A full trip report from your correspondent in the field is soon to be forthcoming. I took an old friend up along from Clover Arboretum out along the Bogong Creek Aqueduct and tramway and then went up the fire trails to Bogong Creek saddle (The old Helipad) for the first night of Camping. Day 2 was the Big River crossing and the ascent up Timm's spur in the rain. We camped at Roper's Hut. It was foggy coming over the Bogong high plains so a visit to Timm's Lookout did not happen. Day 3 was Roper's hut/ Warby Corner/ Mt. Nelse North/ Unnamed 1893 M. peak/ Mt. Spion Kopje/ Spion Kopje fire trail to Bogong Village and then a road bash back to pick up the car at Clover Arboretum.
Day 1. 26/1/19. After setting out from Myrtleford( The Rotisserie, such a hot night ,the previous sleepless summer night was almost Indo Pakistani by its dry and roasting level of discomfort), and we got a late start by Mr. Tee standards. It was already hot and humid around Clover Dam and Arboretum. We left the Tee Mobile at Clover Arboretum car parking area , just off the main road. We walked along ,crossed the East Kiewa River branch, and went along until we saw the start of the tram way and aque duct. There were two tram way bridge crossings. The first one was a bit scary and the second was to be avoided. We walked under the second one. We started getting good views of the West peak of Mt. Bogong. We approached a wire fence and went around it and continued along the tramway until it ended. Just before it ended there was a big pipe we had to walk across. It was test your nerve time again. After the pipe crossing the track continued up until it reached Bogong Creek and the East Kiewa Fire trail. It was there in that verdant area replete with the sound and sight of flowing water that we sat and ate lunch. Ms. KJ had not been on one of my VIC ALPS green season multi night treks before, despite living in the area. She managed to complete the route but she had some trouble doing it. The drop from below the pipe would have been enough to cause some nasty injuries if one fell, so we crossed it as best as we could. The same can be said about the two tram way bridges. The gaps between the sleepers were unnerving and a bit scary.
Day 1.Lunch in the green and pleasant Bogong Creek valley. The creek is partially diverted here for the aque duct / water race . This is still used to generate Hydro electricity. There is a good camp site near the tin pumping hut. There was a ford, after lunch, that was a boots on job that was easy for trekkers with long legs and using trekking poles for balance(namely me only on this occasion). The water was cool and pleasant to drink. There were creek crossings all the way up the hill to Bogong Creek Saddle , which was good because the fire trails were hard work in the still, hot and humid conditions. Getting one's head wet and refilling drinking bottles was necessary along the way.
Day 1.The after lunch uphill slog in the heat .4 kms uphill with a 500 M. elevation gain. It offered good views of Mt. Bogong but I was glad to finish the walk for the day at the old helipad. I just ran out of water on arrival at the campsite. Thank you Hydrolyte and Neurofen. Some other weary walkers appeared at the old helipad. They had grovelled and bush bashed up from Bogong Village via Black Possum spur and Mt. Arthur. They said at the upper sections of both of the said routes there is either no track or it is VERY overgrown. Those hikers looked very scratched, sweaty , dehydrated and worn out.
Day 1. Arriving and setting up at the Old Helipad. Ms. KJ appeared, eventually, looking somewhat rogered, totally stuffed really. I had already set up my tent and returned from fetching water down at the stream near the Quartz Ridge hikers' intentions book. It was flowing really well . The water gushing out of the pipe under the Big River Fire trail was very good to drink and nice and cold too.The weather was not so hot up at the Old Helipad. There is a good view of Mt. Buffalo from that vantage point. I think we all slept a bit better with the cooler temperatures overnight. It rained overnight and we packed up in drizzle. Day two was cool and damp, with showers all morning.
Day 2. Crossing Big River , boots off , and ascending Timm's Spur in the rain. Some knob jockeys had left a big pile of rubbish at the camp site on the bank of Big River. Ms. KJ bagged it up and carried it out with her. Fooey on them!. Ms. KJ had never been to these places before.
Day 2 Slogging it up Timm's Spur.There are good views of Mt. Bogong and The Grey Hills Knob along the way up.
I am amused by that "Bridge under repair" sign. That bridge collapsed at least 20 years ago, probably much longer. The fact that they never had any intention of repairing it is shown by the fact that most of the tram tracks have been pulled up past that bridge and the upstream quarter of aqueduct is now patrolled and maintained by quad bikes. P.S. It was probably wise that you didn't tightrope walk across the pipeline as I did.
