Cosgrave Reservoir Circuit 12km
U3A Hike No 105
Photo of Gordon's Group
Summary report from Nita
With a morning made to order for a walk in the bush, albeit a bit chilly for those who forgot their gloves, our group led by Gordon headed east and upward from Creswick’s St Georges Lake. Starting on a wide 4 wheel drive track allowed us to spread out, but still manage a much needed catch up with our fellow hikers. Even then, the clay and stone surface provided a challenge in parts with steep and slippery sections, allowing the 2 by 2 parade to regroup and chat with someone new.
Arriving at Eaton’s Dam, or what was left of it, we walked along the 4 metre high stacked stone wall to look over the breeched section onto the Creswick Creek. Built in 1857, originally to supply water to the local goldfields, it also became a playground for family picnics and water sports prior to the 1920s. Damage from numerous floods and the establishment of the nearby Cosgrave Reservoir, contributed to its demise and the now dry cavity holds some tall, elegant eucalypts and patches of blackberry.
On our way to the reservoir for a morning tea, we had the chance to get very close to nature thanks to a well-disguised creek crossing with a near vertical incline. Gordon assured us the going up was preferable to going down the slope and they had accommodated this with the planned route! Our figure of eight walk which mostly followed dirt roads, water race ledges and the odd cross-country jaunt, met up in parts with the Wallaby Track. Overall, a very pleasant day out with this 12-13km bush hike on the perfect sunny day.
Photos by Mark B, Gordon and Andrew
Due to group size limitations we again hiked in three groups leaving fifteen minutes apart.
Another great turnout with twenty-eight hikers!
On a delightful June morning, Gold group headed off with our
very able leader Tim and his trusty GPS thingo. From St George’s Lake we
traversed some well used (and some not so familiar) tracks, a few with
obstacles (fallen trees) and some steep climbs. We progressed to the very
impressive remnants of Eatons Dam - built in 1862 to supply water to miners
along Back Creek, and remained in use until the 1930's. It was subject to
flooding and was no longer needed once the Cosgrave Reservoir was built, but
still a wonderful example of the many pockets of history in this area.
We found a lovely sunny spot for morning tea overlooking the
Cosgrave Reservoir (and NO, we were NOT lost!) and managed to walk across the
wall, (which was a bit dodgy for those of us vertically challenged or with
dicky knees), and followed the track along the water, up some hills, over
fallen branches, and after a quick lunch break in sun drenched bushland,
meandered beautifully back past the koala sanctuary and to our cars. A chance
to have a cuppa and chat with members of the other groups a bonus. Thanks Tim
for an adventurous and humorous hike.
Summary report from Mark B:
Thursday, 4 June began with a freezing start and a lot of
frost. It was 8.00 am and 9 of the Blue Team were shivering beside their cars
at the St George’s Lake picnic area. After a few checks we drove to the Eastern
part of the Lake and got ourselves ready for the walk.
By this time the sun was up sufficiently to create some
warmth as we headed into the Creswick State Forest. As usual, Ken was back
marker and Marianne was in charge of the GPS and led us with occasional prompts
from Andrew. The first stage of the walk, along the Wallaby Track, was
relatively easy under a beautiful blue sky and warming sun reflecting off the
white trunks of the Manna gums. Nevertheless, there were quite a number of
fallen trees and branches across the track. The track also became quite rough
and rutted up and down some steep hills.
Eventually we made it to Eaton’s Dam where we saw the breached
wall. In the early 1930's the dam wall breached and
the proceeding rush of escaping water seriously flooded the township of
Creswick. It used to be a popular picnic spot but is now almost totally
overgrown with blackberry bushes. Walking further we could see
glimpses of the Cosgrave Reservoir as we were clambering up a steep grade to a
welcome stop for morning tea. From our vantage point we could see Tim and his
group over at the picnic ground. Thinking they were lost, Ken and Andrew tried
to contact them with Ken semaphoring his arms quite spectacularly. They were
quite annoyed at being ignored. Afterwards, Tim maintained that he knew exactly
where he was.
After the break we followed the
track around the Reservoir with a stop while Ken and Mark clambered up a
platform to have their photos taken. We arrived back at the cars not long
afterwards and had a very pleasant coffee as the other two teams arrived.
With a morning made to order for a walk in the bush, albeit a bit chilly for those who forgot their gloves, our group led by Gordon headed east and upward from Creswick’s St Georges Lake. Starting on a wide 4 wheel drive track allowed us to spread out, but still manage a much needed catch up with our fellow hikers. Even then, the clay and stone surface provided a challenge in parts with steep and slippery sections, allowing the 2 by 2 parade to regroup and chat with someone new.
Arriving at Eaton’s Dam, or what was left of it, we walked along the 4 metre high stacked stone wall to look over the breeched section onto the Creswick Creek. Built in 1857, originally to supply water to the local goldfields, it also became a playground for family picnics and water sports prior to the 1920s. Damage from numerous floods and the establishment of the nearby Cosgrave Reservoir, contributed to its demise and the now dry cavity holds some tall, elegant eucalypts and patches of blackberry.
On our way to the reservoir for a morning tea, we had the chance to get very close to nature thanks to a well-disguised creek crossing with a near vertical incline. Gordon assured us the going up was preferable to going down the slope and they had accommodated this with the planned route! Our figure of eight walk which mostly followed dirt roads, water race ledges and the odd cross-country jaunt, met up in parts with the Wallaby Track. Overall, a very pleasant day out with this 12-13km bush hike on the perfect sunny day.
Photos by Mark B, Gordon and Andrew
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