Day 233 Dogs Grave to Talbottville

 VIC Day 9 (233) Thursday 13th January, 2022 76.9km with diversion

Early start for the long walk. The day would normally be about 31 k but with diversion down Jones road to get a bridge across the Dargo River it will take about 43 kilometres to get to the same spot.

Sunrise

The road heading down

Clouds down there

The day again is unremarkable just walking along Birregun Road. I pass the trail turnoff down Stock Route Sour Track and are seriously tempted to try my luck with the river crossing but the steep hill puts me off as it's a 1000 metre drop in height over 3.5 kilometres and I'm not willing to climb back up.

Drop off to Dargo River

So I keep plodding along. I had a joke with Belinda that if a car came along I would offer them a beer to get me down to Dargo Pub. But the Pub had shut down and I had passed two road closed sign but didn't expect to see any cars.

I was sitting down eating lunch when a car did pull up. Nick had talked to a council worker and had gone up the Upper Livingstone Road but had missed the second notice at the State Forest Boundary about the Jones Road Closure. We had a chat and since I had a photo of the diversion we decided he would give me a lift down to Dargo via the vehicle diversion. I think the whole diversion added about 60 kilometres. In the end he would have been fine as they did have detour signs at the track intersections and end up coming into Dargo from the south. It saved me the 6 kilometre walk down Jones Road.

In Dargo the pub and the Inn were shut but I picked up a coffee. We headed back up to the trail on the Upper Dargo Road and after having a discussion, Nick took me over the Dargo High Plains Road and showed me around Grant then took me on to Talbotville. A bit of a cheat for me. Half of it was Bitumen road to Grant which looked like it was ready to fall into the valley with the bitumen sagging dramatically for about a third of the width.

Nick also offered me a beer and we sat and talked about plans we have. I've invited him home when he visits Perth. Hope everyone I've invited don't all roll up together. Then I get some Vegemite and corn thins from him. Cheese would have made the ideal snack but corn thins and Vegemite are a good combination anyway. Puts a different smell in the tent at night though.

Grant

Brewery Creek

Fruit Trees at Talbotville

My Company

I set up beside Brewery Creek and contemplate staying an extra day as I've bypassed a days walk. Although I've added half the distance doing part of the diversion. We have cows for company so that lovely cow poo smell I'm used to returns. There are also fruit trees and I think it's a plum is in fruit though they are cherry tomato size. I have a few. There's also a fig that is going to heavy in ripe fruit soon. There are 4 camping groups including me along the river and I can see it would be very popular.

Camp at Talbotville

Day 232 Birregun Road to Dogs Grave

 VIC Day 8 (Day 232) Wednesday 12 January, 2022 17.5km

4812.1 / 401.3km

Today was a simple 17.5k walk to a camp site called Dogs Grave. All along Birregun Road. There was a bit of fog. The walk was mainly uneventful. There were showers on and off and I got to the campsite by about lunch time.

The start off

Climbing the Range

Road into Dogs Grave

It was a surprise to see a hut here. Put up by the Australian Deerhunters Association. Well built hut and no holes for critters and birds to get in. The inside walls are graffitied with signatures of visitors. I found Sasha's under Tegan and Tom's another couple I followed who rode the trail north in 2017. I think they went on to the top of Cape York. I added my signature to this area to keep the Trail bits altogether. Added a note to say Sascha had completed the journey. She would have only been on trail less than a month. Full of enthusiasm. I'm getting a little jaded though.

The Deer Hunters Hut

The National Trail Signatures

Dogs Grave is named because another drifter buried his faithful hound here in 1863. I set up the tent mesh in the hut and tried to dry stuff out with showers coming across every so often. A couple spending the weekend camping came down to the Grave and we ended having a brew together. He is an army man transferred to Bandyanna. I thought that was artillery in my day. He was born the year I joined and has been serving 20 years. Makes me feel old now. Spent a quiet restful night in the hut. A long walk tomorrow with a 12 or 15k diversion.

The Dogs Grave

Day 231 Omeo to Birregun Road

 VIC Day 7 (Day 231) Tuesday 11th January, 2022 15.8km

4793.5 / 419.9km

Got out of bed keen to go. Not a big day and maybe a breakfast on the way out. Then I look out the window, it's pouring rain.

The Day Looks wet

The pub puts on a continental breakfast so I go down and have a coffee, cereal and toast and just look out the window. I was thinking of calling the day off but looking at the radar there was a break due around 11am.

