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Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Sun 08 Dec, 2013 7:46 pmby bjc
Hi everyone
I'm planning a trip along the Razorback to Feathertop for 2 weeks time and wanted to get an update on conditions.
First, can anyone confirm that the track and Federation/MUMC hut area was spared by the fires? (I gathered from this thread
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=12257&start=30&hilit=feathertop+fire that the fire didn't come too close.)
Second, how reliable is the spring at Feathertop? Can I assume it will be flowing?
Thanks in advance.
Benjamin
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Mon 09 Dec, 2013 8:08 amby Lophophaps
Except in very dry conditions, usually towards the end of summer, the creek will run. This early in summer the creek should be working. I haven't been to MUMC for ages. Even so, the regrowth should not be too bad, especially with traffic to and from MUMC.
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Mon 09 Dec, 2013 7:09 pmby bjc
Lophophaps wrote:This early in summer the creek should be working.
Thanks for your response. I was thinking of the spring that flows from the north-west slope of Feathertop, along the North-West Spur Track - is that the creek you referred to?
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Mon 09 Dec, 2013 7:41 pmby Lophophaps
That's the creek, about ten minutes from where the Tom Kneen Track leaves the track going to the summit. I recall that there are a number of branches, so if the first one isn't going, continue into the gully proper. If you get really stuck, Federation may have water, and at the old Bungalow site about 20 minutes down the hill there's a creek. I haven't been there in decades. It appears that the advice to boil Fed Hut water and all creek water is to avoid litigation. I take care not to get water below huts, and don't boil. Not dead yet.
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Tue 10 Dec, 2013 9:18 amby bjc
Thanks for that. I'd forgotten there was another spring down Bungalow Spur Track. Sounds like there are plenty of options so that's good.
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Tue 10 Dec, 2013 10:26 amby jimmyharris
The Federation Hut area was spared but the Bungalow Spur track certainly was not - it's like a ghost town filled with dead trees in many parts.
The Tom Kneen track to MUMC Hut was closed for a while but it seems that only the Bon Accord Spur track is still closed now.
http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets ... e_2013.pdf
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Fri 13 Dec, 2013 9:40 pmby Stew63
Plenty of water in the flowing spring yesterday.
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Fri 13 Dec, 2013 9:42 pmby Stew63
Plenty of water in the flowing spring yesterday.
A LOT of helicopter and PV activity at MUMC hut too!
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Sat 14 Dec, 2013 10:11 amby bjc
Thanks Stew. What does PV stand for? Is MUMC hut undergoing maintenance?
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Sat 14 Dec, 2013 10:26 amby Lophophaps
PV stands for Parks Victoria. It sounds like MUMC is having a renovation. I doubt that this will be so on weekends.
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Sat 14 Dec, 2013 10:34 amby bjc
Just saw Stew's other thread:
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=15737
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Mon 16 Dec, 2013 6:48 amby tsangpo
Fire burnt right up to MUMC hut but everything is still fine and the track is quite walkable. I believe the NW Spur/Tom Kneen track below MUMC hut is still closed unless anything has happened in the past couple of weeks. Doubt it's the hut that's undergoing renovations, it tends to be MUMC that looks after the upkeep.
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Mon 16 Dec, 2013 7:59 amby Stew63
Lophophaps wrote:PV stands for Parks Victoria. It sounds like MUMC is having a renovation. I doubt that this will be so on weekends.
The MUMC hut is not having a renovation - they're using the helicopter to help install new toilets with 'flyin-flyout' septic tank modules at huts all across the high country. (see my other thread)
Re: Feathertop - fire damage and springwater
Posted:
Mon 16 Dec, 2013 12:53 pmby neilmny
Probably explains why they've decided to charge $30.00 per night to camp at Dibbins and Cope.
http://parkstay.vic.gov.au/accom_rates/ ... -crossing/Part of the Healthy Parks Wealthy People program.