Sheoak Creek & Lower Cumberland Circuit

Lorne Waterfalls - Walk Three

Lower and Upper Kalimna Falls, and Cumberland Falls 

Length: 15.4km,  Time: 5hours,  Type: Loop

Max Elevation: 295m,  Grade: Easy – Medium

Start and finish at the Sheoak Picnic Area on the Garvey Track, which is a park management track. Follow the Kalimna Falls sign at the east end of the picnic ground.  The Kalimna Falls track crosses the Garvey Track and then you can follow either of the two tracks along either side of Sheoak Creek to the Lower Kalimna Falls (2.9km) and the Upper Kalimna Falls (4.1km), then back track to a link track, which takes you across Little Sheoak Creek back to the Garvey Track.  Then, walk 1.2km east-north-east along The Garvey Track to the Cumberland River turn off.

The path to the Cumberland River is 1.5km and steep at the river end of the track.  At the river, turn right following the track along the Cumberland River about 400m to the falls.  There is a river crossing before reaching the falls.  Then retrace your steps back to the Garvey Track and continue down the track back to the start.  There is an alternative route back to the picnic area on the Castle Rock access track. 

The start                             Lower Kalimna Falls

Upper Kalimna Falls                                Sheoak Creek

 

Cumberland River Track & Falls
 

GPS route on GE

and

 Quick clips of Sheoak Creek and Lower Cumberland Circuit

(Lorne Waterfalls - Walk Three)

Back to Lorne Waterfalls - Walk Two

Erskine & Cora Lynn Valleys Circuit 

(Lorne Waterfalls - Walk One)

Erskine & Cora Lynn Valleys Circuit

Lorne Waterfalls - Walk One
 
Length: 22km
Duration: 6 -7 hours
Grade: Medium
Elevation: 433m
Style: Walking track with many river & creek crossings over stones
Start/Finish: Lorne
Melbourne: 140km
Best time: Late winter & early spring (when the waterfalls flow at their best)

Track & map info: Walks & Waterfalls, Surfcoast Shire.
Topographic map: optional.
Erskine River Track and Cora Lynn Creek Track are well marked.

The walk starts from Kia Ora Caravan Park, which is located opposite to the Lorne Visitor Centre.  The entrance is on Erskine Avenue and there is Parks Victoria signpost showing the 7km length of the Erskine River walking track.

There is no doubt that this track is popular because of the starting point in the Lorne township, the attractive waterfalls and the wild Erskine River and gorge.  The path winds through the Erskine Valley, which is filled with tall trees and ferns.  It follows the river upstream and there are some river crossings.  The track passes The Rapids, Splitter Falls, Straw Falls and finishes at the base of the Erskine Falls, 300m past Straw Falls.  Erskine Falls is one of the highest and most attractive waterfalls in the Otways, Victoria.

After having fun with the camera and a chat with tourists at the Erskine Falls, we had a steep climb up steps, which led to the car park, where there is a signpost to Blanket Leaf Picnic Area.  This is the start of the 3km track, which links the Erskine Valley to the Cora Lynn Valley and saves about 3kms of road walking.  A big thank you.

On reaching the Erskine Falls Rd, cross the road to get to the start of the Cora Lynn Creek Track.  Then, a short gentle descent goes past a hike-in campsite and leads to the Cora Lynn Cascades.  From here, the track goes through a beautiful narrow gorge and the creek that feeds the cascades, is crossed many times before reaching Cora Lynn car park.  After checking out the map from the “Walks & Waterfalls” brochure, we followed the road SSE out to Green Break Tk, turned right and walked down to Allenvale Rd, and then turned left onto Otway St to get back to the start in Lorne.

 Erskine Valley (L)         At the base of Erskine Falls (R)

Cora Lynn Cascades

Erskine & Cora Lynn Valleys Circuit Walk
and
A video YouTube of the waterfalls in the valleys

It was rather a long day to do this two valleys circuit and I would suggest an early start to take it all in especially when days are short.  We ended up having a late dinner at “Chopsticks” restaurant in town.  Wear comfortable walking boots and avoid this walk after heavy rain, when the tracks and rocks become muddy and very slippery.  This walk can be done as an overnight hike using the walk-in campsite, which is located below the Blanket Leaf Picnic Area.  Moreover, with a few hike-in campsites and many other waterfalls walks nearby, it is also possible to have an extended hike of 3 to 4 days in the area.

