U3A Ballarat Hikers

 U3A Hike No. 260 Hike Report by Viv Despite rain overnight and even at breakfast time, the day turned out to be quite dry and relatively warm. 10 walkers (Mark, Jan, Theresa, Tina, Jenette, Alan, Don, Colin, Viv, Robert) assembled outside Kirks Reservoir. Three cars conveyed us to Merrimu Reservoir, just north of Bacchus Marsh, for a toilet stop before heading to the trail head in Long Forest Nature Conservation Reserve.  The three cars took off for the short car shuffle while the rest of us chatted. Shortly one car returned and we could start. A steep downhill was followed by a winding pad along the Coimadai Creek. The Creek's other name, "Pyrites Creek", implies the early goldminers found "fools gold" here and abandoned mining. We certainly didn't see many old diggings or mullock heaps.  The creek valley featured steep rocky sides, the rock being slatey/shaley. Parts of the track were quite loose with shale, so we were careful not to lose our footing on t...

 U3A Hike No 259 Hike Report by Chris The first walk in August was to be to the north of Bacchus Marsh. Forecast very high winds caused a wise reorganisation of the venue. Ten of us journeyed to the Jubilee Mine region past Smythesdale.   We could hear the wind in some gullies and the more exposed areas but the vast majority of the walk kept us in the sheltered areas. A cool morning gave way to most pleasant walking conditions. The extensive ruins of the Quartz Gold Mine are a reminder of the productive operation which took place there up to the turn of the 20th century. Some small claims  as well as the processing of tailings using cyanide tanks continued there until the 1930’s. As we proceeded southerly, we encountered a zone of fairly deep open shafts. A hopeful prospector using a metal detector was investigating the rubble.   Our trail led along fire tracks with some excursions along minor paths and other points of interest.   Some new signpos...

 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 ...