We did " tightrope walk " across the pipe!!. Day 2. Timm's Spur and the Northern BHP to Roper's Hut. More noteworthy views of the Grey Hills and Mt. Bogong came into sight. Even though the rain cleared up , It was foggy and windy up on the BHP so a trip off the fire trail to Timm's Lookout will have to be for next time.
Day 2.More pictures from the Northern BHP and Roper's hut. We ate lunch just near where the track emerges from the tree line. There are some good slopes there for the AT BC skiing crowd. It looked rather steep to me. It remained dry enough at camp at Roper's hut for me to dry out some of my quick dry hiking attire. Whereas despite being told not to bring any cotton items at all somebody did exactly that and such garments would not dry out . It was novel wearing a warm clothes after suffering through the Friday we had experienced , which was in the mid 40's C., down in the well named OVENS valley. We strolled into Roper's hut camping area at around 2pm. There were quite few people camping there including a chap on a Mountain Bike who was doing a loop of the BHP from Mt. Beauty along the fire trails.
Day 2 . Roper's hut. Relaxing at the campsite. The stream at Duane Creek was flowing well. The sunset was rather good indeed. Thankfully it stayed dry all afternoon and all night so just chillaxing on the grass and unwinding after a day of walking was enjoyable.
Day 3. Roper's Hut to Clover Arboretum. I walked the whole thing. It must have been nearly 20 kms. Ms. KJ conked out at Bogong Village. I was an hour ahead of her at least and I brought the car to collect the completely exhausted person with very sore feet. She seemed to enjoy the walk up until lunch. After that I seemed to have the impression that she was in hell and it was not a hallucination. I quite enjoyed the walk from Spion Kopje to Bogong Village. It was good to walk along solo at my own speed. I saw a dog on the fire trail that quickly vanished . PV seem to have made a perfunctory attempt to keep the Spion Kopje fire trail open, with evidence of brush cutting and chain sawing logs along the entire route. The upper section needs a D4 bulldozer. Bits of that are single lane foot traffic only at the moment. The Mitta Valley looked very hazy with smoke and clouds mixed together. I took this photo of the sunset reflected in the windows of Roper's hut on the evening of day 2.
Day 3. The BHP. Visibility was quite good and it was cool but not windy. We could see the Cross cut saw in the far distance from the summit of Mt. Nelse North. I went up to the Summit of the unnamed 1893 M. peak along the Spion Kopje track as well as the summit of Spion Kopje. Ms. KJ had no interest in such things which to me is bizarre and beyond my capacity to fathom. She enjoyed this part of the walk.
Day 3.Mt. Nelse North. 1884 M. Bring on the XC BC ski season I say. I will be out there on planks for sure! Ms. KJ , a Falls Creek downhill skier of sorts was still unsure as to where Edmondson's hut was located . I think further exploration of the BHP on her part is most necessary.
The wee grey tent was inadequate. It did not keep water out from the floor. Ms KJ borrowed the tent from another lassie. I still say Salewa tents for green season and W. E. tents for snow camping are the ticket. Day 3. The Spion Kopje track.Warby Corner to The Grey Hills track junction. The source of the name Spion Kopje came up for discussion. I guessed it has Afrikaans origins. I was right. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Spion_Kop#Battle A major figure in that battle was General Sir Redvers Buller, VC, commander of the British forces in Natal. So another ski location in Victoria also has a Boer war connection .
Day 3. We stopped for lunch on scenic knoll above the track ,prior to passing Little Spion Kopje. After that point Ms. KJ was not enjoying herself. She was wearing somebody else's boots and had no hiking poles for the steep and bushy descent down the fire track ..
Day 3 .Spion Kopje to Bogong Village.The views from the lunch spot were excellent. There was water flowing across the fire track below the turn off for the steep jungle gym track to Howman's Gap. That was very handy and refreshing to find water at that point in the afternoon and it looks like it flows most of the year round .The creek crossing at the bottom of the hill at Rocky Valley Creek was pleasant and easy but with boots off.
Day 3 .Spion Kopje to Bogong Village.28.1.2019. The photos thinned out after reaching the Junction picnic ground not far from the Bogong Power station and the tennis courts at Bogong Village. The place was like a ghost town. The Pub was closed and all. Not that I was too fussed, I don 't drink booze anyway.
