Friday 27/10/2023 Kiata Campground – Campground Track – Salt Lake Track – Desert Discovery Track – Albrechts’ Mill & Water Bore
Little Desert National Park, VICTORIA
Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagulk Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
Keen to walk in a different section of Little Desert National Park we drove further west to Kiata Campground, having spent the early hours of the day looking for wildlife around Horse Shoe Bend Campground. Yesterday’s cold change and 1C overnight minimum temperature were replaced by calm, blue sky conditions with the temperature already reaching the mid-twenties by our 11:00am start.
Max elevation: 157 m
Total climbing: 91 m
Total descent: -81 m
Average speed: 4.20 km/h
Total time: 01:45:51
We started from Kiata Campground around midday, walking back along the road to the Salt Lake 4WD Track. With Mallee around two to five metres in height surrounding us, there wasn’t much else to see. We seemed to be far too late to catch any bird life but there were plenty of flies out and about enjoying our company. Here and there we saw butterflies and a lot of dragonflies. By far the dominant wildflower still out in full bloom was the Melaleuca. The occasional other species of flower was also noted. The local I spoke to yesterday said the best flowering this year was through September.
Mallee north of Albrechts Millg
Marching on towards the 3km mark of our planned 12km loop, Sue pointed out the lack of scenic variety and her growing discomfort with the flies and steadily increasing temperature. The decision was made to immediately shorten the walk, so we turned back onto the Desert Discovery Track earlier than first planned. Along this part of the route, the high Mallee gave way to lower, sparser vegetation and more trees. We noted one very sandy section along the track that made for heavy walking and wondered how much of that one would encounter on any of the multi-way walking routes through the park.
Part the way down this track we passed what remains of Albrechts’ Mill & Water Bore, now just a small pond of water and a collapsing windmill. We also passed another couple out for a walk, before returning to Kiata Campground where we found a shady tree to park under for lunch.
The local flora, fauna, geology, history and some other walks (Bard)
Local Flora
The Wimmera River section of Little Desert National Park is home to a variety of flora, including:
Trees and shrubs: River red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), black box (Eucalyptus largiflorens), mallee (Eucalyptus incrassata), bullock bush (Alectryon oleifolius), wattles (Acacia spp.), and grevilleas (Grevillea spp.).
Grasses and sedges: Kangaroo grass (Themeda australis), wallaby grass (Danthonia spp.), spear grass (Stipa spp.), and reeds (Phragmites australis).
** wildflowers:** Yellow box (Eucalyptus melliodora), blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis), stringybark (Eucalyptus obliqua), and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata).
Local Fauna
The Wimmera River section of Little Desert National Park is home to a variety of fauna, including:
Mammals: Kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, echidnas, bats, and foxes.
Birds: Emus, kookaburras, parrots, honeyeaters, and wrens.
Reptiles: Snakes, lizards, and turtles.
Amphibians: Frogs and toads.
Geology
The Wimmera River section of Little Desert National Park is underlain by a variety of rocks, including:
Sedimentary rocks: Sandstone, shale, and limestone.
Volcanic rocks: Basalt and tuff.
The park is also home to a number of geological features, including:
The Wimmera River: The Wimmera River is a major river in western Victoria. It flows through the Wimmera River section of Little Desert National Park and provides a vital habitat for a variety of plants and animals.
Sand dunes: The park is home to a number of sand dunes, which were formed by wind erosion over millions of years.
Rock outcrops: The park is also home to a number of rock outcrops, which provide habitat for a variety of plants and animals.
Indigenous History
The Aboriginal people of Australia have lived in the area now known as the Wimmera River section of Little Desert National Park for thousands of years. The park is on the traditional land of the Wotjobaluk people. The Wotjobaluk people used the land for hunting, gathering, and fishing. They also used the land for ceremonial and spiritual purposes.
White History
The first Europeans to visit the area now known as the Wimmera River section of Little Desert National Park were explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell in 1824. The area was first settled by Europeans in the 1830s. The park was established in 1969.
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