Thursday 19/10/2023   Troopers Creek Campground – Dead Bullock Creek – Gar Waterfalls Walk –  Grampians Peaks Trail – Briggs Bluff Track – Gar Campsite – Mount Gar (Mount Difficult)

                                          Grampians National Park, VICTORIA

                                          Gariwerd Country                                   

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies 

We made our start today by 8:30am, as we had a long walk ahead of us. As this started with an ascent, we thought it would be expedient to get at least some of the climbing behind us before it got too hot. The first couple of kilometres is a gradual ascent through forest along a sandy track, following Dead Bullock Creek upstream. Four waterfalls are encountered along the way, progressively increasing in the height of their drops as you progress. The first barely counts but the last two especially have very decent drops. Today there was just a trickle falling over each, making each more like a weeping wall than a waterfall. Much more interesting today was the colouration of the cliff walls behind these waterfalls, with vertical bands of black, various reddish tones, through to light tans and greys, some broad and others narrow, reflecting the long-term water flow from above.

Download file: 20231019.gpx                         Track Info

 

Trackside all the way today were a multitude of wildflowers, our untrained eyes noted a good dozen or so species including some melaleuca, paper daisies, eggs and bacon and a few orchids with colours ranging from whites, blues, purple, yellow, oranges and reds. Along the way, we encountered a pair of park rangers out for two days placing hundreds of new, bright yellow track markers, what an awesome job!

After the last and largest waterfall, the track ascends sharply via a staircase up through a small gully to the left. Beyond the track continues to climb, becoming rougher as it does. The rest of the way to the Briggs Bluff Track turnoff is a combination of walking along exposed bedrock and earthen track, initially with a thin tree cover which becomes even sparser further up. This enables spectacular views to be had for much of the way, including a distant Mount Difficult with its trig station just visible. By this stage, our luck had run out with the morning shade of the ridge above giving way to warm sun under a clear blue sky. For much of the walk, there is little shade so it became quite hot as the afternoon progressed.

Past the Briggs Bluff turnoff, the track gets rougher underfoot, largely owing to the exposed bedrock you are now walking across being highly weathered, presenting conditions that demand you pay constant attention to foot placement. The rock itself is covered in dark grey lichen with periodic whitish patches with a few patches of moss interspersed. Two days ago walking on similar rock,  the best route guidance was noting where the lichen coverage had been worn down by foot traffic, revealing some of the slight reddish tone of the bedrock. The rangers had informed us that many people had got lost up here and we could understand why. Between the worn hint of a track and the yellow triangles, I’ll surmise that Mount Difficult got its name because it was genuinely difficult to navigate your way through the labyrinth of stony ridges, heaths and other obstacles.

Now walking along the cliff top, the newly built Gar Campsite sits right on the edge givin it views far off into the distance. Each tent camping platform has its own view over the side. A good-sized communal shelter with tables, seating and cooking bench sits nearby. There are also a couple of locked cabins with bunk beds for private operators. The twin toilets are a marvel, with four large fibreglass collecting bins sitting on steel trolleys ready to switch over as required. Each bin has four points to secure it, ready for a quick helicopter collection. 

The summit of Mount Difficult sits 1.4km beyond the campsite and seemed to be even more irregular underfoot than it was up to Gar Campsite, here we found lots of shiny, new-looking yellow track markers that helped us successfully proceed with confidence. Not far from the summit, we encountered a second pair of park rangers, also out on the second of two days placing those shiny new yellow track markers we had been one of the first to follow. Later, coming off the summit which they were by now approaching, they asked us where we thought the track markers should be placed! 

On the summit, we caught up with a fellow hiker whom Sue had walked with for a while back near the big waterfall. We now found our spot in the shade in a tiny overhang for lunch, a welcome reprieve from the now quite hot sun. 

Following lunch, we retraced our steps, just as the afternoon became hotter and hotter. Back at Gar Campsite we met a tour guide in the kitchen, stocking up the cupboards and preparing for the arrival of his party of eight being led by the second guide. We encountered them about an hour later, one of them looking like she was finding it very hard work. 

Above the waterfalls, I encountered a solo walker, whilst at the top waterfall there was another couple who were just doing the waterfalls. Below, at the second waterfall were eight young men cooling off after their 13km day.

I made it back to Troopers Creek Campground after inadvertently going the wrong way at the very last turn, so where were those new bright yellow markers when I needed them most? I was very pleased to be back, having run out of water an hour earlier in the very warm and drying afternoon sun. The ensuing good sit around and long cold drinks were a most welcome end to a fantastic walk. 

Photos

Panoramas

 

From Grampians National Park Visitor Guide

Environment, culture and heritage 

Aboriginal cultural heritage 

The park, traditionally known as Gariwerd, has an Aboriginal cultural history dating back at least 22,000 years. The landscape holds this heritage and protects many important cultural sites, including the largest collection of rock art in south-eastern Australia.

