Sundial Peak & Mt Rosea, Grampians National Park - April 2019

The view along the Serra Range from Sundial Peak was pretty sweet this morning.

The view from the crest of the Serra Range his afternoon was also pretty sweet!

I’ve climbed Mt Rosea in the Grampians National Park twice before, the first time a long time ago on an old alignment of the walking track that headed a little more directly to the summit and more recently on the new alignment of the Grampians Peaks Trail. One thing both my previous visits did have in common though was that I have never actually laid eyes on the view from the summit, both climbs started off ok, but by the time I made the summit I was walking in some very dodgy weather. At 1009 metres Mt Rosea is one of the higher mountains in the Grampians National Park so I’ve always been keen to see what I’d missed out on and today looked like being the day. Pulling up at the Sundial Peak Carpark just after sunrise this morning things were looking good.

I got off to an alpine start this morning.

Now Sundial Peak Carpark isn’t the normal setting off point for a climb of Mt Rosea, but being a Feral stroll I’d decided to add a little bit to my days walking. Re-setting the GPS I locked the ute and wandered off passing a small forest of signposts, towards Sundial Peak. After around 100 metres I left the new Grampians Peak Trail, which dropped away towards Rosea Carpark (my return route) and continued climbing easily along a broad high ridge towards Sundial Peak. Being less than an hour after sunrise the forest was still cast in a golden light this morning although the school group walking the track ahead of me meant that I didn’t take too many photos.

There's no shortage of signposting heading out from the Sundial Carpark.

The early morning sun was lighting up the Wonderland Range scrub.

Climbing Sundial Peak I got my first look across to Mt Rosea and the Serra Range.

The final climb to Sundial Peak heads up these rock slabs, there are good views across to Mt Rosea from here.

Thankfully my new school mates dropped down towards Lake Bellfield and bypassed the summit of Sundial Peak so I had the lookout to myself. At 802 metres Sundial Peak is the highest spot along the Wonderland Range and being right at the southern end of the range over looking Lake Bellfield to the east and the deep valley of Dairy Creek to the south, it allows for a great view. Checking out the sundial on the peak and adjusting for day light saving it looked like it was pretty accurate although it hurt my brain a little trying to calculate it all in my head - I was never big on Roman Numerals!

Sundial Peak, the time was pretty spot on when I took off the daylight savings time.

The cliff lines buttressing the Major Mitchell Plateau were looking pretty good this morning.

The Serra Range.

Apart from the views down to Lake Bellfield and Diary Creek, with a little bit of rock hopping I was also getting great views along the Mt William Range all the way down to the imposing cliffs buttressing the Major Mitchell Plateau and Mt William. Behind me to the west, the cliffs of the Serra Range fortressing Mt Rosea were still glowing yellow in the early morning light. With only a light breeze blowing and the temperature already heading into the 20˚ range Sundial Peak was a very pleasant spot this morning, the gently swaying Cypress Pines only adding to my sense of revelry.

The view from Sundial Peak.

Sundial Peak

My next objective, Mt Rosea.

All good things come to an end though and I now set off what I was guessing would be the roughest section of the stroll. I’d been down at Delleys Dell a couple of years ago and I was stuffed if I could locate the track heading up to Sundial Peak, the whole area had been extensively re-landscaped by massive floods and it looked like the old track had gone. A quick look at my SV map reinforced my suspicions as the track dropping down from Sundial Peak to Delleys Dell had been wiped off the 2nd edition of the Northern Grampians map. Still my guide book map and notes suggested the track was still there although Mr Tempests book did date back to 2011. Dropping down from the summit I picked up the signposted track heading down towards Lake Bellfield and followed it for a few minutes, passing some beautiful rock outcrops as I dropped. Keeping a close eye on my map I spied a slightly over grown track dropping slightly to the west, that’d be my track I reckon.

I followed the good Lake Bellfield Track for a few minutes down through this nice rocky outcrop.

I picked up this old track just below the rocks.

Once on this old track it was pretty easy to follow really, it was only crossing fallen trees or in spots that the track dropped via switchbacks that I had to be a little careful to locate the continuation. Interestingly, as I approached Delleys Dells the track passed through a damper area full of bracken and it was obvious that there had been a fair bit of track clearing going on here. It wasn’t all sweetness and light following this old track though, approaching Silverband Road at Delleys Dell things got very vague. This was the spot that I couldn’t find the track heading the opposite way a few years ago and trying to negotiate my way the last few metres to the road this morning I could see why I struggled. The go here is that as soon as I spied and old quarry around twenty metres to the right of the track I should of scrub bashed across to it, instead I kept following a pad that dropped across a small creek and then ended up in an area full of small saplings. With numerous faint pads, all seeming to be heading the wrong way I retraced my way back across the creek and then scrub bashed ten metres through the bush to arrive onto open ground just below Silverband Road,

Things got a bit Burke and Wills in spots.

