The venue for this walk was an old favourite – the White Box Walking Track at Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park.
This National Park incorporates several historic sites from the mining era, and its box-ironbark forest is a major remnant of this once widespread woodland type. The Park covers a wide area of interesting terrain, from north of Chiltern township it reaches almost to Beechworth, and as well as being a safe haven for flora and fauna, is also home to many aspects of the North-east’s human history.
Eight walkers gathered at Rotary Park at 9am for the short drive to the National Park, and here we met five other walkers (from Beechworth and Myrtleford).
The thirteen of us were putting boots onto gravel at 10.15am, and it was a cold start to the morning, with the threat of 10mm of rain (which thankfully didn’t eventuate) but we soon warmed up.
Early on in the walk, we took the time to make a short detour to check out a former gold mining area, and morning tea was held on a collection of fallen trees (just enough room for thirteen of us).
Lunch was enjoyed back at the Honeyeater Picnic Ground, followed by a nice hot cup of tea, and some ANZAC biscuits.
Overall, a very enjoyable 8.5km loop walk; a moderate grade, four hour, ramble through box-ironbark forest with an excellent crew.
Other walks that we have enjoyed in this area include,
- Magenta Mine
- Mount Pilot – Yeddonba Aboriginal Art Site
- Mount Barambogie
- Tuan Track
[Chris M]