Baw Ton Walking Track Which H8$ Been a Popu 8S'lll.' Plateau Located in Gippsland Approxi Lar Route with Hikers Tor Many Years
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A lIew Ski-illJl Village 011 ~U. lIaw U ..... A. Brogan (Su·.. ~I.~:r. Mt. Ed... Dhido. S.C. V.) HE growing popularity of snow spor~ slghLsecrs. many of whom travelled rlgllt T In this country again draws atten across the plateau on the Walhall-Warbur tion to the comparath'cly unknown Baw ton walking track which h8$ been a popu 8s'lll.' plateau located In Gippsland approxi lar route with hikers tor many years. Three mately 100 miles from Melbourne and with huts were prOVIded on the routt!. two of them In casy reach of all Gippsland. The 30 square being located on the Saw Baws. one at Mt. mUes of .!Snowfields In this areA could be Whitelaw and the other at Talbot Peak. come one of the mOlit popular holiday re For some ~·ears. skiers had been skl·lng sorts in Vlctorla, At present, access is dim on Mt. Erica and a Division of lhe Ski Club cult and only the mOlJt hardy and enthusi or Victoria was rormed with headquarters astic lIklers reach the Bnw Baw Plateau, at Yallourn-the centre of Vlctorla'S power and It Is perhaps not generally known thaL Industry and brown coal dC!,lOsits. Other the sno¥" 1;e8SOn last.s Crom June until the clubs from YaJlourn erected hull! on Mt. m iddle of October. Sclng the closest reliable Erica and t kl -Iug ..... as confined to this area snowfielM to Melbourne they after oppor except for lntennlttent trll)S to the ccntre tunities long sought after by skiers, pro of the range. where It was often found that vided that suitable access 1s I)l'ovlcted, snow conditions were bettcr than on Mt. The plateau Is approximately 30 SQuare Erica. miles In area at all average elevation of As a result of the 1939 fires and recent de 4500 fect. with some peRks ot more than 5000 mands for timber, new roads have been con fl!i!t. Mt. Erica and Talbot Peak are at the structed to open Ul) timber mills beyond southern end of the plateau. wltl) Mts. Baw Tanjil Bren and well up on the Bllw Ballo' Daw. St. Phlllak and Kernot near the centre. Range. In 1943 members of the Mt. Erica Mt. Whitelaw Is at the northern end. Division Im'estigated the western approach The best ski-ing country Is provided in the to the Baw Raws and used a new road Ballo' Haw-S.t Phil lack area. the country con reachiug to within t ..... o miles of the summit sisting of a series ot roughly parallel ridges of Mt. Baw Baw at an elevation of 3600tt. with large !lRt mora.sses bet91een them at an During the 1944 &eason a number of explO1: elevation of from 200-300 feet vertically be atory trips were carried out and snow con low the surrounding peaks. One deep gully ditiOIlS and terraln ..... ere found to be auperior provides two first-class runs of 950ft. and to those on Mt. Erica. 750ft. verllcally. Ilt an average slope of 25 The Division then decided to tmnsfer all degrees. but both are lit present heavily Um Its activltJes to thlls area at the beginning bered. Although not comparable with Mis. of the 1945 season. Hothant. Buller and the Bogong HIgh Plains The decision to open up an enlJrely new areas. the IIlopes and $now conditions hold area to skl-ing by a Jlmall orsanisaUon was the Interest Cor experienced skiers and pro made more than ordinarily dlmcult by war vide a good training ground tor uovlces and time restrictions on transport and material. beginners because of the wide variety of Howe\·er. some omclal recognition was 00- gradual slopes with excellent run OUl!;. It Is talne<t maidng tmnsport. possible. and In also more sheltered than these other areas October. 1944 ...... ork commenced 011 clearing and thererore less dangerous In blizzards. and blazing a track tor two miles. commenc Prior to the disastrous bush fires of 1939, ing at 3600fL elevation aud ending at M~. which swept practicallY all Victoria aud de Baw Baw at 5130ft. The lower section of stroyed much or the SWlte torestJI. the only this track was through very heavy under approach to the aaw Baws was via Erica growth with many fallen logs and trees. The township. This route was used by all people track had to be fully cleared to enable who wished to visit the plateau durmg sum horses and men to hllul up all material re mer or winter. In the summer time the quired for the buUdlng of a 30ft. x 14ft. hut. plateau wa6 very popular "I!.'Ith hikers and Work on the hut commenced at Easter. 