Helicopter Spur - things you find....

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Helicopter Spur - things you find....

Postby Mr Bean » Tue 15 Dec, 2020 9:23 pm

This last weekend, 12-13-14 December, we did the Helicopter / Mt Howitt / Stanleys Named spur again. We decided to camp in a different spot, once we reached the intersection with Bluff Track. Along the way, we explored 2 water sources, one south of the intersection, which is marked on some maps as a spring. In a small saddle, we discovered on old dam, which was past its prime. Deer had been using it, and the water had the usual tinge of green about it.

Another water source was mentioned recently by Glen_1 near GR 635833. There's a saddle before Picture point. A short journey south (roughly 140m) got me to a beaut creek, flowing well with ice cold water. While steep, the terrain is fairly easy to manage. As it was, I managed to climb back up with a few full bottles and an open cup, without spilling too much!

A third source of water was east of the AAWT and Bluff Track, which we used 12 months ago. This time, it was barely a trickle.

Hellfire Creek was looking a little sad. A very slow trickle left us to fill from the water pools.

Note: Helicopter Spur Track comes in, along the ridge to the upper left.

Helicopter spur water sources.jpg


We were mystified by this object, about 250m from the intersection of Bluff Track and the AAWT. I take it the date 4th 10 1980 means something. As to the other symbols, a little puzzling to us.
Mystery_object1.jpg


Mystery_object2.jpg
Last edited by Mr Bean on Wed 16 Dec, 2020 5:57 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Helicopter Spur - things you find....

Postby Baeng72 » Tue 15 Dec, 2020 9:46 pm

Thanks for the trip report.
I'm planning on heading up there in the next few weeks, so very helpful.
And now I will reinsert my foot in my mouth while my mouth is being inserted in my butt...
From the date, 4th Oct 1980, this marks the day that Disco was officially declared dead.
The letters are translations form the Norse Ruinic. Vikings, obviously.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco_Demolition_Night

(I bet it's a touching tribute to plucky underdogs (GTS, SM, CM, RB, RP, GJ, MH) who did such amazing feats of self-sacrifice that they were memorialised by this plaque and are far better examples of humanity at their lowest than my best can rival....)

Actually, there's a North symbol there. MH is Mount Hotham? No, Hotham isn't to the South-west of anywhere in that area....So it's Mount Howitt? No, I'm clutching at straws....If you allow that we're using circular (spherical in 3d) coordinates...
CM is Mount Clear. SM is Mount Sterling (or Macalister Spur)....? Yep, clutching at straws...RP (reverse because we're going in a circle) is Rocky Point. BR (again reverse) is Brock's Road.
None of that makes sense, because it reverses north and south, and I reverse letters on an ad-hoc basis, to arrive at an answer.

Take two (which totally ignores the location of this marker). MH = Mount Howitt, GTS = (Vallejo) GanTner Springs, MS = Mount Speculation...Nope, I'm done.
Last edited by Baeng72 on Tue 15 Dec, 2020 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Helicopter Spur - things you find....

Postby GBW » Tue 15 Dec, 2020 10:19 pm

Weather Station?
"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe"
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Re: Helicopter Spur - things you find....

Postby Baeng72 » Tue 15 Dec, 2020 10:36 pm

OK, final attempt.
Given the location (250m from Bluff Track/AAWT intersection)...
RB-Brock's Rock (Road Brock-like 'River Murray'?)
RP-Rocky Point.
GJ-????
MH-Mount Howitt.
GTS-(Vallejo) GanTner Springs
MS-Mount Speculation.
MC-Mount Cobbler.
Nope that's bizzaro geography.
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Re: Helicopter Spur - things you find....

Postby Mr Bean » Wed 16 Dec, 2020 5:50 am

Baeng72 wrote:From the date, 4th Oct 1980, this marks the day that Disco was officially declared dead.

If only.... :lol:
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Re: Helicopter Spur - things you find....

Postby north-north-west » Wed 16 Dec, 2020 8:15 am

Initials are most likely those of a group of people; the date obviously meant something to them. Could be surveyors, walking club, any number of things.
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."
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Re: Helicopter Spur - things you find....

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Wed 16 Dec, 2020 6:58 pm

That was quite Impressive finding water in that area . It is a place that I cherish and walk in every year before Xmas. I shall refer to these water points again someday. Thanks for the report.
Last edited by paidal_chalne_vala on Thu 17 Dec, 2020 8:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Helicopter Spur - things you find....

Postby stry » Thu 17 Dec, 2020 6:54 am

Helpful post, thank you Mr Bean. :)
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