Moroka Gorge (lummican gully campsite)

[nyrb]

greetings!

great forum

I have been trying to find as much info as i can about a hike in the Moroka Gorge area, specifically Horeyard Flats to the campsite at Lummican Gully.
I hope to be heading there Easter weekend with about 5 other mates (all fairly fit, varying degrees of hiking experience). We want to hike in one day, then spend a day or 2 at our campsite (probally Lummican gully for a spot of fishing and explore further down the river) and then another day to take us out.

This thread has been very helpful
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=5620&p=74467&hilit=moroka#p74467
In this thread they are talking about Shanty Hollow and Snowy Bluff and epic bush bashing. im not really sure where these places are, are they between Horseyard Flats and Lumican Valley?

I am interested in the route from Horseyard Flats to the Lumican Gully Campsite as described in this parks .pdf
http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/resources05/05_0588.pdf
which says
"Beyone First Falls there is no track and the route is
unmarked. The slopes are steep, with cliffs, logs and
regrowth making it very difficult. Descending to the
gorge is possible for self-reliant walkers who are
experienced in undefined routes. Good levels of fitness
are required for steep descents/ascents and ensure you
are well equipped for remote walking. Progress to reach
the main gorge at Lummican Gully is slow but full of
interest."

This description sounds good to me, as its not too far but sounds like interesting goings.
It seems like a fairly strait forward hike, but I have found a trip report yet so id like to know exactly what im getting me and my friends into
really id just like to know if its manageable. im sure routefinding cant be too difficult as you just need to stick with the water.


additional questions
- do you think that area will be busy on Easter Weekend (because i have read online that the Lummican Gully campsite be described as 'congested')
- if it is, any other potential campsites? even at the first or second falls?
- recon a rope could be benificial for exploring further down the gorge?

any help would be greatly appreciated. unbelievably psyched to get out of the city

[Jimmymaff]

Hey nyrb,
If you haven't been to Moroka Gorge before you will love it. You can nearly always catch a fish or two down there. Only small ones but good fun. The hike to the small campsite at the start of the gorge is only about an hour and a half from the Horseyard Flat area where you park you car. A bit of recent trackwork has marked a trail and pink tape leads the way to the gorge start. There is room for a few small tents here for a bit of a base if you want to head into the more remote and spectacular parts of the Moroka gorge. I suggest heading off early morning for 3-4hrs into the unknown, having lunch and picture taking, then returning back to your base camp with those trout for tea. Yummy. There is no track to follow beyond the campsite and the occasional wade in the water will probably be required, but worth it. Shouldn't be many down in there as most only go to the first falls which are very nice or to the second falls. Hope you enjoy it.

[leithel]

I've camped up there a few times in the last month. There heaps of different camping areas up from Horesyard Flat and plenty of camping space. I normally camp at Tunnel Bend Flat as the river seems to have the best fishing pools around there. Have only walked the section of river between Tunnel bend and Tunnel Bend Flat. Have done a day walk up to The Bluff which is further up the Howqua track. Theres akso a day walk you can do up to Eagles Peak.

[nyrb]

ah that sounds like a perfect trip jimmymaff, thanks for the info my brother was always telling me how great it was as he went there like 10 years ago with the scouts but he couldnt remember the specifics. a trout or 2 would make it a pretty special trip! i havnt had much luck with fresh water in victoria..
@leithel - good to hear there is a range of camping spots, this was my chief concern. if it was congested (we may have 3 tents) and their were other people there it could get a little cramped :S ill check out those day hikes too

thanks again!

[CaptainC]

I last camped at Lummican Gully on Labour Day weekend 2010. Horseyard Flat is a great spot for vehicle based camping. The track to first falls had been re-marked since the bush fires and was easy to follow. From First Falls to Lummican Gully hadn't been re-marked at all and was much more burnt. Lummican Gully is a great little spot. We had about 10 people camped there without being to squeezed. The gorge is spectacular.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

There are leaches in them thar hills !!!

[wildlight]

I've camped up there a few times in the last month. There heaps of different camping areas up from Horesyard Flat and plenty of camping space. I normally camp at Tunnel Bend Flat as the river seems to have the best fishing pools around there. Have only walked the section of river between Tunnel bend and Tunnel Bend Flat. Have done a day walk up to The Bluff which is further up the Howqua track. Theres akso a day walk you can do up to Eagles Peak.

