353. Nuggetty Gully - Linton Hike 11.5km

 U3A Hike No 353




Hike Report By Lyn Hooper


On a glorious May morning, a group of 18 hikers set out from the Linton Recreation Reserve. 

Joining us today was Mark Hawley`s brother, Ben, who was visiting from England. We headed north following the Skipton Rail Trail, crossing the Glenelg Highway and soon found ourselves in a newly planned burnt area. Although there was no evidence of smoke there was the distinct smell of recently burnt bush. 

Leaving the Rail Trail we turned on to a bush track and found ourselves gaining some altitude. Up and up we went. With another incline in front of us, we were momentarily distracted by a visit to a serious mine site. Where was Joan when we needed her as there was a gaping mine entrance enticing us to enter ? Several of our members had a squizzy (from an approved distance) before we tackled the last incline which was not as bad as it looked. 

After regaining our breath we continued on to view a water race and then stopped at Nuggety Gully for morning tea bathed in the autumn sunlight. A more delightful stop would be hard to find. It was very pleasant walking after our stop. 

Further along we came to the Linton Firefighters Memorial where we stopped and paused to reflect on this tragedy that occurred on 02/12/1998. Andrew and Geoff gave some insight into this incident and there is more information at the end of the blog. 

Our next stop of interest was the Linton Cemetery with its monkey puzzle tree and one particularly unusually shaped grave. 

Heading back towards the cars we came across a sleek black spider...450kgs and 14 hands high. Some of us had a pat and others had a short chat with the rider who was surprised to see so many people walking in her neck of the woods.  (He was named Spider because when he was born he was all legs and no body to speak of)

Returning to the cars for lunch was the fitting end to a lovely walk in the bush ably led by Andrew with Kim being whip. 

Thanks to all.
  

Photos By Andrew Parker






























LINKS









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

287. Frith Gully - Mt Misery Loop. Enfield State Park

Image
 U3A Hike No 287 Hike Report by Colin Fraser Eight hikers assembled outside the Marty Busch Reserve in Sebastopol for an 11.5 km hike on the Frith Gully-Mt Misery Loop in the Enfield State Park. We travelled in two vehicles to the start of the walk at Bald Hill on Incolls Road, Enfield. The walk was graded as moderate, and described as continuously hilly. We walking paths and rough bush roads through isolated parts of the park. There were deep gullies with lush vegetation, high ridges with open scrub, and areas that still bear the scars of extensive surface mining in the 19th century. We followed Misery Creek Road south then the Misery Creek and Forest Park walking tracks to Surface Point Picnic Ground, where we had smoko. Before arriving at Surface Point we were accompanied overhead by the raucous alarm calls of a group of cockatoos warning of our intrusion into their forest. Coincidently this occurred just near Mt Cockatoo!! We shared the picnic table with a man who was camping t...
Read more

Hiking Group Rules

Image
All members resident in Ballarat are expected to attend the meeting point for a travel briefing. Expectations as to pre-hike meeting times. 1. Arrive at the nominated meeting point prior to 7:50am. 2. 7:50 to 7:55 - Vehicle allocation & transfer gear to allocated vehicles. 3. 7:55 Briefing regarding travel to hike venue. 4. 8a.m. (or when all previous steps complete), depart the meeting point. All members of the U3A Ballarat Hiking Group need to sign a form which sets out the risks associated with hiking   A copy of the form can be found here:   Acknowledgement of risk form  All members will: ...play a part in maintaining my safety and that of the other members of the Group.   ...disclose to the leader details of any health problems that may arise during a walk.   ...be responsible for carrying their own medications on walks.   ...comply with the Hiking Group rules regarding clothing, equipment, and safety* ...follow the in...
Read more

343. Raglan Falls-Beeripmo Hike 10.6km

Image
U3A Hike No 343  Hike Report By Peter Treby Seventeen U3A walkers set off in perfect weather from Richards Campground in the Mt Cole State Forest for a 10.6 km walk incorporating parts of the Beeripmo Track linked by quiet gravel roads.   We firstly climbed a fine single walking track through granite boulders to Raglan and Rob Falls, and a railed lookout on top of a large granite tor. The forest here is mainly blue gums to about 30 metres, with tree ferns in the gullies. Later in the walk, the taller trees also included messmates.   Throughout the walk, the forest is still recovering from the Bayindeen – Rocky Road fire of late February 2024, which burned 22,000 hectares. The Beeripmo walk only re-opened in January 2025. Everywhere eucalypts are putting out epicormic foliage from their trunks, looking like leafy totem poles. The understory is still a little thin and bare, save for the wetter gullies.   After the falls w e reached less steep terrain and stopped...
Read more