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.

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.

Wild Dog Track  ~  Sunday 2nd September, 2012.

Walkers: Alan Dow (leader), Sue McKenzie, Patricia Dressell, Les Rowe, Sue Twigg, Sharon & Peter Bray & Elizabeth Anderson

The small group of 8 completed the walk, comprising members from Geelong Bushwalking Club, Otway Ranges Walking Track Association and visitors.  As Spring had arrived on time this year, we were looking forward to a nice day in the bush.  After a short car shuffle, we left Turtons Track heading south along the Wild Dog Track; one of two trails that were hope to have opened for walking in the no-so-distant future.  As some of us were here the week before to remove some of the branches off the track, we made good progress to the old log landing (1 ½ hrs), where we had our first break.  After this, we made steady – albeit slow at times – progress as it has been a long time since we had walked this track.  At times there were steep valleys falling on both sides of the track and you knew you were on a major ridge line.  Finally we came out of the forest, arriving at a farm with the sound of many baa’s to greet us.   After our third break, we started up the ‘4-o’clock hill’; although we were warned, we did not really want to tackle this in our weary state.  Our fourth break was promptly taken once the summit was reached where we enjoyed the great vistas that lay before us.  Then it was off on the last leg that had us walking through a narrow track in dense scrub, through open farmland that we could see the sea and finally on a road up to where our cars were waiting at Crows Nest.  A walk that would have taken just over 5 hours in the past, has taken us 7.5 hours.  No time for a ‘coffee’ as we were running late for the AGM; but the first beer went down well.  Thanks to all who came and toughed it out.

Les Noseda Memorial Walk - Colac Herald

Trek will honour walk campaigner

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By Jennifer Chiu, August 16th 2012  Colac Herald            Category: News

Friends and family will take part in a trek to honour Otways walking track campaigner Les Noseda, who died last September.

APOLLO BAY Bay residents will mark the anniversary of walking track campaigner Les Noseda’s death by trekking one of his favourite routes.

Mr Noseda’s sister Glenda Whelan and son Andrew Noseda wanted to have a memorial walk along Apollo Bay’s Highview Walk and they joined with the Otway Ranges Walking Track Association to organise the event.

Mr Noseda, a founding member and former chairman of ORWTA, died on September 15 last year.

Mrs Whelan said the memorial walk on September 9 would be a fitting tribute to Mr Noseda.

“The Highview Walk goes up Old Tuxion Road, it gets up to Crows Nest at the top of Tuxion, overlooking Apollo Bay,” she said.

“This was one of his favourite walks, he used to work up the top of Tuxion at some stage and he used to run past there instead of getting in the car to go home after work.

“I haven’t done the walk, but Les was always nagging me.”

Mrs Whelan said ORWTA members would lead the walkers along the route from Apollo Bay’s visitor information centre from 9am and Crows Nest from 10am.

“We’re estimating we could do it very easily, the whole walk, in four hours,” she said.

“Then we’re heading down to the hotel and having lunch.”

Donations from the walk will go to ORWTA.

The association hopes to name the trail after Mr Noseda if it can attract enough funding to improve the track and open it to the public.

ORWTA has been campaigning for walking trails at Apollo Bay for nearly 20 years.

Association treasurer Sue McKenzie said landholders along the 11-kilometre track had given the green light for the memorial walk.

“Les helped set up the information centre years ago and he used to take any tourists who wanted to go for a walk,” Mrs McKenzie said.

“It was his wish that the track would go ahead, it was probably one of the few things he didn’t get to see in his lifetime but there’s a passionate group of people who are trying to make sure that it does happen,” she said.

Les Noseda Memorial Walk

   

Otway Ranges Walking Track Ass.

                               No. A 0034409H

LES NOSEDA MEMORIAL WALK

Sunday the 9^th of September 2012
Highview Scenic Walk

Invitation to all

Les Noseda had a passion for walking in the Otways. The Highview Scenic Walk was one of his favourites.

Meet at the sculptures near the Info Centre for 9am start (4 hours) or at Crow’s Nest at 10am start (3 hours)

Leader: Alan Dow

If attending please contact Glenda Whelan (info@pointofview.com.au or 0419891685)

Gather at the Krambruk Room, Apollo Bay Hotel after the walk

Please Note:    All participants must sign in before starting at either point. BYO water, snack, camera. Gold coin donation

For more information about ORWTA go to www.otwaywalks.com and check out our updated Blog http://otwaywalks.blogspot.com

The Apollo Bay Walks Promotional DVD is online thanks to Tim Watters.
See it here:  http://vimeo.com/38484000
Note for faster loading, download the SD file.

‘High View’,
Apollo Bay, Sunday 4th June, 2012
Walkers: Alan Dow (leader), Bernard Jordan, Paul Byrnes, Sue Wesson, Linda Boyd, Sharon Bray, Beth Gilks, Bruce McGuiness, Daniel Thurairatnam, Alistair Elliot, Tim Cobb, Murray Kelser, Graeme Ward, Felicia Ross, Beverly Duffin, Kevin Duffin, James Broadly.

This walk was attended by members of GBC, Otway Ranges Walking Track Association and Camperdown Bushwalking Club.

After what I thought was a really nice autumn, the third day of winter brought things back to reality.  Most of Apollo Bay woke at 6 am to a large clap of thunder followed by nearly two hours of heavy rain. Not a good start when you’re trip leader and you have a long walk planned into the rainforest.   To cut a long & wet story short; one third cancelled and due to the rain, that had fallen and that was about to, I decided to change the walk to the ‘High View’.  The 18 hardy hikers were certainly challenged by the relentless rain on the three hour circuit.  Having survived the ordeal, we all earned our arvo tea from ‘Sandy Feet’.  We also had a stroll to view Carisbrooke Falls some 15 km out of Apollo Bay accessed from the Great Ocean Road.

Apollo Bay Trails Feasibility Study Adopted

Eight members attended the Colac Otway Shire Council meeting on the 28th of March 2012 at the COPAC in Colac. The Apollo Bay Trails Feasibility Study was passed unanimously 7 - 0. After sixteen years of persistence we finally have taken our first step. Now we will continue to work with the Colac Otway Shire and Parks Victoria to gain funding for walks in the Apollo Bay hinterland.

Feasibility Study Update

At the last Colac Otway Shire council meeting on January 25th, 2012, the Apollo Bay Walks Feasibility Study was passed unanimously to be placed on public exhibition for six weeks. I attended the meeting and councillors made some wonderful remarks. We need to ensure that there are lots of supportive comments submitted to the council before March the 9th. Call Andrew Nixon, the feasibility project officer on 0417699611 to find out more or to receive a copy of the study on a CD.

Feasibility Study Update

We met today with Tim Watters, who will be making our short promotional video. We hope to begin filming in February.

Feasibility Study Update

Andrew Nixon,  Project Manager of the Apollo Bay Trails Feasibility Study has completed the draft document of some 300 pages.  This is presently with Parks Victoria for comment. It is also to be presented to the Colac Otway Shire at their next meeting on January 25th at 6pm at COPACC. If accepted, the document will be open for public comment for 6 weeks.