Saturday 28 May 2016
Photos by Karen M
On the coldest Saturday yet, nine bushwalkers headed south on a very crisp morning to climb that well-known mountain rising from the dairy pastures around Tilba. Even on this chilly morning there were several other groups either trudging or running up and down the mountain. And some even driven much of the way up by the vehicles managed by the Yuin people.
Below the summit, our bushwalkers deviated to visit some magnificent granite tor structures. Monstrous rounded, precariously balanced boulders, rising out of the forest along a prominent ridge. Then, on up a bushy steep climb a so-called short cut, to the summit trig. Here the wind howled through the trees adding a wind chill factor which seemed to drop the temperature to about 5C. Lunch was accompanied by an informative geological interpretation of this interesting volcanic area and then, down via the rainforest track, through beautiful Pinkwoods, as the rain began to gently fall.
On the downward track the group encountered a fearless bundle of brown fur on the track, and concluded it had to be rattus rattus, the black rat, after all any marsupial would have fled long before the group stumbled over it. All in all, as the damp group scrambled back into the cars, we agreed that the long climb was well worth it, for the rocks, forest and the reminders of both the old mine workings and the area’s aboriginal heritage. Thank you to our Leader on this occasion, Rob.
Rodney