Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

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Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Mon 06 Apr, 2015 9:13 pm

Hi
I just hiked the Northern Prom . circuit at Wilson's Prom. N.P. I have never been to this part of the Prom before.
The weather was rather good , the whole time. That was quite surprising for the Prom. . There was Just a spot of rain overnight at Lower Barry Creek on the last night.
The track was hard to find at times and often insanely overgrown! :-0. I wished I had taken a machete! :-0
The leaders of the hike had a GPS each and I had the SV Prom map and compass. We went off course a few times until a track marker was spotted.
Good Friday was an easy walk along Five Mile road to Five mile beach. We stopped for a snack at Barry Creek campsite.
There is water flowing from the spring there at 5 Mile Beach .
The 5 Mile beach campsite was at capacity for the long weekend. Swimming there in the surf at 5 Mile beach , I must say that the water was very cold.
Day two( Sat. ) Miranda creek was at low tide so crossing it was easy . The hill up over the head was very steep and it was slow going heading for Johnny Souey cove.
Once at the top , " The track" ;-P was often blocked by trees and vegetation, prickle bushes etc. that had fallen. This was just the start of a major insane bush bashing adventure.
The walk along the beach at Johnny Souey cove was easy but the most horrific section of impenetrable scrub was going from JS cove to 3 mile beach. No one could find the track and I think we went in a bit of circle. It was T O U G H. It was Chronically W R O N G . ;-p .Other hikers who I spoke with along the course of the Long Easter weekend also had trouble and grief and were swearing oaths at this point. The whole crossing over the head took at least an hour or more and felt like much longer and was really fricking exhausting.
By the time we hit the beach at 3 mile beach I was stuffed . I put on my swim suit and dived into the sea to cool off . After lunch we pressed on for The point where the route at 3 mile beach goes straight up the hill to the lighthouse. The tide was coming in so we legged it along 3 mile beach.
There is a rope there which is tied to a tree which one hauls oneself up the very steep hillside to the top of the point . I liked that , it was handy to have a rope there.
Then the long and often tough walk through some thick bush to Tin Mine Cove was the next stage. By the time I got to Tin Mine Cove via the Chinaman's Long beach and the link track through dense head high over grown bush I was very fatigued and dehydrated.
On the way , just heading to the campsite at Tin Mine cove an hour before sunset I met an English man with a Bristol kind of accent and his lady friend . He was walking in rubber thongs( flips flops) and shorts. That was crazy but more insanity in the guise of more extreme trekkers was to present itself subsequently.
I always hike in shorts but thank goodness I packed two pairs of zip off pants and water proof over pants too. I did not take any shorts at all. I was forewarned by the HIKING FIASCO report on this area. This was a leg massacre zone. Good boots and good gaiters were not optional either!
Swimming at Tin Mine Cove was pleasant and luckily the creek was flowing well .I took a spare 4 L. H2O bladder because I had heard of the water shortages in the North of the Prom. It came in very handy and at Tin Mine Cove campsite which is up the hill from the fresh water. The sunset over the inlet was very photogenic.That was the toughest day of the trek.
Day 3 ( Sun. ) was Tin Mine Cove to Lower Barry creek. Barry has a lot to answer for and so do the Chinamen . Luckily the swamp at Chinaman's swamp and China man's creek were both dry !. The idea of the already torturously slow progress through walls of thicket that could take your eyes out would have been hell on Earth if one had to wade for kilometres through knee high or waist high water that would have been leech and snake infested in the true Prom. tradition.
Instead we got off lightly which means If I do this trek again in April 2016 I will probably get to trek through swamps full of water and full of leeches and water snakes! :-0
.
It said 6 kms on the map. It took about 4 -5 hours to get from the beach to Lower Barry Creek camp.. I fell over a number of times. On some occasions the scrub was so dense I just bounced sideways, or backwards or forwards because there was no place to physically fall. The scenery changed a number times from dead flat swamp with impenetrable wetland scrub of sharp sword grass etc. to open Banksia woodland and tree grass groves. I kept the sunglasses on for eye protection from branches and twigs etc.
The pestilent insect population was not too bad either which was a plus. The noonday sun was hot but in summer I could imagine hours of bashing through this area south West of Chinaman's knob with little or no shade and swarms of insects . That would make a man curse for sure.
Finally we arrived and located the campsite and water at Lower Barry creek. There I met Mr. Bare foot. He was making a coffee with his female companion. He was doing the Northern Prom. circuit in shorts and NO SHOES AT ALL. What A rare and extremely unusual unit!. His feet and legs were covered in lacerations. He did admit he wears shoes in snow and ice, otherwise all of his hiking and living is done barefoot!! This is what is called madness, insanity and natural selection has reduced their numbers via snake bites and other hiking injuries.
The creek is flowing well at both upper and Lower Barry creek.
The last day was Monday and we packed up at first light and hiked out to five mile road. The track was not too hard to follow along this stage and the trip to the junction with 5 Mile road took just over 2 hours. It was still slow going but quite scenic at times, esp. at the top of the big boulder. I slipped off it coming down but thankfully was not hurt .The Road walking was easy and we got back to 5 mile car park before 12 noon.
I would do this trek again in April as long as I had a GPS and a map and compass. I think April is the best bet for dry walking and less swamp wading but conditions change, not much work is done to maintain this area for hikers and sections of the tracks are not easy to navigate in good conditions. It is very wild and unspoiled and there are so few hikers out there compared with the Southern Prom. . Only the brave , insane , eccentric, intrepid , fit and tough seem to go there. It is a different world to Tidal River. Bear it in mind that I took my small travel guitar , as usual!, on this 60 KM plus hike, So the fit, hardy , eccentric and unusual category includes myself. :-)

