AAWT

[KazB]

We are interested in walking to Thredbo from either Omeo Highway or Mount Bogong.
Has anyone walked this recently? Was there lots of regrowth? How many days did it take? How did you organise transport?
Thanks
Kaz

[clarence]

Hi KAz

I did that section in 1993-4. There is a mix of fire trails, roads, walking tracks, pads and some very pleasant but not frequently visited areas. Although there are not the big name peaks, there is some beautiful wild country in there. There are a few "messy" areas of forestry/weeds too (either side of the Mitta Mitta generally- Morass Creek, Johnnnies Top), but that isn't a huge isue.

I can give you a detailed run down when I pull out my notes, if you don't get any replies with more recent information in the meantime.

It took us ten days from Mt Bogong to Dead Horse Gap (so allow eleven-fourteen days if you include the climb up Bogong and Rams Heads at either end). Also depends how much exploring you do around places like the Cobberas, Pilot and historic areas.

Well worth doing from Bogong if only for the hut and view from Mt Wills. Rams Heads are also well worth the visit.

Transport is not easy unless you have your own wheels and someone willing to do the car shuttle.

Have you found a copy of Siseman's book?

Clarence

[north-north-west]

From Bogong, it's pretty well all tracked. Once you hit the Cowombat MVO you're on fire trails all the way to Dead Horse Gap (unless you want to go off track, which is good and very easy in some places).
There's a good walking track from Bogong down Long Spur and then gravel road to Wills except for the stretch up Sisyphus Spur, which can be a bit gungey at the turn off (blackberry mainly) but is otherwise usually pretty open. Good track/marked route past Wills South which improves as you descend. Then the Omeo hway. Track down to Gills can be a bit scrubby but there's usually a clear (if narrow) pad through the regrowth, and once over the creek and starting to climb it improves, though expect some treefalls. Then 4WD tracks almost all the way to Taylors, and public roads through to the Morass turnoff - watch out for that as it can be easy to miss if you aren't paying attention. Morass track had been cleared last time I was there (autumn) so apart from the cutting grass and blackberry at the creek crossing it should be good.
The track up to Johnnies Top once over the Benambra-Corryong Rd can be vague in places and was starting to get a bit of regrowth last summer, but the marking's been improved over the last five years so keep alert and you'll be fine. From Johnnies the route down to Buenba was a bit odd last time I was there. Looked like they started to clear the wrong line. Make sure you don't miss the two side steps where the spurs diverge on the descent - the creek is very difficult to follow if you hit it too early because the hillsides are very steep.
Track to the Hope Rd has been upgraded, easy to follow two years ago.
Buckwong section dodges about a bit, but well marked, ditto the descent from the Misery Trail. Couple of vague patches before Langtree and also while following the creeks to the MVO, but if you stick with the right creekbed and watch for markers it's not too bad. It's not really cross-country any more, the official route follows brumby pads (there are gazillions of them in that area) and as long as you head in the right general direction you'll hit the vehicle track eventually.

You can easily get from Cowombat Flat to Dead Horse Gap in two days, although most people take three. From the Omeo to Cowombat would be three to four days (one to Taylors, one to Johnnies/Buenba, one to Smokey/track, an easy half day from there to the Flat, for instance). From Cleve Cole to the Omeo one and a half to two days. Depends on how long you walk each day.

[Mark F]

There is a thread in the Vic section suggesting a couple of extensions including going over Feathertop rather than down to Cobungra Gap. http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=13806 Also worth checking John Chapmans site for updates on the track and track conditions. As for transport at either end, hitching is likely to be the best option. As far as I know the closest public transport to Thredbo is the bus that runs via Cooma from Canberra to Eden on the south coast. During school term you may be able to access the school busses that would service Thredbo-indabyne and Jindabyne-Cooma.

[KazB]

Thanks for your great advice. Mount beauty to Thredbo took 9 days 8 nights.each day was 8 plus hours of walking. All very well marked. Hired a car in canberra and drove it via thredbo to Albury (Left own car in Thredbo) special thanks to those maintaining the track markers kaz

[kanangra]

Good job. Any more details?

K.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

**post removed by admin (off topic)**

[andyszollosi]

Hey Kaz,

I have just completed the AAWT.

The section from Mt Bogong to Omeo highway is well worth doing. The views from Mt Wills are stunning. I took 12 days from the summit of Mt Bogong to Dead Horse Gap with a heavy pack at a comfortable pace, including a rest day.

There are a couple of untracked sections between Taylor's crossings and Cowombat Flat Track, however navigation is fairly straightforward even on these untracked sections as there is usually a creek to follow. The pads created by the wild horses can get confusing as they look just like walking pads and often they will head in the same direction as the AAWT then suddenly turn away, leading the unwary astray. A bit of attentiveness and a compass should keep you out of trouble. The Chapman Sisemann book describes the tricky sections accurately.

As for side trip, I did the Mt Murphy Mines and climbed the Cobberas. The Cobberas probably need a full day as it's all off track and the regrowth on the lower slopes makes progress tedious and slow.

Hope you enjoy your trip!

[madmacca]

Good points Andy. I often found one of the best ways to follow the trail through these untracked sections was looking for clean-sawn logs, where the rangers (or contractors employed by them) had cleared the trail in previous years.