8 September 2010 Wednesday Walk - Rendezvous and Middle Creeks - A scout around Rendezvous Creek and the Gudgenby Grasslands
Map: Rendezvous Creek 1:25000
Getting There
This walk was organised and led by me as a CBC Wednesday walk:
Wednesday 8 September - A scout around Rendezvous Creek and the Gudgenby Grasslands - M/M. The next Wednesday Walk is an amble around Rendezvous Creek and the Gudgenby grasslands area, taking in a number of European and indigenous sites of interest. We’ll head up Rendezvous Creek a way, then back south across Pheasant Creek to Middle Creek and so back to the cars. Up to 15km and 200m total climb. Leader: John Evans 6288 7235, 0417 436 877 Map: Rendezvous Creek 1:25000. Transport: ~$10 per person. Meet at Kambah Shopping Centre car park, opposite the Woolworths petrol station, by 8.30am.
13 of us met at Kambah and drove in 3 cars to the new Rendezvous Creek car park, on the right of the Boboyen Road just before it crosses Rendezvous Creek.
Further Information
Start from new Rendezvous Creek car park and use the pad over the new bridge. Check out Paddy Moore's hut site (W-G G5/my/KHA302 location). Pause at the new large bench and table. Visit T Brayshaw/J Greenfield hut site (W-G G4/my/KHA320 location). Tromp the landing ground site (marked on 1st edn Rendezvous Creek 1:25000 map/KHA715). Visit Rowleys Rendezvous Creek Hut site (W-G G7/KHA241) and Rowleys Rendezvous Creek Stockyards (W-G G8/KHA331)/Robinia Grove (KHA332). Continue a further 2km up the valley to visit W-G G12. Return around the lower Mavis Ridge to cross Pheasant Creek. Visit the Middle Creek cascades for a late lunch. Visit Jack Rustins hut site (W-G G6/KHA292) and grave (KHA881). Cross the Middle Creek bridge and visit W-G G10. Wander back to the cars.
Photographs
Access all primary pics here. All thumbnails in the walk report are active - click for a larger picture.
Walk
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| Track overview Rendezvous and Middle Creeks | Track a Rendezvous and Middle Creeks | Track b Rendezvous and Middle Creeks |
The last time I was on a Wednesday walk was 15 Oct 08. Not being available for Tuesday's walk, here was a chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones and to do the first of some ground-truthing for KHA (some great results for them and me).
Nice start time, so no frost about as we set off on the Rendezvous Creek Walk. This is a great entrance to the lower Rendezvous Creek area along a well benched track. It sidles above a rocky cut in the creek - plenty of noise as the creek was running well - crosses a metal mesh bridge and winds up to a large rustic table and benches on a little knoll. See here for a description of this Walk.
Just before we reached the table, we headed to where I believe Paddy Moores Hut site is located, at UTM 55H 680022-6044214 (GDA94). This is site W-G G5. KHA have this site, number 302, at UTM 55H 680012-6044283 (GDA94).
Paused at the table.
From here, we continued to parallel Rendezvous Creek at about the same contour, around 300m S of the creek. We passed through where I'd previously recorded a possible site for W-G G4, Josheph Grennfields Hut site - still not convincing - then, joy oh joy, on to the location recorded for KHA 320, T Brayshaw or J Greenfields hut at UTM 55H 678612-6045183 (GDA 94). Here was a fine pile of granite hearth rubble and a ubiquitous star picket. I recorded UTM 55H 678622-6045178 (GDA 94). So, a great result based on cooperative data sharing. Now, I'll have renewed faith in continuing to ground truth KHA locations and, based on other results of the day, KHA may have increased faith in my locations.
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| 1 T Brayshaw or J Greenfield's Hut site (W-G G4/KHA 320) |
Next, W across towards the Rendezvous Creek old vehicle track, to wander over the landing ground site, marked on the 1st edn Rendezvous Creek 1:25000 map. This is KHA715 site 715 with location UTM 55H 678112-6045333 (GDA94). We passed by 3 tyre markers in the ground, one at UTM 55H 678277-6045223 (GDA94) and another at UTM 55H 678130-6045290 (GDA94).
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| Tyre on old landing ground |
Followed the vehicle track NW to Rowleys Rendezvous Creek Hut site. This is site W-G G7 and is at UTM 55H 677591-6045896 (GDA94). It's KHA site 241 and they have it at UTM 55H 677512-6045983 (GDA94). Some nearby rocks in the sun provided seats for morning tea.
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| Rowleys Rendezvous Creek Hut site (W-G G7;SoS G9/KHA 241) |
Next, down to Rowleys Rendezvous Creek stockyard. This is site W-G G8 at UTM 55H 677603-6046182 (GDA94) and KHA site 331, which they have at UTM 55H 677512-6046033 (GDA94). KHA also identify site 332, Robinia grove at UTM 55H 677512-6046233 (GDA94). Some info on Robinia here.
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| Rowleys Rendezvous Creek stockyard (W-B G8/KHA 331) and Robinia grove (KHA 332) |
Another couple of kilometres up the valley, we wandered up into the scrub to visit W-G G12/SoS G8).
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| Opposite ridge block and nearby boulder guide to route to significant site |
Next came a most enjoyable 5.2km wander in 1hr 15mins back down to Rowleys Rendezvous Creek Hut site and S and SW around to the Middle Creek cascades for lunch. Plenty of water flowing down. Possible grinding grooves were identified.
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| 2 View down Rendezvous Creek valley | Middle Creek cascades |
At 1.35pm we left and visited the Jack Rustin Hut site. First the KHA entry 292 with location UTM 55H 677012-6043083 (GDA94) - nothing there. We then went to the location where I'd previously found this site (W-G G6) at UTM 55H 677060-6043143 (GDA94). The debris was there. KHA also identify and unmarked grave at the site, KHA 881 at UTM 55H 677012-6043083 (GDA94). We surmised where we might want our mortal body laid to rest and identified a possible site with granite blocks in the shade of a magnificent Candlebark (Eucalyptus rubida) at UTM 55H 67706-6043164 (GDA94). Some info on Candlebark here.
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| 3 Magnificent Candlebark near Jack Rustins hut site |
From here, we paralleled Middle Creek E to the bridge. It's been replaced by a concrete ford.
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| New concrete ford over Middle Creek |
On the N side of Middle Creek, we followed the vehicle track towards Gudgenby Homestead, then leaving it and heading NE to visit W-G G10. Continuing NE, we ended back at the bench and followed the Rendezvous Creek Walk back to the car park.
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| View up Bogong Creek to Sentry Box |
A visit to a nearby site.
A lovely day, weather-wise, some useful ground truthing. Thanks for your company Henry B, Steve C, Peter F, Ray F, Philip G, Greg H, Kathy H, Helen P, Barrie R, Steve R, Ken W, Peter W.
Distance: 18km Climb: 280m. Time: 9.30am - 3.10pm (5hrs 40mins), with 50mins of breaks.
Grading: L/M; M(9)
KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Rendezvous and Middle Creeks
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This page last updated 22Aug22