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| Lake Tarli Karng Beautiful bushwalking coutry near Licola, Victoria. Top: The Lake which can only be reached on foot. Bottom: The Wellington River. THE WALKS... These walks has it all. From beautiful eucalypt forests to alpine grasslands, meandering creeks, sandy beaches, wildlife... but be prepared to get your feet wet with the river crossings. I have reached the lake on two separate occasions, from the south and from the north. Both routes have their special features. The southern route, leaving from the carpark on Tamboritha Rd near Licola is on a marked track and is meandering and reasonaby easy, except for the final steep section leading up to the lake. One hiker we met along the way was on his ninth trip to the lake! The creek crossings are fun and there is a great sandy beach to camp on along the way, and if you're lucky you might even spot the elusive rakali (native water rat!). However the northern route is an adventure... we foolishly followed (well, tried to) the instructions found from an old copy of Tyrone Thomas' '120 walks in Victoria', but neglected to photocopy the relevant pages to take with us! |
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| EASTER 2003 The walk began easy enough, although it was late in the day when we finally left. The drive from Melbourne is a long one, to McFarlanes saddle along Moroka Rd, about 60 km from Licola. So Simon and I arrived late, and headed off as it began to get dark. We wanted to get at least a few kms away from the car before we settled down for the night. We camped on the hillslope above a frost hollow, near Dunsmuir's Hut. Easter in the mountains can be quite chilly, we discovered! Putting up with the cold overnight, we were rewarded in the morning with the grasslands dusted with frost glittering in the early sun. Yellow button daisies and the dainty Alpine Gentians were in flower, giving a splash of colour to the alpine grasslands. The walk was picturesque. The trail wound its way along the Wellington Plain across the grasslands alongside gnarled snow gums, in the shadow of the nearby towering hills and past alpine marshes. The walk took us the one of the most spectacular views in Victoria, from Gable End Plateau. The scene is of endless green hills, rolling away into the distance further than one can see, not a human-cinstructed object in sight nor sound. The second night we camped in a grove of snow gums, protected from the howling winds. |