Easter 2010 - Camping, Bogong, Feathertop

Following a successful first meeting in April 2009, the call went out for another gourmet food camping trip. This time we thought we would head south to the VIC alps where we could enjoy fine campfire foods and also work a bit of it off during the day.

We left home friday morning and travelled to the Mt hotham area. Found a camping spot near the Great Alpine Road with an abundance of pre-felled timber, grassy areas and live snow gums. A quick blast with the recently aquired chain saw and we had a pile of wood that would do us for the evening and morning fires.

Andrew stepped up to cook on night one. He did a rather tasty meal of chicken jerk (drumsticks with a special coating of spices) and fire roasted potatoes. It got a 4 out of 5 from the judges.

Nick, Nadia, Andrew, Mirandah and James around the Campfire

In the morning i got some bread on the go. There was a bit of cheating involved. I decided to fire up a loaf of bread using the Breville breadmaker. I saw a recent episode of Malcom Douglas where he ran the breadmaker of the cars inverter. If it's good enough for Malcom i recon it's good enough for me. The bread was 80% cooked when the battery ran out of steam. The loaf was finished off over the fire in the camp oven. Breakfast consisted of bacon and eggs served on fresh white bread. Not very inventive but very nice all the same. Breakfast course 2 was toasted hot cross buns with butter.

After we had stuffed ourselves with breakfast we packed up andheaded down to Harrietville to see what Mt Feathertop was all about. We took the easy way up Stoney Tops Track. Left the car at 1pm and arrived at the top of Mt feathertop around 3pm - pretty good especially since we had two females with us. The top of the mountain was cloudy so the views were so so but the walk burnt off the mornings breakfast.

Mirandah and James and the view down the Ovens Valley from the top of Feathertop

Mirandah on Feathertop looking toward the Fainters and Mt Bogong

After we returned to the car we headed up to the Bogong High Plains and found a camp site near Rocky Valley Dam. Again the chainsaw was good for sorting out fuel issues in the dark after we arrived. TOnight was Nicks turn to serve up a treat. He made a lamb stew. It was sensational. Again - 4 out of 5 stars.

More heavy eating at breakfast with bacon and eggs, hot cross buns and pancakes making an appearance. After breakfast we went and checked out Wallaces Hut. Andrew tried to shag a gum tree.

A very messy camp site on the Bogong High Plains

James and Mirandah down by Rocky Valley Dam

Mirandah, Nick and Andrew Hanging around Wallaces Hut

Andrew - Nadia is behind the trunk, not in it.

After this the Canberra crew left Mirandah and I on our own. We decided to go and check out the Mt Beauty Glider Club and sussed out rates for a power glider flight during winter.

It was time for another dinner but all the gourmet cooks had left so Mirandah and I headed for foodworks, where we bought some gourmet McCains frozen pizzas. Jumped in the car and headed up to Mountain Creek and beyond attempting to reach the base of Granite Flat SPur (Mt Bogong). We drove a short distance past the winter gate and came across a rather large tree across the road. I wasn't confident i had the skills to get it out of the way but had a crack anyway. I was able to get through the low side easy enough but the high side proved difficult as i couldn't get the cuts to line up. After about 5 cuts at the high side i noticed the tree was a bit lose, but i still couldn't move it. I decided to hook it up to the winch on the hilux. The winch made short work of it. I was able to pull the substantial plug off the road. We packed all out gear into the car and continued up the track. Unfortunately about 200m further up the track there was a "Road Closed" sign. Not happy.

Happy chappy! James looking impressed with his man skills.

We ended up camping on the track in front of the sign and cooked up the pizzas. They were shithouse and didn't look anything like what was on the box.

In the morning we packed a day pack and walked up Mt Bogong via the Granite Flate Spur. A climb of about 700m vertical from the car. By the time we got to the top cloud had moved in and views were limited. It was clear south of the summit cairn cairn but there was no vis to the north of west.

Mirandah heading up the Eskdale Spur near a previous campsite where we ended up with 4 in a two person tent.

Onwards and upwards - the Eskdale Spur

Looking back down the Granite Flat Spur

An eary Eskdale Spur as low cloud moves in.

The Staircase from Eskdale Spur

Looking to the Bogong high Plains from the top of Mt Bogong.

We got back to the car around 3.30pm and drove home.