Box 2446 GPO 3001

Affiliated with Issued free to members CIRCULAR www.melbournewalkingclub.org FEBRUARY 2021 FEBRUARY WALKS

Monday 1 Hastings - Jacks Beach Jim Smith Wednesday 3 Upper Ferntree Gully - Knox City Richard Bowen Sunday 7 Punchbowl - Kilkunda Trevor Rosen Wednesday 10 Fishermans Bend - Flinders St Stewart Stanlake Monday 15 Drouin and Tree Walk Alex Hordijenko 3rd Wed 17 Coburg Lake Jenny Hosking Monday 22 Easy Metro - Kensington Peter O’Donoghue Wednesday 24 Park - Fairfield Stuart Galloway Sunday 28 Sebastopol - Brown Hill Colin Crook Presentation of the Golden Boot to Jim Cone

on the December 2nd Oak Park Walk Copy for March to: Charlie Freedman - Phone: 0415 558 249 email: [email protected] before the 1st Wednesday in the month, 3rd February. If undeliverable, return to: Submissions may be edited for space and other considerations. Melbourne Walking Club Inc. Place Laugh With Lance Box 2446 GPO Stamp It’s frustrating when you know all the answers, MELBOURNE VIC 3001 Here but nobody bothers to ask you the questions. Melbourne Walking Club Circular Extreme Conditions & Fire Bans

On days of EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS leaders may cancel the activity at their discretion. If a day of TOTAL FIRE BAN is declared in a walk area, ALL outdoor activities in that area are CANCELLED . Talk Over Lunch Recommencing Due to easing of restrictions (and barring further changes), the social lunches on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at the Charles Dickens Tav- ern will recommence this month (Tuesday February 9th). Members should use their discretion regarding the virus. Barry Revill, Phone: 9555 1114 or email: [email protected]

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Office Bearers 2020 -2021 Bushwalking News Victoria (BNV) Club Executive President: Trevor Rosen General Committee: Kim Rosen, The Melbourne Walking Club is affiliated with Senior Vice President: Charlie Freedman David Jones, & Bushwalking Victoria which publishes Secretary: Michael Corrigan Richard Simpson “Bushwalking News” monthly on the Internet. Assistant Secretary: Jennifer Horne The Current and past BNV’s can be read on their Treasurer: Terry Simpson Activities Officer: Jenny Hosking web page: Membership Officer: John Rankin - - http://www.bushwalkingvictoria.org.au/what we do/publications/newsletters Sub -Committee Convenors Other Officers Mt Buller Lodge: David Jones Website Administrator: Charlie Freedman Walter Briggs Hut: Kim Rosen Circular Editor: Charlie Freedman McMillans Walking Track Guide Book on Sale

Walk Coordinators The first -ever guide book of the McMillans Walking Track was launched Metro Walks: David Watkins, & Sunday Walks: Kim Rosen Oliver Lucas Easy Metro Walks: Hugh Gibson at the Bushwalking Victoria Leadership Forum in November by Richard Peninsula Walks: Ron Anderson 3rd Wed Walks: Graeme Barker Wadsworth of the Dept. of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. The

production of the guide book was very much a joint effort between Ben Generic email addresses to contact appropriate Club Members: Cruachan Walking Club and well -known bushwalkers and walking guide [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] publishers, John and Monica Chapman. The retail price is $24.95 and it [email protected] [email protected] is available at www.john.chapman.name/pub -mcm.html [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Current MWC Directions for Outdoor Walks: 2020/21 Subscriptions

NOTE: DUE TO COVID -19, SOME WALKS MAY BE CANCELLED OR Rates for 2020/21 are as follows: AMENDED. Please check the following web page for current details Members -- Within Victoria and aged under 80 years $65 before attending any walks: -- Outside Victoria $60 -- Aged 80 years and over $60 http://www.melbournewalkingclub.org/activities/walk-status Note: Life Members and those who have been members for 50

Current MWC Directions for Outdoor Walks: years or more are not required to pay annual subscriptions.

