Grampians

spida · Guru

Grampians

Happywanderer · The Master

I saw that on the news spida. Said a small country town in the area was in danger.

herbie · Guru

Just heared on ABC news the fire is heading towards Dunkeld from the Grampians fire , they said it was 30 ks away. that was on the 10 pm news 17/ 2 / 2013.

spida · Guru

Halls Gap is fine - no smoke at all and they have opened the road south now but just asking tourists to keep off for a few more day.
What a lovely spot this is although I have just realised there is a high dam wall just above this CP!!!! Hope it doesnt rain too much and cause an overflow:)

herbie · Guru

Hi Spida, have stayed in that c/park a few times , is it still as nice as we have always found it to be. Hard to believe that a town used to be under where the dam is.Don't know how full it is at the moment but when the water is low you can see the steaple of one of the churches the swimming pool,parths and roads.Also further down the road towards Victoria Vally is a beaut spot called Jimmy's Creek.So much to see around there if you take your time.Lake Fynes is another nice place to have a look at , don't know if you can still free camp accross the other side of the lake from the c/ park. What way are you heading from Halls Gap ?

Regards Herbi.

spida · Guru

grampians a.jpg IMG_0357 a.jpg reids lookout a.jpg The park is lovely. New owners, new ablution rooms. Interesting about the lake - didnt know that. Is not full - maybe 3-4 m from top. Will ask the owners if they know all that. I really like the price also especially after staying just south of Stawell at a dusty, sloping, unkempt park for a little bit more!
Pobably head towards Mt Gambier via Horsham. Drove up through the Grampians today, Wartook, Roses Gap, and will see what else is around tomorrow. Victoria/ Jimmys creek might be a problem with the fires although road to Dunkeld is open now.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Love the Grampians - if you are still around Halls Gap, go along the Stawell Road and turn in at the signto the rubbish dump - there is a place just near the dump that is called Devils Garden - the most amazing thing in the spring - wildflowers, grasstrees shooting out multiple candleabra - stunning - Devil was a dog who used to live there, I believe.

Enjoy a beautiful part of the world!

herbie · Guru

Hi Spida, another really nice place to say is up at Rocklands , so many little hidden treasures around that area.We thought we would stay a few days when we visited we ended up staying 3 weeks . just moved a little bit every few days .We went out to see where the flying Dr TV series was made cannot think of the name of the place ,but we had lunch in the pub that they used in the show. also another place on the way to Mount Gambier is a little place called Pinolla, great wine area and very old preserved buildings. Loved it over that way . One of the few places we have on our return list to visit.

Big Gorilla · Guru

Was hoping to free camp around Halls Gap mid April. Any good free camp spots ?

herbie · Guru

Hi Spida, i have the right place ,the town was called Mytleford ( may have the name spelt wrong though) it was not a big town, probably more like a small village in size. i went there for a holiday with my family when i was a small boy and stayed in the guest house that was there .May be the stepple has dissapeared now through weather conditions. The lake is man made and very deep , even on a very hot day the water is so cold. My family owned a property out of Horsham.Also went for a swin in the pool that used to be there.A lot of new people would not know a lot of historey that surounds that area.We was lucky enough to walk on some of the old bitumen that was still there , i commented to my wife that they sure do not make roads today like back then.I think the dam was constructed in the 1960s . Another nice place to camp is a place called Borough Huts about 11k south of Halls Gap. But with all the fires there at the moment i don't know if it would be open.

-- Edited by herbie on Friday 22nd of February 2013 04:19:50 PM

spida · Guru

herbie wrote:
Hi Spida, i have the right place ,the town was called Mytleford ( may have the name spelt wrong though) it was not a big town, probably more like a small village in size. i went there for a holiday with my family when i was a small boy and stayed in the guest house that was there .May be the stepple has dissapeared now through weather conditions. The lake is man made and very deep , even on a very hot day the water is so cold. My family owned a property out of Horsham.Also went for a swin in the pool that used to be there.A lot of new people would not know a lot of historey that surounds that area.We was lucky enough to walk on some of the old bitumen that was still there , i commented to my wife that they sure do not make roads today like back then.I think the dam was constructed in the 1960s . Another nice place to camp is a place called Borough Huts about 11k south of Halls Gap. But with all the fires there at the moment i don't know if it would be open.

