A group of thirteen walkers presented for the Wileman Track and Mount Samaria walk on Sunday April 12.
Mount Samaria is quite some distance from Wangaratta, and by the time the car shuffling was completed it had taken about one and three quarters of an hour to finally begin.
Daylight saving had ended, and so there was incentive to finish well in daylight hours. The forecast was for a cool day, with the possibility of a little shower. With this in mind, more layers of clothing were added, with the hope that by the afternoon the temperature would reach double digits.
Alan wasn’t taking any chances, and proceeded to wear thick gloves that would usually been seen when tackling Mount Everest, or possibly on the moon. It would remain to be seen if today’s group were of the hardy, or the foolhardy variety.
We began the start of the Wileman Track from The Back Creek Falls location. A group photo opportunity always presents itself at the start of any walk, and then we were away. These Falls are not far from the Mount Samaria Road, and while a little rain had fallen recently, it was just enough for a cascading waterfall to be observed, with wonderful views over the lower end of the park.
During walking the Wileman Track we encountered quite a few fallen trees. Once again, the age-old dilemma of ‘over or under’ presents itself to each individual walker. Do you bend, or do you climb? Do you think about your back or your knees? Some parts of the track were quite picturesque, with water sodden magical fern gullies adorned with mushrooms of many types. Varieties that might perhaps make it into a Beef Wellington.
Speaking of food, the Camphora Campsite was chosen as our morning tea spot. A suitable open area in the forest, it included a welcomed toilet, picnic table, plenty of logs to sit upon, and simple bush camping amenities. After a welcomed break, and many a story to be shared, it was time to move on.
Wild Dog Creek Falls was the next location. We passed several families making their ascent from the Falls. Undeterred by the descriptions of their experience, we continued. The walk to these Falls requires sturdy knees as the descent was made over steps that Andre the Giant must have put in place.
Even those of us with longer legs than some found these steps required quite a substantial stride. The Falls here were also very slight, but the great views from the observation platform showed the surrounding native bushland of the park. Although the campsite for the Falls is nearby, lunch was taken at the Falls, where we all could admire the scenery.
After lunch we walked to the campsite, where some options of distances were presented. It was agreed to walk to Mount Samaria Road, and then make a final decision from there. It was at this point the group divided into two. One group would continue to walk the steep link track to Mount Samaria, while the others returned to the car at the Spring Creek Sawmill campground, via the Mount Samaria Road.
During the morning, I had conversations with Agni, a new walker with the club, who is originally from Estonia. My knowledge of European geography is limited to the usual countries we all know about. “Flat” was the simple word she used to describe the topography of the country. The highest peak in Estonia is a little over 300m.
Mount Samaria summit is 953m above sea level. The link track required the group to climb about 170m over 750m. The steep incline was certainly a heart starter, if it had not already been pumping from the previous nine kilometres already completed. These types of hikes become more challenging since we get heavier as we get older, due to there being a lot more information in our heads.
The loose leaves, wet bark and twigs, mother nature’s original mulch, made the trail slippery in places. Reaching the summit though does have its benefits. While not a sunny and clear day, we were rewarded with 180 degrees views over the Park, and well into the distance. After a group photo of those who conquered the summit, it was time for the cautious descent.
It was during the descent that orange markers became evident. These were certainly welcomed, because as the trail ages, and is less used, some parts are not as evident as others. At the bottom of the descent a final intersection was reached. It was suggested to the group that the final leg be completed along the Mount Samaria Road, rather than continue along the trail.
The best view had been observed, the two waterfalls had been visited, some of the best trail had been hiked and, with another major ascent and descent ahead along the usual trail, and with time getting on, it was a wise decision. The road was only about 100m away, and we then followed it towards the end point at the historic Spring Creek Sawmill campground.
Thank you to our drivers for the day, and everyone who attended. For those that completed the summit, my GPS recorded almost 16km in a little over six hours. Today’s walkers were obviously of the hardy type.
[Michael Braendler]