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| Lake Jindabyne from Waste Point |
Day One:
Thursday 24 March
Woke up earlier than usual, excited for the trip to the high
country. It’s been two years since I last went down at Easter, and I’ve missed
being out in the wilderness at such an amazing time of the year – the heat of
summer has gone, and the bitter winter days are yet to arrive.
My folks left early. They woke up at some ridiculous hour
and left the house at 6:00am so they can get down to Island Bend and set up
camp before the rain that’s forecast later in the day. Nothing worse than
setting up tents in the rain.
Nathan and I left Sydney around 9:00am and met Trevor down
at Tahmoor. We made a detour to Robertson in the Southern Highlands to see a
friend’s new house. Actually, it’s more of a mansion, with fantastic views
across right out to Shellharbour on the coast. A really nice place, and it was
great to sit out on Reno’s deck in the sunshine and talk for a while. It was
sad when we had to leave, but we still had a good few hours’ drive ahead of us.
And what a fantastic drive it was: we cut through the
southern highlands to Moss Vale and onto the highway down to Goulburn. From
there, we took the back road through Bungendore into Queanbeyan. They’re doing
some pretty serious road works along there, so we had a few slow stretches, and
a bit of traffic. Ate a quick, late lunch in Bungendore, in the courtyard there
– great food.
From Queanbeyan, we drove down the Monaro Highway to Cooma.
It’s one of my favourite stretches of road anywhere in the country. You see the
Brindabella Mountains, the Namadgi National Park, and the distant mountains,
the edge of the Snowies. There’s some great little towns along there –
Michelago and Bredbo, especially – before you reach Cooma.
They call Cooma the Gateway to the Snowy Mountains, and you
don’t have to walk far to see a guy in boots, faded jeans, a flannelette shirt
and an Akubra. That’s how they roll down there. We stopped in at Coles to pick
up some last minute supplies and pressed on.
Instead of taking the main road through Berridale into
Jindabyne, we used the epic back road towards Maffra (the Maffra Road) and then
the Snowy River Way through Dalgety, before turning onto the Barry Way into
Jindabyne. Words don’t do justice to how spectacular this road is. Nor do the
photos – not properly, anyway. You
really have to drive out and see it.
Catching that first glimpse of Lake Jindabyne and the
mountains beyond always puts a smile on my face. Coming down to the high
country is like coming home. I’ve been coming down here all my life, and a lot
of my favourite memories happened in this neck of the woods. It’s great that I
can now come down with some of my best mates, who also enjoy being here.
We were three minutes late arriving at the Shell servo at
Snowline, which will necessitate a trip back down in the morning to fill up. We
pressed on to Sawpit Creek – or, as it’s properly called, the Kosciuszko
Tourist Park – where we’ve stayed the last few years. Nestled in the National
Park, it’s a nice compromise to camping. Maybe twenty minutes’ drive from Island
Bend, and because it’s in the national park, there’s lots of wildlife. We saw a
kangaroo as we drove in. It’s a good spot.
Had a nice dinner down at Island Bend and sat around the
campfire for a few hours before heading back up to Sawpit Creek to get some
sleep. That rain that was supposed to come through in the afternoon didn’t
eventuate. We had few sprinkles on the way down, but nothing major, and we’re
cautiously optimistic about the weather forecast for the rest of the weekend.
It’s been a long day – pretty sure I’m going to sleep like a
log.
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| The Snowy River below Island Bend Dam |
Day Two:
Friday 25 March
Woke up at 7:00am after a solid nine hours sleep, feeling
great. Overcast morning, but the rain is forecast to be minimal and mostly
confined to the morning.
Went for a run along the 6km waterfall loop track that
starts next to where we’re staying. It was a tough, tough slog. My body
generally rebels when I run early in the morning, and add to that a few drops
of rain, the high altitude, plenty of hills and a track you have to pay real
close attention to – or else risk turning an ankle…or worse – so I was pretty
much stuffed at the end.
It was really nice being out in the bush so early, and the
rain wasn't really much. I saw the tail end of a wombat who I disturbed. It
lumbered away pretty quickly! And there were lots of birds and kangaroos who
took off as I ran through. A nice way to start the day!
after a
leisurely breakfast, we drove down to Snowline to fill up on fuel, and grab
some ice, before heading into Jindabyne where I bought a new jacket that is a
combination of hoodie and flannelette shirt with sheep’s wool on the inside.
Pretty sure it’ll help me survive a blizzard – not that we’re expecting one
this weekend, fingers crossed – and it was on special down from $60 to $40.
Despite the forecast, by the time we left Jindabyne around
midday the sun was out, and it was a stunningly beautiful afternoon. The view
from Waste Point up on the Perisher road was about as good as I’ve ever seen
it. We actually found ourselves getting too hot at Island Bend throughout the
afternoon. In the direct sunlight, even a 14 degree day you can get hot. Sounds
crazy, but it’s true.