Lorne Waterfalls - Walk Two

Sheoak Creek and Lower Cumberland Circuit

(Lorne Waterfalls - Walk Three)

Moonlight Circuit

The Moonlight Track at Mt Worth is located at the western end of the Strzelecki Ranges and 125km southeast of Melbourne with the access via Princes Fwy (M1) to the closest towns namely Warragul and Darrum, which is about 15km north of Mt Worth State Park.  On leaving the freeway, follow the parks signpost and take the Darrum – Allambee Road for over 10km until reaching McDonalds Trak.  Turn left here and continue 1km to reach the turn off at Allambee Estate Road then further 2km on the gravel road to Moonlight Creek Visitor Area with an information board, toilets, tables and a shelter, which is useful if raining. It takes about 1½ hours.  Roads are narrow and winding, so take care.

A slightly less challenging drive to reach the park is to go to Leongatha and then take the Strzlecki Highway to the Grand Ridge Road and then take McDonals Track.

Parks Victoria Park Notes 

At the visitor area there are two walking track signposts.  The Moonlight Circuit is 8.5 km, 3 hours return, and the Giant’s & Gardiners Mill Circuit is 3.3km, 40 minutes.

After lunch we set off for the Moonlight Circuit and we did it in a clock-wise direction: Moonlight Divide Track – Moonlight Link Track – Moonlight Creek Track.

 A shelter at Moonlight Creek Visitor Area

The Moonlight Divide Track starts with a rather steep climb to the ridge.  We met two walkers, who had started about 10 minutes before us and were having a rest.

Tracks junction

The Moonlight Divide Track is a rather uneventful roller-coaster of a walk along a wide fire trail so it is very easy to follow.  Towards the end of the Divide Track, there is a left turnoff to a ribbon-marked link track to the Giant’s Circuit and Gardiners Mill Track, which we explored for about half a kilometre before turning back to the Divide Track.   

The Moonlight Link Track is well marked and easily found.  This fire trail takes you downhill to the Moonlight Creek Track junction where you turn right to go along the Moonlight Creek.

 Fern gullies

The Moonlight Creek Track

About 1 km down the Creek Track is a beautiful waterfall on a short detour to the left.

 Moonlight Creek Waterfalls

The whole track us bordered by tree-ferns which, on the day, were sprouting beautiful green shoots.  There are also several marked wood mill sites and several sitting benches with great views of the ferns trees and creek.  

 

 Great views from Maslins Mill Site

The track takes you back to the Moonlight Creek Visitor Area.

Maps 

GPS track on OSM-AU-Vic-10m (desktop view)

GPS Track on Garmin Topo v3

GPS- gpx file of Track overlaid on memory-map VIC Maps Topo.

Adventure into the least visited sections of the Lerderderg Gorge

Ah Kow Tk – Lerderderg River – Bears Head Range Tk – Blackwood Ranges Tk

Update to the existing 3 to 4 day Lerderderg Gorge walk undertaken two years ago (Watties Creek (Clearwater Crk) and The Old River Circuit Walk)

The difference between the two were:

Walked in and went down to the Lerderderg River via the Ah Kow Track, unlike the previous walk, where I walked up the steep ascent from the river, and then walked out.

The reason for the return was to identify how I had missed out the Ah Kow Track on the ascent, and to find the start of the route which led down to “a waterfall” located south of The Old River.

I suggest:

• For a short overnight walk, leave early morning.  If you want an early start, camp can be set up at the start of Bears Head Range Track.  If a late start, the night can be spent at Ah Kow camping area located just on the opposite bank of the Lerderderg River.
• Take your time on the steep descent down to the Lerderderg River.  A trekking pole can be very helpful.  The track is so steep that I had to slide down on my backside.
  
• The river was not flowing when we were there.  Only one or two decent pools of drinkable water along the dry river bed.  There may be a need to treat water.
  
  
   
  Ah Kow Tk – Lerderderg River – Bears Head Range Tk – Blackwood Ranges Tk 
  
  
  The walk started and ended at 65 Lohs Lane, which was about 600m south of Mt Black Wood.  There was a signpost at the gate.  Went through the gate, passed some worn red rail carriages, and continued on until reaching a signpost at the end of Lohs Lane, which showed Blackwood Ranges Track (about 250m from the starting point).  Turned right here and headed 130m southeast which saw us at an entry gate into the park.  Then, another 107m took us to the junction of Ah Kow and Blackwood Ranges Tracks, where route finding skills were required to find the start of Ah Kow Tk, which used to be an old vehicle track.  
  
