 |
| Stevenson Falls |
It was while climbing up a steep, muddy and eroded fire track through a Blackberry infested pine plantation this afternoon that I really started to wonder if this walk was worth all the trouble. I’d made the 4 hour drive down here 3 times over the last 18 months trying to do this walk, and while it was ‘third time lucky’ in relation to actually completing this walk I was really questioning whether it was worth it.
On my first visit here I’d cut short my stroll due to the rutted, muddy tracks, but at least Stevensons Falls were pumping. On my second failed attempt I’d managed to drive all the way down here only to realise as I was virtually pulling into the car park that I’d left my pack at home. So like I said, today was my third attempt and while I was walking the circuit at the tail end of a long hot summer I was still dealing with a lot of crappy, muddy tracks and, to be honest my Feral mojo was at rock bottom now. I guess anyone reading my waffle and considering tackling this walk can check out my photos and decide for themselves if the walk is worth the effort.
 |
| Things started off pretty easy this afternoon as I wandered through the Upper Gellibrand Camping Area. |
It’s not all shitty walking though, leaving the ute parked in the Upper Gellibrand Camping Area I initially followed a very good walking track up stream beside the Blackberry choked Gellibrand River. Last time I’d walked this track I’d had a very sketchy traverse across a land slip many metres above the river although thankfully the track was well and truly clear today. The nice, well graded track drops into a ferny side gully before meeting up with the gravel Stevensons Falls access road.
 |
Initially a good walking track sidles the steep valley high above the Gellibrand River. This is the spot that I had a very dodgy traverse of a land slip last time I visited here.
 |
Sublime walking along the track beside the Gellibrand River.
|
|
The good walking finishes for awhile now though. Immediately after touching the access road I picked up and incredibly cut up 4wd track heading through a pine plantation, this is the spot that I’d turned away from on my first trip here but I was determine to push through today, figuring that it would never really get drier than this. Not only is this track a muddy slog, but things are also fairly vague as far as navigation goes, with nothing in the way of track markers or signs. Not helping the navigational issues was the fact that my notes were a little out along here, my notes suggested on meeting the gravel Stevensons Falls access road I should ‘turn right and follow the road towards the falls for about 100m’ when in actual fact it’s less than 10 metres.
 |
Leaving the walking track and heading into the hills things go from the sublime to the ridiculous!
 |
| My walking poles were handy this afternoon. |
|
Slogging my way up the slippery rutted track I passed my return route which confirmed in my mind that I was actually heading the right way. The old track now climbed up, mostly keeping the pine plantation on my left, to meet Sawyers Track on the crest of a ridge. There is another navigational trick climbing up here to watch out for, there is a major track coming in from the right were you need to turn hard left, this track came in just after I’d passed through an old dilapidated gate. I’m thinking that this track may or maybe Sayers Track (depending on which map I look at?). Rising up onto the crest of a ridge there is another major track junction coming in from the right which I’m thinking is Asplin Road (although it’s not mentioned in my notes).
 |
Walking through a Radiata Pine Plantation left a little to be desired I think.
 |
 |
I met this track on a hairpin bend and turned hard left up it. It may or may not be Sayers Track?
 |
| Ten minutes later I met this track coming in from my right, once again I headed left. This could be Sayers Track or Asplin Road? |
|
|
|
Climbing a little more easily, now along Sayers Track, I picked up another dodgy looking old fire track to the left, this rough old track sidled for awhile before plunging very steeply back down a very steep spur into the valley. This eroded clay track is a very steep and slippery section of the walk, walking poles and plenty of caution are both good things to use dropping down here. The good news was the steep descent levelled out just as I met my outward route and the 5 kilometre circuit part of the walk was over. Dropping back down the worst of the muddy track I was soon once again back beside the Stevensons Fall access road and everything was good again.
 |
This half empty fire dam was probably the scenic highlight of my loop into the hills.
 |
I turned left off Sayers Track?? and headed down this rough old fire track.
 |
It was a very steep and slippery descent.
 |
I took this to try and illustrate how steep the slope was...only thing is it all looks pretty easy in the photo, doh!
 |
| My 4wd brothers have pushed a short cut through the Pine Plantation for me. |
|
|
|
|
The walk from here on is a good one as it’s on a good walking track for the whole way. Initially the track is right beside the quiet dirt access road but after passing through the picnic area at the end of the road the walking track crosses the river and heads off up the narrow valley. It’s only ten minutes or so after crossing over the river that the walking track arrives at the Stevenson Falls Lookout. Last time I’d been here it was at the start of Spring and the waterfall was really cranking on that day, so in comparison today it was a little bit under whelming. Having said that though these falls are quite good really, I’m being fairly pedantic making that comparison.
 |
Back beside the river the good walking track heads through some more pines.
 |
The Gellibrand River was a lot lower than on my last visit.
 |
Gellibrand River
 |
| After crossing onto the eastern side of the Gellibrand River the track soon enters native bush. |
|
|
|
After getting the stock standard ‘been there, done that, ticked it off’ photo I decided that it was time for a swim. While the Blackberry lined plunge pool looked out of the question, just below the initial plunge pool there appeared to be a good pool in the river that wouldn’t require any machete work to get to it. So dropping back down the track 10 metres or so I found an opening on the river bank that allowed me to drop down onto the river bed. Dropping my gear on a convenient flat rock I gently eased my way into the freezing water, yeah and when I say freezing I’m only exaggerating a tiny bit, this water was the coldest swim I’ve had for a long time, colder than any of my dips on the AAWT back in late 2017. Needless to say I didn’t linger in the water this afternoon.
 |
Stevensons Falls
 |
My swimming hole.
 |
Stevensons Falls
 |
| I may have had a colder swim....but I really can't remember when. |
|
|
|
Drip drying on my flat rock in the afternoon sun all was good again as the feeling slowly returned to my extremities. After thawing out enough to be able to use my digits I pulled on my clothes and boots, shouldered my pack and set off back in the direction off the ute. With the walk back being a retrace I was relying on the late afternoon light to give me something to take a photo of now. It was only around 2 kilometres back to the ute, so It wasn’t long at all before I was pulling my boots off and settling in for the long drive home.
 |
It's a real shame that this place is overgrown with Blackberries as there is some really nice native bush in spots.
 |
Looking for something to take a photo of I tried for the 'arty wanker shot'.
 |
| Like I said... infested with Blackberries! |
|
|
The Dirt.
I walked 8.4 kilometres and climbed 296 metres on this medium grade stroll. Now I have to say here, now that I’ve actually completed the full circuit I honestly I don’t think it’s worth it. It’s not something that I say often but the circuit part of this walk is crap really, Blackberries, extremely muddy and eroded tracks, a Radiata Pine Plantation, all with no real views and no signposting makes this section of the walk one for walkers who just want to tick it off I think. The walk along the river to Stevenson Falls and back on the other hand is definitely worth doing, Winter or Spring for photos and Summer for a swim. This walk is written up in Walking the Otways which is another book published by the House of Chapman.
No comments:
Post a Comment