I must have walked about 46 kms in three days over the January Long weekend so this summer I am putting in the kms on foot. Next week I am walking in the KNP in NSW : Dead Horse Gap to Dicky Cooper Bogong , including The Rolling Ground.
Nah, Buller is not named after him. It’s far less exotic and about sixty years before the Boer War happened. http://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/mount-buller-vic
Yep, Seth is right Mt Buller was named earlier after a different bloke. Actually after "Sugarloaf", Spion Kop(je) is one of the most common names for a hill in Victoria, but only for lesser prominences. Everything of consequence had been named long before the Boer War, but returning soldiers seemed to want to name lots of hills after that battle. The other main Spion Kopje in the high country is near Mt Wellington, Millers Hut and Lake TK. It has a walking track over it, or maybe once had a track, as it was getting a little overgrown when I was last there around ten years ago. P.S. While we are on names, you went close to Mt Arthur. This was known as Mt Arsehole for nearly a century until some Kiewa Hydro people saw it marked on a map around 1938~ish. Back in those days, a vulgar name like that couldn't feature on an expensive state government glamour project, so with the stroke of a pen, Mt Arsehole suddenly changed its name to Mt Arthur. Fortunately most other features retained their traditional names, until a few years ago when the city bureaucrats decided they didn't like Mt Niggerhead and changed it. One other renamed place is Damsite Hill near Mt McKay, although I forget what that was originally named.
This particular Spione Kopje was named by George Fitzgerald who also named Watchbed Creek. I don't recall any mention of him having been to the Boer War but may have been familiar with the term. It would have been a good vantage point to look out over your cattle. The particular battle would have been well published in Australia at the time but there seems to be no indication as to why George chose this name.
I have been to the Mt.Spion Kopje peak in the Lake TK area. The track is marked with orange arrows but needs a proper haircut for sure. I am aware of Mt. Arthur's previous name. It is very steep/arduous to get there and there is no water up there at all. It is an arsehole of a place in many ways.
That aqueduct was to be part of the mega expanded Kiewa hydro scheme when in 1947, they upgraded the original 1938 plan to double the amount of electricity generated. But the credit crunch of c.1952 meant that the Kiewa was massively scaled back and partly built aqueducts, dams, tunnels and power stations were abandoned and never finished. The aqueduct on the saddle between Nelse and Spion Kopje was one of abandoned projects. It was intended that it would start near Ropers Hut, go through the saddle and extend all the way to the Rocky Valley Dam. It would have channelled most of the rain and snow that fell on Mt Nelse into Rocky Valley and then through four power stations before rejoining the river at Mt Beauty. Originally there were supposed to be about 20 aqueducts built to the same standard as Bogong Creek aqueduct, concrete lined, tram tracks, regulating huts, the works. But Bogong Creek aqueduct was the only one that was finished before the money ran out. Almost a decade later they built the unlined (and leaky) austerity aqueducts that are frequently seen today: Langford aqueduct, Cope Saddle aqueduct and Frying Pan aqueduct.
That was an informative reply. What about Roper's Aque duct? That seems to be from the same period as the other low grade/we've run out of money aque ducts in the area.I presume that such a scheme will never be revisited in terms of potentially being used to generate hydroelectricity esp. because many of these things now fall within a national park or a ski resort.
I suspect that building any more aqueducts (they also called them "racelines" back in the day), would be "politically impossible" these days as some environmentalists would scream blue murder at the idea, even though the more aqueducts that are built, the more water can be diverted into the higher level power stations and therefore more "Green" electricity would be generated. It probably wouldn't even be possible to put a concrete lining in the "so leaky it's almost useless" Cope Saddle aqueduct. Umm, I can't think of a Roper's aqueduct, do you mean the Frying Pan raceline that runs through the town of Falls Creek, as there used to be a "Ropers Hut" near there before the war. If not, please let me know a location it runs near. The old government monopoly State Electricity Commission originally built power stations No 1,3 and 4 and walked away from the unfinished or never stated power stations No 2, 5 and 'P'. The Kiewa scheme was eventually sold to a consortium including super funds in the 1990s and after a decade or so, they sold it to the current owners AGL. One of the first things AGL did was to build Power Station No 2 (Bogong) about 10-ish years ago. But they were not permitted to build a regulating pond between No 1. (McKay Creek) and the head of No 2, meaning that electricity production is not as flexible as it would have been under the 1947 plan if it was finished. Other than building the unfinished power stations 5 and P, aqueducts could be built along the valley of the West Kiewa, the Big River headwaters could be diverted in a tunnel under Bogong Creek Saddle as was originally planned. But they are "politically impossible" too. Probably the only possible way to increase the amount of electricity produced by the Kiewa scheme would be to install pumps, so at times when excess electricity is being produced by coal and wind generators, it could be used to pump water uphill. The water would then be stored in dams and run through the turbines again at times of peak demand.