  
  
   The start of Ah Kow Track
  
  
  The track now turned northeast and after a pleasant walk along for 1.06 km, we arrived at a memorial of a Melton bushwalker, which was located on a knoll at 559m.  From here, the track became narrow and the closer we got to the gorge, the steeper the track was.  Care should be taken on a 140m steep descent to an emergency marker LER 513 on the bank of the Lerderderg River.
  
  
  
  Emergency marker LER 513 on the river bank
  
  

  
  Ah Kow Track Information 
  
  

  As suggested, the Ah Kow mine site and/or camping area was just on the opposite bank of the river, where a group of Chinese had lived and grown vegetable for food in the late 1870s.  Keep an eye out for a plastic orange triangle on a big tree and an emergency marker, LER 514 could be seen up there too.  

  
  

   

  A plastic orange triangle on a big tree

  
  

  

  Ah Kow camping area

  
  

  

  Ah Kow Ruin / Lerderderg River Track Info
  
  

  The section from Ah Kow Tk to Bears Head Range Tk was dry.  The walk mainly followed the dry rocky riverbed downstream for about 2.3 km until the Old River on the left was reached.   

  
  

  

   Lerderderg River 

  
  

  Walked a further 100m to reach the Bears Head Range campsite, which is located on a small grassy flat above the right hand bank of the river, which is also the start of the Bears Head Range Track.   
  
  However, there were sufficient pools of water available in the river bed to provide water for cooking and the climb out.  So if you're heading into this section of the river, bring something to treat your water
  
  

  

   One of few pools of water in the river bed

  
  

  

  Reaching the Bears Head Range campsite

  
  

  

  Allan doing the packing
  
  

  The climb up the Bear Head Range track was extremely steep (the grade is 1 in 6 average) and required careful choice of route to avoid pack hauling narrow crevices..  There are lots of good views of the river on the way up and it is rather well marked with white triangles on the trees. 

  
  

  

   The start of Bears Head Range Track

  
  

  

  
  

  

  Lerderderg Gorge
  
  

  

  Me on Bears Head Range Tk with Blackwood Ranges in the background
  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  After 1.5 km the slope eases to 1 in 10 and the whole climb took about 2 hours. 

  
  

  Once the Blackwood Range track was reached, the walker can either take the left turn to go around the Ah Kow Reference Area or the right turn to take the walker’s track around the locked vehicle gate to follow a short four wheel drive track to the junction of the Foxy Range Track, where a right turn takes the walker back to the Ah Kow Track junction, and then allows the walker to retrace steps back to Lohs Lane carpark.  

  
  

  

  Junction with Blackwood Ranges Track
  
  

  

   Blackwood Ranges Track / Bears Head Track Info
  
  

  

  The walking track around the locked vehicle gate

  
  

  A challenging daywalk, or a comfortable overnight walk.  See the elevation profile of the route taken until reaching the Blackwood Ranges Track.

  
  

  

Strathbogies Pack Carry

Walk type: Off track

Lenghth: 18.0km, Circuit

Duration: 2 days

Medium:  Steep terrain, dry rocky and scrubby forest

Start/Finish:  James Camping Ground (Creek water needs to be treated)

Closest town:  Lima East, Southwest of Swanpool

Distance from North of Melbourne: 130km

Maps: 

            Rooftop’s, Strathbogies Ranges Forest Activities Map, ed.April 2005  

VicMap: Tallangalook, 8024-S, Scale 50k Topo, 1^st ed 2007

Suggested:  Updated topo map, long trekking pants, gaiters, garden gloves, and a trekking pole.

GPS route with waypoints

I had been solo to Strathbogies twice.  Once had been up and along the spur of the eastern range.  The other had been a return to retrieve my fit-over glasses, which had been left behind at a lunch spot near Scott’s Peak on the range. 

It was a rather long drive from Melbourne’s southeast and it took about 3 hrs to get to James Camping Ground with facilities including: toilets, tables, fire rings and creek water, which needs to be treated before drinking. 

In the morning, I enjoyed the company of two blue-wrents while doing the packing.  There was no walking track signpost at the campground and there had been no information available on ParksVic website.  With an internet search, I found one or two written reports of an overnight walk in the area, but an appropriate route map is still not yet available.  Hence, this was mainly an exploratory trip with the plan of a clockwise direction to tackle the western range, to take in a north-eastern ridge, and then to pick up my own way back via around the base of the range or out to Lima East Road.  It was about midday when I got ready, so extra food and cooking water for the night and the next morning were also packed.  One usual final step before shouldering my pack was to take a GPS waypoint of the starting point, which would be useful for the return trip. 

The walk started with a crossing of Moonee Creek (Charlie Crk, Campground section), which was just ankle-deep.  The bank on the other side of the creek was rather scrubby with blackberries.  This reminded me of the garden gloves, which were left at home.  Long pants, gaiters were in great help. 

 Strathbogies Forest

I then made my own way up a ridge, heading west, then southwest until I reached a pole at 440m elevation.  A bit further was a cairn (464m), which was built on the open rocky slabs, which provided views of Scott’s Peak on the eastern range and the mountain range to the south.  This 190m zigzag climb reminded me of a tiger snake I had encountered on one of the two previous walks in the area.

 View of Scott's Peak on the eastern range

 Southern range

Following the open slabs for a short distance led me to a faint path.  Continuing on  the path, I arrived at a rocky outcrop (504m), where I had late lunch (about 3.00pmish) with the view down a slope full of fern trees.

After lunch, about 1km of walking up and along the path took me to the Bamford Track, which was an old vehicle track.  Crossing the track, I headed up a ridge towards White Rock.  The terrain up here was rough and scrubby and it was getting rather late.  Hence, on arriving at a saddle (about 600m), I started looking for a camping spot.  Unlike the noise of loud music at the campground the night before, it was so beautifully quiet up here.  The night was rather windy and I tossed and turned a bit 

 One of many giant boulders in Strathbogies

 Dry, scrubby and rocky forest

 Camping in the forest

In the morning, I abandoned a side trip to White Rock.  The initial plan heading northwest to reach Rocky Ned Falls was also changed due to the condition of the terrain, which was rough, scrubby and steep.  Instead, I headed west.  The closer I got to the bank of Parlour Creek, the thicker the scrub became.  Excellent creek water was so inviting and my wine flask was also refilled before the climb.

Parlour Creek 

The other side of the creek was also scrubby, but it was only a 21m climb up to reach Lima East Road.  I kept to the right and continued for about 32m along the road until I reached an unmarked junction, where there was a car and the track to the right was the one, which led to Rocky Ned Falls.  Please note: this track is shown on Rooftop's Map, but not on VicMap.

Track to "Rocky Ned Falls"

Following this wide track for about 350m, I met a young lady who was on the way back to her car.  Continuing another 100m, I noticed the spot where the lady camped last night.  It seemed that the original plan had been reasonable and I missed out the dropping down from the spur into Parlour Creek Valley.  Lunch stop was at Rocky Ned “Waterfall”, where I could hear bikies approaching, greeting me, then quickly disappearing. 

 "Rocky Ned Falls"

After lunch, I crossed Rocky Ned Creek, and headed up for about 21m to arrive at an unmarked junction.  Leaving the main track, I followed a foot (& bike) track heading north down to a saddle, which provided the less challenging access to Rocky Ned to the southwest and an opportunity to explore few giant boulders on a ridge line in the northeast, where I stopped for a drink and a check out of the location.  Due to steepness and scrubby condition of the terrain ahead, I changed the direction by leaving the ridge line and following a foot (& bike) trail, which led to the northwest, then down to a creek, where I decided to call it the day.  It had been a bit of a long day, coupled with the lack of sleep the night before, so after a quick dinner I hit the sack.  

 Forest camping

The next morning, I crossed the creek and followed the wide foot track about 3.5km northeast up until reaching Police Road.  After an immediate turn to the right, I followed Herbert Drive, went past a private property, and continued on until the end of the track, where I spotted a “black belly” snake with its head and two third of its body dug under the ground.  It had been hunting or heard me arriving?  Crossing an unknown creek, I arrived at an open rocky slab.

Back to the forest

and then head for the hills again

From here, the walk back to James Campground was mainly off track.  I headed up a ridge and up another ridge, then descended a 200m steep slope to reach the boundary.  Walking along the fence line for a short distance, I arrived at Sugarloaf Creek, and then a waterfall. 

Sugarloaf Creek

"Sugarloaf Waterfall"

Leaving the waterfall, I picked up my way, followed a path, then arrived at a private property, where I met a nice land owner, who was working on the paddock.  He wondered how I ended up there and congratulated me “glad that I made it”.  Hence, one more ridge and one more gully would take me back to the starting point. Following the paddock track for about 0,5km by the compass bearing, I reached the boundary/fence line with a pole, which was built into a big boulder.  A steep and scrubby bush-bash down saw me back to the creek I had crossed two days ago.

All in all, I was rather satisfied with the exploring.  Another return to this area with a bit of change in the route would be much more enjoyable.

Strathbogies Ranges Pack Carry elevation profile