Matt and his two cop friends – Brock and Kristy – arrived
late morning and Rebecca turned up in the late afternoon. We took the two
newcomers (and Nath and Trev) for a scramble up the Snowy River towards the
Island Bend dam, which ended in a pretty decent bush bash to get back to the
road. Not sure that the two newcomers were expecting something quite so
involved. With the Kitchener’s, a walk becomes a trek.
We saw a hiker come down the road at about sunset, with a
giant pack. It appears that he’s touring the roads down here, on foot. Tough
work. Seemed like he was going to camp below us near the Snowy River, but took
off again a few minutes later, hiking away like there was still plenty of
sunlight left. There was actually only about twenty minutes left, leading us to
wonder over the guy’s common sense levels.
Had a really good seafood curry for dinner tonight, and
jaffles cooked in the campfire ash. Amazing food! Thanks to the lack of clouds,
the stars were out in full force tonight, and the moon was spectacular when it
finally came up after 9:30pm. Just a stunning night to be alive and in the high
country. The sky never looks better than it does down here, miles from city
lights.
Of course, the campfire conversation was…interesting. But
hilarious. My brother is one of the most entertaining people I know.
It’s been a great day. We’re headed up to the Porcupine
Rocks from Perisher Valley tomorrow, and the forecast is looking very
promising.
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| Campsite at Island Bend |
Day Three:
Saturday 26 March
Another beautiful morning in the Snowies. Went for a run on
the waterfall loop again, and although I didn’t see any wombats, there were
plenty of kangaroos bolting away as I ran down the path. Felt much better after
6 klicks and the 205m of vertical climb this morning than I did yesterday. There
was a bit of mist clinging to the upper parts of the trail which made it even
more spectacular.
We headed down to Island Bend to find that Rebecca had
sprained her ankle – not for the first time down here, to be honest – but
instead of doing it out on the trail, she did it at camp, stepping out of the
shower tent. You can never be too careful around here. There’s always something
to trip you up.
The rest of the crew (minus the unfortunate Rebecca) headed
up to Perisher Valley via the scenic Link Road that joins the main one at
Smiggin’s Holes, and walked up to the Porcupine Rocks. It’s a beautiful,
ambling walk through the snow gums that dot the valley, and suddenly you come
out at the rocks – which stick up out of the ground like the spikes of a
porcupine – which are perched right on the edge of the Thredbo Valley. The view
is nothing short of extraordinary, especially on such a good weather day as we
had.
We sat on the rocks looking down on Bullock’s Flat and Lake
Crackenback and ate lunch before walking back to Perisher. The adults headed up
to the Eyre café whilst all us youngsters drove around to Guthega where the
excellent Guthega Alpine Hotel sells beer and coffee and really good food. You
can sit out front and look over the Main Range. I drank Kosciuszko Pale Ale,
because, you know, when in Rome – or the Kosciuszko National Park as the case
may be.
Importantly, we saw our hiker friend on the road around to
Perisher this morning – and then again nearer Guthega Village in the afternoon.
He’s walking all over the Snowies and I must admit that I just don’t get the
appeal to walking along the backroads down here, but who am I to judge? Most
people I know don’t get the appeal of camping, either.
Dinner, as per usual on a Saturday night down here, was a
roast dinner – lamb this year. It is pretty much the most impressive meal I eat
all year. The lamb is cooked in camp ovens alongside vegetables, with coals
over the top. It takes a good few hours to cook through, and the smell of it is
pretty much indescribably good. Throw in vegetables, gravy and some mint sauce
and you have one amazingly good meal. Mum and Janell can do miracle work on the
campfire. Master Chef, eat your heart out!
What a night to be sitting around the campfire drinking
coffee and port and talking. The stars were incredible. It’s been such a memorable day.
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| Stunning views from Porcupine Rocks |
Day Four:
Sunday 27 March
I’ve been sleeping like a machine, somewhere between eight
and nine hours straight down here. Matt reckons our bodies are resetting
themselves because we’re not staring at screens all day, and he just might be
right. The beds at Sawpit Creek are incredibly comfortable, and between my
morning runs and whatever exercise we do during the day, I’m absolutely spent
by the time we get back to the cabin. It doesn’t take me long to fall asleep,
and I can sleep right through.
Woke up this morning to the welcome news that Buddy starred in
his return to the AFL as the Swans smacked Collingwood by eighty points to
start the AFL season, and Manly also had a win over the Roosters. Not a bad way
to start the day!
There was less wildlife on the Waterfall Track this morning.
Obviously they’ve realised that I come barging through just after sunrise and
give me a wide berth. I’d love to write that I’m totally acclimatised to the
thin air and altitude, but I’m not, and – as Trevor will definitely attest – I
am absolutely buggered when I get back from a 6km loop that, with the hills and
the often uncertain footing, feels at least double. No doubt it’s good for me,
but it feels bloody great to stop!