Leithel, do you mean "Sheepyard Flat"? (With reference to Tunnel Bend Flat and The Bluff, Eagles Peaks).

Lummican Gully- and all the way along the Moroka to the Wonnangatta River, will provide excellent spots to camp. Not millions of them, and not unlimited space like Horseyard Flat, but you'll generally find a workable site every 20 mins or so. At either the 2nd or 3rd Waterfall on the Moroka (from Horseyard Flat) there is an undercut in the rock, I have slept there in my sleeping bag and enjoyed pulling a trout out from the river and straight into the pan, the only nuisance was that I had to get up to get the line into the water.

Diddums.

It is an awesome walk. There are a couple of ways back, either the Snowy Bluff/Shanty Hollow circuit, or a MVO track which can be reached after a climb south from the gorge..(Long Spur..?), or simply retracing your steps.

Reptiles are plentiful, as are fish. It's beautiful wild country. Love it.

Safe Steps

WildLight

[dplanet]

Lummican Gully- and all the way along the Moroka to the Wonnangatta River, will provide excellent spots to camp. Not millions of them, and not unlimited space like Horseyard Flat, but you'll generally find a workable site every 20 mins or so. At either the 2nd or 3rd Waterfall on the Moroka (from Horseyard Flat) there is an undercut in the rock, I have slept there in my sleeping bag and enjoyed pulling a trout out from the river and straight into the pan, the only nuisance was that I had to get up to get the line into the water.

Diddums.

It is an awesome walk. There are a couple of ways back, either the Snowy Bluff/Shanty Hollow circuit, or a MVO track which can be reached after a climb south from the gorge..(Long Spur..?), or simply retracing your steps.

Reptiles are plentiful, as are fish. It's beautiful wild country. Love it.

Safe Steps

WildLight

We did not see reptiles; but were told that two snakes had been spotted on. There were one brown snake near the track about 150 m after the 1st waterfalls and a black one at Lummican Guly campsite.

We caught a trout at the same spot as you had had (I think). It was a lovely brown trout (have a nice pic of it) and we were quick to set the fish free into the river. It’s also here where we were delighted to see a platypus sidling along undercut rocks to get into the water. Love the place too.

[wildlight]

We caught a trout at the same spot as you had had (I think). It was a lovely brown trout (have a nice pic of it) and we were quick to set the fish free into the river.

It must have been the fish I released so that it could grow some more...

Glad you liked it, post up some pix of the walk, if you can. Mrs and I have 4 days off next week- we'll be out that way somewhere.

Safe Steps

WildLight

[dplanet]

Glad you liked it, post up some pix of the walk, if you can. Mrs and I have 4 days off next week- we'll be out that way somewhere.

Safe Steps

WildLight

As requested.

The walk starts with a pad leading to the 1st waterfalls (see "Moroka Gorge & Snowy Bluff" thread) and ending at Lummican Gully.

[wildlight]

Hey there dplanet

Many thanks for the posting of the pix. Gee how the area has changed- the scrub is thicker since the fires. It's so wild and beautiful though, thesis one area where one gets the feeling of really being "out there". Snowy Bluff is a mighty place if you ever get the chance to get up there.

Australian artist Eugene Von Guerard painted a masterpiece of the Snowy Bluff, from the North.

There is a huge cave in Snowy Bluff as you climb it from the North, where he was holed up for 3 days in a blizzard.

Without the maps in front of me... there is a gully "starting" at around 1300 meters on the north face of Snowy Bluff. I was there in the first year of the drought more than a decade ago, and said gully was flowing really well. This was before GPS units- but I had an altimeter to check altitude. The water flowed from the spring, then went underground again in just a few meters.

I'd love to get up there again. I am slowing working on ma'am to attempt the AWT ( just get right in there ! ). It's something that's been gnawing at me for a while now.

Thanks hugely for the photo post. Kent Ck 3rd Falls is probably my favourite- it has that "mystique" to it, where the viewer almost discovers the waterfall " for themselves " rather than it being an "in-your-face" waterfall photo. Nice composition. Don't get me wrong- your other ones are nice too- but "3rd Falls" just jumps out, because it doesn't jump out at you.

[dplanet]

For sure, i will go back for Snowy Bluff and agree on "3rd Falls" that first came to my view via a goat track.