My view from breakfast

I decided to walk downtown and get a coffee and see what happens. After an hour I need to either buy more stuff or just suck it up and move. In the end I leave Omeo in drizzling rain. At least it's not heavy and likely to cause massive creek rises like a week ago. You could see the Livingstone Creek level at about a metre and a bit higher and machines were down repairing the damage in the riverside park.

Livingstone Creek. You can see the flood level.

I was at least heading for the hills again. When I get to turn off the bitumen road into Upper Livingstone Road there's a road closed sign.

A few quick messages via Belinda and the council just says there's been some washaways but walking through is OK.

I was given the OK

One floodway to negotiate then a simple walk to the camp site. However on this corner there's another road closed sign saying the road I've been asked to detour down further up to bypass trying to cross a flooded Dargo River is also closed due to a landslide.

No Access to Dargo??

I took a photo of the detour

More messaging and it appears walkers, horses and motorbikes can still get through. So a wet set up and another short day planned as I climb the range.

An old wreck

Day 229 + 230 Omeo

 Vic Day 5 and 6 (229 & 230) Sunday 9th and Monday 10th January, 2022 Zero Days

4796.5 / 416.9km

This is my last stop before a 3 week walk to the next town of Marysville. I need to make sure I got everything ready. The next walk goes close to the Dargo Pub and I plan a diversion for some Pub grub. Then I get the message the Dargo has closed due to a close contact Covid case. At this stage its closed till the 14th January. I can wangle getting there on that date. Disappointing as the next section to Howitt Hut is 7 or 8 days and the Dargo was a break in there.

It means I have to pack as if I don't get a meal. Omeo has good food and cafes so I enjoy the break before the final push.

Omeo also has a laundromat. I go down to wash and meet Monica. We all need a Monica in our life(Mambo No 5). Feisty 80 year old. Little bit saucy as well. There's only one machine working and Monica hooks me up with Jeffo, a bus driver from Sydney on two week holiday camping in the Alps and visiting friends.

We become undie brothers where our filthy undies mingle in the washing machine and dryer. They smell a lot better with a dash of Dynamo from Monica. We all have a good talk and a laugh.

Laundromats are a good place to talk as are campsites. I've had dinners in both pubs and will pick up a breakfast in a Cafe before leaving tomorrow. Some damage down by the river and its a shame to see the caravan park shut. One of my dinners was planned down at the Red van in the park. I think I'm ready for the final push. Next stop Marysville 3 weeks away then hopefully a 1 day walk over the hill to Healesville. Just the steep hills in the way. I expect to whinge a bit yet.

The Hotel

Getting the chocolate stash

The road into town

Day 228 Native Cat track to Omeo

 VIC Day 4 (228) Saturday 8th January, 2022 50.2km

24.7 walking

The night is restless and the spot I've setup isn't ideal. I think I've got an animal living close and I worry most of the night it may chew its way in. Light showers over night and I'm ready to put in a big day if I can.

The Morning Road

I get a message to say the Omeo Caravan Park has closed permanently as they have suffered their 4th flood. and Tambo River has a flood watch. As I'm walking I'm trying to work out a route. The plan is to try and get down to Bindi Station which is on the Tambo River. There are two ways. One is 25 kilometres across a fairly steep track the other is 12 kilometres longer.

Tambo River South

I don't decide until I get to the turnoff down Garron Point Track which is the shorter steeper route. I do have to cross Tambo River South. I see a couple of cars have come up so I go the short steep way.

The track down to the river is very steep and slippery. I hope I can get across the river. It's going to be a bugger going back up. I can hear the river when I get close and I get a little worried. But when I see it I think it's definitely doable. As long as the depth is OK. I check both sides of the actual track crossing and there are a couple of spots upstream and downstream that look OK. But I decide to wade across the track crossing. The poles check the depth and help me brace the current. The depth is mostly just above knee height but there was a hole just before the exit at ball deep that I slipped into. Didn't really worry me and I stopped and had breakfast before moving on.

One of the drop offs. I was hoping it would be the last

I get to an intersection of the Marble Gully Track and get a message to say don't go to Bindi as they are flooded in with Bindi Creek and Tambo River flooding. Bit late as I'm only 12 kilometres away. To now turn back would involve getting back to a road and going round the Tambo River to Omeo. However once Penny and Fraser from Bindi Station hear where I am they say to keep coming and as long as I can get across the creeks to the homestead then they will give me a lift into Omeo.

Looking down on Bindi Station

So I continue on up and down some steep hills to the back end of Bindi Station. Then it's a walk across their paddocks and a long jump across one creek.

A diversion around a large bull then a boots off wade across Bindi Creek. It started raining as I was crossing the paddocks. No photos in the rain, then I met Penny and Fraser who loaded me in the Ute and drive me into Omeo. Penny drops me off at the Hilltop Hotel the only spot in town with room available. It's raining. Do I attract the rain. From the day I started it seems everyone is having their wettest periods. I'm in Omeo a day early so I intend to stay 3 nights. Hopefully some of the creeks and rivers go down.

A memorial to men killed in 1868. John Jones 32,William Dale 35, Thomas Morley a Shepherd

 aged 35. "These men have no known relatives. They came from the British Isles in search of a better life in a new country.".

Day 227 Native Cat track

 VIC Day 3 (227) Friday 7th January, 2022 19.3

The morning was clear but more rain predicted. Belinda sent a message to say rivers were flooding down Omeo way. More rain predicted today.

Sun Rise 

Fairly Clear

It started clear and I took off early. The walk continues along Native Cat Track until it meets Nunniong Road.

What A good name

Weather coming in

As I'm walking down the road the weather moves back in. I continue walking in my wet weather gear but it's not working all that well. The Outdoor Research jacket doesn't keep out more than a light shower now. The rain gets heavier and when the thunder and lightning move overhead I find a spot just off the road and set up the tent fly to at least keep the rain off. It continues into the afternoon and I decide to stop and stay right where I am.

The initial setup with just groundsheet and fly to keep me out of the rain.

As the rain set in I added the tent inner and stayed.

Day 225 +226 Cowombat Flat to Native Cat Track

 VIC Days 1 & 2 (225&226) Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th January, 2022 22.7km

4501.1 / 597.8 km

I went to sleep fairly early. When it started raining I went into the tent to set up the bed and promptly went to sleep. I felt a bit bad when I woke up again about nine thirty and all was quiet. I didn't socialise with people that had given me cheese and an apple. But I managed to fall asleep again.

The neighbours

In the morning the ladies were up and I was able to say my thanks and be on my way. It's a fairly simple climb back up the Cowombat Track to Limestone Creek Road. The AAWT turns off before the Junction and my bucket is a couple of hundred metres past the AAWT turn off.

The track Out

Some Water

I get to the carpark and there are six cars here. I know of four couples so wonder who the others belong to. Further on I come to the AAWT turnoff and there are a couple camped here with clothes hanging out. I have a chat and they have been doing the AAWT from Walhalla in mid November. This was there resupply points and they tell me an animal has chewed through and their clothes have been damaged and waterlogged. I panic a bit but it turns out their food that was in a plastic bucket was OK. They wrapped their clothes in separate plastic bags and wrapped that in gaffer tape. Still the animals chewed through and wrecked his socks. I've learnt to wrap all smelly things away including soaps as any different smell the animals look for. I've made a mistake of leaving my chewies in my shirt pocket only to find rodents keenly interested.

The Carpark

My resupply bucket

The area they were camped was the best of a very damp area so I decide to fill with water and go get my bucket. It turned out OK and untouched. I was looking forward to the fruitcake and I thought my other treat was some Daryl Lee chocolate but it turned out to be a pack of Sour Patch Kids. Isabelle put me on to these. I like shoving a handful in my mouth and going through the contortions as the sourness and flavour fight with each other. The pack didn't last long.

A clearing beside the wet track

So the next decision was how far to go. The next camp spot is about 23 kilometres away and a large rain band is moving in. On the end I walk but keeping an eye out for a suitable camp spot that's level and not under trees. Hopefully before the rain hits. When I get to Limestone Creek Road there are another 4 cars parked up. In the end I did about 8 or 9 kilometres before I found a good spot. I set up and climbed in the tent as the rain started.

Set up for a rainy day

And it didn't stop. I ended up cooking in the tent and at 5 am it was still raining so I decided to take the day off. I didn't have a good forecast and signal on the phone wasn't helping but the last forecast had the rains easing Saturday. So I was hoping this was the main band and give it a day I will walk through the last of it on Friday. I had to wait till Belinda got out of bed and she gave me the good news that it was a lot of rain and there are flood warnings for creeks and rivers in my area. I will cross the Tambo River now on Sunday. They expect the peak Thursday night. So hopefully a zero day here will help.

The wet track

Problem though is I've lost all my downloaded books on Kindle. Don't know how or why. I've been reading all trip so unless my nipples have played up again who knows. Although Kindle is Amazon so they might have a thing that makes you go back. I haven't been online or in signal range since Thredbo so I can only put it down to me. Although I wouldn't have thought it would be that easy to inadvertently delete 10 or 15 books from the phone.

Anyway nothing to read. Did get a couple of hours sunshine before a new batch of rain moved in. Very relaxing day. Should be able to do 30k tomorrow. Omeo is 5 days away.