Tag Archives: hollow mountain

Grampians Updates and Planned Burns 9th March 2012

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Rosea Track floor damageHiya all,
A big bazooka of a post here on the Grampians.
Here are the latest Grampians updates. It includes any recent road reopenings, Flood Recovery closures update from PV as well as some info about the planned burns program in the Victoria Range.

Hollow Mountain Walking Track –  reopen Tuesday 5 March
The Grampians Flood Recovery crew will be reopening the Hollow Mountain walking track tomorrow after four weeks of construction works.  Crews have installed new timber steps and approximately 400m of the walking track has been ‘lifted’ to reinstate the track surface to above ground level.
Coppermine Road – Reopened
Road crews have repaired the large washout on the road between Coppermine bushcamp and Mt Zero Road.

Download the road and track report hereRoad Report -2 Mar 2012

Road & Track Closures
• Silverband Road (Silverband Falls Carpark to Sundial
Road turnoff)
• Glenelg River Road (Boreang Campground to Mt Victory
Road)
• Stony Creek Road (Rosea Track to Rosea Carpark)
• Henham Track
• Mitchell Road
• Redmans Track
• Mount William Picnic Ground Road
• Emmetts Road
• Mafeking Road
• Syphon Road (From Glenelg River Road to Sawmill Track)
• Moora Track
• Fields Track
• Rosea Track
• Homestead Track
• Oslers Track
• Mt Cassel Track
• Chinamans Track
• Sanders Track

Campground & Site Closures
• Bomjinna Campground
• Kalymna Falls Picnic Area
• Golton Gorge Picnic Area
• Zumstein Area

Walking Track Closures
• Wonderland Loop (Halls Gap to Wonderland Carpark)
• Venus Baths
• Splitters Falls
• Mount Rosea
• MacKenzie Falls River Walk
• Zumstein Area (All walks)
• Tower Hill
• Bomjinna Track (From Bomjinna Campground to Mt
William Carpark)
• Brownings Loop (Mafeking)
• Golton Gorge Loop
• Tilwinda Falls
• Major Mitchell Plateau
• Fortress
• Wonderland remote overnight hikes.

You can also download a colour coded map of the open and closed roads 2012-03-09-Recovery-Note-Grampians-National-Park

Grampians National Park – PlannedBurn Program 2012

The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and Parks Victoria will be commencing its autumn planned burning program in the Grampians National Parkduring April and May. Planned burns have been scheduled a little later this year because of the dryer weather conditions we have experienced locally.In line with the Wimmera Fire Operations Plan released last September; DSE and Parks Victoria intend to conduct seven separate burns in the Grampians area.  Planned burning is part of an integrated plan to reduce the bushfire risk to people, property and communities.  Please see the attached map of the Grampians that provides all planned

burns for this autumn.Favourable weather conditions largely influence when particular planned burns go ahead.

The final decision around planned burning will be made on the day of the burn and this will be based on the results from the monitoring of the ground and weather conditions. Where possible, DSE and Parks Victoria will provide notification prior to each burn, but it is your responsibility to check the DSE website regularly for planned burns information.


During the burning program, there will be some short term closures of roads, visitor sites and walking tracks for public safety.  The burn areas will stay closed until they are classified as safe. This may be up to a week after a burn. If you are planning a camping or walking trip, it is important that you plan an alternative route in case you need to change your trip at short notice.
 
Some of the areas that will be impacted by closures this planned burning season include:
  • All walking tracks and access within the Victoria Range (including Manja Shelter, the Fortress, Mt Thackeray, Goat Track and
Victoria Range Track)
  • Access to the Red Rock area including all climbing sites
  • The walking track from  Plantation to Mt Difficult, Boronia Walking Track
  • Terraces Track to Tandara Road and the Griffin Picnic ground
To find out where and when planned burns are happening visit www.dse.vic.gov.au, call the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667 or listen to your local radio station.
Information is also available at www.dse.vic.gov.au/fires and for information about fire restrictions, fire bans and fires on private land at www.cfa.vic.gov.au
For further information on the Wimmera Planned Burns program contact the Horsham DSE Fire Operations Room on 5362 0720 or visit www.dse.vic.gov.au.
To download an overview of the planned burns see hereGrampians_Overview_23022012

Grampians Road & Track Report 27th January

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Hi All,

The latest Grampians Road and Track Report has just landed in my inbox,  See below for any updates.  You can also download it here if you want a copy yourself.

PV Staff have  graded and reopened Sawmill Track,  Boundary and Red Hill Roads in the Victoria Range area. These roads were affected by the Sawmill Fire a few weeks ago.The Mt Zero Road has become quite dusty and corrugated in places so drivers need to slow down and take care when driving on this road. Staff will grade this road next week  depending on weather conditions as the road requires moisture for grading to be successful.
Hollow Mountain Walking Track Closure
Works will start on the walking track on the week starting the  7th of February 2012. The track will be closed during this time and will reopen early March. The Summerday Valley climbing area and the walk to Gulgurn Manja Shelter will remain open.

