Easter Trip

[eag03]

I am planing a easter trip with/for some mates and really need some pointers on what would be the best places to go.

i do need the trip to take at least 3 days, also will need to be of a average difficulty as that people in the party (im one of them) dont have the forbys that can do anything and have sufficent stops for feul and possably food.

i was thinking the victorian high country somewhere but as that i havn'e been out nearly as much as i would like to go im not quite sure of the best direction.


any help will be great

 

[BUSHNUT]

I am planing a easter trip with/for some mates and really need some pointers on what would be the best places to go.

i do need the trip to take at least 3 days, also will need to be of a average difficulty as that people in the party (im one of them) dont have the forbys that can do anything and have sufficent stops for feul and possably food.

i was thinking the victorian high country somewhere but as that i havn'e been out nearly as much as i would like to go im not quite sure of the best direction.


any help will be great

OK ! You have a Hilux so your main problem is generally weight or the lack of over the back axles , otherwise you have a competent machine .

An ideal trip which can be done over a few nights with time to explore , hell in Victoria that is easy .

Spectacular country up in the North East .


My suggestion starts at Corryong last place for fuel . , from there get up and over Mt. Pinnibar, fantastic scenery, down onto Tom Groggin Station which if you leave by 8 0r 9 the latest from Corryong you should be there for lunch by the river, there are are places to camp near the Murray if you wish or push on up to Davies High Plains Hut and camp there , there are a meriad of ways out of there to , Benambra or Omeo.
I would rate the tracks as medium although the descent down to Tom Groggin is bunghole puckering if it is raining , good old BFG all terrains or Cooper st's are fine for this .

You will need to take food and drinking water and grog , no shops until you hit Benambra or Omeo , you wont need to refuel as it isn't a great Distance.

We had Chinese , Satay beef which was wafting across to other campers when I was cooking, a wok is light weight , preparation is minimal, get the butcher to slice up the meat into strips , a jar of taylors satay sauce, a mixed vegetable pack a couple of capsicums sliced up before you go, if you want to stuff around with rice take a billy, some olive oil but it is easy .

I can dig up some trip notes if you are interested .

By your AVATAR you are in rovers so you should know that or has the Scouting movement changed that much !

Cubs - Mt. Beauty

Scouts and Senior Scouts - 9th Malvern

Cub and Scout Leader - 6th Frankston .

 

[eag03]

wow, thanks mate. thats great help. what map would you recomend for that area?

and yes i am a Rover, scouting hasn't change THAT much... im also a cub leader at 10th Malvern

 

[BUSHNUT]

I will dig out the trek notes tonight, hema Maps are generally pretty good, I don't know if Rooftop maps have covered that far north yet, they are very good as the guy that does them covers the area on mountain bike and confirms GPS readings .

The Scout movement is a great movement, I'm 59 now so too old for it now, so they say !

9th Malvern disbanded a long time ago as far as scouts go we were one of the last to switch over to the Khaki uniform, we had the bottle green shirts and navy pants, I think that there were only four troops that remained so, we were ordered by the movement to change over- used to be quite something in a sea of khaki at Gilwell at Easter . 9th Malvern remained as a venturer unit for some time I believe, I don't know if even that exists anymore, been away from the area thirty plus years or more .

6th Frankston closed for the same reason , had become an old area . It was strong when I pulled the pin , we had seven patrols then, invited I went to their final meeting , it had only eleven scouts by then , a bit sad .

Mt. Beauty still has a cub pack, used to be two when I was a nipper, bloody long time ago !

 

[knot_gillty]

The Scout movement is a great movement, I'm 59 now so too old for it now, so they say !

59?? Are you sure Bushnut? You don't look a day over 58..

 

[BUSHNUT]

59?? Are you sure Bushnut? You don't look a day over 58..

You'll keep, I can still keep the cross hairs steady !

 

[BUSHNUT]

[

I can dig up some trip notes if you are interested .

If you have a fax number , I can send them to you, they are in printed form not on a ready email site .

 

[eag03]

WHAT!!!! and who said that your to old?!?!?!?! have you seen some of the fossils at branch? im sure there would be a group happy to have your years of experience...

unfortunatly the 9th ventuer unit has also folded... there are only 3 malvern groups now, with no ventuers in the district... but come hell or high water before i stop trying.

 

[eag03]

Just for a bit of FYI, rooftops do have a map of that region, the Corryong - Omeo - Thredbo adventuer map. looks like it should serve the pourpose

 

[LowLux]

Grampians is another option eag03. Some basic tracks, hiking, camping with long drops (no showers though), not far from Halls Gap (food,fuel etc). Food for thought anyways.

 

[eag03]

hmmmm, have been talking about goin gout there too, do you think you could make it last 4 days?

 

[BUSHNUT]

The grampians is a great place for looking around, Camping areas are plentiful, our last trip over there we camped at the SW end of the Rocklands reservior.

There is not much in the way of 4X4 wheel driving, all the good tracks were closed off years ago.

