Walk Report
Highview Scenic Walk                                                                                                    
10^th November 2013

Walkers: Sue McKenzie (leader), Nola Hardess, Sue Twigg, Andrew Hackett, Les Roe.

The weather was fine with a cool eastly wind as we left the Apollo Bay Visitor Centre at 1:30pm. We headed up Tuxion and Old Tuxion Rd, where we stopped a few times to admire the view, and catch our breath! (There are a few steep sections!)

After Crowes Nest, the track down the hill was a bit slippery. The GPS guided us through the farmland with precision. A banana break was taken just off the ridge above the Walters’ place overlooking the Barham valley where we consulted maps to check how close the Wild Dog and Barham Rivers are to each other.

The sun came out to show off the spectacular vistas from Cape Patton to past Marengo. Thanks go to the farmers who allowed us through their properties. We walked down past McKenzie’s where we met up with a follow member, Val Flitton, who was also admiring the view. The Apollo Bay Hotel was finally reached at 5pm, just in time for our meeting. It was one of our easier, panoramic walks.

Wreck Beach to Twelve Apostle, final section of the Great Ocean Walk, 17 km, 

Saturday, 9th November, 2013

Walkers: Bernard Jordan (leader),Biba Horvatic, Wally Kraft, Alan Dow, Helen Steogen, Sue McKenzie (ORWTA) and Nick Steogen (visitor).

It was drizzling rain as we descended the 366 steps onto Wreck Beach. With us was an inspiring French couple, one of whom was blind, but both very determined on walking the entire GOW and the final section that day. Along the beach embedded in the reef is the anchor from the Marie Gabrielle, a French barque wrecked in 1869; a short distance further is the anchor from the Fiji, an 1891 wreck. After 2 km of beach walking with some rock scrambling we made our way up to Devils Kitchen and then wound our way around the coastline with wonderful views through the bush.

Lunch was taken in sunshine with a lovely view of the Gellibrand River entering the ocean. It was then down to the river that we followed to Princetown and, after crossing the bridge, it was uphill again along the new section of the GOW, passing Clifton Beach, followed by our first views of the Apostles in the distance.

With the end in sight, it was just a few more km to the Gibson Steps, that lead down onto the beach, and onto the new section under the Great Ocean Road to the end at the Visitors Centre, completing a great walk in great company. With a coffee in hand we joined the tourists for a viewing of those famous and spectacular 12 Apostles.

Our thanks to Helen and Bernard for the excellent organisation and leading of this weekend walk which included all transport and accommodation with meals.

October Walk

Kennett River Rd to Grey River Rd

6^th October 2013

Walkers:     Sue Trigg (ORWTA), Jenny Brice, Chris Barr (Camperdown), Joan McMahon, Kim Attard, Bernard Jordan (leader) (GBC) 

We set up a car shuffle with the end point 11.3 km along the Grey River road from the Kennett River Store. Another car was left at the gate on Ridge Road (off the Great Ocean Road). The track joined Kennett road, and we continued on a further 3 km or so to meet the Kennett Wye jeep track. We continued on a further 1.5 km to the junction with the track down (west) to Kennett River, but missed it! After a while we turned back and found it. There is an opening in the bush, a log on the ground, and now several ribbons. The track is an old logging track. We crossed the river - about 30 cm deep - and walked some 15 m along the bank upstream to the track - bikie erosion obvious - up to a sharp bend on Coopers No 2 track/road. My notes said the route to Grey River commenced within 5 minutes of this junction, heading south, but we missed it! (Two strikes!)

We walked on to the end of Coopers No 2 road at the Grey River road. Bernard volunteered to walk some 5 km along Grey River road to retrieve a car. Shortly, 2 gorgeous French girls gave Bernard a lift. On return, I found a gallant French(?) Canadian man waiting in the drizzle for the girls to return. Soon sorted. 

We were surprised to find Alan Dow, Sue McKenzie and Les Roe discussing ORWTA affairs at the Wye River pub, so we joined them for coffee before returning from our adventures.

LES NOSEDA MEMORIAL WALK TO WILD DOG FALLS

 8^th September 2013

A lovely day brought nine people together to walk to the Wild Dog Falls in memory of our past president, Les Noseda.

Joining us were Andrew Noseda (Les’s son), and the co-authors of “250 Waterfalls of Victoria”, Ray Barber and Ian Wacey.  Their book contains a photo and description of Wild Dog Falls taken when Les guided Ray and Ian to the falls a few years ago. 

The track was generally in good condition, sections had been cleared and re-taped, we encountered some recently fallen trees and branches but everyone enjoyed the variety and beauty of this walk. 

We visited Sharpes No. 3 mill site on our way, had lunch on the rocks below the falls, climbed back up the steps and made a short detour to the ‘Jack Phillips Cascades’ above the falls.

 Wild Dog Creek was flowing strongly after the heavy rains over August which made the falls quite spectacular.

It was a pleasure to share memories and anecdotes of walking with Les – a man always striding ahead in gumboots; a true visionary and inspiration in developing and promoting the Trans Otway Waterfall Walk over many years. 