I think I will do this hike again in Autumn 2016 . People need to take whistles on such a trek. The scrub is often so high and dense you can lose your hiking companions in just a few steps. I will take a GPS , whistle , map and compass when I do this hike next time. I will upload some pictures soon.
Last edited by paidal_chalne_vala on Wed 08 Apr, 2015 5:25 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby neilmny » Tue 07 Apr, 2015 11:21 am

Looking forward to seeing your photos p_c_v.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby Snowzone » Wed 08 Apr, 2015 4:02 pm

Don't you think it would be better to take this up with the group involved rather to post this online. Also rather hypocrytical complaining about what they did wrong which may have merit but what your suggesting doing with machete and tape is also against guidelines.
Last edited by Snowzone on Wed 08 Apr, 2015 6:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby Arnold » Wed 08 Apr, 2015 5:08 pm

Hi, I'd also be interested to see some photos, as this is a hike I've been considering for a while now. Cheers.
Last edited by Arnold on Wed 08 Apr, 2015 5:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Wed 08 Apr, 2015 5:31 pm

I do not plan to take a machete next time . I do not plan to mark any trails with tape next time. They were ill considered remarks. I have withdrawn the comments that 'snow zone' has quoted at the request of the organizer of the hike. I have spoken with the hike organizer and that is the end of that matter.
I request that the moderator also remove the quoted remarks. I thank the organizer for arranging the hike and shall just report on the conditions and what is involved in future.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby neilmny » Wed 08 Apr, 2015 5:47 pm

OK p_c_v well done, fully understand the sentiment about having a machette to bush bash though. Tricky business write ups........now would love to those pictures :D :D
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby Snowzone » Wed 08 Apr, 2015 6:21 pm

P_C_V I have removed the quote and as you asked that will be the end of it. Now as others have asked lets turn a negative into a positive and look forward to some photos of a beautiful area.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Wed 08 Apr, 2015 11:15 pm

Thank you ladies and gentlemen for allowing me to make a mistake or two , admit it , ask for clemency, be given a chance and to proceed to report on this and future endeavors. When My film is developed and the prints are transferred to a CD and then they in turn are loaded up to a picture sharing website , then and only then shall we see visual proof that this insane adventure in fact took place.
I spoke with someone I know from "Friends of the Prom " and she said her mob marked the trail around the Northern circuit esp. in China man's swamp 2 or 3 months ago.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby wildlight » Thu 09 Apr, 2015 8:56 am

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:When My film is developed and the prints are transferred to a CD and then they in turn are loaded up to a picture sharing website


Are you shooting film paidal_chalne_vala ? Interesting! What is your preferred stock? And format?

Cheers

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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby Hishy P » Thu 09 Apr, 2015 11:26 am

Great account though the mod comments now seem quite abrupt. Perhaps remove them as well.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby Hishy P » Thu 09 Apr, 2015 11:28 am

I once tried the northern circuit. We got as far as the 5 mile beach on the first day but there was only a tiny trickle of water so we turned back thinking there wouldn't be any up North either.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Sat 11 Apr, 2015 9:37 pm

OK , here is a link to some photos that I took. I was using film and then got these developed onto a CD as well as real prints.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1135880762 ... 0181080738
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby sim1oz » Sat 11 Apr, 2015 11:25 pm

Thanks! Some great photos. A walk I've not done yet.... perhaps in Spring
Carpe diem!
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby neilmny » Sun 12 Apr, 2015 8:19 am

Very nice photos p_c_v. Thanks for posting.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Sun 12 Apr, 2015 10:16 pm

I Think The swamp would be knee deep in spring after all that winter and spring rain. Autumn is the best for bashing through China man's swamp. It has had all summer to dry out. Each day is a long day on foot so you need longer days with more day light ,ideally during or on the cusp of daylight savings.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby andrewbish » Mon 13 Apr, 2015 10:11 pm

