The Mitchell River National Park which is jointly managed by Parks Victoria and the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC) is a favoured bushwalking area for the Ben Cruachan Walking Club. With sections of the 20km Mitchell River Walking Track from Angusvale to the Den of Nargun being a regular feature on their walk program. The track was in need of some serious attention as in many places the vegetation was forcing walkers to walk off the track. Last September BCWC supported by BTAC cleared 4km. Over the recent ANZAC weekend 20 volunteers, including eight from BCWC, worked in two teams. They checked out some 12 kilometres of the track and cleared vegetation from over six of them.
On ANZAC day afternoon 15 volunteers settled in for the weekend at the Echo Bend Camping Park, a lovely spacious privately run park with a variety of amenities including hot showers and shelters. Four BCWC members joined us for the day on Saturday morning. We divided into two teams with Patrick and John co-leading one team which worked north from Billy Goat Bend. John and Ken went out of their way to clear a large fallen tree about a km before Jurgenson Point. I lead the other team which worked north from Woolshed Creek near the Den of Nargun. After nine hours out in the field exhausted volunteers appreciated the hot showers and the BBQ meal cooked by volunteers but provided by Parks Victoria.
On Sunday morning a fresh BCWC member joined us for the day. We formed up into our teams with my team walking in to where we finished the previous day to continue clearing the track to the point where the crew finished off last September, 4km south of Billy Goat Bend. We did some light work on the Den of Nargun loop track on the way back.
Patrick and John’s team drove to Angusvale at the northern end of the track, walked in 2.5km and then cleared 750m of heavily overgrown track.
The weather forecast leading up to the activity suggested rain showers on both days, but Saturday was fine all day. There was some light rain at 6am on the Sunday but lightened to no more than a fine misty drizzle which persisted for most of the day and then got heavier when we were back at camp in the evening. Those that stayed over on Sunday night lit a fire, cooked and socialised in one of the camp’s shelters.
Thank you to all the volunteers for making the effort to get to Mitchell River and join the activity. Volunteers contributed 300 on the job hours and spent over 100 hours on travel to get to and back home from the activity. I was impressed with the willingness of people to help out with all the things that needed doing both on and off the job. Thanks also for the camaraderie which despite what the weather does makes these activities so rewarding and enjoyable.
Thanks to Patrick and John for leading the other team. Thanks to Parks Victoria for their support and the BBQ provisions which were very much appreciated. Thanks to Jullie and Geoff our hosts at the Echo Bend Camping Park and a big thank you to the Ben Cruachan Walking Club for picking up the camping fees.
Trail Hiking Australia commented on Facebook “The work you do is incredible and is greatly appreciated by all. Thank you”. The walkers and runners we met on the track agree with that.
Joe van Beek
BTAC Activity Manager and BCWC Tracks and Conservation Officer