Up to 100 people can now go on a bushwalk. Therefore, from now on The following discounts apply: until further notice, members will no longer be required to book in for Prompt Payment: $5 (for payment by 30 June 2020). Club walks, and visitors will be allowed to attend walks. Members and Emailed Circular (not by post): $10 (for 12 months). visitors are still required to notify the leader if attending Sunday walks. Please send a cheque payable "Melbourne Walking Club Inc" to: Note that it is still always at the discretion of the leader how many people Mr T. Simpson, 10 Ti Tree Av, Bonbeach, Vic, 3196. he/she is willing to have on any particular walk. Or

Masks will not be required outdoors unless you are unable to distance By bank transfer to the Club’s general account: yourself from others, but they must be carried at all times. Account Name: Melbourne Walking Club Inc. Here is a link to the DHHS website for more details: BSB: 063 -000, Account No: 1078 3218. Please ensure that you clearly state your name on the transfer. www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/victorias -restriction -levels -covid -19 Terry Simpson, Treasurer, MWC.

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Walter Briggs Hut Access Application for Government Grant - First Aid Training Please note that the Mt Donna Buang Rd from Warburton, which was I’m pleased to inform members that the Club was successful in obtaining closed due to Covid -19, is now open. This means that access to the Wal- a government grant of $2,000.00 to be used for a Remote First Aid Train- ter Briggs Hut has been restored. ing Course for Walk Leaders. A detailed submission was made last Sep- tember by Kim Rosen on behalf of the Club in support of an application Leader Required for Easy Metro Walk for a grant for skill development under the Sporting Clubs Grant Pro- As convenor for the Easy Metro Walks, I am currently looking for some- gram. This program is run by the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Re- body to lead an Easy Metro Walk on 27th September 2021. It is an easy gions (Community Sport and Recreation). We were notified in December that the application had been approved. Congratulations to Kim and ramble around Westerfolds Park and would suit anybody living anywhere near that area. It was last led by Hugh Gibson back in 2017 and I have thank you for all the work you put into this. all his notes on this walk. The First Aid Training Course will be conducted by the government ac- I can be contacted on 9717 0909 or 0405 083 074. credited firm, Emergency Medical Response. It will be held in February Gordon Proudfoot as a one day course by an experienced paramedic. Some of it involves online learning and assessment at home and some involves practical Visitors Fee face to face training. The course will be at no cost to members and it would normally cost $150.00 per person. A maximum of 14 places are A $5.00 fee is now charged to all visitors attending club walks. Walk available. leaders are to collect the cash from each visitor. A separate notice follows with details of how to apply to join the course.

Trevor Rosen, President. Trevor Rosen

An Opportunity To Walk The Goldfields Track In 2021 President

Have you always wanted to walk the Goldfields Track from start to fin- ish? This is your chance to walk the entire track from its start at Mt Bu- Remote First Aid Training for Walk Leaders ninyong near Ballarat to its conclusion in Bendigo. The walk will be divid- ed into fourteen sections of one day walks. Most sections will be be- When? ● Saturday 13th February 10am to 3pm (Course 1 for tween 14 and 18 km. The total distance is 210 km. We may decide to 7 members), and stay overnight for one or two days at accommodation along the way. The ● Sunday 14th February 10am to 3pm (Course 2 for first stage of the walk will be on Sunday 28 March and the second stage 7 members). will be on Sunday 25 April. ● 4 hours of on -line course work and assessment is also required beforehand. This walk has been previewed and is being organised by Kim Rosen. Where? ● Emergency Medical Response First Aid Training Centre, Only three people in the club have expressed an interest in walking the 251 St. George Road, Northcote and adjacent parks for track so far. If you are interested in walking the track next year it is im- lunch and afternoon outdoor practice session. portant that you contact her to discuss your availability and the logistics Who? ● Any member of the Melbourne Walking Club who regularly of the walk. The Boroondara Bushwalking Club is very interested in tak- leads walks, either in the country, or in the less accessible ing your places if MWC numbers are low. Contact Kim on areas of metropolitan Melbourne. [email protected] or 0422 804 816. How? ● Contact Kim Rosen as soon as possible on 0422 804 816 or

Membership Register email to [email protected] . Cost? ● Free for the first 14 members. Note that members may request that any of their details not be published in the Club’s Membership Register.