Hi. I refer to the aqueduct that goes out to Roper's lookout. That is another channel/ race line that now provides an easy green run for XC skiers. I skied it last season and saw the snow poles also are next to a channel/ water race thingy. I am all for generating renewable/ green energy. The project should have been completed the way the Snowy Mountains scheme was. I do understand that diverting water flows mucks up eco systems in some ways. One can read about this issue on an information board on the Fainters Falls walk. I think it is unhelpful for ultra greenies to hop up and down on the spot about the idea of upgrading and utilizing the aqueducts that were never used. I spend a fair bit of time in that area year round, year in , year out and I can't help wondering about these things. It seems silly to say "oh we can't allow any further development of a Hydroelectricity scheme because it is a national park now". The bleeding aqueducts are already there. It would not take much to upgrade them and harness their potential for green power generation. I support the VNPA but I would suspect the VNPA would have kittens over this idea.
Whoops, sorry, that little aqueduct from Ropers Lookout to Rocky Valley Dam is so short that I had actually forgotten about it. I don't have the map of the 1947 plan to hand, but I suspect that it was intended to link up with the half built, but never finished aqueduct you saw in the saddle between Nelse and Spion Kopje. I'm in the process of reorganising the many boxes of my hydro history stuff so I may have found that map in a few months (but don't hold your breath). When I find it, I will post it on this forum. But when I first saw that map I was amazed by the proposed aqueduct network. Some hillsides had two of them; an upper aqueduct diverting water into a high level power station from where it would pass through multiple power stations and a lower aqueduct diverting water into just a couple of lower level power stations. But even I wouldn't want to see the massive Pretty Valley Dam built. It was to be four times the size of the Rocky Valley Dam and would have flooded a vast area, from Damsite Hill right up to Cope Saddle.
I agree that the proposed Pretty Valley dam would have been an environmental disaster and we are lucky to have such a rare alpine environment spared from such development.
An excellent report with excellent history notes, thank you @Mister Tee on XC Skis & @Bogong . But we are missing some @VSG crayola action here. I’m familiar with most of the route, a couple of corners I can’t recall. A lot of signs have appeared since my wandering days in this area.
Rail line, aqueduct. Again, click on each for much bigger. Better still, right click and download, open in image viewer of choice on a proper screen. Applies to all.
I am, but had to get out in the garden before the cricket, i mean before it got too warm. I’ll look at your maps tomoroz at work on bigger screens. Any chance of crayolla of Mr T’s route?
I am bit of a dud at using fancy graphics on computers. The Tramline and aqueduct starts just near where the track bifurcates and one route starts to climb up towards Mt. Arthur. The other continues to the railhead. The tramline continues for about 8kms. The last 1 km sees the aqueduct go underground via pipeline to the source which is diversion of Bogong Creek itself. The Tramline stops and becomes a foot track. Using the Spatial Vision Map of the Bogong area this demarcation is clear. It is the map I used to walk this route . It is a pleasant loop of walking and camping over 3 days and 2 nights. Day one of the route after the tramway was an uphill slog only because of the heat and humidity. Fortunately there are multiple shallow creek crossings en route to the Old Helipad at Bogong Creek Saddle. In terms of using this route to reach Roper's Hut for spring XC ski touring: mmmmm. I am unconvinced. It is a day and a half at least of travelling on two legs to get to Roper's hut this way with a lot of walking uphill . The Big River Crossing along Big River Fire trail would be very cold in early September. Rocky Valley Creek at the 4 x 4 ford near the bottom of Spion Kopje fire trail may become too deep to cross if the water is too deep or flowing too quickly. The route is quite sheltered until you hit the BHP au proper .The section that follows could be by passed cross country to hit the AAWT pole line from the ridge that leads to Timm's lookout. Once you see the big old snow gum tree that is shown in this trip report then head off the 4 x 4 track towards the top of the ridge line.In white season you would not have the old wheel ruts to follow anyway. There is no pole line coming up Timm' spur once you leave the tree line. It is not THAT far until you reach the Pole line that connects Mt. Nelse with Roper's hut. In a white out / challenging white season weather you'd be going by map and compass and possibly a GPS co ordinate of the location of Roper's hut. I would hazard to guess that even in bad weather in BC XC ski season one would only have to stuff around for one hour between that old snow gum on the fire trail, which is bench cut , and locating Roper's hut. An hour above the tree line in punishing weather is the sensible limit before a human starts to become hypo bleeding thermic The Bowl above Roper's hut looks like XC ski heaven in terms of terrain that is easy and fun to ski on. The wetland at the bottom of it which precludes green season cross country short cuts from the Big River Fire trail , coming up from Timm' s spur would be snowed over. So skiing over that would be easy .