If anyone finds themselves crossing this small creek....go back!

I've just emerged from this mess of tangled scrub.

Silverband Road

I spied this opening as I was pushing my way through the scrub but didn't bash my way across to it...in hindsight this is the easiest spot to find the pad leading up to Sundial Peak or conversely access Silverband Road.

Climbing up onto the quiet road I set off up hill towards Burma Track. While Burma Track hasn’t been wiped from the map it isn’t signposted anymore and the 4wd track has deteriorated a bit over the years. Last time I’d walked it was in the rain and I remember the deep erosion scars left over from big floods required a bit of caution to cross. Thankfully, walking Burma Track today in the warm morning sun was a lot more enjoyable than slogging along it in the rain on my last visit. Apart from the erosion channels Burma Track makes for vey easy walking, with views through the trees down towards Lake Bellfield in one direction and up towards the towering Mt Rosea cliff line in the other.

Burma Track is wide and clear - but not signposted.

There were some massive boulders deposited here during the big floods of 2011.

Burma Track allows for a few glimpses up to the Mt Rosea cliff line.

The erosion gullies created from the 2011 floods along Burma Track are pretty severe.

I suppose the good thing about the erosion gullies is that they allow for some great views. This is looking back towards Sundial Peak from Burma Track.

Back before the Grampians Peaks Trail came into existence the walk use to head a bit further south before doubling back and climbing through a breach in the cliffs towards Mt Rosea. Now days you meet the new trail a lot earlier and start the long climb up onto the ridge line. There has been a phenomenal amount of money spent on the Grampians Peaks Trail and it’s easy to see where the dollars have gone, the new track climbs through this very rugged topography fairly easily. Reaching a seemingly never ending series of dry stone steps it signalled the spot that I had to pass through the breach in the cliff line. While heading up those steps was hard work the good news was that the views really started to open up as I reached the crest of the ridge, with the rugged Victoria Range drawing my eyes westward.

I've just met up with the Grampians Peaks Trail again, things were pretty easy navigation wise from here on.

The climb up onto the Serra Range along the Grampians Peak Trail is pretty well graded.

I was now getting some views down to Lake Bellfield as I climbed.

On reaching what felt like a thousand dry stone steps it signalled the spot where I'd finally climb onto the crest  of the Serra Range.

Once up on the Serra Range the track stayed fairly close to the ridge line as I made my way towards the Mt Rosea summit. Whenever the track arrived on the actual edge of the cliff line views to the east were stunning, the views over the jumbled, convoluted, rocky ranges to the west are more or less constant along here. Ten minutes or so after finishing my climb up the steps I arrived at the turn off for the short link track up to the Mt Rosea summit. While on my other visit I’d been sitting up here in the rain and cloud, miserably wondering what the view looked like, today I could see as far as my ageing eyesight would allow. To be honest there isn’t a lot of difference in the views from the lookout and that of the views that you get from the track as it heads along the crest of the Serra Range the next hour or so.

For the next hour or two the scenery was constantly stunning.

It pays to keep an eye out for these yellow markers up here.

The track breaks out onto these open slabs occasionally. That's Sundial Peak in the middle distance.

Looking south along the Serra Range from Mt Rosea. It was third time lucky for me today.

The Victoria Range (in the distance) from Mt Rosea.

Happy to have finally made it up here on a fine day I set off down towards the Rosea Carpark in pretty good spirits, a state of mind that only got better as I made my way along the spine of the range towards the Gate of the East Wind. This track is what I think of as a typical Grampians type of walking track in that it basically traverses numerous rock shelfs and slabs an there is little in the way of a worn foot pad. What that means on the ground is that you need to keep an eye out for track markers (and the occasional cairn). I’m thinking that Parks Vic may want to encourage the punters to walk this new track from north to south as it appears that the track marking was a lot more frequent when coming from that direction. Heading my way things were a little vaguer, not the ‘oh shit where am I?’ kind of vague but still vague enough to have me concentrating occasionally to spot the ongoing pad.

I certainly got a beautiful day today.

Sundial Peak from the Serra Range.

Heading along the Serra Range.

Looking down at those huge erosion channels that I'd crossed on Burma Track.

Serra Range

Easy walking along the Serra Range.

How good is this walking caper hey?

Reaching the Gate of the East Wind the track gets very convoluted as it heads along the ridge line buttressed by huge rocky out crops. In spots along here the pad actually passes through short caves only to suddenly break out onto the cliff top again, good times! Eventually the pad starts to leave the crest and drop down a little to the west. After dropping down one last particularly long rock shelf I finally stepped off the sandstone that I’d been walking for the best part of the last two hours. Now back on a more traditional type of walking track my route slowly arced around from west to south to east, dropping easily down through the dry and open Stringybark forest to arrive at the almost deserted Rosea Carpark on Silverband Road.