Begin your cultural journey at Brambuk, or visit one of five easy to access rock art shelters open to the public; Ngamadjidj, Gulgurn Manja, Billimina, Manja and Bunjils (Black Range Scenic Reserve near Stawell).

Post settlement history 

The Grampians was named after the Grampian Mountains in Scotland by Major Thomas Mitchell on his 1836 expedition. Since this time the area has seen much change through resource industries such as forestry, stone quarrying, gold mining and water harvesting. People have been drawn here for thousands of years and tourism established its roots in the early 1900s. More than 1.3 million people from all over the world visit the park annually.

Geology 

The four distinct sandstone ranges of the Grampians began forming approximately 430 million years ago. Over time, geological processes such as pressure, heat, folding, faulting and erosion have slowly shaped the mountains we see today. Geology is fundamental to soil composition and influences where flora found here.

Plants 

The park protects one third of Victoria’s flora species and is the most important botanical reserve in the state. Close to 970 native species occur and over 40 are found nowhere else in the world. The area is known for its colourful spring wildflower displays and popular walks include Heatherlie area, Sundial Peak, The Piccaninny and Mt Zero.

Wildlife 

The park provides habitat for at least 230 bird, 40 mammal, 30 reptile, 11 amphibian and 6 native fish species. There are 50 known species in the park classified as threatened, including Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies, Smokey Mice and Powerful Owls. Halls Gap and Fyans Valley are one area to see Eastern-grey Kangaroos, Emus and to hear kookaburras. Usually at dawn and dusk.

 

The local flora, fauna, geology and history (Bard)

Flora

Grampians National Park, also known by its Aboriginal name Gariwerd, is a national park located in the Grampians mountain range in western Victoria, Australia. The park is home to a diverse range of flora, including over 900 species of vascular plants.

The park’s forests are dominated by eucalypts, such as the river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), swamp gum (Eucalyptus ovata), and manna gum (Eucalyptus viminalis). Other common trees include the black wattle (Acacia mearnsii), silver banksia (Banksia marginata), and mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans).

The park’s understorey is home to a variety of shrubs, herbs, and grasses. Some of the most common shrubs include the wattleseed (Acacia acuminata), hop bush (Dodonaea viscosa), and prickly bush-pea (Pultenaea scabra). Common herbs include the kangaroo apple (Solanum aviculare), billy buttons (Craspedia chrysantha), and blue leschenaultia (Leschenaultia biloba).

The park’s flora is adapted to the region’s Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Many of the plants are drought-tolerant and have deep roots to reach water stored in the soil. Others are fire-tolerant and have mechanisms to regenerate quickly after fires.

Fauna

Grampians National Park is home to a variety of fauna, including over 200 species of birds, 60 species of mammals, and 40 species of reptiles.

Some of the most common birds in the park include the laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), kookaburra, eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), and common wombat (Vombatus ursinus). Other notable species include the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax), and peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus).

Some of the most common mammals in the park include the echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), and sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps). Other notable species include the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), rock-wallaby (Petrogale assimilis), and dingo (Canis dingo).

Some of the most common reptiles in the park include the eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis), tiger snake (Notechis scutatus), and red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus). Other notable species include the bearded dragon (Pogona barbata), goanna (Varanus giganteus), and tortoise (Chelodina longicollis).

Geology

Grampians National Park is located in the Grampians mountain range, which is made up of sandstone and quartzite rock. The rock was formed over 400 million years ago, when the region was part of a vast ocean. Over time, the ocean receded and the land was uplifted, forming the mountains.

The sandstone and quartzite rocks of the Grampians are resistant to erosion, which is why the mountains have remained relatively unchanged for millions of years. However, the rocks have been weathered and eroded over time, forming the park’s distinctive rock formations, such as The Pinnacle and The Balconies.

Indigenous History

The Grampians National Park is the traditional home of the Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali people. These Aboriginal groups have lived in the region for over 22,000 years.

The Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali people have a deep spiritual connection to the land of Gariwerd. The park’s many rock art sites are testament to the long and rich history of Aboriginal culture in the region.

The Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali people were forcibly removed from Gariwerd in the 19th century. However, they have maintained their connection to the land and continue to fight for its protection.

White History

The first Europeans to visit the Grampians were explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell in 1824. The first settlement in the region was established in 1836.

In the early years of European settlement, the Grampians were used for grazing sheep and cattle. However, the region’s sandstone and quartzite soils are not well-suited for agriculture. As a result, the Grampians became a popular destination for recreation and tourism.

In 1984, the Grampians National Park was established to protect the region’s natural environment.

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