Walkweb

Just returned from a couple of great days walking in the Wonnangatta-Moroka area of the Alpine National Park. Walk descriptions to follow shortly; a photo gallery is available here (nb. requires modern browser and broadband connection).

This enjoyable circular walk takes in Blowhard Summit in the Lake Eildon National Park, providing superb 360 degree views, and finishes with a pleasant walk alongside Lake Eildon.

The trail starts at the Wallaby Bay carpark. Follow the dirt road back up to Merlo Lookout. After admiring the view across the lake from this point, cross the road to access the signposted foot track up to Blowhard Summit. This section is fairly short but steep in places.

The views from Blowhard Summit are excellent, including a fine prospect down Blowhard Spur to Lake Eildon and a good view of Mt Buller to the East.  From here, ignore the track down Blowhard Spur and instead continue north-east along an obvious old vehicular track. The track dips steeply into a saddle (take care on this section as the loose gravel makes it a bit ’slippery’) and then climbs again to a high point and track junction.

Take the sign-posted Devass Gully Track which descends north-east along the spur by the side of Devass Gully before reaching a track t-junction. Turn right (east) here towards School point along a vehicular track. After School point is reached the trail becomes a footpath (Wallaby Bay Track) which follows the forested shore of Lake Eildon – or at least what was the shore – the extended drought means the waterline has receded dramatically. After crossing a footbridge at Lightwood Inlet the path becomes a little indistinct – follow the orange triangle trail markers – before again becoming clear and continuing for another 4km or so past Italian Bay and Cook Point back to Wallaby Bay carpark.

Walk date: Oct 17, 2008
Time/level: 1 day moderate (around 3 – 4 hours excluding breaks)
Maps: Parks Victoria Park notes, VICMAP Lake Eildon Outdoor Leisure Map (1:50,000)
My rating: B+

Access: Goulburn Valley Highway to Alexandra – this road can be accessed from the Hume Fwy, Melba Hwy or Maroondah Hwy. A turn-off to the park is reached a few kilometres after passing through Alexandra. Follow this road to a roundabout, turning left downhill towards the park entrance. At Fraser store continue straight on (ignoring the right hand turn) past the Fraser area campsites to reach Wallaby Bay carpark.

This circular walk starts at Studley Park boathouse in Melbourne’s inner east suburbs, and provides a pleasant 9km ramble through Yarra Bend and nearby parks, passing two boathouses and a former asylum, with many great views of the city.

Start at the parking area at Studley Park Boathouse (Melway 2D, F8) and walk up the hill back to Yarra Boulevard. At this point turn left and follow Yarra Boulevard until a turn-off to a picnic area downhill to the left. At this point cross over and follow a path uphill to the Wills St Picnic area where there are fine views of the city. From the picnic area continue towards a gate that provides entry into the Willsmere apartments complex. Go through the gate which crosses a small basketball court, and have a quick look at the main, heritage listed, Willsmere building.

Converted into private residential apartments in the early 90’s the main building was formerly the Willsmere Hospital and before that the Kew Lunatic Asylum. It features an impressive facade, two large towers and mansard roofs. The front section with a view of the city was for paying customers – there are wings behind which were used for the rest of the patients. A section of one wing, behind the door in the library, was left as-is as part of the re-development agreement. This section houses a small museum and is occasionally opened up to the public along with the grounds (check with the National Trust for any opening dates).

Return to the entrance gate, and then turn north-west along a dirt path that runs through a lovely wooded area in front of the Willsmere complex.

Follow this path until it emerges on to a grassed area and a sealed path that curves to the right, uphill, towards an old oak and the remains of the former Willsmere dairy. Leave the formed track at this point and pass to the left of the old dairy along a dirt track that turns left downhill and soon reaches Yarra Boulevard. Cross the road, taking particular care to check right for cars or bikes racing down the hill and then turn right along the footpath up the hill. The roads turns to the left and soon heads downhill to a roundabout and a bridge over the Eastern Freeway.

Keep following the path over the freeway and up to the crest of the hill. At this point the “Main Yarra Trail” is reached; turn left and follow the spur downhill to the Fairfield pipe bridge. Cross the bridge, noting the Fairfield Boat House to the right, and follow the path up to the right before reaching a turnoff to the left, just before the car park. Turn here as the track double-backs on itself before turning to the right and then crossing Yarra Bend road. Follow the track as it curves left, above the Merri Creek to the right. Keep following the track as it passes a lookout to the right and then eventually drops downhill to pass underneath the Eastern Freeway.

The track reaches a pedestrian bridge over Merri Creek. Cross here to have a look at Dights Falls and remains of an old mill and weir. Return across the bridge and follow the path as it follows the bank of the Yarra, initially at river level and then climbing high above to eventually meet Yarra Bend road. Here, turn immediately to the right down a dirt track through an avenue of European trees. Follow this track, again by the banks of the Yarra until it climbs to meet Kanes Bridge. Cross here back to the starting point.

Refreshments are available at both the Fairfield and Studley Park Boathouses. Row boats can also be hired at Studley Park Boathouse, which has very pleasant surroundings for a picnic.

View map (in Google Maps)

Yarra Bend Park ramble (kmz file) for use in Google Earth.

This walk, which also makes a good run, starts at Westerfolds Park in the northern suburbs. Westerfolds is part of an impressive series of urban parks all based around the Yarra River. The walk takes in part of the “Main Yarra Trail” a bike riding/walking track that travels about 35km from Eltham to the City centre, all off-road.

Start at the parking area next to the main road bridge over the Yarra. If approaching from the south, the turn-off is just before the bridge (the side road curves underneath the bridge to the parking area on the other side – google maps doesn’t show this turn-off but it is there), from the north it is immediately after crossing the bridge. The walk commences east uphill to Candlebark park, continues to Petty’s Orchard, an ‘antique’ apple orchard (i.e. growing varieties that are no longer produced commercially), before turning back at Tikalara park.

The track is very easy to follow and total distance is about 6.3km. The route could be extended by continuing on at Tikalara park, or taking the bridge over the Yarra and then doing a circuit of Eltham Lower park, or perhaps a ride on the miniature railway there.

View map (in Google Maps)

Click here for a kmz file for use in Google Earth.

This was my “20th anniversary” walk up Mt Feathertop, and I ascended by the popular Bungalow Spur route. A nice day, so there was quite a bit of traffic. A prior post with a map and link to Parks Victoria track notes can be found here.