Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

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Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Blasthiker » Mon 28 Feb, 2022 2:11 pm

We are planning to hike to Feathertop leaving from Diamantina Hut and we are looking at staying at Blairs hut the first night, are we better to go Machinery spur-West Kiewa logging track to Blairs hut or Derrick Hut-Dibbins Hut-Blairs hut?
How much extra is it in Distance and is it a better way to hike? Second day will be up Diamantina Spur. Thanks in Advance.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby MeanderingFlyFisher » Mon 28 Feb, 2022 3:27 pm

Much of a muchness.Derrick Hut is a nicer walk on footpad/trail steeper at the end and you get to see Dibbins whereas Machinery Spur is fire trail with lots of switchbacks.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Lophophaps » Mon 28 Feb, 2022 4:25 pm

As MeanderingFlyFisher advises, it's much of a muchness. From Diamantina Hut it's four hours or so to Dibbins Hut, then another few hours to Blairs. You can go over Hotham or on the road. The distances for the Machinery and Swindlers are similar, but Swindlers Spur is much nicer than Machinery Spur. At Blairs camp on the south side of the hut. Some people light the fire on the north side. From Blairs there's a track north to the 4WD track, with a shallow river crossing. The first 400 metres of climbing on Diamantina Spur is quite steep, so pace yourself. There's a great campsite about 10 minutes before The Razorback. The nearest water is about an hour return, on Tom Kneen Track.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Blasthiker » Mon 28 Feb, 2022 7:16 pm

Thanks for the replies.. we will take the route to Dibbin's Hut. :D
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby scroggin » Tue 01 Mar, 2022 11:25 am

You can split the middle and go Dibbins Divide.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Wed 02 Mar, 2022 6:43 pm

Do not go up Machinery spur when the weather is warm to hot !!
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Amahb » Thu 03 Mar, 2022 2:32 pm

2 weeks ago we walked from Diamantina Hut, out towards Feathertop and down Diamantina Spur. We camped at Dibbin Hut and walked back to the car via Swindlers Spur and the summit of Hotham the next day.
Day 1 was 18.5km and isnt too tough but Diamantina Spur is steep.
Day 2 was 12ish Km and was easy enough but the start up the spur gets you going.
We were thinking of staying at Blair Hut but when we arrived we were surprised to see a 4wd and camper trailer all set up. We walked past locked gates so im not sure how this works. Anyway my point is I dont much like 4wd camping when im hiking so we moved on.
I think Dibbin Hut has a nicer feel and its hikers only.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Lophophaps » Thu 03 Mar, 2022 3:18 pm

As far as I'm aware the only vehicular access to Blairs Hut has locked gates. On the route Amahb went the first is near the Horseyards, a little way past the river. I've seen this gate mangled. The other is coming from Loch Car Park (or what's left of it). I too do not like camping with vehicles, or horses for that matter.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Baeng72 » Wed 09 Mar, 2022 10:34 am

Hi brains trust, how's it going?

I'm thinking of doing a loop soon from Harrietville, up Bungalow (easier grade), down Diamantina (gravity assist), camp somewhere at Horse yards, Blair's or Dibbins (or Fed Hut if I'm stuffed and add an extra day). The return is up Machinery (never done it, reasonable grade), over Mt Loch, Mt Hotham and down Bon Accord (gravity assist) with possible camp at Bon Accord Hut ruins or Washington Creek, for a bit of a leg stretcher/knee breaker/get back into bushwalking after a couple of months of sloth. I'll allow several days/nights, just play it by ear.

I have a query about water between Kiewa West branch & Washington creek.

I've read or heard from PCV that there is piped water at Red Robin but I could have imagined that.
I don't think I can grab water out of the pond at Mt Loch carpark and it may not be advisable in any case.
There might be a stream/spring near Diamantina Hut that's the start of Diamantina River, but could have imagined that too.

