I drove to the Merrica River Rangers station on the 8th August arriving at 4pm so went for a quick look at the Merrica river outlet Very pretty with a couple of little stingrays swiming around near the bank. Back to the car just on dark and slept in car ready for an early start. OK slept in a bit (it happens after nightshifts) and walked on off to Lake Nadgee as my destination leaving the car at about 8:30 am. 25 km's later I arrived at the Lake via Harry's hut (a good spot to retreat to if the weather got bad). OH the weather forcast was for it to be very very wet in Gippsland (in fact it recieved about 150-190 mm of rain).
I was rather tired whan I got to the lake at 4:30 pm so had dinner and then went to bed and slept another 10hrs. The lake was very very high and a fairly good breeze was blowing in from the west. I had planned on walking to the NSW/VIC border but when I got to the lake outflow it was actually lapping over the sandbar to the ocean so I cancelled my idea of walking off for the next 4 or 5 hours just incase the lake broke open and me being stranded with tent on one side and me on the other (no sense of adventure when by myself).
So as the wind was getting stronger and a huge black cloud heading my way I decided to retreat to Harry's hut.
A few spots of rain on the way there saw me at Harry's about 3pm then 3:30 it poured for a while. It was very nice to stay in a hut which has been renovated in 2007 (Ithink) by a group of people and now is sort of maintained (very much appreciated). Those who have done this and will continue to do so need to be congratulated as in 2003 when I was last there the hut was not far from total ruin.
I spent the night in the hut sharing it with a few local rats/mice which largley left me alone and vice versa. The rain eased off overnight and the weather was just windy and overcast on the Thursday. I decided to walk out and make for home just incase the rain etc really started to get me wet and cold. A few showers along the way but the sea was so rough and waves crashing in I could hear them clearly from the top of tumbledown mountain about 5 kms inland and up a bit.
I had noticed that ther has been a lot of track work and revamping of the old toilet blocks at Little river and Newtons beach. Plus a lot of work around Harry's hut to remove weeds (Arum Lilleys, black berry's and Rasberries) by some goups of land care type of people is making a difference on returning the natural vegetation around this area.
I will try to remember to down load some photos soon to support this trip report.
Marty.