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FEBRUARY WALKS Monday 15 Mar Olinda - Montrose Monday 1 Feb Hastings - Jacks Beach Leader: Wayne Hansen Phone: 9879 7346 Leader: Jim Smith Phone: 0437 077 532 3rd Wed 17 Mar Dorset Road - Knox Arboretum Rendezvous & Morning Tea: 10:00 am at Babington Park, Marine Pa- Leader: Travis Clark Phone: 9874 6326 rade Hastings, opposite The Hastings Club. 154 J8. Sunday 21 Mar Anglesea - Point Addis Maps: Melway 154 - 165 Grading: Easy Distance: 11 km. NB. You must contact the leader if you intend to come on this walk. Transport: Private car. Leader: Keith Davidson Phone: 0414 860 828 Walk Details: A very pleasant easy walk along the boardwalk through

Kings Creek reserve then along the Hastings foreshore reserve past the Wednesday 24 Mar Bus Trip yacht club and onto the Western port trail. This joins up with the Bittern Leader: David Ellis Phone: 0402 392 786 coastal wetlands boardwalk which will lead us to the mangrove coast at Hastings then to Jacks Beach Crib Point for lunch in a picnic area with Sunday 28 Mar Goldfields Track - Mt Buninyong - Ballarat tables. After lunch there is a short walk to Jacks beach with pleasant NB. You must contact the leader if you intend to come on this walk. views of Western port. We then return via the same path back to the start. Leader: Kim Rosen Phone: 0422 804 816 Note: Toilets available along the way and at lunch spot. Monday 29 Mar Easy Metro: Canterbury - Glenferrie Wednesday 3 Feb Upper Ferntree Gully - Knox City S.C. Leader: Gordon Proudfoot Phone: 9717 0909 Leader: Richard Bowen Phone: 9885 0438 Wednesday 31 Mar Wattle Glen - Flat Rock - Wattle Glen Circuit 0406 500 061 Leader: Charlie Freedman Phone: 0415 558 249 Rendezvous: Upper Ferntree Gully Station at 9:48am. Rendezvous: 10:20 am at Wattle Glen Station. Maps: Melway 74, 64 & 65 Grading: Easy Distance: 11 km. Maps: Melway 12, 263 & 271 Grading: Medium Distance: 11 km. Transport: 8:56am Belgrave train, departing Flinders St Station, arriving Upper Ferntree Gully at 9:48. Transport: 8:57 am Hurstbridge train departing Flinders Street station (9:00 at Southern Cross, 10:01 at Eltham) arriving at Wattle Glen at Morning Tea: Kings Park, Upper Ferntree Gully, Melway 74 D6. 10:17. Return trains to the city at 2:44, 3:22 & 4:07 pm. For eastern sub- urbs residents the #902 bus connects with Hurstbridge train at Eltham. Walk Details: Follow rail line to just after Ferntree Gully Station, cross the Car drivers can park near Wattle Glen station to meet the train. line (underpass) and follow Blind Creek to Knox City Shopping Centre. Morning Tea: Peppers Paddock at about 10:30 am, Melway 12 G4. Toi- Escapes: Several escapes. lets available.

Note: Lunch at Tim Neville Arboretum, Dorset Road. Walk Details: Pleasant walking along both sealed and unsealed roads Sunday 7 Feb George Bass Coastal Walk: Punchbowl - Kilkunda and grass reserves (except for the last leg which is on footpaths), with some hills. Little traffic to bother us. Lunch on a roadside grass reserve. NB. You must contact the leader if you intend to come on this walk. Note: This is a circular walk, but there are no escapes. Toilets only at the Leader: Trevor Rosen Phone: 0412 136 124 beginning and end of walk (Wattle Glen station and Peppers Paddock).