Any tips/ideas.
Thanks,
Brian.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Lophophaps » Wed 09 Mar, 2022 3:38 pm

I love the gravity assist description. The last 400 metres in height of Diamantina Spur is quite steep, so take care with the knees. I've never used abseil ropes on Diamantina Spur, especially going up. It will be a slightly long day but you should get to Blairs Hut for the first night. Dibbins Hut is probably too far. Horse yards has 4WDs and horses, not much appeal, at least for me.

I cannot comment on water at Red Robin.

The Mount Loch car park dam has a fence, no water there. It's a fair way from Blairs, Machinery, Razorback and Bon Accord Hut site, with no water at the latter. There's no reliable water at Diamantina Hut, and the creek below the road may be polluted. A more certain way is
- Harrietville, Diamantina, Blairs
- Dibbins, Derrick
- Razorback, Bon Accord, Harrietville
This has water at all campsites, days fairly even.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Baeng72 » Wed 09 Mar, 2022 6:17 pm

Lophophaps wrote:It's a fair way from Blairs, Machinery, Razorback and Bon Accord Hut site, with no water at the latter. There's no reliable water at Diamantina Hut, and the creek below the road may be polluted. A more certain way is
- Harrietville, Diamantina, Blairs
- Dibbins, Derrick
- Razorback, Bon Accord, Harrietville
This has water at all campsites, days fairly even.

Thanks, good info!
I was thinking of Derrick as a backup.
I'm guessing the water near Derrick is in the creek/rivulet near the hut on the Mt Loch side?
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Lophophaps » Wed 09 Mar, 2022 8:14 pm

There's a very reliable creek at Derrick Hut, two minutes straight out the door. Strangely, crossing the creek on the track a few minutes above where water is drawn the creek is all but gone. When camping at Derrick, camp in the trees level with or a little below the hut. Above the hut is quite exposed. At the Hotham Road you can go over Hotham and follow the track down to Diamantina Hut, or walk on the road. The latter is a bit unpleasant with cars whooshing past, but it's fairly safe.

If the weather really bombs out there may be a bus at Hotham Heights, 9:40 am from memory, or you may be able to hitchhike. Camping at Diamanitina Hut is not permitted, but people stay there, a good fallback in bad weather. There are usually vehicles at Diamantina Hut, Razorbackk walkers, and a lift to Harrietville should be possible.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Lophophaps » Thu 10 Mar, 2022 6:52 am

A belated thought. If you have another day then this is viable:
- Harrietville, Diamantina, Blairs
- Pole 333, Jim, SEC Hut
- Dibbins, Derrick
- Razorback, Bon Accord, Harrietville

The Derrick day is quite short, so the last two days could be
- Dibbins, Derrick, Razorback, Bon Accord Hut site, dry camp
- Harrietville, short day
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Tue 15 Mar, 2022 7:35 am

There is usually water flowing out of a pipe into a barrel at Red Robin mine. There are leeches around the old shed there so take care not become their lunch.
Red Robin Gap is quite exposed as is Mt. Loch. The hike up Machinery Spur is a slog. The trek down the Diamantina Spur is also a slog and will cook your quadriceps and knees. There is a crab crawling rock section too.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Baeng72 » Tue 15 Mar, 2022 9:41 pm

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:There is usually water flowing out of a pipe into a barrel at Red Robin mine. There are leeches around the old shed there so take care not become their lunch.
Red Robin Gap is quite exposed as is Mt. Loch. The hike up Machinery Spur is a slog. The trek down the Diamantina Spur is also a slog and will cook your quadriceps and knees. There is a crab crawling rock section too.

Thanks Mr T! I've already done the walk. I ended up going up Swindlers. There was a lot of water about on the Mt Loch track, so I could've collected up high. But you don't know until you get there. Better safe than sorry.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby Baeng72 » Tue 15 Mar, 2022 9:56 pm

Thanks for the advice Lops, PCV et al!

Good stuff.
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Re: Dibbins or Machinary/Blairs hut

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Wed 23 Mar, 2022 1:04 pm

You will have to walk up Machinery spur and suffer along the NW spur or do battle with the Northern Razorback from Stoney Tops track or
bush bash down Champion spur. I have walked them all !.
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