Red Hill Road    Back Rd – Glenelg River Rd.    Public    2WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain
Red Rock Road         Public    2WD         Open    Water across road in sections
Redman Track         Public    2WD         CLOSED
Reed Lookout Road         Public    2WD    Bitumen    Open    No Issue
Rose Creek Road         Public    2WD    Gravel    Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain
Serra Road    Glenelg River Rd – Grampians Rd    Public    2WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain
Stapylton Campground Road         Public    2WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain
Sundial Road         Public    2WD         Open    Good Condition
Syphon Road         Public    2WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain
Wonderland Road         Public    2WD    Bitumen    Open    No Issue
Yarram Gap Road         Public    2WD    Bitumen    Open    No Issue
Zumstein Track (Shortcut)         Public    2WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain

Beehive Track         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open
Black Range Road         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain
Boundary Road         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open
Brim Springs Track         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open
Burrong Track (Shortcut)         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open
Cassidy Gap Road         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         CLOSED
Cooinda Burrong Road         Operational – Open All Year    2WD         Open    No Issue
Coppermine Track         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open    No Issue
Glenisla Crossing Road         Operational – Open All Year    2WD         Open
Golton South Track         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain
Henham Track North         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         CLOSED
Henham Track South         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         CLOSED
Hines Track         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open    Wet / Slippery in Sections
Mt Difficult Road    Boroka Lookout – Lake Wartook    Operational – Open All Year    2WD         CLOSED    See Notes
Old Mill Road         Operational – Open All Year    2WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain
Oslers Track         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         CLOSED    Very Wet
Phillip Island Track         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open    Wet / Slippery in Sections
Pines Road         Operational – Open All Year    2WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain
Rosea Track         Operational – Open All Year    4WD    Sand / Gravel    CLOSED
Sawmill Track         Operational – Open All Year    2WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain
Spears Road         Operational – Open All Year    2WD         CLOSED
Stony Creek Rd         Operational – Open All Year    2WD         Open    See Notes
Taylors Track         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open
Wallaby Rocks Road         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open
Yanganaginj Njawi Track         Operational – Open All Year    4WD         Open
Yarram Park Road         Operational – Open All Year    2WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain

Bellfield Fireline         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open    Watch for Fallen Trees
Briggs Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open
Burnt Hut Creek Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open
Chinaman Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         CLOSED
Fields Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         CLOSED
Flagstaff Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open
Geerack Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open
Goat Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open
Homestead Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         CLOSED
Launders Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open
Link Track    Pohlner Rd – Smiths Rd    Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open
Lynches Crossing Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open    Good, but will be slippery after rain
Matthews Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open
Moora Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         CLOSED
Mt Cassell Fireline         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         CLOSED
Muirfoot Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open
Sanders Track         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         CLOSED
Victoria Range Road         Operational – Seasonal Closure    4WD         Open    Watch for Fallen Trees

Billywing Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Bomjinna Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Burma Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Carter Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Castle Rock Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Cranages Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Crute Link Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Crute Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
East Wartook Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Golton Link Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Griffin Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Happy Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Heatherlie Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Hut Creek Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Ingleton Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Kaylmna Falls Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Link Track    Serra Rd – Henham Tk    Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Long Point Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Lynchs Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Mair Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Pomonal Fireline         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Ricky North Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Serra Range Track    Glenelg River Rd – Syphon Rd    Operational – MVO  4WD CLOSED
Serra Range Track    South of Cassidy Gap    Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Seven Dials Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Shilcock Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Stockyard Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Terraces Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Victoria Range Track South         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Waterworks Track         Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED
Zumstein Track    Zumstein – Chinaman Tk    Operational – MVO    4WD         CLOSED

Hollow Mountain Walking Track closures and The Gallery Track repairs – Grampians

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Hollow Mountain Walking Track
For those of you who like a little mid week action make note of this – Hollow Mountain Walking Track – Track closure February 2012 - Work will commence at the end of the school holidays and will continue for up to five weeks through February, however this track will be open to visitors on weekends.  Work to be completed includes re surfacing of the walking track, installation of drainage and steps.  Access to Summerday Valley climbing area and Gulgurn Manja Art Shelter will remain open during this time.

The Gallery Walking Track
For those climbers who are physically blessed to be able to climb the routes at The Gallery in the Vic Range, Grampians, you may have noticed last year that after the floods, the climbers access track was closed due to flood damage. Parks staff also laid branches across to deter people from travelling that way.  Unfortunately, this caused climbers to then realign the track around the right hand side of the Aboriginal art shelter and through a revegetation area. Interestingly, years ago, PV worked with climbers to create a separate climbers track(the now damaged one) that directed them away from the shelter.  This was for fear of erosion and impact to the site.  So…not so good that this was occurring again.
Following a climbers query about the new track and the old one being closed, I contacted Dave Roberts, ranger at Halls Gap, who was very appreciative of the information and acted upon it quite quickly. Current situation is as follows:

PV have opened up the first part of the loop up until where the track heads up to the Gallery.So basically you head up there and back down, the same way. Please use this access and not around the right side of the art shelter. I have not yet had the opportunity to visit myself so any feedback on this would be appreciated.
It was also noted that there are some sections that are eroding quite badly on the climbers track so I will be visiting sometime soon to look at what we can do to control it. This is not a PV maintained track, care of this will be up to us climbers to maintain – this is the way that PV would like to see most of the climbers tracks managed. From my reports -” On the first part of the track there is one stretch where there is some deep erosion probably half a metre deep for 20 metres. The second part of the track is basically obliterated and probably needs marking with tape.“

I will be looking for volunteers after the initial inspection to help with the work and am hoping that those climbers that do use this track and the cliffs to climb at will be involved.  Stay tuned!

*** Should there be any cairns remaining that are still directing climbers past the art shelter and revegetation area, please take it upon yourselves to remove these. Cheers!