by Glen_1 » Wed 29 Nov, 2023 1:43 pm
A late reply but here are some notes for the next person hunting information. I did the walk in March 2023. As others have said, some work was done around 2020 and I found the track in good order, though you were pushing through bush for large sections.
The route goes from Dibbin's Hut via Swindler's Gap to the campsite at the bottom of Paling Spur, and is shown on the SV 1:50,000 Bogong Alpine Area map and the GetLost map in Avenza. Finding the start of Dungey Track is tricky (see track notes below) but, once located, was easy to follow to Swindler's Gap. The track leaving Swindler's Gap was also tricky to locate. Head left when entering the saddle and watch for an orange marker in a tree. The track from the gap into Swindler’s Creek does not follow the route shown on the map and sidles a broad spur then crosses a creek to another spur. This track is well-defined and took around one and a half hours to Swindlers Creek.
From Swindlers Creek, the track leaves the valley for a short distance and sidles about 50 m above the valley floor. The start is marked with an orange triangle. After a short distance, the route drops back into the valley and follows the creek through chest-high tussocks. This sets the pattern through to Paling Spur. There is no defined track down Swindlers Creek but occasional orange markers on the right mark the start of short sections of track sidling above the valley floor for a short distance.
Here are track notes for the walk, taken from 'Classic Victorian Walks' by John Chapman (1999), which was published as an insert into Wild magazine:
'At Dibbins Hut, ignore the marked AAWT that heads into the forest. Instead follow Dungey Track along the open plain east then south-east beside the river for 1 km. Initially, this track is poorly defined. At the end of the plain, cross a creek and pass through a gate in an old fence-line. Here the track leaves the river and a short climb leads to a small saddle on a ridge before the track descends into a creek valley.
The track follows this creek towards the Cobungra River and then up the next creek valley for 400 m. From there, another short climb heads south over Swindlers Gap to the valley of Swindlers Creek. Wade across the creek and follow the west bank downstream to the junction of Swindlers Creek and the Cobungra River. Wade across the river to the foot of Paling Spur.'
These notes are the third day of a three-day circuit walk starting at Brandy Creek, up Paling Spur and down Dungey Track, and visiting Youngs, Blairs and Dibbins Huts.