I solo'd the Northern Prom anti-clockwise about the same time last year. The conditions were cool, but fine. Chinaman's was dry, as it was for the above group. From chats with others who have done this walk recently, the conditions sound much the same, so I find the comments re bush-bashing hard to fathom, as I found the trail mostly clear and the off trail sections only lightly covered. The big challenge on this walk is navigation, as, in the big stretches of chest-high scrub, esp around the section either side of Chinamans, it is very easy to lose the trail. There were a few ribbons and poles to mark the trail, but sometimes these were hard to spot. Take a GPS and you should be fine. This is an excellent walk, through stunning coastal bush and I highly recommend it.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Wed 15 Apr, 2015 3:00 pm

One man's bush bash is another man's ' twig caress'. It is all relative to what kind of track you usually trek along. Compared with the South of the Prom the North is tougher going and yes you do have to push through dense head high vegetation along the Northern Prom. circuit.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Fri 19 Feb, 2016 11:04 pm

It is back on , the Easter 2016 Northern Prom trip. The full circuit. I will report back once we have come out of it alive.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby CaptainC » Tue 08 Mar, 2016 10:40 pm

Bushwalking Victoria and Parks Victoria did some track clearing in the northern Prom in October 2015, so it will be interesting to see your report.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby Jude S » Thu 17 Mar, 2016 9:07 pm

I was on that track clearing weekend in October 2015. We cleared the track from the south end of Chinaman Long Beach all the way to Tin Mine Cove, and about 3km heading east from Chinaman Long Beach towards Lighthouse point. We also cleared a track through the 200m patch of scrub between the edge of the swamp and the north end of Chinaman Long Beach, and the track around the Lower Barry camp. But I don't know the state of the tracks on the eastern side or the western end of the Lighthouse point track. My guess is pretty close to non-existent. I am doing the northern circuit on Anzac Day weekend so it will be interesting to find out.

I am wondering about water. Last October there was a bit of water at Tin Mine Cove and also in the creek running on to Chinaman Beach near the entrance to the Lighthouse Point track. But after the dry summer I doubt there would be water at either of those places. Does anyone have any up to date info on the water supply?
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby Jude S » Fri 18 Mar, 2016 8:59 am

A couple of corrections (reminder not to post late at night) -
The track to Tin Mine cove, which has been cleared, starts of course from the NORTH end of Chinaman Beach, not the south end. The scrubby section which has been cleared between the swamp and the beach is at the SOUTH end.
I don't know the state of the EASTERN end of the Lighthouse point track but it has been cleared about 3km in from the WESTERN side, i.e., from Chinaman Long Beach.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Fri 18 Mar, 2016 11:27 am

PV say there is a trickle at the 5 mile beach spring, Tin Mine Cove creek is flowing and so too is Lower Barry Ck. It has rained a bit today across the state which is good too.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby bigkev » Fri 18 Mar, 2016 5:25 pm

Hi Guys,

I've been following this thread with interest, the northern section of the prom was a favourite of mine in my formative walking years. On my three trips up to Tin Mine Cove back in the day (the early 90's) I always had a reasonable wade across the swamp, I think the shallowest I ever got it was about knee deep and that was in summer (very dodgy for snakes pushing through the scrub though). I've never used the track from Five Mile over to Johnny Souey, we use to turn off the Five Mile Road at a place called St Kilda Junction and head up and over from there, I guess I'll have to get back down and check it out.

Here's a couple of dodgy scanned photo's from the Jurassic period to show you what it was like in 1991...

1.jpg
My mate Dave doing the swamp sherpa style

10.jpg
Pushing through the wet scrub after leaving Lower Barrys Creek


I've recently done a retro post on my blog about a walk to Tin Mine Cove with a few more photos on it if anyone wants to check it out http://goinferalonedayatatime.blogspot. ... ntory.html

Cheers Kevin
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Fri 18 Mar, 2016 10:32 pm

Hi, The track at St Kilda junction has been shut for some time now. You have follow the road out to 5 Mile beach and then slog it over the point to Johnny Souey cove etc.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby bigkev » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 5:27 pm

Hi PCV, Yeah I've noticed that you climb over from 5 mile now days, its been around 25 years since I did a big walk up there. I'll try and get a trip in later this winter if I can fit it in around work. Its a good cooler weather walk I reckon.
Cheers Kevin
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Sun 20 Mar, 2016 8:54 pm

Winter means snow shoes and snow camping to me.
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Re: Northern Prom circuit.Easter 2015

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Mon 28 Mar, 2016 9:58 pm

We just got back from the Easter 2016 Northern Prom. circuit. A full report will follow soon , in the relevant section on this website. It was tough and taxing. Thankfully the swamp was dry or it could have trauma inducing and I would be under sedation in a clinic by now !
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