Avon Mount Hedrick Scenic Reserve FS0042 Nathan Oliver - Heyfield ISSN 1440-2262

March 2004 Avon Mount Hedrick Scenic Reserve FS0042 Nathan Oliver - Heyfield ISSN 1440-2262

Avon – Mt Hedrick Scenic Reserve Flora and Fauna The Avon - Mt Hedrick Scenic Reserve is situated north The reserve is composed of dry open forest that varies with west of Maffra in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, about altitude, fire history, aspect (direction it faces), past 200 km from Melbourne. The Avon River winds logging practices and geology. majestically through the 5700 ha. reserve, over time sculpting beautiful gorges from the surrounding landscape. Common eucalypts found within the reserve include Red Complementing this is dry open forest with a diversity of Ironbark, Red and Yellow Box, Silvertop Ash, and Red wildflowers as well as rocky escarpments and several high Stringybark. A number of rare species can also be found, peaks with sweeping views of the surrounding area. including the mint bush Prostanthera saxicola.

The Channel is the centrepiece of the reserve; a In spring fine displays of colourful local wildflowers can magnificent gorge created by the Avon River carving its be seen throughout the reserve. These include the White way through the silt and sandstone over millennia. The and Blue Daisybush, Pink Fringe Myrtle, Heath Myrtle, steep sides of the gorge are covered in native vegetation, Golden Grevillea, Pincushion Orchids and Derwents with shady Casuarinas in abundance. Crags punctuate the Speedwill. riverbed, creating a system of pools and rapids that provide important habitat for aquatic life. The forests of the reserve house a variety of native wildlife. Common mammals include the Grey Kangaroo, Swamp Wallaby, Wombat and the Sugar Glider. There is also an array reptile species, including Goannas, small Skinks, Water Dragons, and the Copperhead, Red Bellied Black and Tiger Snakes.

Birdlife is abundant with White Winged Choughs, Emus, Lyrebirds and the Satin Bowerbirds being prominent. Lucky visitors may see the Tawny Frogmouths and Boobook Owls. An endangered fish, the Australian Grayling, is found in the waters of the Avon River.

Picnic spots The Channel For visitors seeking a picnic with a view, Huggett and Green Hill lookouts afford panoramic views of the forest The reserve provides for a variety of activities including region. They can both be accessed by vehicle along picnicking, camping, walking, sightseeing, horse-riding, Huggett Track. Pearson Point offers basic picnic facilities fishing, swimming and car touring. as well as spectecular views of the surrounding farmland. The Channel Overlook also offers basic picnic facilities Getting There and a full view of the gorge and the river far below. Access The reserve can be best accessed from the town of Maffra. to The Channel and the Avon River is via a walking track starting from the car park. During warm weather Wombat From Melbourne Crossing & Huggets Crossing provide shadey picnic areas Drive along the Princes Highway turning left, after with easy access to the Avon River. Rosedale, at the Maffra exit.

From Maffra Camping Huggett’s Crossing and Dermody’s Camp are on the Avon Take the Maffra Briagolong Road out of Maffra towards River and offer visitors basic camping sites, picnic Boisdale. Continue through Boisdale towards Valencia facilities, and swimming holes. They also provide access to Creek. Turn left onto Luckmans Road (3km beyond the Avon River Trail. Both sites are flat and provide Boisdale) and finally right into Warrigal-Tom Rd. From reasonable access for visitors with disabilities. Huggett’s here follow the signs to the Channel. See the locality map Crossing is the only site within the reserve with a toilet. for further information.

Walking Tracks occupation can still be found today throughout the area The reserve has a range of walks (detailed below) ranging with the recording of many archaeological sites including from 40 minutes to two days in duration. The walks are all scarred tress, shell middens and artefact scatters. marked and easy to follow. A map showing their location can be found on the opposite page. During the late 1800’s the Reserve was used as a holding Note: Access roads to camping and picnic facilities are area for cattle before they were driven up the Avon River 2WD except to Huggetts Crossing which is rough 2WD. to the alpine grazing plains. An extensive yarding area was 4WD only tracks are clearly marked on the map. located just across the river from Dermody’s Camp. This site became a sustenance camp during the great depression 1. Avon River Trail in the 1930s. The occupants of the camp were given work Skill level1: Moderate Fitness level: Average cutting firewood and fence posts in return for food, shelter 9km 4-5 hours (one way) and a small wage. This walk meanders along the Avon River, encompassing a number of swimming holes and The Channel. The walk is Looking After The Area best completed over two days, retracing your route on the • Road conditions change seasonally. For current road second day. Visitors in 2WD vehicles are advised to start conditions contact the DSE at Heyfield. the walk from Dermody’s Camp. The walk can be • The reserve is fire prone due to the dry nature of the shortened by accessing the trail from the Channel forest environment so please ensure that any campfires Overlook carpark if desired. are lit in accordance with Fire Regulations; in a 30cm deep trench, less than 1m in diameter, at least 3m from 2. Mount Hedrick Trail vegetation and not on a day of Total Fire Ban. Please Skill level: Moderate Fitness level: Average use existing fireplaces where possible. 3.5km 1.5-2 hours (one way) • No rubbish disposal is provided; so please take your Beginning north of Bulldog Junction, this walk gently rubbish with you. climbs through stands of mixed forest towards the peak of • All native plants and animals are protected Mt Hedrick (459m.) Walkers are rewarded for their climb • Vehicles must not be driven off roads or tracks and all with breathtaking views of Mt Margaret and the vehicles must be fully road registered. picturesque valley below. To return, retrace your footsteps • Avoid polluting streams with refuse, detergent and back to the car park or continue the full walk on to Huggett human wastes. Lookout for more spectacular views. There is also the • Dogs must be kept under control at all times, option of continuing on to Huggetts Crossing and the Avon especially in camping and picnic areas or near other River Trail. visitors. 3. Nicholson’s Rocks Skill level: Moderate Fitness level: Average For more information 1.5km 40 minutes (return) The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) Nicholson Rocks has been a popular picnic area since the is responsible for managing Victoria's State Forest. For late 1800’s when local settlers regularly visited it. The further information contact DSE's Customer Service Centre walk starts from just inside the reserve’s southern on 136 186 or DSE’s Heyfield office 03 5139 7777. boundary along the Kentucky Road entrance. The track descends into a moist gorge surrounded by towering Visit DSE’s website boulders, tree ferns and Blackwoods. After heavy rain the http://www.dse.vic.gov.au gorge comes alive as the mostly dry creek tumbles its way then select “Forestry”. through the gully. The Avon – Mt Hedrick Scenic Reserve is managed primarily for the protection of the environment and History provision of recreation. Other areas of the State Forest are The original inhabitants of the area were the Braiakaulung managed for a wider range of uses including timber people who lived on the river flats of the Avon River. For production, catchment protection, recreation and thousands of years they gathered fish and shellfish from conservation. If you are interested in how State Forests are managed, the current Gippsland Management Plan can be the nearby coastal waters and used the timber and game viewed on the Department’s website. from these forests as a source of food and building materials for shelters, canoes and various tools. They were http://www.dse.vic.gov.au then select “Forestry”, then select “Publications”. one of five tribes that composed the major nation of the Central Gippsland region, the Gunai-Kurnai. The early European explorers relied heavily on Koori This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria guides during the exploration that was responsible for the and its officers do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes opening up of the region. Evidence of Aboriginal and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. 1 To assist visitors in choosing walks, the walks are classified by skill level and fitness level. For a description of these classifications, refer to the Forests Note ‘Bushwalking in State forest – FS0020