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Rendezvous & Morning Tea: 9.30am at the coastal reserve parking area Grading: Easy, almost all flat. Distance: 11 km. at the end of Punchbowl Road. This road turns off the Philip Island Road Transport: Private car. Yuille Station Park is a left turn from Vickers (B420) about 2km before San Remo. Punchbowl Road is a gravel road Street East just before number 41 Vickers Street (East). If you come to and the end of the road is 1.4km from the main road. There are no toilets Eldridge Court, then you have come one street too far. Yuille Station, at the parking area. The closest toilets are in San Remo.

Sebastopol, is in Google and is the site of Ballarat's first settlers. Grading: Medium (one way) or Hard (return). Distance: 18km return.

Morning Tea: At the historic Ballarat Woollen Mill, Hill Street, Redan. Transport: Private cars. About 114 km from Melbourne. Walk Details: Starting from Yuille Station we will follow the Goldfields Directions: Take the (M1) and turn off at Koo Wee Rup Track along the Yarrowee Creek right through the middle of Ballarat to Rd (C422) to the South Gippsland Highway (M420) and head towards Brown Hill. We will pass through the interesting Sebastopol wetlands, San Remo and Philip Island. then the Redan wetlands. There is plenty of history along the route. We finish at the small park at Ditchfield Lane, Brown Hill. An easy escape is Walk Details: 18km return circuit. The return walk from Punchbowl to Kil- Ballarat Railway Station. A small car shuffle will be organised. cunda is approximately 18km but it would be possible to walk one way if participants agree to have a car shuttle with some cars based at Kilcun- MARCH PROGRAM da. It is essential to discuss this with the leader before attending the walk. This is a beautiful coastal walk along the cliff tops and some sec- Monday 1 Mar OT Dam Red Hill tions on the beach. There are spectacular ocean views and rock for- Leader: Don Ziino Phone: 0438 596 626 mations. Some sections are through farmland. Bring your own lunch and plenty of water. There are toilets and a picnic ground at Kilcunda. Rendezvous & Morning Tea: 9:45am, Melway 190 A2. Wednesday 10 Feb Fishermans Bend - Flinders St Maps: Melway 190 & 160 Grading: Strenuous Distance: 11 km. Leader: Stewart Stanlake Phone: 9870 9061 Transport: Private car. 0468 300 132 Walk Details: On Arthurs Seat Rd. Look for a car park with a large Mural Rendezvous: Bus 237 terminus, Lorimer St, Fishermans Bend under painted water tank. We will leave the cars there and walk to Eatons Cut- Westgate Bridge, 9:15am. ting, where we then start a bush and open country walk, and proceed through Arthurs Seat Park to Boundry Rd, then loop back up to OT Dam Maps: Melway 56, 57, 2N, 2K, 2G, 2F & Google. for lunch. This is a steep section of the walk with some more short steep Distance: 14 km. There are many escapes so the walk can be easily hills after lunch. There are good views and rugged bush tracks that make shortened. this an attractive walk. - - Transport: 8:55am bus 237 outside The Age office corner of Collins and Wednesday 3 Mar Corio Hovells Creek Lara Spencer Streets, Melbourne. Many options for return travel.

Leader: John Rankin Phone: 0408 373 148 Morning Tea: Information Board, rotunda with seating in Westgate Park, Fri -Mon 5 -8 Mar Base Undercover - Mt Buller Lodge Melway 56 F1. NB. You must contact the leader if you intend to come on this walk. Walk Details: A wander through Westgate Park, along foreshore to Mid- dle Park, through Albert Park then gardens to finish of walk. A flat and Leader: Jenny Hosking Phone: 0423 627 232 easy walk. Wednesday 10 Mar Mornington - The Briars - Mt Martha Note: This is the summer season so bring plenty of water and remember

Leader: Les Littlejohn Phone: 5987 2215 to slip, slop and slap with sunscreen.