Walk started:  9.50am - Finished:  2.45pm

Nola Hardess

Falls behind Lorne,  

Sunday 4th August, 2013

Walkers:   Bernard Jordan ( Leader), Joan  McMahon, Viv Pascoe (GBC), Jack Antonas, Andrew Hackett (ORWTA), Chris Barr, Bev and Kevin Duffin, Jenny Grice, Murray Kelson (Camperdown).

 Despite the foul weather forecast , it was fine, briefly sunny(!), and then drizzle for the last hour. The rain beforehand ensued there was more water over the several falls than I had ever seen. We started from Allenvale Mill Site and walked  alongside the swollen Saint George River, then up to Phantom falls in full splendour. Then to the Canyon, always a treat for first timers, to Henderson falls, via the old tramway tracks to Lower and Upper Kalimna Falls ,(the former falls where one can get behind the water), then along Garvey Track to the track towards Castle Rock. The drizzle now discouraged us from going to the lookout, so we went down (Going Down !) to Sheoak Falls and ended nearby.  An honest day’s walk in good company. 

ORWTA Lorne Walk

Sunday 7^th of July 2013

Attendees:         Daphne Sands (leader),  Alicia Cognian, Alan Dow, Sue McKenzie, Jack Antonas, Peter Morgan, Geoff James, Lesley James, Maggie Bolton, Andrew Hackett, Michael Stitt, Patricia Dressel.

After a few days of wet and windy weather, a glorious sunny day greeted us in Lorne. Twelve walkers began at Teddy’s Lookout at about 9:45am, with spectacular vistas of the Great Ocean Road and Bass Strait. We proceeded down the hill to the picturesque St George’s River, where we observed many birds, including a great cormorant drying its wings.  After turning right up Cherry Tree Creek, we walked till we met the Allenvale Road and then headed up Green Break Track, where we had a banana break.

Next we turned left along Henderson Track, over the Cora Lynn Creek to the Allen Dam and on to Phantom Falls. The falls were working well due to the recent rain, so many photos were taken. We then walked alongside St George’s River again, passed through the orchard, and back across the Allenvale Road.

The lunch stop was at Allen Mill Camp Ground, where we found a sunny clearing with logs to sit on. After lunch we headed back down along the St George’s River to the Great Ocean Road observing more waterbirds.

Then we proceeded left along the route of the old tramway track above the Great Ocean Road with more spectacular views of the huge swell rolling in. When we reached Hind St, we turned left up the tarmac road, left into Queens Park Caravan Park, then right up the steps to Charles Street. We headed through the trees of Queens Park uphill arriving back to Teddy’s Lookout at 2:45pm, after a wonderful diverse walk which included views of the ocean, rivers, waterfalls, bush and a reservoir.

Thanks Daphne.

Report by Sue McKenzie.

Moonlight Heads Walk, Sunday 9th June, 2013.

Walkers:  Alan Dow (Trip Leader), Bernard Jordan, Nola Hardess, Sue McKenzie, Kim Attard, Leane Matheson, Linda Boyd, Gary Higgins, Joan McMahon, Jenny Grice, Jenny ?. (GBC, ORWTA & Camperdown Clubs were represented.)

To mix it up occasionally, ORWTA do a walk, different to the forays into the rainforest along the Trans Otway Walk.  The mild winter conditions continued as it was a great day for walking.  After a short car shuffle, the group of 11 set off south along Parker Access to the first of several amazing vistas.  From the Moonlight Heads escarpment, you can see below to the rocky beach & ‘Submarine Rock’ and also as far away as Cape Otway.  We then followed the Great Ocean Walk through the coastal forest until we came upon the next equally great lookout, that of the Gables, a deserved spot for our ‘banana break’.  Still heading west, and at one place siding where the old Moonlight Heads racecourse was, we came upon the new section of the GOW that reaches the Devil’s Kitchen walk-in campsite.  While some of our group had to experience the ‘loo with the view’, the rest continued on to descend towards the beach. Some had lunch on the seats made from rocks, with a great elevated view of the beach, while others chose to have it at the beach.

It was after our break when things got exciting, although not high tide we had a big sea running.  Heading east now, we had to negotiate the entirety of Wreck Beach, which just meant moving quickly in between the high points.  At some point, most got wet up to their knees. A certain confident trip leader hadn’t even got his boots wet, until at the very last spot he also suffered the same fate as the others; much to their amusement.  The conditions were not that you could have strolled along Wreck Beach and enjoyed seeing the anchors from two shipwrecks, the vast array of different rocks & pebbles and the beautiful rock pools.  However, we were able to experience one of ‘mother natures’ moods.

Then up the wooden staircase, with most that counted being only 2 or 3 steps away from my benchmark of 374, except for Bernard who seemed to have found a lot more.  The next already-walked section was the ‘crossover’ of our intended figure-8 walk. Here we met a group that had seen two snakes today; even the snakes don’t think it’s a normal winter.  From the Gables carpark, we walked north along the Moonlight Heads road to the Old Coach Road, where one of the cars was left.  It was here that the Geelong folk left us.  The rest of us continued along this rural lane, completing the figure-8 arriving at the car at 5 pm. 

At Lavers Hill, the GBC folk got take-away coffees from the PO / Café while the others sat in for our coffees at the Roadhouse / Tavern.                     

Thankyou to all who participated in this 7 hr wildly wonderful winter walk !!