This walk was organised and led by Brigitte T as a private walk.
5 of us drove to Corin Dam. Wonderful to be chauffeured.
Walk
Still missing low gear as I puffed up the steep climb to Stockyard Spur. Other members in the party were either fitter or younger (and also fitter) than me. We stopped opposite the Graeme Barrow named 'Stockyard Spur Grandstand' for morning tea, with views to the NW onto Mt Ginini and over Stockyard Creek. After munchies the track was crossed to the Grandstand, with views to Mt McKeahnie and the SE. (At last I have where these two viewing platforms are and which one Barrow referred to as the Grandstand.)
A few hundred metres further on we inspected the wire fencing remains of a stockyard on the E side of the track. Down to the tall, carved marker post where the Stockyard Spur track meets the Mt Franklin Road. From here, along the road to Pryors Hut.
Whilst the others had a poke around I decided to record the exact position of the nearby angled border marker. I photographed it with my GPS sitting on it, showing location, then in its unadulterated glory. After some invalid assumptions on my behalf, then excellent assistance from Alex P, my ACTPLA guru contact who told me this marker is Q57 (which is not on the AT Heritage Register list here) I got started on an ACT-NSW Border Markers list.
We pushed on at a good pace S along the Mt Franklin Road to the signposted 'Walking Track' up the pretty gully to Mt Gingera. The arm of Snowy Flat Creek was running on the top side of the road. A lovely walk to the top, the footpad wandering up through grasses and Snow Gums. I missed the top of the pad where it braids and peters out, reaching the ridge maybe 100m NW of the usual marker pole. The rest of the party climbed the granite boulders for the view - maybe this is the real Mt Gingera, it's certainly higher - whilst I wandered to the pole. That little Snow Gum there would have to be tenacious (see pic 1). An early lunch (11.20-12.20) under thoughtfully shading clouds, enjoyed the view and had a lie down.
We took the usual route along the ridge to the NW, finding one of the border markers, R57 at SH1847 on the NW tip of the ridge. Headed down off the hill to Pryors Hut. I picked up the second border marker in the area, having remembered that it's found by commencing to walk the S edge of the arboretum from the road and it's just in on the right. It's the 21 Mile marker. Another two walkers at the Hut, heading from Corin Dam to Mt Gingera.
We rattled off the 4.8km from Pryors Hut to the Mt Ginini car park in 1hr, wandered up the old ski slope and took in the view.
From here we headed down the S spur of Mt Ginini. At the point where the Harrys Spur footpad bends away to the W, I snapped a pic of the old stockyard remains pointed out to me on a previous visit (see pic 2). Following the spur, border marker heaven yielded X56, Y56 (19 Mile is very near, but I missed it), Z56 (see pic 3, very exciting!) and A57. Wonderful. We rejoined the road at Stockyard Gap.
From here, on to the Stockyard Spur marker, down the spur to the little marker cairns and a slower descent to Corin Dam.
An excellent day with some variety, good views, border marker bagging and new walking companions.
Thanks, Brigitte, and great company from your friends Paul, Peter and Ray. Sorry I don't talk more.
Distance: 26.9km Climb: 1500m. Time: 7.40am - 5.30pm (9hrs50mins), with 1hr30mins of breaks.
Grading: L/E-M; H(13)
KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Mt Gingera and Mt Ginini