Avon - Mount Hedrick Scenic Reserve FS0042

MILLERS RD MILLERS MILLERS RD MILLERS M ILLERILLERS RD BEN CRUACHAN RD Avon-Mount Hedrick 2 Te Tree N a S R Scenic Reserve

Creek Junction ã Maffra Bulldog

D l 0 MELBOURNE To KILOMETRES M/7805 Cartography by Spatial Vision 2004 Facilities Recreational Toilets Swimming Picnic table Lookout Fireplace Carpark Camping Walk reference number State Forest Scenic Reserve Gate Walking track Vehicle track (4WD) Unsealed road l l 0.5 Pearson

382m Point

C C H

O O

R R

N N

E E

R R

Corner Corner

C C

Hedrick

R Mount

459m

E E

E HUGGETTS

K K

ROAD viga

tion

C C

T T

R R r r

e e

A A

e e

C C

k C K K l reek Round Hill Huggetts Crossing L O

W 2

E C R

O Lookout R 2 NER Huggett

R R E

A E BLOC U U K K

T T

M M l

A A N N

Nicholson Nicholson

S S H von T UG R G ET TR A Ben Cruachan Nicholson TS AC C K Rocks K RO

AADD Creek

ROAD ROAD Lookout Lookout Green Green Hill Hill l l

H H ILL ILL HU

R R

O E 3

A A

Creek T D

D T G G R R E E E E N N S

W River

KENTUCKY RD Channel Overlook

H Channel Overlook

S S

E E

ROAD

N HILL O P P

T A U

D L

R R K

Y A

B Maffra B

N IN

O O

To G G

U U

S S

N N

D D

A A

R R

Y Y GREEN ROAD

C C

H H

A A

N N

T T N

E E

R R C

l L

ROAD

ROAD Springs Springs

A A

h A C C a The a

The von

K K n

n T

n n R

e e

Kentucky Kentucky C

l l K

T T

R R A A

C C K YARD RD K COMMON

Gully Gully Creek

H H

IL IL C

O L L

N C

Y H

A A R

D NN ROAD

Dermody E ROAD

B L

R O A D O U Junction Dalray

S S D

R P

P To Mt Angus

A A

R O

R R

IN A SLAUGHTERHOUSE

Y Y

D G G

S S TRACK D E

BACK BACK

R M R LANE DERM R DERM

R O

iver

O O iver

W D

T ODY O

o A A

rrig

DY Y s

R R

Creek D D

a O O M

A A

W T

D D

R 1

O O A

T T A

O O

D N

M M

W W M

S S A A R R R R

IG IG C C A A G L

L G R

R Dermodys Camp

E E BA

ully U E E

K K BOUNDAR S

Y T

R l O O

A A

D D

R R

O O

LOCKS RD

A A

D D Maffra

l L L

U U

C C K

K TRACK

M M

A A

N N O ount

well KE S

S OKEEFE BACK

W EFEE

l O FE

Heyfield M M

Traralgon B ROAD A A

T T l (4x4 ONLY) Crossing Wombat Licola

SNOWS TRACK l DONOHUE RD

PRINCES TRAC

Maffra TRA

R R CK

O O AVON-MT.HEDRICK

SCENIC RESERVE

A A

D Creek D

Briagolong R R

O O A

l von

A A TOBES MESS TK

Sale D D Angus

HWY

Carter T

OK R E A

Wellington E

M F

E RO C

A K A D Lake

R BOUNDARY T Boisdale

iv Creek WOMBA H WOMBA e

C Bairnsdale r

E O TK

To R R L

S D D

E L

S T

A T

RD RD COLDES RD l l

This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its officers do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.