After a quick trip into Jindabyne to pick up some supplies,
we met the others back at Sawpit, including Rebecca, who’s ankle had healed
sufficiently overnight to be able to do some walking. When you’ve got a busted
or partially-busted ankle, the best sort of walking is of the downhill variety,
so we set off down the Pallaibo Track after a car shuffle. It’s a one-way 5km
downhill walk that starts next to our cabin and ends up down on the Thredbo
River at the old entrance to the National Park.
Despite the fact that the Pallaibo track takes you through
only the lower reaches of the high country, you get some spectacular views of
distant Lake Jindabyne and the beginnings of the Thredbo Valley. The weather
did it’s part again today – it’s actually been better than forecast every day
so far – so conditions for walking were perfect.
For whatever reason, dad stopped in the open field, probably
to wait for the others to catch up, and out of the corner of his eye, caught
sight of a relic – a fireplace, all that’s left of some old homestead. The
apple trees that were planted around give further credence to the idea that a
family lived there back in the day, probably a century or so ago. It’s pretty
amazing to consider the workmanship of that era. To use an old adage, they
don’t make ‘em like they used to.
We ended up at the Kosciuszko National Park’s Visitor’s
Centre in Jindabyne afterward (or, more specifically, the coffee shop contained
within) and despite the people working at the information desk pulling out a
bunch of topographical maps, there was no information about the remains that we
found. Aside from anything else, it was a great place for lunch.
It was much quieter at the campfire with Matt and the others
gone. It’ll be even quieter tomorrow when Rebecca is also gone. As per usual,
the weekend has flown by in the blink of an eye, and the thought that I’ll be
back home in forty eight hours’ time isn’t a pleasant one. I always look
forward to this weekend so much, and it goes so quickly. Such is life, I guess.
Still, we have one more full day down here tomorrow, and if
the weather cooperates, it should be a pleasant stroll down to Rainbow Lake.
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| A local came to visit. |
Day Five:
Monday 28 March
It was a real pea-souper this morning – I went out for a
run, past a committee meeting of roos in the Sawpit picnic area, and threaded
my way through the fog that made running a little precarious at the top end of
the Waterfall loop. It was, however, incredibly pretty, which helped to take my
mind off the big climbs on the track.
The weather was mostly overcast today, with the occasional
glimpse of sunlight coming through. It’s all building up to a rainy few days
starting tomorrow, but that won’t worry us because – unfortunately – today is
the last day.
An old favourite is the short walk down to Rainbow Lake,
which is only 3km loop around, and is mostly memorable to us Easter regulars
for the year that Paul Hine broke his ankle in about sixty places in the
process of scrambling back across some rocks for a group photo. He basically
went one way and his ankle went the other. A sickening noise later, he was down
for the count and a bunch of us had to run back to the road to get reception in
order to call the ambulance – and then had to carry him back to where the ambos
could get to in their vehicle. It’s a good story that we won’t soon forget.
Rainbow Lake is also a beautiful spot, and even in the
mostly-cloudy weather of yesterday, it was still a nice place to sit and have
lunch. The real excitement began, however, when Dad suggested that anyone who
was keen bush bash back over the ridge and eventually join up with the Perisher
Road. Like the fools we are, and despite plenty of similar plans in past years
going absolutely pear-shaped, Trev, Nath, Mark and I all agreed, and we set off
through what, at times, was close to impenetrable bush. By the time we realised
how hard it was going to be, we’d already gone too far to turn back. So, we
pushed on, because we’re…stupid? Yeah, maybe.
Across rocks, over branches, through marshy bogs, moving
uphill as best we could, we eventually we emerged in a clearing that offered an
incredible view over Dainer’s Gap towards Perisher and Charlotte’s Pass.
Encouragingly, we ended up pretty much where we wanted to, despite blundering
through thick bush. The downhill slope was only marginally better – but we
could at least mostly see where we were going. Probably not our smartest idea,
but it was a lot of fun, and the views were incredible. It was a memorable way
to end a good weekend.
Mum and Janell had walked back the normal way, and were two
coffees in at the Eyre Kiosk by the time we got back to the car and drove up
there. Not surprisingly, they had no sympathy for what they – rightly – said
was a stupid idea. That place does the most amazing hot chocolate, and their
hot chips are also incredibly good.
This weekend always goes too quickly, and it was a shame
driving out of Island Bend for the last time after dinner. Perhaps, though,
it’s just as well, given the adverse weather that’s coming over the next few
days. Being in the mountains when it’s raining (or worse!) isn’t much fun.
It’s been a sensational five days down here – the best
Easter I can remember. And I’m already counting down to Easter 2017!
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| Happy Campers! |
