Name of walk – Mc Millan Track walk
Date – Sat 14th April, 2019
No. of participants – 15
Leader – Bob Shaw
Location of starting point – Paradise Falls, King Valley
Distance planned for the walk – 14.5 KM
Weather – fine, mild and slightly cloudy, no wind
Description of walk –
10.30am start – west of the car park is the start of the Paradise falls track. This track proceeds consistently uphill for 3 km till a t-intersection with the Wabonga Track. We had morning tea at this intersection.
11.15am – You then walk in a northerly direction along the 4WD Wabonga Track for another 2 km till you reach a car park with splendid views towards the west across the King River Valley. You can see Lake William Hovell, adjacent peaks as well as the upper King Valley towards Mt Buller. We sat on the cliff tops and enjoyed lunch at this viewpoint.
12.30pm – We then continued on the Wabonga Track and walked north again. This track continued as a 4WD Management Vehicle Only (M.V.O.) track along the ridge line for another 3 – 4 km before starting to descend to the floor of the King Valley.
After continuous decent we finished up just south of Chrismont winery and near the powerlines which were in an east-west direction.
We then ascended along a management track which had once been used by the old State Electricity Commission to observe the powerlines and finally descended to Burrow’s Lane where the shuttle vehicle was waiting at about 3.30pm.
Whilst the majority of the group enjoyed afternoon tea the 5 drivers were taken back to paradise Falls to collect the vehicles.
Degree of difficulty – Medium grade walk
Problems – there was only time for those not involved in the car shuffle to see Paradise Falls. As it transpired there was no waterfall anyway but everyone describes the Falls as a lovely spot to visit.
Other Comments – We left Wangaratta at 8.30am. We drove through Whitfield and Cheshunt. At Cheshunt two cars went along the Upper King Valley road and one of these cars was left in Burrows Lane for the end of the walk car shuffle. The other 3 cars went straight to Paradise Falls, 13 km beyond Cheshunt and all walks in these cars went down from the Paradise Falls carpark and viewed the Paradise Falls.
We commenced the walk at 10.30 am after the car shuffle and we had finished the walk by 4.00pm and were back in Wangaratta at 5.00pm. A car shuffle is required at the start of the walk. A car needs to be left at the end of the walk in Burrows Lane, about 500m. from the turnoff from the main King Valley Road. Burrow’s Lane is accessed from the King Valley Road – at Cheshunt you turn to the right and take the road towards Lake William Hovell but after 2 – 3 km and after passing by Chrismont Winery on your left you then turn into Burrows Lane before you cross over the King River.
Whilst the car shuffle was taking place the rest of the group continued on from Cheshunt for about 13km and followed the sign posts on both bitumen then gravel road to the Paradise Falls Carpark. This meant that those that went to the Falls first could descend to the falls have a look around and return to the Paradise Falls Carpark around the time that those involved in the car shuffle arrived for the start of the walk proper.