came through on Sunday gave us another big soaking, but still a great place to be for a weekend. :-)
User avatar
Snowzone
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 533
Joined: Sat 11 Dec, 2010 12:10 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Female

Re: Cobberas ramble

Postby bigkev » Wed 02 Nov, 2016 6:19 pm

Hi Guys,
Thanks for your kind words.
I wasn't overly surprised to find Cowombat Track closed either Xplora, its been a really wet spring and in my experience Parks Vic normally err on the side of caution. The extra 4 kilometres was a nice walk anyway! The copperhead was making his way to the swamp, no doubt ready for a feed of frogs, he was a bit toey though and wasn't keen on getting out of my way :?
Judging by the vehicles parked at the gate when I got out on Sunday you must have had some company over at Cowombat Flat and The Pilot Snowzone, did you cop the big storm around 4am on Sunday morning? The lightning and thunder certainly got my attention :shock:

I've just posted the second day of the walk if anyone wants to check it out, this was one of those great days walking that tends to stay in your mind for a long time http://goinferalonedayatatime.blogspot. ... ber-1.html
User avatar
bigkev
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 442
Joined: Sat 30 Jun, 2012 6:44 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Cobberas ramble

Postby bigkev » Sun 13 Nov, 2016 5:28 pm

Hi Guys,

Day 3 is up http://goinferalonedayatatime.blogspot. ... ak-to.html and the journals finished. Thanks again for checking it out.

I'm looking for my next walk now, Snowy Bluff seems to be getting a bit of love on the forum and I haven't been out that way for around ten years....
User avatar
bigkev
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 442
Joined: Sat 30 Jun, 2012 6:44 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Cobberas ramble

Postby walkon » Sun 13 Nov, 2016 9:02 pm

lol was thinking the same thing
Cheers Walkon

"I live in a very small house, but my windows look out on a very large world."
User avatar
walkon
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 803
Joined: Sun 24 Nov, 2013 7:03 am
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Cobberas ramble

Postby Lophophaps » Mon 21 Nov, 2016 7:27 am

Good words and pics. I cannot identify any of the snowy mountains with any certainty. Is that Pilot on the right, Kosci centre and Rams Heads on the left? The snake is best viewed from a distance.
User avatar
Lophophaps
Auctorita modica
Auctorita modica
 
Posts: 3378
Joined: Wed 09 Nov, 2011 9:45 am
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Cobberas ramble

Postby eggs » Mon 21 Nov, 2016 10:45 am

Given how far out east the Cobberas are - I suspect they would be looking up the valley past Kosci.
That would make the skyline peaks from the RHS - Ramshead , Kosci and Townsend at the back with Abbot Range peaks on the LHS.
User avatar
eggs
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 10440
Joined: Fri 23 May, 2008 2:58 pm
Location: Para Vista, South Australia
Region: South Australia


Return to VIC Trip Reports & Track Notes

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests