High Country After Christmas

[tiujana]

Am travelling from SA to the Vic High Country after Christmas for nearly two weeks.
Any suggestions? Will it be crowded? If the weather continues will the creeks and rivers be running? Will I need a snorkle on the Discovery (nearly broke getting all the bits for my cheap car computer ha ha ha )
Any sugestions are welcome. Intend to camp in swags and stay at the odd motel pub to keep the wife happy.

Thanks

[Michael]

Hi tiujana
I was up there on a bush walk last week.
Sheepyard flat, Ritches Hut, straight up the spur to Bluff Hut, Lovicks Hut, King Billy 1, Mt Magdala, Big Hill, Mt Howitt, Howitt Spur (which is now burning) down to the Upper Howqua.
Howqua & Delatite lower than I have ever seen them at this time of year, you can step across them on stones where previously you were wading over knee deep.
Most small creeks dry, very hard to find water.
With the fires that started over the WE most of the High Country could be closed for weeks.
Checkout latest fire situation:
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrenfoe.nsf/LinkView/3815545C812B0DF0CA256F890005DEBBB9087B000442FFBCCA256F890006E18B

regards Michael

[arthurking83]

Hi tiujana,

I'd be taking Michaels advice very seriously, don't plan to stay in the high country, but if the chance to get up there arises, all the better.

Listening to the cricket today(GO AUSSIES!!! :D), the broadcast was interrupted every half hour to warn folks of the impending fires, and advising people in the high country area around Licola/Jamieson/WoodsPoint to leave.


:)

[tiujana]

Been planning this trip since a couple of Vics told me at Easter that Christmas was a great time to visit. Had a look at the fires map and WOW ( not what I actually said). The wife said Ill be going on my own but have no desire to be burnt alive.
Is this because of the drought or a storm, lightning etc, we have had no media coverage of this in SA.
What is the best time to visit, we can only travel in school holidays.
The other place we have always wanted to visit is the Glenelg River but I imagin that that will be extremely crowded in the holidays.

Thanks for the past info

[Michael]

Hi tiujana
The fires are a result of a combination of natural build up of fuel, the drought has meant everything is much, much dryer than usual at this time of year & started by lightning.
Camping on the upper Howqua last Thursday night we noticed a gradual build up of cloud cover, low on the horizon all round we could see lightning flashes & heard distant thunder. It rained briefly for about 5 min. But was generally a dry electrical storm that started many spot fires which smouldered thru Friday which was a fine, mild, calm day.
As the wind & temp rose on Sat they spread & joined up.
By this weekend most of the high country is likely to be one big mega fire that will burn for weeks until some decent rain falls.

Driving from Mansfield back to Melb the countryside looked far more like it does in late Feb than early Dec.

Sure glad I went on my bushwalk last week.

regards Michael

[flatearth]

Even after the fires are out large parts of the parks and forests will be closed for a while.

Try Sentinel (hotspot mapping system) to get the latest info.

http://sentinel.ga.gov.au/acres/sentinel/index.shtml

Cheers,

[hangover]

I would put it off till easter, even if there were no fires it would be pretty hot up there.

[Out-of-towner]

~ we have had no media coverage of this in SA.

That's a bit rough. The fires are getting a bit of coverage here in Germany!

OoT

[deegum]

I reckon the only way to get to the high country this summer will be while wearing nice yellow overalls, in a nice bright red truck. :sad-smile
Its frightening!