Tali-Karng and nearby

I felt rather unfit because I have not done any pack-carrying walks for a while.  This was a warm-up walk for future longer walks planned for Tasmania early next year.  Lake Tali-Karng is located in the Avon Wilderness area of Victoria and north of Licola. 

The best time to hike is between November and April and this area has excellent alpine wild flowers in mid-to-late Spring.

Licola is approximately 4 hours drive from Melbourne through Traralgon and the start at McFarlane Saddle on the Moroka Rd is about a further 30 minutes from Licola (last petrol service).

The facilities at the McFarlane Saddle campsite include only a long drop loo and cleared campsites of varying sizes.

Park Victoria website suggests that you camp at Nyimba Camp and do a day trip to Lake Tali-Karng rather than camping on the shore of the lake.  This makes the descent to and ascent from the lake much easier as the access is very steep.  Also, the traditional owners of the lake prefer that people do not camp there and that visitors minimise their damage to a sensitive and sacret environment.

The walk from McFarlane’s Saddle to Nyimba Camp and Riggall Old Hut site across the Wellington Plain is approx 9km on a gentle gradient and it takes around three and a half hours including a long break for lunch.  The terrain is mostly alpine plain with occasional clumps of snowgums.  The larger snowgums are dead from the recent bush fire leaving only scrubby regrowth.

 Wellington Plain

The Nyimba Camp has a lot of campsites and a long drop loo with a 600 litres rain water tank and a flowing stream.

Nyimba Camp

There are 2 possible routes to the lake from Nyimba Camp.  Gillio’s foot track is about 4.5km and steep with multiple zig-zags to help the walker down the steeper parts of the walk.  The easy-graded Riggall Spur and Echo Point Tracks are a little longer, but less steep.

Routes to the lake

We took the Riggall Spur and Echo Point Tracks to walk down to the lake and Gillio’s Track back climbing almost 600m (take about 3 hrs), but, in retrospect, it would have been better to have taken the other direction. 

There are several campsites and beaches on the western lakeside.  Tali Karng is a fuel stove area and no fires are permitted within 1km from the lake.  There are no toilet facilities at the lake.  The southern shore offers access to the Snowden Falls at the eastern end of the lake, if the lake’s water level is low enough.

 

Looking east (L) and the Snowden Falls (R)

The scramble along the rocky shoreline to the falls is worth the trouble to see a very spectacular medium size waterfall.  YouTube clip of the Snowden Falls

 

GPS tracks overlaid on VicMap memo-map Topo

Mt Reynard

There is a short half day walk from Howitt Road to the top of Mt Reynard with a height of 1710m.  The shortest access route to the summit is across a small wooden foot bridge with a clearly visible from the Howitt road shortly after passing the Kelly Lane turn-off while heading north.

After crossing the bridge, you proceed due west climbing up a grassy slope and then bush bashing through medium height scrub to the top of Mt Reynard.

The foot bridge (L) and Mt Reynard top (R)

The summit is found by walking to the highest point.  There is no view at the top; but there are good views of the valley on the way up. 

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)

Lorne Waterfalls - Walk Two

Henderson Falls, The Canyon, Phantom Falls, and Won Wondah Falls 

Length: 8.15km,  Time: 3hours+,  Type: Return
Grade:  Easy
Maximum elevation:  202m

Start and finish at the Sheoak Picnic Area, which is located at Allenvale Road end, southwest of Lorne.  Follow the signposts to Henderson Falls, then return to the turn off to The Canyon and Phantom Falls.  On the return journey from Phantom Falls, the Won Wondah Falls can be viewed from a viewing platform, which is on a short side track off the main track back to the start.

                                    Henderson Falls

  

 

Wildflowers

                             The Canyon and Phantom Falls                                

Route on GE, and
A 4 minute video YouTube of Lorne Waterfalls - Walk Two 

 Back to  Erskine & Cora Lynn Valleys Circuit

(Lorne Waterfalls - Walk One)

Go to Sheoak Creek & Lower Cumberland Circuit

(Lorne Waterfalls - Walk Three)

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)

Pink Lakes

After leaving the bush campsite by the Murray River, we moved on to Ouyen to buy supplies for our plan of few days exploring the Pink Lakes.

The Pink Lakes are located west of Ouyen & north of Underbool.  The Murray-Sunset NP is between Mildura and Ouyen and South Australia.  It is in northwest Victoria and about 550km from Melbourne and 400km from Adelaide.

The turn off is at Linga, which is about 10km west of Underbool.  It is then about another 13km on a gravel road to the Pink Lakes Camping Areas.  Both Lake Becking camp ground and Lake Crosbie CG were rather full when we arrived.  The campgrounds provided basic facilities such as tables, toilets and a tapwater, which required a treatment, or BYO drinking water.

 Park's Info on the Pink Lakes

Our neighbour's tentsite at Lake Crosbie CG

Allan's metal tent                                    

Lake Crosbie CG at dawn

We did a few days of walking in the Pink Lakes area.  These include:

Day One:

The Lake Crosbie loop (around the lake) is an easy 6km walk, which starts and finishes at Lake Crosbie CG.  We headed west, then north, and back south.  Near the northern edge of the lake, there are an old site of Salt Lake Workshops and the remains of a timber track, which has been turned into an outdoor museum.

The Lake Hardy Nature Walk is about 1.5hrs

The Lake Becking loop:  This was as a short walk to catch up with late afternoon sun.

(This walk brought back great memories!  Lake Becking is the start and finish of a 3 day circuit, also known as "Sunset Remote Walking Track" in the Murray-Sunset NP.  Five years ago, I spent three and a half days on this walk.  A collection of the photographs for the slide show was on the jAlbum website, however it has expired now, and I will try to have it going again when motivated to do so.  Love a comeback for this extended walk too).

 

Day Two:

In the morning we took the drive to Mt Crozier, which requires 4WD vehicles because some tracks are very sandy.  At Mt Crozier campground/carpark, we met two friendly locals, who joined us for the walk up to Mt Crozier, where they enjoyed taking photos with us.  Cell phone reception was good up there.  While trying to find the walk-in campsite, where I had camped 5 years ago, I saw an exciting way to get back to the car, and so did not want to miss the chance; therefore, the finding was discontinued.

 After leaving Mt Crozier, Allan "enjoyed" a wild drive on the sandy tracks, which tested his new car's limits, which had been purchased to celebrate one of the most important years of his life: age of 60 and retirement after over 3 decades of paid work.  I worked in Australia for about 24 years and I am few years younger than Allan.  Many of the tracks around Mt Crozier are unsuitable for 4WD cars without a winch and high ground clearance, especially during summer.

For the rest of the day, we went for a walk at Lake Kenyon and then finished with the Pioneer Drive

All in all, I would recommend the Pink Lakes to all those, who are interested in walking, photography, and (free) camping with stary nights.  Autumn, winter, and spring are the best times to visit.  To see the wonderful desert wildflowers, spring is the best time.

We packed up and left the next day.