-- Edited by herbie on Friday 22nd of February 2013 04:19:50 PM

Cool - thanks for that - will look it up. I thought you meant that an old Halls Gap was flooded. biggrin

Mmmm - only Myrtleford I could find was over at Mt Beauty south of Wangaratta so maybe your childhood guest house was replaced with Halls Gap village when the dam filled. The history book at Brambuk here only talks about a hotel (Bellfield) that was flooded by this lake in 1960 so that sounds like your guest house. The plot thickens smile

The cp owner went for a walk into the dam 13 years ago when it was dry and saw the guest house - only the floor and plates, cups etc lying around. Photo from 1947. Interesting though - a shame we didnt record all the history from back when. . Bellfield hotel.jpg .

-- Edited by spida on Friday 22nd of February 2013 05:07:15 PM

spida · Guru

No free camps - is a National Park. Cost $17.50 for a vehicle (including caravan or trailer) and up to 6 people per night. Seem to be a few ranger vehicles around also.
Trooper Creek is the only camp I have seen and a bit of water damage on the access road.
Good road for van to Troopers via Roses Gap, but definitely not over the Horsham Road from the village. The park is closed for camping because of the fire so who knows once that is out. Over 30,000ha now.
Zumsteins camp is closed also - washed out and fenced off although there is a parking area over the road but may not be for camping.
The parking area over the road here from the Lakeside CP says no camping also.

spida · Guru

herbie wrote:
Hi Spida, have stayed in that c/park a few times , is it still as nice as we have always found it to be. Hard to believe that a town used to be under where the dam is.Don't know how full it is at the moment but when the water is low you can see the steaple of one of the churches the swimming pool,parths and roads.Also further down the road towards Victoria Vally is a beaut spot called Jimmy's Creek.So much to see around there if you take your time.Lake Fynes is another nice place to have a look at , don't know if you can still free camp accross the other side of the lake from the c/ park. What way are you heading from Halls Gap ?
Regards Herbi.

Hi Herbie

Your comments on the steeple etc had me intrigued. Must be another lake as I am told that there was only a pub flooded by the lake - there was nothing else around it. 13 years ago you could walk right down to the pub - lake had dried up. Spent ages at the Brambuk Centre yesterday going through the history book they have there and the town hasnt been shifted either. Now you have me really curious confuse

Happywanderer · The Master

Hi Spida, managed to get myself a pr of those Aussie Thongs from the Childers chemist yesterday, 35 dollars. Very pleased to find them and oh so comfortable.

herbie · Guru

Hi Spida, i have the right place ,the town was called Mytleford (Â may have the name spelt wrong though) it was not a big town, probably more like a small village in size.Â iÂ went there for a holiday withÂ my family whenÂ i was a small boy and stayed in the guest house that was there .May be the stepple has dissapeared now through weather conditions. The lake is man made and very deep , even on a very hot day the water is so cold. My family owned a property out of Horsham.Also went for a swin in the pool that used to be there.A lot of new people would not know a lot of historey that surounds that area.We was lucky enough to walk on some of the old bitumen that was still there , i commented to my wife that they sure do not make roads today like back then.I think the dam was constructed in the 1960s . Another nice place to camp is a place called Borough Huts about 11k south of Halls Gap. But with all the fires .....WOW thank you for that pic it brought back so many fun times we had as a family in that old guest house ...you are so right in saying that was the name of the guest house ..the village was called Mytelford (maybe spelt wrong ) the area was a property before the village was even thought of .Gee if we could just roll back time. Thank you once again i am going to save that pic for sure....Another beaut welcoming town/ village is Natimuk about 27 k west of Horsham on the way to Mt Gambia Natimuk it is at the southern end of thevLittle Dessert and close by is Mt Arapilies it is a sand ston monolith that is described as victoria's ayers Rock. It is located in the mt Arapilies state park .Think you can still camp out there.

Regards Herbie

spida · Guru

thank you Herbie. Glad you like the pix. Found it on the net.