Walk - Allambee Beek Falls - Sunday the 5^th of October

Leader :- Kim Attard       Walkers :- Colleen Bourke, Debra and Conrad White, Lorraine and Anne Molan, Alan Dow, Les Roe, Lachlan Richardson, Sarah Coll, Rosemary Vince, Jill Gall, Libby Smith, Liz and Pete Youman and Lisa Hunter.

The day started early as we lost an hour due to the clocks moving forward, but all were in good spirits when we met at Curtis track.  We commenced down the 2.5klm dirt track until we entered the pristine Otway forest.  Several working bees had been completed on the track, so progress was good.

 We then meandered mostly down chattering away enjoying the lush ferns and the rainforest smells until we reached Allambee Beek Falls, which were flowing well.  A steep climb and a little scramble on to staircase falls, there we all relaxed and enjoyed a long lunch.   After a rest we had a long steady ascent to get to the ridge where we reached a further track cleared section.  We made it out to Wye river road in record time so had plenty of time to reflect on the day eating cake and drinking coffee. 

Pictures – Top:  The group taking a break.                                          Centre left:  Staircase Falls                                            Centre right:  Conrad White or Pete Youman in front of an enormous Mountain Ash tree.       Bottom:  Allambee Beek Falls

Walk Report

Highview - Apollo Bay31^st August  2014

Walkers; Alan Dow (leader), Linda Carter, Andrew Hackett, Bernard Jordan, Wally Krafft, Annie Moston, Les Roe, Odette Sheills, Sue Steward, Sue Twigg, Deborah White. Members of ORWTA & GBC, plus visitor Sue Steward.

Whilst we were assembling at the Apollo Bay Information Centre, Sue Steward was preparing herself for a solo walk, when she guessed we were bushwalkers, and so she joined us! So with guest walker in tow, we set off to Tuxion Road, then up Old Tuxion Road as a steep short cut, before rejoining Tuxion Road and heading to the Crows Nest Lookout, where we enjoyed good views over the ocean and north to the main Otways ridge. 

We then walked westwards, briefly, then roughly south to the Highview Walk, which undulates along a ridge through farmland. We enjoyed views north along Wild Dog ridge, then views over the valley leading to Marriners Falls, before the delight of spectacular views over Marengo and Apollo Bay. We passed curious cattle and some nervous sheep with their lambs on our descent to join the road back to Apollo Bay. Four and a half hours of enjoyable walking in good weather, in great company.

Walk report provided by Bernard Jordan.

 Next walk

The next walk is to Allambee Beek on Sunday 5th October 2014.

Leader; Kim Attard. Please phone Kim on 03 5263 2242 if you intend to participate.

A meeting will be held after the walk at Martians in Deans Marsh at 5:30pm.

Ironbark Gorge and Currawong Falls circuit, 

Sunday, 3rd August, 2014

Walkers: Gabriel Fuller, Debra White, Helen Cuell, Mick Roberts, Doris Denny, Ginny Logan, Lyndal Almond, Janette Malone (visitor), Viv Pascoe, Katherine Graham, Brenda Riley, Andrew Hackett, Jack Antonas, Clare Cotton, Les Roe (these 4 from ORTWA) and Daphne Sands (leader).

It was a beautiful day for walking, clear, a little cold, but no rain. After climbing through the thick forest of the Ironbark Gorge we stopped for banana break on the rock shelf that gives a magnificent view to the sea and the Aireys Inlet lighthouse.

The highlight of this walk was to see water flowing over the Currawong Falls, not seen before by any of the walkers. Parks have constructed a small viewing platform giving a good view of the falls.

Descending after the falls the track was a running creek in a couple of places, but once we crossed the creek it was dry and in good condition. Except from the group from Camperdown, we all gathered at Truffles for a warm drink and a chat.

Currawong Falls - Picture Les Roe

Lake Elizabeth, Sunday 7th July, 2014.

Walkers: Alan Dow (leader), Bernard Jordan, Les Roe, Jack Antonas, Andrew Hackett, Sue Twigg, Biba Horvatic, Johanne Walker, Bob Lambell, Ginny Logan, Odette Sheills, Kim Attard, Conrad and Debra White, Annie Mostun, Linda Carter, Elizabeth Anderson and Patricia Dressel.

It was great to see a good roll up of familiar and new faces for our monthly combined walk with the Otway Ranges Walking Track Association. Having assembled at Forrest in gloomy rainy conditions, all 18 were worried that this was going to be a really wet day; none more than the trip leader who openly admits to not desiring ‘to do rain.’ However, off we went through the town and by the time we were walking along the West Barwon Dam wall the rain had all but gone. Incidentally, we briefly ‘lost’ the last 3 of our party!

We then followed the main shared walking/mountain bike trail up and over into the East Barwon Valley to the car-park. It was a welcome relief when we finally made the picnic area for a late break/lunch. The next leg saw us reach the charming Lake Elizabeth, then set off for the circuit around it. I thought I would organize a boot washing service for all participants, whether you liked it or not; to negotiate the far end of the lake we passed along the boardwalk, just so happens it was covered with water. The walk on the other side was dominated by ferns, moss and fungi. Although on the Park sign it said it should take 3 to 5 hours, we arrived back at the picnic spot in 1.5 hours, where we had our proper lunch. Although no platypus were spotted, we did pass two slow moving Otway black snails.

Then it was off again, returning to Forrest mostly on a different trail. So after six and a half hours we arrived back to our cars. A quick freshen-up and then it was straight across the road for the much-anticipated coffee-n-scones at the ‘Wonky Donkey’ Pub. What a great way to spend a particularly nice day in the Otway bush, with a great group of like-minded people.