Victoria specific bushwalking discussion.
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Victoria specific bushwalking discussion. Please avoid publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks.
Tue 06 Jul, 2021 1:44 pm
Anyone done both? Working on a few ideas, but constrained by annual leave time owing..
Was wondering if anyone has done both, if so how does Macmillan compare to the Walhalla- Hotham section of the AAWT, similar, harder?
Thanks
Ben
Last edited by
Anotherjonesy on Tue 06 Jul, 2021 9:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tue 06 Jul, 2021 2:24 pm
I've done both. I'd say the AAWT is harder, particularly the section from Walhalla to Hotham. You're more weather exposed on the AAWT. I did McMillans after a lot of work had been done on improving the track, particularly clearing up weeds and other vegetation. Before that I'd been told that sections were virtually unwalkable. McMillans is a terrific walk and more people should do it. I believe Chapman & co have released a guidebook on it.
Tue 06 Jul, 2021 6:40 pm
Thanks For the reply David .
So do you think I could do it in 9 days, if I did Walhalla to Hotham in 10.5 with three half days earlier this year?
Will grab a copy of the Chapman's book.
Tue 06 Jul, 2021 7:37 pm
Could be worthwhile making contact with the Ben Cruachan Bush Walking Club to see what they have as the latest, as they worked with the Chapman's on the book. Also check out the Facebook page for the Track it has a fair bit of detail on it. I think the Ben C Club is due to walk it again this year as they do every couple of years. Also some good Youtube Clips on it.
Wed 07 Jul, 2021 10:58 am
We took just under 2 weeks to do it (Cobungra to Woods Point) back in 2018. On our last night we ran into a bloke who said he would complete it in less than a week. But he would have been doing over 30km a day. Tough going in that country as there are some steep valleys to cross. We put in 2 food/water drops at Volkswagen camp and where the track meets the Jamieson-Licola Road near Mt Shillinglaw. Depending on your party size (we numbered 7), the camps by the Black River and Stander Creek have only limited space. We ended up camping on a ridge above the Black River as there was no room for us all at the river.
Definitely agree with dropping a line to the Ben Cruachan Club. They are very helpful. Go to
https://bencruachanwalkingclub.com/As well as the book they have a report on their 2019 walk.
Sun 08 Aug, 2021 11:20 pm
I did both. (See topics AAWT May 17 blog and McMillans Walking Track 2018). A lot of the country is similar but the feel is a bit different. I would say McMillans is not as difficult as Walhalla to Hotham but there are some long steep ascents in my memory. McMillans has the advantage of camping on a river every night except for the camp at Volkswagen (which makes this a good place for a food/water drop). We took 12 days to walk McMillans, including a few shortish days. We took 12 days to do Mt Hotham to Walhalla but had possibly gained a fair bit of fitness with the previous 4 weeks of Canberra to Hotham. Even so, that section of AAWT is certainly harder in my memory. McMillans has been walked in 7 or 8 days: I know it can be done. You'd just need to study Chappie's book to see how to combine sections and still be able to find a camp and to find water. Should be OK if you are fast. I agree with comments to contact BCWC: some there have done AAWT and McMillans. There has been a fair bit of clearing done on McMillans over the last few years, so it should be in reasonable nick.
It's a great walk. Hope you have a great time, once we get out of lockdown again.
Fri 13 Aug, 2021 12:13 am
Thanks for the replies .
I received the Chapman book a few weeks ago so been studying up a bit. It does look a little easier , at least on paper
Groundhog Day in Melbourne , so I've tempered my enthusiasm now. Was planning to do it in 7-8 days, had a fishing trip planned in NSW the second week, but looks like we'll be seperate nations until at least November/ December so that will be cancelled, so I won't have to push as hard if I'm allowed out of this prison by October... Time to shut up shop in this tip, it's cactus, Tassie looking good next year for a move I think, or southern NSW.
Will give a trip report of Mcmillans if it go's ahead
Thanks
Fri 13 Aug, 2021 10:11 am
The section of The McMillan's trail that crosses the Dargo river at Mayford via Treasure spur was badly burnt in the bushfires of 2019/2020. The arrows up/down that section have been reaffixed to the trees and the co author of the guide book Joe Van Beek has inspected some other sections of the overall route during the summer of 2020-21.
I happened upon bits of it during the summer of 2020-21 including the section near Kelly's hut and Mt. Skene.
Sun 07 Nov, 2021 3:24 am
G'day . So I am/ was planned to start it later next week. However, the forecast , whilst not completely dire at this point, is damp most days, with the wet ground already, I'm wondering about these river crossings ..
From the guidebook they look sizeable, and you'd expect they'd be running very healthily at worst atm.
Anyone with a good knowledge on these crossings, must admit I'm not familiar with any of them apart from Black River . Moroka and macallaster look sizeable from the guidebook...
Do you think I should abort? If in doubt I'll abort, and I've got a fair bit of doubt right now unless someone suggests otherwise?
Thanks
Ben
Sun 07 Nov, 2021 7:54 am
Did some track clearing this time last year on the track down where it crosses the Macallaster. From memory the BOM site ( Glencairn location) was showing river height at about 0.70m it was flowing at a reasonable rate but we did wade it slowly and we were fine, but we only had day packs and some clearing gear. The attached pics might help as well. Gary
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![C56C64F6-87E7-4CD8-8379-9210849CD9A7_1_105_c.jpeg (352.35 KiB) Viewed 8537 times C56C64F6-87E7-4CD8-8379-9210849CD9A7_1_105_c.jpeg](./download/file.php?id=61666&t=1&sid=dac3b0aba5bb016b45f101cc5c971aee)
Sun 07 Nov, 2021 8:30 am
Great info thanks Gary. It's currently at .61 with a bit of rainy weather last night ,so might be ok . 8 day outlook is 50ml plus this morning, see what happens over the next 48 hours to decide
Sun 07 Nov, 2021 12:42 pm
Edit- Aborting . Looking at a few model updates this arvo, late in the week potentially a big event. Horrendous walking conditions let along a track that has 50 river crossings...
Good luck to those on the AAWT , I know of two different parties out there next week, batten down the hatches!
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