Day:

1

Date:

Tuesday, 6 December 1983

AAWT Km:

16.7

AAWT Cumulative Km:

16.7

Journal:  Left Mt Erica Car Park at 2:12pm with Geoff Nicholls, who had driven me from Melbourne.  Walked to Mt Erica (5km) through lush vegetation and eerie fairy-tale rock formations.  Geoff turned back and I walked on across Baw Baw plateau in mist and drizzle.  No views, but quite pleasant.  Got tired near end, but still made it to Whitelaw Hut (burnt out) by 7:30pm. Decided to stop.  17km for day not bad.  Rain getting heavier.  Put up tent (fly wrong way, first time) and had muesli and crackers sheltering inside.  Made tomorrow’s scroggin.  Went to sleep about 9:30pm.  Rain still heavy.

Day:

2

Date:

Wednesday, 7 December 1983

AAWT Km:

33.0

AAWT Cumulative Km:

49.7

Journal:  Woke up at 5:45am.  Still raining. Had breakfast and packed up inside the tent then set off mainly downhill from the Baw Baw plateau.  Got very cold after one hour so stopped and put all gear on.  In lower altitudes, wet rainforest and big pink worms.  Had lunch at Thomson River (21km).  Headed up hill again, but lost scrubby track.  Bush-bashed for an hour on compass bearing and eventually found right track, but cost an hour.  Steep descent to Violet Town on Jordan River.  Too dark (9:00pm) to see how deep the water was.  Decided to sidle across on large slippery log.  Very nearly fell in.  On other side found log ended in middle of blackberries.  Very dark.  Just bashed my way through in shorts.  Cut legs. Had dinner in tent set up in dark.  Went to sleep at 11:00pm.  During the night, one end of the tent fell down.

Day:

3

Date:

Thursday, 8 December 1983

AAWT Km:

24.1

AAWT Cumulative Km:

73.8

Journal:  Slept quite well.  Extremely tired.  Got up at 6:30am but, after breakfast and wash and re-pack, didn’t start walking until 8:30am.  Straight up extremely steep hill for 2 – 3km.  Then, on reaching main road, turned wrong way!  Woke up in Aberfeldy (extra 4km there and 4km back).  Very demoralising.  Feet extremely painful.  Stopped and broke blisters and patched up feet.  Same again at lunch.  Feet very sore.  Walked on to Black River.  750m drop, but “jogged” down quite quickly.  Saw a large feral dog.  Feet so sore.  Took wrong turn, but found out 0.5km later.  Getting dark and stopped at 8:30pm.  Quick tea, feet wash, and into bed.

Day:

4

Date:

Friday, 9 December 1983

AAWT Km:

25.2

AAWT Cumulative Km:

99.0

Journal:  Woke up at 5:45am, but slow to get underway because of repacking scroggin.  Retraced steps for 0.5km and took the right track down to Black River.  Finally crossed for last (fifth) time at 9:00am after one hour of following faint track along and in the river (1.2km).  Ever watchful for snakes.  Fell over once.  After final crossing, stripped off, had dip, and washed socks and undies – freezing cold, leeches.  Then set off up faint track to Mt Shillinglaw – tough climb.  Then to Mt Skene Lookout – another tough climb.  Pleasant sunny warm day.  Then descent to Mt Sunday Track.  More ups and downs.  Treated more blisters at lunch.  Feet very very sore.  Shoulders better since using waist strap.  Saw echidna.  Filled water bottles at trickle stream.  Camped at top of Mt McKinty at 8:10pm just as clouds rolled in.  Legs very tired - climbed altogether 2200m (7000ft) today.

Day:

5

Date:

Saturday, 10 December 1983

AAWT Km:

23.8

AAWT Cumulative Km:

122.8

Journal:  Woke up at 5:30am and on road by 7:00am, determined to make good time.  First 7km to Low Saddle OK, then stuffed around getting water from stagnant pool and losing track.  Very slow ascent up Mt McDonald because of rocky terrain and thick scrub.  Lunch at the top then stopped on the way down and detoured to get more water – lost again and cost 50 minutes.  Trouble with feet and crutch chafe. Fog closed in at Knobs around 6:00pm, then met three guys camped.  Five minute chat.  On way again, but lost track in fog near Cone.  Stuffed around trying to locate myself.  Fog thicker.  Decided to play safe and camp at 8:00pm.  Eerie with complete silence in fog while having dinner.  Magic.

Day:

6

Date:

Sunday, 11 December 1983

AAWT Km:

28.5

AAWT Cumulative Km:

151.3

Journal:  Got up at 5:45am and on road at 7:20am.  Beautiful morning above clouds with mountains poking through like islands.  Climbed High Cone and easily got bearings again.  Skirted Square Top and climbed Mt Clear.  Later stopped at Chesters Yards and had wash and washed shirt.  Saw trail bike group later and then, at 1:00pm, bumped into a school group and gave them a message for Barb.  They couldn’t believe I intended to get to Catherine Saddle in the afternoon (it had taken them 1.5 days).  Realising it would be difficult, I pressed on speedily.  Lunched atop Magdala.  Beautiful grassy area in warm sunshine.  Burnt legs.  Then across Howitt.  Spectacular scenery the whole way then Crosscut Saw and Mt Speculation.  Found nice camp just on the other side.  Had trouble getting water.  Had to scrub bash.  Absolutely beautiful evening.  No clouds, no wind, lovely sunset.  Perfect end to spectacular tiring day.

Day:

7

Date:

Monday, 12 December 1983

AAWT Km:

27.5

AAWT Cumulative Km:

178.8

Journal:  Got up early for big day and set off at 6:30am.  Tedious descent through scrub from Mt Speculation then up Mt Despair after getting water from a trickle running down the road.  After Despair, on to the Razor which took 90 minutes of scrub-bashing to cover 1.5km.  Then down to Viking Saddle where I met a guy and his son (Polish origin) who were walking the AAWT from Mt Skene to Harrietville.  We had a pleasant chat then I carried on up The Viking (1500ft in 50 minutes).  From there it was a tedious, difficult-to-follow, scrub-bash descent to the other side where I had lunch and went looking for water in extremely thick scrub without luck.  Carried on and found a water tank at Barry Saddle.  Then tried to push on to Mt Selwyn South Saddle for the night but at 9:00pm too dark and too tired so stopped.  Just in time because it started to rain.  Over-tired, I had a bad night.

Day:

8

Date:

Tuesday, 13 December 1983

AAWT Km:

24.8

AAWT Cumulative Km:

203.6

Journal:  After bad night (woke with feet aching) got up at 6:30am and set off at 7:50am.  After a couple of kilometres reached Mt Selwyn South Saddle and found water with great difficulty at least a kilometre down a scrubby gully.  Had a wash and picked up several leeches, some of which not discovered in shoes until an hour later. Whole effort took two hours and set off again at 10:50am.  Feet both extremely tender (more blisters) especially on outside of both heels – worried about infection.  Carried on through Barrys on pleasant fire-trails wooded with good views.  More water at Murray Hut – another kilometre there and one kilometre back, but nice little valley.  Carried on up towards The Twins on crest of ridge – alpine meadows with flowers and fantastic views.  Suddenly cloud closed in, wind rose and no views from The Twins.  Bad descent in fog with extremely sore feet.  Will hike to Hotham tomorrow and then head for home.

Day:

9

Date:

Wednesday, 14 December 1983

AAWT Km:

10.9

AAWT Cumulative Km:

214.5

Journal:  Woke up at 6:00am and on road at 7:40am.  Lyre bird outside tent.  Walked to top of Hotham (11km) quite quickly in fog most of the way, but cleared at summit for good views.  Decided to hitch from there as feet showing signs of getting very sore again.  Got a lift to Harrietville, another to Bright, another to Glenrowan and finally another to Benalla.  From there, after a two-hour wait, I caught the 5:50pm train to Melbourne, getting home at about 8:30pm.