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Monday 15 Feb Drouin and Tree Walk Maps: Melway 2T, 28 & 42 Grading: Easy Distance: 11 km. Leader: Alex Hordijenko Phone: 9383 3257 Transport: 9.14am Craigieburn Train from Flinders, arrives Kensington Station 9.24am. Return Train from Essendon at either 2.14 or 2.34pm. Rendezvous: 10.53am at Drouin Railway Station. Morning Tea: Saleyards (adjacent Racecourse And Smithfield Roads, Grading: Easy Distance: 9 km. near Newmarket Shopping Centre). Transport: 9:15am Traralgon V/Line train ex Southern Cross Station Walk Details: A pleasant walk through parts of old and new Kensington stopping Flinders Street 9.24am, Caulfield 9.36am, Clayton 9.48am, to the Maribyrnong, past several wetlands, the Racecourse and Aber- Dandenong 10.03am and arriving at Drouin 10.53am. Return trains from feldy Sports Ground. Drouin 2.00pm, 3.03pm. Those who prefer can drive to Drouin and park in the township. Wednesday 24 Feb Victoria Park Station - Fairfield Note : New timetables are being drawn up by V/Line effective 31st Leader: Stuart Galloway Phone: 0421 560 031 January 2021, and there may be minor amendments to the above times. Please check V/Line website for any changes prior to the walk. Rendezvous: 9:15am at Victoria Park station, on the east side of the sta- tion. Morning Tea: 11:00am at Rotunda in Civic Park. Maps: Melway 2C, 2D, 45, 31, 30 & 44 Distance: 13 km. Walk Details: This is a brand new walk around the outskirts of Drouin township . Drouin is renowned for its beautiful eucalypts, Transport: 9:02am Flinders St to Victoria Park train, arriving 9:20 (Mernda and Hurstbridge trains leave at 5 -10 min intervals via Southern elms and other exotic trees and we will see fine examples on the day. The walk is on good paths and roadways with two moderate uphill sec- Cross and city loop). Meet after underpass on eastern side near Lille St. tions. Toilets at Drouin station and morning tea but none at lunch time. Morning Tea: Dights Falls on the Yarra. Only escapes are towards the end of the walk. Walk Details: After a short walk we take morning tea at Dights Falls. 3rd Wed 17 Feb Coburg Lake Continue on over the Merri Creek through Yarra parkland until Kanes Leader: Jenny Hosking Phone: 0423 627 232 Bridge (Studley Park Boathouse). Over the bridge we walk along the oth- er side of the River to the Boulevard. Lunch is at the Amphitheatre Rendezvous & Morning Tea: 10.45am at Coburg Lake near Playground (crossing and recrossing at the pipeline bridge) Continue along a bush Area. track along the river until the Chandler Highway bridge. The final part is a walk through suburban streets back to Fairfield Station. There are toilets Maps: Melway 17 G10 and/or Google. at Dights Falls, Studley Park boathouse & Amphitheatre.

Grading: Easy Distance: 3.5km to 5.0km. Escapes: Heidelberg Road near Amphitheatre. If it is too hot, we could Transport: 10.04am Upfield Train ex Flinders St and 10.07am ex South- shortcut after lunch to Dennis station. ern Cross, arriving Batman Station at 10.28am. Leader will meet the Sunday 28 Feb Sebastopol - Brown Hill train. NOTE CHANGE OF DATE. Walk Details: Circular walk around Coburg Lake, Merri Creek and Con- servation area. NB. You must contact the leader if you intend to come on this walk. Monday 22 Feb Easy Metro - Kensington - Essendon Leader: Colin Crook Phone: 0418 386 459 Leader: Peter O’Donoghue Phone: 9376 7400 Rendezvous: Yuille Station Park, Vickers Street (East), Sebastopol, at 10:00am. Rendezvous: Depart Bellair St from exit from Platform 2.

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