26
October
2008
Work has been pretty intensive so, Frankie, a good friend of mine suggested I should get out of the house and go for a drive. So Sunday rolled around and Sharon and I decided to head up to the heads for a drive along the coast.. Well like the majority of our outings, Sharon and I stumble on an a good place to stop and generally spend a few hours exploring that area. This time we stumbled on Port Phillips Head’s National Park and spent several hours enjoying the extensive views of Port Phillip Bay and exploring the remains of the many old forts / defensive gun’s position’s manned during the world wars against possible sea attacks..
Posted: General
7
October
2008
Last Year on this day (7th of October) we were getting married! 
I cannot believe a year has past so quickly, I love you Sharon, and I know this will be the first of many many wedding anniversaries we will share together.
Posted: Rambling
2
October
2008
Victoria has some lovely high country that I never had a chance to walk through (being snow bound for the winter months does make it a little hard to go hiking in) but I recently stumbled on this little gem of a hiking trip that I promptly signed both of us up for. The only downside is the trip is in a few months time and I soo need a holiday now 
Day 1: 10am start at Melbourne airport. Travel via historic Glenrowan and Mt Beauty to Falls Creek Alpine Village. A short village stroll provides you with a good orientation. Overnight in Falls Creek.
Day 2: Today begins by following an easy Aqueduct Trail connected to one of Australia’s early hydro-electricity schemes, built between the 1930’s and 1950’s. Mountain cattlemen’s huts feature prominently on this holiday and today you’ll visit the oldest in Victoria, Wallace’s Hut. The ancient snow gum trees here are twisted and gnarled by centuries of harsh winters. After rain or fog these tree trunks change colour to brilliant shades of red, orange, yellow and green. After lunch, there will be a choice of an easy walk following more aqueduct trails and crossing gently graded snow plains or a more challenging option to visit some secluded historic huts. Overnight in Falls Creek
Day 3: Will you be up to the challenge of walking all the way from Falls Creek to Mt Hotham? Very few people have done this walk, even amongst the locals. Follow a section of the 750km Alpine Walking Track (between Walhalla and Canberra) all the way to Mt Hotham. You certainly won’t see many people out here; in fact you are more likely to see brumbies (wild horses) than people! Along the way, drop steeply down to the Cobungra River and Dibbins Hut (sometimes also called “Creep-Inn” – you’ll see why), and then back through the Mt Hotham ski village. Skiers flock to Hotham for its powder snow. It is easy to see how the surrounding steep valleys would provide protection from strong winter winds, allowing snow to settle gently into deep drifts. The days’ walking finishes with a stroll through the picturesque Davenport area of Hotham village. Those taking the more leisurely option will travel by bus to Mt Hotham – someone has to deliver the luggage after all! Then walk in to meet the others at Derrick Hut. Overnight in Dinner Plain.
Day 4: An easier day today! Todays walk meanders through snow gum forests and across thick snow grass plains, where there are many spring wildflowers. The standard 10km track to Dinner Plain is easy, but you can also add an optional 9km walk to the aptly named Mt Tabletop. Accessing this remote mountain requires some off track walking over uneven terrain. Cattle grazed these plains till recently, and you’ll see historic huts and even some cattle yards made by felling trees into piles! You’ll walk into Dinner Plain, the highest freehold land in Australia, where every building is constructed of mud brick, weathered timber, local rock and galvanized iron. You can build anything you like there, so long as it resembles a cattleman’s hut! Overnight in Dinner Plain.
Day 5: Another big walking day today. The hiking starts along the breathtaking Razorback Ridge, surely one of the most dramatic walking routes in Australia. As you walk along it, Mt Feathertop gradually looms more and more impressively. The final (optional) steep climb to the summit is a ripper! The rest of the day is spent walking down the gently graded Bungalow spur to the township of Harrietville. The spur is covered by tall mountain ash trees, many of which stand stark and white following the bushfires of 2003. Either dead or alive, they are impressive. Harrietville is built on mine tailings created by a huge dredge called the Tronah Monster, which was sold to a tin miner in Malaysia in the 1930’s. Today it’s a friendly holiday village with a laid-back atmosphere. A more leisurely option will be offered that includes an out-and-back walk along the Razorback. Overnight at Harrietville.
Day 6: An easy walk through valley bushland and a good chance to stretch those muscles after yesterday’s big descent. Walk through forests beside the Ovens River to the outskirts of Bright, and then detour to Wandiligong, another historic gold town that is Heritage Listed. The only industry at Wandi these days is apple growing but there are numerous sluices, tailings, mines and shafts remaining from the days when Chinese miners were more successful than Europeans, with nasty consequences. The day finishes with an optional walk through the Ovens River Gorge. Bright town is a busy tourist area, now better known for its splendid tree-lined streets and colourful autumn leaves than for the phenomenal amount of gold extracted in the past. Overnight at Harrietville
Day 7: Travel back to Melbourne, arriving at the airport at about 2pm.
Posted: General
