Tali Karng

[barcher]

Wife says we're off to lake tali karng for a stroll. With my fitness level at the moment the walk down from millers hut might be best option. But looking at the map there are some tracks I havn't been on. ie king billy, butcher country, Caledonia river, billy goat bluff. A day or two of walking and few days driving/bush camping. Is there anything in that area that I shouldn't miss out on.

 

[profoto]

I haven't done it for about 25 years but there was a shortcut from the tin mine which was pretty much the start of the Wellington River, it is about a 2km walk but (always a but) it is straight uphill and steep, also loose gravel and rotten with leeches.
You can also go in the back way from Ben Cruachan.
Last time I was there it was filthy with bushwalkers discarded rubbish and they hang it on us.
Millers hut isn't bad and fitness level will only dictate how long it's going to take.

 

[troy77]

gday barcher...

as of Thursday afternoon there was lightning strike in that area around king billy and subsequently they have closed some tracks off that way.. I think it was between king billy and barrys saddle.

im hoping to go to Wonnangatta boxing day but im keeping an eye out prior to leaving boxing day.

troy

 

[barcher]

Thanks for the info there. Think we will drop down from millers hut, should be able to do that as a day walk. Couldn't find Ben Cruachan on the map but that doesn't matter. As for the fires, there is always a chance of them. High country is great, you can go in with a plan and end up having to do something completely different.

 

[peterfermtech]

The walk in along the Wellington River would rank in the top most enjoyable walks I have done and amongst the hardest. The last time I did it was about 10 years ago as a training run for Kokoda 2 weeks later. Tali Karng was tougher. Don't try it after heavy rain as the river becomes fast and dangerous. I have witnessed 2 people swept along the river after a night of non stop rain. Riggall spur just has a knack of draining that last bit out of you but the view of the lake from echo point spurs you to make that last climb down. The campsite at the southern end is magnificent. Walking out through the valley of destruction is worth doing. This is the result of the rockfall that created Lake Tali Karng when the hill from Echo point collapsed into the valley.

I haven't done the trip from the top for a long time but it can easily be done in a day return if you are fit. If you can do the track over Spion Kopje the views are fantastic.

Other must see tracks for taking a stroll in the area include Mt Howitt and Bryces Gorge. Just remember you're in the alps and that weather can change quickly.

regards

 

[barcher]

Well done peterfermtech, I'm packing the car right now.

 

[jacnden]

i grew up listening to stories of tarli karng. my old dad first tried to ride motor bikes into there in the 40's . eventualy he walked into there along the wellington river in the late fifties. years later i walked in from mcfarlanes saddle with my son, down gillios track then back up to echo point and out along riddells spur. we flew over it on a helicopter flight from mansfield, that was a great day. my old dad passed away a few weeks ago and he would of loved hearing you all talk about tarli karng

 

[peterfermtech]

Here's a pic of the lake. It was mid October and the water was well up on its normal level.


regards

 

[profoto]

In the late 80's a large group assisted by the Army put in drop dunnies at the Wellington end of the lake, CF&L as it was then did the planning for the ideal location.
The toilets were well underway when the lake level rose and they all went underwater.
Fortunately they were not in use.
This was a fine example of our experts at work and not a reflection on the Army and all the other volunteers who carried all the timber and gear in by hand under the expert guidance of the department who knew the area.

 

[Travis22]

We've done Tali from every possible angle on foot and mtb.

We just did it again last week via Millers Hut. The water is still WAY up on its usual levels making a stroll around the lake difficult. The water temperature is also the warmest its ever been IMO this is from the additional flood level.

Hope you have a great trip and i look forward to some pics if you do a trip report.

Travis.

 

[Swaggie]

Here's a pic of the lake. It was mid October and the water was well up on its normal level.


regards

Nice picture there Peter.

It's obviously stayed in prestine condition because there is no direct road to get to it.

 

[jacnden]

how far and how long is the walk in from millers hut? i walked in and out in a day from mcfarlanes saddle carpark once but i was a lot younger and fitter then. could you go in and out comfortably from millers hut in half a day?

 

[barcher]

Millers hut to tali karng down gilleos track, return echo point track, back to millers hut took us close to 7 hours. But I am in my mid fifties and not very fit. Nurofen and beers required to help knees recover. The walk was made easier by someone with a very good chainsaw. Millers hut is a nice spot to camp, but water is a bit scarce. There is a track that goes from the hut to the sentinel, if you drive it expect a lot more bush pinstripes. Better to walk it and won't take much longer.

 

[Travis22]

Took us 1hour and 45minutes to get to the Lake from the Millers Hut camping area and 2hours to get back with a 30minutes stop at the lake for a swim.

We ran into the ranger while out there and they were preparing for a crew coming out the next day with chainsaws etc. to clear it up a bit (so we'd just done it before the tracks would be cleared but it wasnt too bad given we didnt have full multi day backpacks on, so climbing over and under the offending trees was a lot easier then it is when carrying fully loaded packs also).

Your absolutely right Barcher, we drove out to the Sentinels and Gable End again and its no quicker then walking. Its also still pretty wet up the top there and we found the tracks had suffered some extensive damage from people in there prior to us when it must have been like a swamp.

Travis.