Lowes Mount Trip – Saturday 6th May. – trip leader. (Karate Kid).
We met at Sutton Park Blackheath. Matt prayed and eight vehicles took off. Our next meeting spot was Diamond Vale Rd (at the place where the actual trip was to begin).
So, after morning tea we headed down the hill and turned left for the climb up the other side. Looking to the right the views were magnificent. The forest had been harvested and the new trees were only a metre in height. You could see for miles (kilometers for the young). We reached the spot where we had gone for lunch on the Recce trip and found it to be too small with the number of vehicles that we had on the day. So, instead of going down into it we turned left and went into a new and unsurveyed track. Up the hill we went and found three tracks. The Beatson kids challenged and encouraged Karate Kid (author of this article) to take the steep track . In low first Karate kid crawled the Patrol up the hill. More magnificent views waited for us at the top and more pictures were snapped. It was starting to get crowded so we started to go down the other side. There at the bottom of the track was a log but on investigation there was plenty of room to get through. We turned left and headed back around to the start. Alex wanted to do it in reverse (really? I hope he had good mirrors! – Ed.) The last couple of vehicles still needed to go down when we returned. While we were waiting Ben’s friend Simon arrived. He had seen us traveling the tracks.
Everyone was now back and there was still more exploring to do. Still a bit early for lunch, so turned right. This was another unexplored track. It traveled along a native tree line on the left and reaped ground to the right. The track veered off to the right and down. There were large boulders on the slopes. The track now veered to the left and the fearless trip leader came to a pile of dirt on the track – walked past it and found the track petered out. The call was put out to turn around and go back. The track was soft especially on the edges and a couple of drivers were slipping their clutches. (Bad practice!!! – Ed.) I even had an unconfirmed report that someone got out their recovery tracks.
I was able to get past everyone and lead the convey to the lunch spot. The area was nice and flat not far from the creek. There were a few poplar trees and the autumn colours were beautiful. Everyone enjoyed their lunch and good fellowship.
After lunch it was time for the big challenge. I asked everyone to get out and walk the steep rutted section of track. Simon and Alex were up with me checking out the path that they would take their vehicles. Issues were identified but at the end of the day no one drove up the hill. (Mob of chickens!!! – Ed.)
Everyone returned to their vehicles and we were going into unexplored territory. It was easier to go forward than to try to go back. The track had a lot of blackberries on it and there was continual stopping to clear it. (No one seems to like getting their vehicles ‘pin striped’ these days!) The track went along and then went down to a creek. Up the other side was Diamond Vale Rd. where we turned right. We headed back and passed the lunch spot, then turned left and followed the trail. The track took us past the rutted track and it was amazing the number of kangaroos who crossed our path. We even had a fox run towards us before going off into the bushes.
Our travels took us to a gate with the usual private property sign and we veered left and followed the fence line.
We soon came back on to the surveyed track and looking for the short cut to Faugha Ballaugha Rd. I stopped to clear some ‘scratchies’ at the beginning before getting onto Faugha Ballaugha Rd. From here we turned on to O’Connell Rd and right into Mutton Falls Rd at O’Connell. We stopped at Flat Rock Reserve about 7km down the road for afternoon tea and then to say our goodbyes.
See you on the TRAX
Comments by TRAX Fax editor