Crinoline + Tamboritha Loop

[damoprz]

Hey guys,
I was hoping to do an overnight walk out near Licola in the next couple of weekends (before things get too cold) and was looking at the Crinoline-Tamboritha circuit.
I had a rough idea of camping at breakfast creek on a Friday night, leaving early Saturday and walking to the rock-shelter for night one. Are there suitable campsites around the rock shelter for 2, maybe 3 tents? Day two would be walking out via Mt Tamboritha. Will an overnight circuit be possible or is the track to rough?

Is there any water (apart from the barrel) around at the moment?
If progress on day 1 is slow the back-up plan would be to camp on long-hill and backtrack down again on the second day.
Cheers,
Damien

[paidal_chalne_vala]

HI
I was in the area in March 2015 on the way to Mac. Springs . The Crinolene track was closed and had conspicuous warning signs saying do not enter etc.
I went and did this hike in May 2012. The creek at Long Hill was flowing well in May that year but it was icy up there and it snowed and rained and it was very overgrown. It was a tough effing trek. I don't remember the rock shelter being good for pitching tents. There are two clearings near the creek on Long Hill Plateau that are grassy and are good for camping. There is plenty of firewood too .

[CaptainC]

There's room around the rock shelter for tents but it's a bit rocky to get pegs in. If you go above the rock shelter there are probably tent sites. Water would be a bit uncertain this time of year. Hopefully recent rains have re charged the creek. Have a look at Breakfast creek and see if it is flowing well, the creek on Long Hill flows into it. As far as a I know there isn't any water close to the rock shelter.
Are you talking of starting at Mt Tamboritha and walking to the rock shelter from there and doing the Crinoline as a day trip?

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I was referring to the Crinolene circuit with the one car left at Breakfast creek and another left at the starting point at Tamboritha saddle horse yard. That is an overnight hike if the track is open.

[north-north-west]

The full loop to and from Breakfast Creek is only two days, provided the track is followable.

[damoprz]

Hey! So I went out on the weekend and did the loop on sat/sun camping on Long hill in a clearing about 2km before the rock shelter. A beautiful walk, with the only problem being the rain prevented any views from the top of Mt Tamboritha. I now have to find a walk to do next.

For those interested:
The track to Crinoline is easy to follow, and we made very good time.
From the Crinoline to Long hill the track gets worse, however you just follow the ridges so it was not difficult.
I carried extra water so we skipped the Long hill creek. The track is tricky to follow, but recent fires have cleared a lot of the scrub so it wasn't difficult walking.
Once we reached the north side most of the track east to rock shelter and all the way to the fire trail has been marked with tape. The fire trail is easy to follow to the beginning of the McMillan track. Once you get on the McMillan the track is a bit overgrown so can be slow, however navigation is never really hard.

[Travis22]

Congrats on getting out there Damo.

Any pic's from your trip or if you fancy doing a little report + pics for the forum id love to hear more about the trip.

As for other hikes in the area - if you love that part of the ANP as i do, you are running out of time before the gates close but if you havent been out around Moroka Gorge id suggest that for another trip when you have time. There is year round access however you will need a 4wd to get around to Horseyards now as you'll likely encounter a bit of snow etc getting out there. The other obvious hike in the area is Tali Karng.

Travis.

[damoprz]

Unfortunately I didn't take many photo's as I didn't want to take the DSLR in the rain, so there is not much to post.

I'll have a look at that walk, but I am stuck with a 2WD for now so probably not until it starts to warm.

I am relatively new to walking in Vic, having only done the South Prom loop, Tali Karng and now this. I'm looking for some more walks to do over winter, I can't really go into the mountains as I am not kitted out for the very cold temperatures. I was thinking the Beeripmo walk and I still have to explore the Grampians.

The plan is to do a circuit From 8 Mile flat when it starts to warm and the viking circuit.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

The rock chimney with the rope to haul your pack up on the Viking circuit, makes this usually adventurous unit a bit hesitant to undertake the full Viking circuit. One day it will be the only major VICTORIAN hike in the High country I will have NOT done.

[north-north-west]

The chimney can be bypassed.

[Drew]

The chimney isn't all that tricky really. Not when dry at least. Although it has been made a bit trickier by the big *&%$#! tree that's fallen on the opening at the top!

[Travis22]

The rope at the Chimney isnt a given.

Travis.

[nibor007]

Just completed the Crinoline + Tamboritha Loop over Victoria's new long weekend. Someone from DSE or one of the walking clubs has been up there recently and a very nice track to the Long Hill Creek has been cut (sorry I don't have the GPS Co-ords) so recent in fact that I found a pair of long handled pruning sheers!
The water was flowing well in the creek and was delicious. But I wouldn't expect it to be flowing much after XMas with the hot weather we are now getting.
I took a gopro with me and hope to soon have something on YouTube. I'll post the link when I'm done

[paidal_chalne_vala]

That sounds good. I might have another go at it in May 2016.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

From The rock shelter how much of track has been cut or pruned? I remember that after the Rock shelter heading for Long Hill campsite in 2012(?) it was bush bash through fire regrowth.

[damoprz]

When we did it the track was still hard to follow in parts, however a fire had been through recently and the regrowth was not yet a problem.