73 On the Raw Haws G. Nodin 194:;. in extremely wet weather and four days h!l.s rapidlr Increased. On King's Birthday were required 1.0 carry the foundation week-end 1949. approx!mall'!ly 300 skiers stumllS to the hut site. makJng It appear were seen on the mount9.:n. Other week almost impossible for the task to be com ends see an average of 80-100. despite the plet~ at all. fact that the Mt. Erica Division hut is the SOme horse transport was obt:tlned for only accommodation and most have to camp the carriage of very heavy material. but at thc foot of the track and climb the moun nearly all was cnrried up by club members, tain cach day. The popularity of the hut Is some making four or five trips In a day to Incliclted by the fact that approximately the hut. site. Work was continued UlI'ough 1000 people used It during the 1949 season out the winter and heavy .snow made h. both and hut. fees amounted to £50 for the season, miSerable and extremely hard going. Success (Members pay no fees on day visits.) It Is was finally achieved in September, 1945. In probably the cheapest ski accommodation in the main, all ,,-ark was done one-day trips, Australia. which required workers to leave home a~ 3 The 1946 season Indicated that the Haw a.m, and return home again a~ 10 or 11 p.m. Baws had a great future provided that suit the same night. The hut has been made able accommodaUon could be erected. but more oomlorlable each year. 18 bunks ha\'e the Dlvlslon'S own experience showed that been flttOO and the hut fully lined with construction costs and the work invol\'oo "Caneit-e," The hut has always been avall would prevent any large amount of building. nble to all comers to the Baw Eaw snow An access road WIlS required and the obtain n:!lds and no person has ever been refused ing of this road has been the major objec admission if reasonable notice was given. tive of the Mt. Erica Division for the past The 1945 season was the first. real skJ-ing fi\'e years. season on the Saw Baw. Word soon spread The State Development Committee has of the new field and in each subsequent visit-ed the area and recommended lUi de season the numbers visiting the Saw Eaws velopment. Industrial developments in the 74 Latrobe Val!e~' of Gippsland are focussing the following - two representatives of the attention on the area. The West Gippsland Forests Commission and one each trom Regional Committee is taking up the cause Lands Department, C.R.B.. S.R. & \V.S. and. at last, preliminary surveys tor the road Commission. Shire 01 Narracan, West Gipps ha\'e started. The Regional Committee has land Regional Committee. Ski Club ot Vic reported to the State Oo\·ernmcnt as fol- toria and or Federation of Victorian Ski 10y,'S:- Clubs. The Chairman to be one of the The Committee as a result of the Investi Forests Commission representatives, The gations are of the opinion lhat:- secretariat to be supplied by the Forests (8) The development of the Mt. Saw Baw Commission. snowfields Is a desirable and necessary (\v) The Committee of Management work. ju.stlfled by the resultant provision Should be responsible {or- of recreation facilities to R large proportion (a ) Allocation of sites and the issue of of the SLate'S population in general and In permits to erect buildings In the residential particular to ensure that the grealest area. and to prescribe standards for such measure of recreational facilities offered by bulldings. naLural resources are avallable to thc ex (b) Ensuring a 6atlsfactory water supply panding population of the Latrobe Valley. for the residential area. (b) That the Developmcnt should be pur (c) EnsUring a satisfactory sanitary sued concurrently with Industrial and urban scheme, development In the Latrobe Valley, fd) Ensuring adequate protection meas In order to implement the development of ures. Including refuge accommodation. Llle Baw Baw sllowfleld~ the following re (v) That until such a. committee of man commendations are madc:- agement Is appointed and the necessary SW' m That a government grant of funds vel' completed, applications to erect huts should be made to ensure early commence should be deferred. ment of the construcllon of a rond to the (\'i) That when a satisfactory access road snowfields and that one of the government has been provided, the committee of man bodies should be the constructing authority. agement should be responsible for tramc HI) That an area of nine square mlles be control and maintenance. set aside as a snowfield and portion should If the recommendations of this report are be sub-divided by the Forests Commission carried out the Baw BiloW snowfields wlJl into building allotments for residential pur provide a valuable addition to Victorian ski "...,.