The Gate of the East Wind.

Looking south along the Serra Range escarpment from the Gate of the East Wind.

Lake Bellfield from the Serra Range.

It can be a fairly adventurous walk along the top of the Serra Range near Mt Rosea.

Looking across to the Victoria Range in the distance. 

Looking back towards Mt Rosea.

Walls of China or Bundaleer as the traditional owners knew it as, from the Grampians Peaks Trail on the Serra Range.

Dropping off the crest of the Serra Range I dropped down this long rocky ramp a bit to the west.

Dropping down my rocky ramp.

Once off the rock and back in the forest the GPT is a very easy walk.

It seems like it wouldn't be a Feral post without a Grass Tree..

Crossing the bitumen Silverband Road I had a choice of routes, head left and climb straight back up to the Sundial Peak Carpark or veer right and head up to the new Bugiga Campsite. Having heard a lot about these new Grampians Peaks Trail Campsites but never having actually seen one I decided to extend the walk little and shuffle my way up to check things out. Arriving at Bugiga Campsite the first thing I noticed was the huge double storey dunny, the toilet and the large shelter are both built largely out of steel which has been allowed to rust to give it the weathered, rustic effect. Passing the toilet I dropped down along section of boardwalk that allowed access to the numbered tent pads. The tent pads are spread around the site so as to have a bit of privacy if they are all full, although it was interesting how much of the northerly wind was gusting through though, I’m thinking you’d want to anchor your tent fairly well with some rocks if camping here in a big northerly. The tent pads have lockers built into the floors of the pads with the idea being that local businesses can deliver food and supplies to the be picked up by the walkers, or so I’m thinking. All the lockers appeared to be welded shut now though, I’m guessing that a lot of the punters using this camp were using the lockers in their tent platforms as convenient bins - although that’s just a Feral assumption. The other thing that I’d read about these camps was that would have USB style charging spots but checking out the communal shelter I didn’t spot any so maybe I’m imagining that?

I decided to head up to check out the new Bugiga Grampians Peaks Trail Campsite.

Bugiga Camp. That's the toilet on the left and the shelter down in the trees on the right.

Bugiga Camp Shelter

The camping platforms at Bugiga Camp are well spaced out and some had a great view of the imposing cliffs of the Serra Range through the trees. Although it looked like things could get a bit breezy in a strong northerly.

After poking around the deserted camp for twenty mites or so I figured that it was time to start heading back to the ute. Thankfully there is a link track back up to the main Sundial Peak to Rosea Carpark pad as the camp was a fair way off the main track. The climb from Bugiga Campsite to Sundial Peak Carpark is a fairy gentle one as the track heads up the western slopes of the Wonderland Range to eventually meet my mornings outward route. I’d spent the whole walk shuffling along under a bright blue sky today but climbing back up here the dark clouds started moving in, on last few metres back to the ute I was serenaded by the sound of thunder reverberating through the surrounding mountains although thankfully I managed to make it back before the precipitation arrived.

There is a link track back to rejoin the Sundial Peak Track so I didn't have to drop all the way back down to the Rosea Car Park.

The GPT gently climbing north towards the Sundial Carpark.

The Dirt.
According to my GPS I walked 19.6 kilometres and climbed 842 metres on what I’d call a medium-hard grade stroll. The walk as I did it has a real mixture in the different standards of walking track that I used, the climb up Sundial Peak is a fairly normal Grampians type of pad in that it’s fairly easy too follow with a bit of walking infrastructure. The drop down from Sundial Peak to Delleys Dell is fairly hit or miss, in some spots the un-signposted track is clear and easy to follow while in other spots things are getting fairly vague, the country is not too bad to scrub bash through, so as long as you keep an eye on your map you should eventually pop out on Silverband Road. Burma Track is un signposted but clear and easy to follow. Once I met up with the Grampians Peaks Trail things are very well constructed, although I’m guessing that not too many punters walk in the direction that I did as the track markers across the rocky tops were a little sparse sometimes. I used Mr Tempest’s notes out of his Daywalks Around Victoria book along with SV Maps Northern Grampians Sheet. The Chapman’s, the Daly’s and Mr Thomas have all written up this walk in various versions of their books as well.

Relevant Posts.
Mt Rosea, Grampians National Park, 2014.
The Seven Dials, Grampians National Park, 2015.

My luck with the weather held out until I got back to the ute, although the sound of thunder reverberating around the surrounding mountains focussed my mind a little.

I'm finished...Sundial Carpark.