About the only spot over that way for off roading is the border fence further west or the Murray sunset National Park further North ,good camping ground at Rocket lake good practice for sand driving.

 

[geoffsa]

Eag03 and Bushnut, good to see some of the movement being represented on the forum.

I am also an ex scouty, 24 years in 3rd Port Pirie Group, retired 3 years ago. Like Bushnut, I'm too old for the younger generation at 60.

I believe forum member Dingo1 is also a scouty.

cheers,

Geoff.

 

[BUSHNUT]

Eag03 and Bushnut, good to see some of the movement being represented on the forum.

I am also an ex scouty, 24 years in 3rd Port Pirie Group, retired 3 years ago. Like Bushnut, I'm too old for the younger generation at 60.

I believe forum member Dingo1 is also a scouty.

cheers,

Geoff.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if there were quite a few more hiding away in the forum .

The Scout movement although I wasn't aware of it at the time played an important part in my life .

When our family situation went pear shaped and Mum and sister went to Melbourne whilst I lived with various relations for a number of years hence attending lots and lots of schools in the country. When I finally came to Melbourne the feeling of suffocation was great , here I was used to the great outdoors, coming to live in what they call a maisonette which mum was renting in Malvern , hell did I miss the bush ! I joined the 9th Malvern Scouts and it was an active group plenty of camping-went through to Senior Scouts or venturers as they call them now .

I stayed with them until we moved out to Ashwood . When i turned 18, along came cars and motorbikes which allowed me to shake loose of the city and hell I was never home - i can recall that when I had both motorbike and a car, I alone did 36,000 miles in three years on the motorbike .

Along came marriage and kids . I introduced my oldest Paul to Scouting at 6th Frankston , on a father and son camp, went on a father and son weekend, the leaders from the scout section were helping out, those buggers plied me with port and God knows what and I once again found myself in uniform for the next 15 years .

I hope in that time I was able to give back something to a movement that gave me a much needed outlet to living in the city !

The Scout movement is a great movement .

 

[geoffsa]

That's very moving Bushnut, and I applaud you for telling your childhood history on the forum.

I think the same as you, there would be many people who either contribute or just peruse these types of forums who were either once in the scouts, or are still active in the movement.

The wife and I do miss being involved because we really enjoyed our times as leaders, but as I have said, we are now in the wrong age group for the young minds of todays scouts.

Geoff.

 

[eag03]

The wife and I do miss being involved because we really enjoyed our times as leaders, but as I have said, we are now in the wrong age group for the young minds of todays scouts.

you all need to stop talking like that... just cause the age gap between the youth is to big dosen't mean that you cant take a very valuable and required role... theres group leaders, district leaders... even 'parents committe' which need people like you who have been in the movment, an knows what works.


well that my 2 cents worth...

 

[geoffsa]

you all need to stop talking like that... just cause the age gap between the youth is to big dosen't mean that you cant take a very valuable and required role... theres group leaders, district leaders... even 'parents committe' which need people like you who have been in the movment, an knows what works.

well that my 2 cents worth...

I hear what you are saying, but I feel that I have given a good part of my life to the movement (24 years), and think that it is time some of the younger generation started to do the same.

Eventually us oldies won't be around, so it's time for the next wave to come through. And if we don't step out they will never be given the chance to learn.

I have served as a group leader, scout leader and on committees.
When do you call it quits? Answer is when you think the time is right.

Geoff.

 

[eag03]

ok ok ok, i see your point, and i guess your entitled to even that...

now back to my original topic at hand... the trip im planing...
how long do you all think it would take to drive from corryong to Tom Grogging camping area?

 

[BUSHNUT]

ok ok ok, i see your point, and i guess your entitled to even that...

now back to my original topic at hand... the trip im planing...
how long do you all think it would take to drive from corryong to Tom Groggin camping area?

If you are going by Khancoban then allow about an hour and a half+/-, if you are intending to do the Davies High Plains from there, my advice is that you make enquiries as to how high the river is at the camping ground ford . The owner of Tom Groggin station is not receptive to the public using the property ford because of issues in the past. As I lived in the area of Corryong in the past and have relations up that way using the Tom Groggin station ford won't be an issue, my cousin Bob knows the owner well and he can organise permission at any time .The camping ground ford is cetainly not for the inexperienced. I would certainly allow for the possibility to return to Corryong and go the way of the route I have forwarded to you , the route over Mt. Pinnibar in which I would allow aty least 4 hours, you arrive at Tom Groggin and the nearest you will get to the Tom Groggin camping ground would be the Dogmans hut ( I think it is called that ) on the opposite side of the river .

I haven't even thought about next year yet, There is interest from a few members of the LOOSE NUTS GROUP to do the trip I suggested too so it could well be that we will be in the same area anyway, you are quite welcome to tag a long, but as isay , havent thought that far ahead .

 

[Grumpy]

I too was into scouting movement, a great teaching place and a good all round experience, remember going to a Jamboree I think it was called in the Adelaide Hills back when I was in my Teens. Not real sure but I think it was the First Murray Bridge Group in South Australia.