Day 1 Steavensons Falls Monday 20 November 2023Distance: 8.5km, easy, 3.5 hrs
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We all gathered in the Rotunda area at the caravan park keen and eager for our walks to begin. Club group was going on 2 different walks this morning - one group doing the more challenging Keppel Falls Lookout walk and the remainder of us to complete the walk to Steavensons Falls.
We set off on the well formed and marked trail circling around the town of Marysville, before picking up the Tree Fern Gully Nature Trail heading for the falls. We walked along the Steavenson River enjoying the stunning scenery and admiring how the landscape has recovered from the devastating bushfires of 2009. After walking up and down the trail we were greeted by the view of the waterfalls through the trees. Up close this is a truly beautiful spot - these falls have a drop of 84m and due to the forest catchment around, they have a year round water flow going over them. Some of the group went a little higher and went to the top of the waterfalls to get a different view, with a good lookout over the Steavenson valley.
We returned back to base camp along the same track with some rest breaks to stop and observe the snakes! This was the epitome of bushwalking, with good company, great bush and a fantastic destination. Many thanks to Les for leading this walk
Robyn Scott
Day 2 The Michaeldene Trail, Tuesday, 21 November 2023
Distance: 10km, easy, 3 hrs
On 21 November 2023 at 9am, 28 walkers gathered by the rotunda outside Marysville Caravan Park to begin the 10km Michaeldene Trail led by Les and Ian. It was a warm cloudy morning. We expected light rain throughout the morning which never came.
As we ascended, the sclerophyll forest appeared to have recovered well from the 2009 fires. However, Bracken fern was prominent, indicating a serious disturbance in the past. The tall eucalypts (Mountain ash and Peppermints), although weathered, had soot wrinkles testament to their ordeal. Dianella, fringe lillies and pink trigger plants put on a great display, birds were in full song and the flies were very friendly. Unlike the walk to Steavensons Falls the previous day, no snakes were spotted; no doubt this was because Dales ‘good looking eyes’ were absent rather than the snakes themselves. A blue tongue lizard was spotted on our descent. Someone noted that it was very light in colour, perhaps indicating that it had recently shed its skin.
When we got to the top of the hill we were all grateful Les and Ian had spared us the steep Red Hill Track. We stopped at the Taggerty River Lookout. The water looked amazing but we didn’t see any of the fish on the educational board. While it was a very pretty spot it was overrun with blackberries. Morning tea was enjoyed at the Taggerty River Picnic spot not far away. Friends, new and old, chatted happily. Some refreshed themselves by wetting neck scarfs and clothing. I was warmed to see one member checking for any rubbish (there was none) before we began the descent past the Trestle Bridge back to Marysville. It was a terrific morning!
Thanks to Les and Ian for leading us, Les for the Map and Sherran for the beautiful photos.
Christine Edwards
Day 2 Lake Mountain Summit, Tuesday, 21 November 2023
We came prepared. Lake Mountain’s summit was our destination and our intrepid leader, Les, had warned us of the 12 degrees temperature at the top, a sharp contrast to the sticky, warm 23 degrees we were experiencing in Marysville. Puffers, scarves, jackets were hastily donned before setting off on the half hour drive to the car park.
Up we drove through forests of eucalypts with alpine ash predominating the closer we came to the top. Near the summit occasional views of scarred hillsides, bare apart from the skeletal white remains of burnt trees, provided us with a stark and sobering reminder of the 2009 bushfires.
Strangely, after emerging from our vehicles to begin the 4 km summit loop we noticed the temperature seemed almost identical to that of the valley below. What had happened to the expected cold alpine conditions? The weather was clearly all over the place. The predicted rain for midday had not eventuated and now no inkling of the 12 degrees. So within minutes of the climb up the track, (of course it had to be up), came a flurry of activity. The multi layers many of us had on were inducing sauna like conditions, red faces and sweaty brows. So off like a shot came the puffer jackets, merino wool tops and fleece jackets amidst gasps of relief. Phew!
After a short climb past the sign indicating a decidedly dormant flying fox, we reached the first of the viewpoints, Taggerty Valley, welcomed by a cooling breeze and truly impressive views of the surrounding waves of mountains, stretching to the far horizon. Truly a sight to behold. Way in the distance nestled in the valley was Marysville. On our left a fairly impressive fluffy white cloud appeared to be rolling in but then veered away. Luckily no sign of inclement weather, so far so good.
Onward we went passing the summit sign 1433 metres above sea level over rock platforms and on narrow winding tracks towards the next viewpoint. Lining the paths were mint bushes and other flora, much of it flowering, interspersed between the gnarled and twisted trunks and branches of snow gums, perfectly adapted to surviving the extremes of the alpine environment. It was truly heartening to see so much regrowth and regeneration.
The second viewpoint, the Alps lookout was equally magnificent -once again wave upon wave of rolling mountains, including the daunting sounding names of Mt Terrible and Mt Bullfight as marked on the information board. There was even a pointer to Los Angeles, 12,100 km away as the crow flies!
Given the fact that we had taken longer than anticipated our trusty leader, after consultation with us all, decided we would need to skip the next viewpoint if we were to be back in time for a most important celebratory afternoon tea at 5 pm, (not mentioning any names, birthday girl) followed by dinner at 6.30 pm. So the pace quickened and we descended to the car park after a delightful afternoon ‘stroll’ with the best of all worlds -rewarding views, great company, well defined tracks, good weather, (even if considerably warmer than expected), fresh mountain air and flowering flora, all most ably led by Les. Many thanks to Les for a top notch walk.
