Friday 17/03/2023 Angusvale Campsite – Angusvale Track – Horton Track – Mitchell River – Slalom Rapids Campsite
Mitchell River National Park, VICTORIA
Brayakoolong Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
This morning we drove up to Angusvale Campsite on the Mitchell River. This marks the upstream end of the two-day Mitchell River Walking Track route. Our intention was to check out the campsite and try to get a better look at the river than had been possible during our southern-end walk to Billy Goat Bend yesterday.
Max elevation: 139 m
Total climbing: 375 m
Total descent: -376 m
Average speed: 4.38 km/h
Total time: 01:35:02
There is a lot of nice grassy open space at Angusvale Campsite and a few shady trees. The campsite is just up from the river and there is good access to it for a swim. Today we found one other person and he was quietly enjoying a glass of wine under a tree with his camp fully set up. There were also half a dozen Eastern Grey Kangaroos congregating around a campfire, chilling out even as we walked by.
After checking out Angusvale Campsite we made an on-site decision to walk downstream to Slalom Rapids Campsite as the forecast hot day hadn’t eventuated. The solid morning cloud cover was making it relatively cool as we left, to the extent that Sue was wearing a thin jacket.
Our efforts were immediately rewarded with river views. Today the dark still waters of the Mitchell River were offering plenty of nice reflections. Unlike yesterday the vegetation and indeed river valley were both more open.
Mitchell River below Angusvale Camp Site
As we neared Slalom Rapids Campsite we came across someone else, he said he had been doing a bit of “catch-and-release” fishing of Bass that the river had been stocked with. Not sure how the river-side esky and net fit in with that plan.
Slalom Rapids Campsite itself is tiny and the Fisherman’s car and camp occupied all the available space. The 4WD road is blue-rated. The 4WD track from the campsite to the Mitchell River crossing point is closed, as a section of it has collapsed, leaving only enough width to be walked. There is a toilet there marked on my PocketEarth but we didn’t notice one at the time.
We continued for a short distance past the campsite. At this point Parks Victoria has left signage indicating the track is in very poor condition, confirming what we had experienced yesterday. A hundred metres from the campsite we walked across to the river at Slalom Rapids. A short section of the river here runs across a solid rock base, marking it an interesting spot.
By the time we had begun heading back, the clouds had largely broken up and it had become very warm. Sue saw a snake sunning itself on the track but it hurried away as it noticed our approach.
Once back to the van, we moved it to the shade of some trees before enjoying some lunch out of the sun. From there we headed off to Bairnsdale for the night and a parkrun in the morning.
The local flora, fauna, geology, history and some other walks (ChatGPT)
Mitchell River National Park, located in Victoria, Australia, is a protected area with a rich diversity of flora and fauna, shaped over millions of years by geological processes. The park covers an area of 10,515 hectares and is situated on the eastern edge of the Australian continent.
Geologically, the park is located in the Gippsland Basin, which is composed of sedimentary rocks, including sandstone and mudstone. The Mitchell River has carved its way through the sedimentary layers, creating deep gorges, towering sandstone cliffs, and waterfalls that are a hallmark of the park’s landscape.
The flora of Mitchell River National Park is diverse and includes tall forests of mountain ash, which can reach over 100 meters in height. The park’s forests also feature a range of eucalyptus species, including snow gum, manna gum, and candlebark. The park’s understorey is dominated by ferns, including the giant fern, which can grow up to six metres tall.
The fauna of the park is also diverse, with a range of bird species, including the lyrebird, which is known for its incredible ability to mimic a range of sounds. The park is also home to a range of marsupials, including the agile wallaby and the Eastern grey kangaroo. The rivers and streams that flow through the park are also home to a variety of fish species, including the Australian bass and the Murray cod.
The park’s history dates back over 40,000 years, with the area being inhabited by Indigenous Australians. The first European settlers arrived in the area in the 1840s, and the park was established in 1915 to protect the unique environment.
For visitors, Mitchell River National Park offers a range of walks, from short, easy strolls to challenging multi-day treks. The Mitchell River Walking Track is a popular route that takes in some of the park’s most stunning scenery, including the Mitchell Falls and the Billy Goat Bluff.
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