TRIP REPORTS
Eildon and Surrounds Exploratory
24 th – 29 th January 2019
Participants
Ross G. Wines (Leader)
Gordon and Margaret Ainslie
Neil Douglas
Sujeevan Panagoda and friend (Sunday trip only)
Thursday 24th
Gordon, Margaret and I met up at Dixons Creek with
both parties towing vans. Lunch on a very hot day, was
had Yarck Hotel after a 45 minute wait. 2pm arrival at the
High Country Holiday Park Mansfield and set up our Vans
in a sweat. We were joined by Neil shorty afterward,
who set up his tent in the heat.
The Ainslie’s and Neil then spent a couple of hours in the
pool whilst I explored the Air Con camping stores and
assisted in their “sales”.
Friday 25th
Despite been declared a Total Fire Ban right across
Victoria, we ventured off to have lunch at the Mitchell
Creek camp area and the Creek canyon gorge located just
off western side of the Mitchells Track. Been very hot
and the northerlies wind had already come up we
elected to take the quickest way into this area.
The original plan was to go to Sheep Yard Flats first then
via Howqua Hills Track, was abandoned. We decided to
go south on the Mansfield Jamieson/Woods Point Road.
Just past the Howqua river we TL onto Howqua River
Road that continues as Steiners Track at the junction
with Symes Track. Later it runs into Mitchells Track
coming in from Jamieson.
Howqua Hills Track from Sheep Yards Flats runs into
Steiners Track then continues on as Mitchells Track to
Wrens Flat and Mt Sunday Road. We found Mitchells
Track from Steiners was fairly rough in terms of lack of
any obvious maintenance, and also becoming over grown
with young wattle. The track ruts were quite rough.
Gordon and Neil and their might Pajero’s however
Member
No.
575
1664
1838
1736
Vehicle Details
Discovery HSE TD6
Pajero NW
Pajero NL
Challenger
prevailed and negotiated the track worthy of their Club
driver training. I was glad the Disco recovery support was
never needed for the whole event.
Stops
1. We stopped to air down our tyres on Steiners further
on from Symes Track junction. In doing so we were
appalled by several 4WD’s towing camp trailers, who
selfishly and recklessly roared past our 3 vehicles at
speed with no hint of them slowing down as they
approach us. Despite us waving at them to slow down
they continued to speed on creating a large trailing dust
cloud and throwing up gravel /small rocks from the road.
2. Old Slate Mine. Mitchells track basically runs through
this former old mine site with a steep drop off to the
west. Despite the heat in the high 30’s by this stage, we
had a quick walk-about this now abandoned quarry. We
wondered how busy and active this quarry was and
where the slate was used. The views from the quarry are
magnificent. I can’t locate any history “online” related to
this slate mine nor about Mitchells Homestead. Seem
just yet another part of our Victorian history gone
forever.
Not far from the mine site, Mitchells track then descends
very steeply down to a bush camping area on the
Mitchells Creek and site of the old former Homestead.
This section of the track is pure clay and becomes
treacherous after only light rain. Luckily for us it was dry
and dusty.
3.
Mitchells Flat camping area is right at the western
edge of the park of the Alpine NP. It was the site of a
gold find in the 1860s, and subsequently became home
to the Mitchell family homestead.