I find this concept to be somewhat incongruous with your other objections to the Falls to Hotham proposal. I guess it is OK to develop in National Parks for profit some times, if the cause is worthy. You may see it different and I think you are right that the VNPA would not approve. I also think the corridor of aqueducts did not show the potential hoped for so no further development was warranted and that is why things have not progressed. What you see now is all these nice walking tracks which are easy to follow and wide. Perhaps you would have thought things were different if you saw the bulldozer scar after the cut? I have just returned from 4 days up there and we crossed the aqueducts several times. It was much better not being on them but they are there now. Do we need more bulldozers? I don't think so.
It is all hypothetical now. No further development will ever take place up there. I was merely speculating. I don't overall approve of development within National Parks.The aqueducts do make good walking/ski & Mountain Bike trails now. The pole lines that often accompany them allow for easier navigation in very poor weather.
Well the Langford and Frying Pan aqueducts are both frequently visited and retain water reasonably well, so there's two reasons to leave them as they are. But what about the Cope Saddle aqueduct, described by one hydro bloke I chatted to as "so leaky it's almost useless"? Almost no one ever goes there (except me and my chums and perhaps a few people here). It has a nice little weir near Mt Jim but a lot (probably most) of the water in that aqueduct is not sent to Pretty Valley but instead ends up in the Bundara River. Do people who don't like the aqueducts very much think it would be okay to replace the random pipes that have been dumped in the Cope West Aqueduct with a modest concrete lining so it wouldn't leak and therefore allow it to serve the purpose it was built for?
Yes it is hypothetical but it is a view you hold and it seems more like the view a wind vein holds at times. I am not arguing for or against the aqueducts of the past. What you were talking about was the benefit of more development in the ANP, which would in fact be for profit, and that flies in the face of your comments on commercial development which would involve the building of a couple of huts. For which I am also opposed. Covered all this country over the last few days so I guess I am counted in the few who visit these areas. As much as possible was off the aqueduct tracks (and the other marked tracks) but they cannot be avoided all the time. We have also covered much of the off track areas to the south of these aqueducts and up onto Youngs tops many times. The water from Cope aqueducts does not hit the Bundara river as far as I can tell. Flows away from that valley. Glad to be home right now as it is getting hammered now with storms. Very little water running in any of the aqueducts at the moment.
Nice analogy with the anemometer but Team Bears know of wind veins that are permanently frozen and cannot reflect truly the direction of the prevailing wind.They are fixated so to speak and unable to allow for necessary changes!
I can't speak for Victoria, but in NSW the function of the aqueducts is to collect water from tributaries that flow into an impounded river downstream of the impoundment and redirect it upstream of the dam so it is caught. All of the water remains in the original catchment.
On the Kiewa hydro scheme (as it is now) about half the aqueducts collect water from the Kiewa catchment and direct it to dams and power stations higher upstream, but the other half of the aqueducts collect water that would otherwise end up in the Mitta River and that is diverted into the Kiewa catchment. On the Snowy hydro scheme (which was funded with the money taken away from Kiewa) some of the water from rivers flowing south or eastwards (like the Snowy River) is diverted into the Murray/Murrumbidgee river system.
It is interesting that water taken from the Mitta catchment for hydro via aqueducts could now be used for hydro at Dartmouth if the aqueducts were not there. Instead it decreases flows on the Bundara River, Big River and Middle creek which would be beneficial for stream health. The water would end up in the same place. I can understand why there would be diversions for Kiewa catchment but not for Mitta catchment but Dartmouth was built much later. Too late now to change things. I would never consider hydro power as completely green as there is always a cost. Look at the once mighty Snowy River which required legislation from two states to get some flow. Hydro all but destroyed that river ecosystem.
