AssesEars to Wallaby Rocks Track

[jimjim]

With the AssesEars appearing open on the PV information page I set out for an overnighter to explore the area.

Being under the impression that the AssesEars to Wallaby Rocks track was no longer maintained I thought I was just in for a pleasant off track ramble.
But I found that some one has put a huge amount of effort into cairn building so I got distracted by following them to see if the old trail was still there. It is.

Looking up at the AssesEars. The steep gully on the mid left is the one.

Great Rocks of all sorts

The initial gully rises steeply after the old 4x4 track ends and great views open up quickly.

The Western of the two AssesEars

The path winds through a boulder choke at the top of the gully. Fantastic!!

The well cairned trail follows a gentle rocky ridge (with spectacular views of everything from Mt Zero, Mt Stapylton, the Mt Difficult Range, Mitchel Plateau and Serra Range) to a saddle below point 734, straight up, then sidles right through eucalypt regrowth.

Point 705 in the foreground and the cliff line behind is Wallaby Rocks

Too many of these....

Looking across the Moora Valley to Mt Lang ion the sunlight and Serra Range.

Pleasant camp spot in lull between points 734 and 705..jpg (320.73 KiB) Viewed 15355 times

[jimjim]

Morning dawned grey and drizzly. Perfect weather for this magical forest, all dripping and trickly.

I followed the marked track to its end on the Wallaby Rocks track then continued off track in a round about way back to the car.

I descended this damp gully and sidled South below Wallaby Rocks after checking out point 510 which is the round shoulder just left of centre, to hook into the upper Boggy Creek (marked with the 400 contour on the map)

Terrace leading down into Boggy Creek. (not at all boggy, more rocky, but very wet today...)

The last rocky bit of Boggy Creek. Just Great.

A wet road bash back to the car followed to end a great little walk in this neglected part of the Grampians. Whoever has done the cairn building should be congratulated for what must be hours of work, and hopefully a few more people will get out and enjoy this great part of the gramps.

The marked track would make a good day walk with a car shuffle, going North to South, or as a short overnighter with some of the best views in the Grampians. It is steep at times and quite rocky underfoot and the potential for exploring off track crags and gullies almost limitless.

[Snowzone]

Thanks Jim Jim, I've been wanting to get over and spend a couple of days exploring. I think I'll now add the AssesEars to the list. Very inspiring and great photos.

[Eremophila]

Ditto, close to home so definitely on the "to-do" list.

[Snowzone]

Spent this morning exploring from the old 4 wheel drive track across to point 734. Had a great time. So much more potential for some fun explorations. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

[jimjim]

Spent this morning exploring from the old 4 wheel drive track across to point 734. Had a great time. So much more potential for some fun explorations. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

It's great to know someone was out there today while I was stuck in the office!

Did you manage to climb 734?? It is the obvious high point in the area and I was keen to sit on top, but I couldn't find a safe way to the top of the block. In fact it must be one of the most complicated blocky summits in the Gramps.

While it seems the marked track on the map is quite old, it appeared to me that lots of the stone cairns were only recently assembled judging by the dirt and lichen patterns. This is similar to a couple of other extensive cairning efforts I have happened across in the Southern Gramps recently. Someone has been busy....

[Snowzone]

Spent this morning exploring from the old 4 wheel drive track across to point 734. Had a great time. So much more potential for some fun explorations. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

It's great to know someone was out there today while I was stuck in the office!

Did you manage to climb 734?? It is the obvious high point in the area and I was keen to sit on top, but I couldn't find a safe way to the top of the block. In fact it must be one of the most complicated blocky summits in the Gramps.

While it seems the marked track on the map is quite old, it appeared to me that lots of the stone cairns were only recently assembled judging by the dirt and lichen patterns. This is similar to a couple of other extensive cairning efforts I have happened across in the Southern Gramps recently. Someone has been busy....

Yes I was lucky enough to coincide a couple of days off with not too bad of a forecast so wasn't going to let that slide although it did turn into a rather expensive trip. I also wanted to look at the Black Range escarpment but on the drive in hit a partially covered iron bar that did a bit of damage to my car as well as piercing the side wall of a brand new tyre, Not happy Jan, then on the way back out, same road hit a kangaroo who's day was argueably worse than mine.

Anyway I went as far as the base of the summit block of 734. The stones cairns are definitely recent, since the fires last year. I guess someone doesn't want these tracks that will no longer be maintained to disappear completely. I will definitely be making a return trip to explore a little further.

[AlanW]

What did you do for water on the night on top/second day? Did you carry or did you drop into one of the gullies?

Thanks

[jimjim]

I carried 2 x 1.5 litre bottles and a 1 litre bottle from the car.

I drank maybe 500 mls from a few puddles and trickles on the way and finished with about 1 litre undrunk.

I had plenty of soup and hot choc and tea.

After the very long, very dry in West Vic there were plenty of puddles in rock basins after a small rain (maybe 5 mm??). As it is raining now I would probably only carry a 1.5 litre bottle if I was going up there tomorrow or next week.

Cheers, Jim

[walkerchris77]

Anyone know how the name came.

[Damdiv]

Thanks for the trip report and the great photos. There is so much to explore in the Grampians.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I went up the *&^%$#@! ears from Wallaby rocks 4 x 4 track and back as a half day hike on 20/10/19 . Someone has indeed marked the whole route very well indeed with a long series of cairns .This is like the Grampians were before the introduction of hand rails, metal stairs, innumerable warnings signs and the nanny state tourist brochure approach ruined what was once a true rocky wilderness. The track where it pops out or starts on Wallaby rocks 4 x 4 track is easy to miss but the track is there. It is just a bit overgrown but marked with two large cairns . PV seem to have given up on maintaining it but it is still there for sure. It was so good to walk up there where the swarming masses at Mackenzie falls and the Pinnacle do not go.
I would not take a 2 WD along Wallaby rocks 4WD track coming in from Rose Creek road (? name ??) esp. not with low clearance and street tyres. There were a couple of bits that were definitely not suitable for such vehicles and esp. for drivers who don't have any experience driving on such roads. As always I carry a chainsaw in the boot of my vehicle just in case one of those naughty trees drops a bough across the road. There was water trickling nearby , not far from where foot track meets the 4 WD track.
There is a suitable site for a tent along the foot track and there was a wet area which would dry up by the end of October. One could carry extra water up there and camp out for a night and escape the mechanized world for the weekend .
http://www.fedwalks.org.au/files/2016_W ... s_Ears.pdf