U3A Ballarat Hikers

 U3A Hike No 258   Hike Report by Kath Eight of us met at the Selkirk Stadium for the 12 kilometre circuit hike in the Creswick State Park in a freezing wind, wondering if we had enough warm clothes with us.  Being only a small group, I realized that 50% of us would have to take on one or other of the tasks associated with a U3A hike and with a sinking feeling thought it might be my turn to do a hike report!! However, on the drive over, my mood lifted at the sight of a beautiful sun rise over the horizon. By the time we arrived at our starting point, Slaty Creek Camp Ground No 1, the wind had dropped, a duck was calling out to us high up from its eucalyptus perch and we were all set for a lovely winter day’s hike through the forest led by Mark. The start of the walk commenced on the Goldfields Track, heading east from the campground to reach Slaty Creek Road, crossing into the forest, passing a dam, then crossing and recrossing dirt roads and descending and ascending a steep and very

 U3A Hike No 257 Hike Report by Alan With the weather warnings of wind and rain Mark decided to choose the You Yangs circuit and Flinders Peak for todays hike.  So, nine rather cold hikers set off from Buninyong.  The day turned out to be rather bright, sunny, dry with just an occasional breeze.  Flinders Peak is named after Captain Matthew Flinders a British navigator and cartographer who on 1 st May 1802 climbed the highest peak in the You Yangs. The start of the hike traversed east side of Flinders Peak.   The track was hilly at times with steps in places but the views on our right-hand side were ever changing.   At one point we had a good sight of the Bunjil Geoglyph.     Along the way we met a few dog walkers and some trail runners who had a lot more energy than we did.   After morning tea, we made our way to the Bunjil Geoglyph. This is a big stone structure created by Andrew Rogers of a wedge tailed eagle to commemorate the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth games.   Rather ironic

 U3A Hike No 256 Hike Report by Don 15 hikers left Ballarat at 7.45 to drive to Beaufort. It was a chilly five degrees but fine, and later developed filtered sun and 12C. Despite predictions of strong winds, we were well protected in the stringy bark forest, perfect for hiking. We headed north from Beaufort on the Main Lead road towards Raglan, then  turning right onto Amphitheatre Road. We passed through the township of Chute some 13 kilometres north of Beaufort.   In the 2016 census, Chute had a population of 18, but none of them were seen on this day!  Chute has the honour of being the birthplace of Cyril Callister (born 16.2.1893, died 5.10.1949). He became an industrial chemist, and invented Vegemite in the early 1920’s after returning from service in the AIF. ( See the link below to the Wikipedia entry).   Amphitheatre Road continues north after Chute, and we parked at the intersection with Ben Major Track, a further 4.3 kilometres onwards. This is on the margin of Ben Major Flo