Moorabool Falls Trail - Late Night Fail Becomes an Early Morning Success

  Late evening on May 24th I set out to tackle the Moorabool Falls Trail. It had been an overcast and horrible day, so I had been putting off heading into the bush until the clouds departed. When it didn't look like that was going to happen, I finally decided to head out in the late afternoon heading into early evening.

Not surprisingly, this led into the car park.

  I arrived with roughly an hour of sunlight and it didn't look like the moon was going to be very bright that night. Given that the track was not familiar to me, I had not packed the appropriate lighting gear and the track ran next to cliff faces for much of the way, I decided to turn back and tackle the track first thing in the morning. I had decided to do this regardless of the conditions the following morning, as this is what had kept from going initially.

  I went home initially feeling deflated and defeated, but had decided to prepare my gear that night, set an alarm and even went to the extent of laying out my clothes for the next day. When the following morning came, I was not only excited and prepared but I felt as if I was about to conquer an enemy that had previously gotten the better of me. Whilst this may seem a little dramatic, there is a strange sense defeat after a failed walk that only drives an individual further towards completion the next time.

   I arrived the following morning right on sunrise, grabbed my pack out of the boot and got straight to it. I had walked around half of the trail previously, though I had turned back due to the appearance of dense bushland that would need to be cleared. I had returned this time with a machete strapped to my pack, should I need it.

Small for a machete, but light, reliable and tough where it counts.

  The terrain was mostly flat, a welcomed change to the hills and mountains that I had become accustomed to in the Ballarat area. As I had stated previously, the track ran parallel to cliff faces for almost the entire track, giving fantastic views of both Lal Lal Falls and Lal Lal Reservoir. Some of the area was fenced off, though it is worth mentioning that the fence was only erected in an area easily accessible by foot.

Whilst it was flat, it was also easy to traverse and still very pretty

  There were three park benches along the way, all easily accessible from the track, that were supposed to give a view of the reservoir. All these served as were unneeded rest stops along a well-defined trail that is relatively easy to traverse.

 The trail did not start to become difficult or uneven until I reached The Salt Creek at around the half way mark. This gave me two options, to either stay on the track that I was on, or to take the less defined track along the creek. Given that my hands were still recovering from my adventure on the road less travelled, I opted to stay on the path that I was currently on.

The Alternate Circuit was covered in brambles. Probably best I opted not to take it

 Once the initial hill leading to the second leg of the track was dealt with, the rest was as flat as the first leg. It followed the same pattern of having cliff faces parallel to the track, though rather than being surrounded by open paddock on the other side, it was more of a pine forest. This was before the track opened up to a stair way that made it's way down to a viewing platform at Moorabool Falls itself.

The sign tells the story of both the Indigenous Australians that inhabited the area, what the falls meant to them and how it changed after European settlement.

 I stood on the viewing platform for quite some time, both admiring the falls and filming video footage for my YouTube channel. Hopefully when I come back in the Spring, the water will still be flowing and I will be able to spend more time at the falls.
 I had initially attempted to walk back via the Salt Track, however this proved much more painful than I had first thought as the track was not only difficult to define, but it was also slippery and covered in thorny brambles. I decided against heading down the alternate track and headed back the way I came, that is not without a decent amount of cuts and bruises.

 All in all, it was a very successful trip without too many mishaps. My main take away point is to make sure I head out early in the day so that I'm not worried about making it home before the sun sets. Alternatively, if I am going to head out just before night fall, ensure that I have the right lighting gear, make sure it's on terrain I'm familiar with and check the weather before I leave.

Survival Myths Busted - Myths and Truths of Wilderness Survival

This is something that I have been wanting to write about for quite some time, as it has been the subject of many conversations for me both at home and in the workplace. I didn't notice until conversing with so many people about how many common misconceptions there are in regards to wilderness survival, I am also shocked at the sheer amount of people who believe these myths that should seemingly know better.

Myth: Finding food and water should be my first priority.

  This is a common misconception with many people, though I feel that it has been busted over and over so I won't  push the point too much. Whilst thirst can be an issue and if somebody is stuck in the bush for a prolonged period, and hunger can become a similar issue, these are far from the top priority for anybody stuck out for several days or even just overnight.
  A well known figure within the survival community is the rule of three's. A person can last three days without water, three weeks without food, yet only three hours in adverse conditions without shelter. This is why I always advocate that a hiker, even those only going for a couple of hours or a day, should ALWAYS carry either some form of shelter or a means of making a shelter.
  Even in my most minimalist of kits, I always have a means of making at least a small improvised shelter. This means that I will always carry a small emergency blanket and a fixed blade knife at the bare minimum. Whilst water is very important when hiking long distances or steep inclines, especially in warmer weather, exposure is a far greater risk than thirst. This leads into my next myth.

Myth: I can drink my own urine when I run out of water.

  No, certainly not, a million times no. Simply put, your body has excreted the waste for a reason, pumping back in the waste which is full of urea, chlorine, sodium and potassium will only serve to dehydrate the body further.
  This is of course, assuming that the individual is in perfect health at the time of drinking their own urine. Should the individual have any sort of abnormality within their bladder or other part of their urinary tract, there may be anything from traces of blood, to leukocytes, to nitrites, to a high sugar content within the urine. This will only contribute to worsening any pre-existing condition as well as further dehydrating the person at an alarming rate.
  An individual wanting to utilise their own urine in such dire circumstances is better off urinating on their clothing, hat or scarf in order to cool down their exterior. This creates a cooler micro climate around them, enabling them to minimise sweat loss which in turn leads to conservation of the water already within the body. It may not smell very nice, but if the need arises when an individual must utilise their own urine it is much more preferable and will actually help conserve water.

Myth: I don't need to bring anything with me if I am only going out for a short walk

  If The Scouts have taught us anything, it's in their motto, "Be Prepared". If you are heading out for a day hike, you should always be prepared for things to not go as planned. This could be anything from the walk taking longer than anticipated to a severe injury whilst on the trail.
  The result is still potentially the same, regardless of the cause of the mishap, you're staying the night in the bush unexpectedly. Always carry either a small shelter(a pocket poncho and/or an emergency blanket are more than enough) or the means to build a shelter(such as a cutting tool), preferably do both. Even if you are only carrying a water bottle, a pocket poncho and a folding knife; your chances of survival a drastically improved from those who do not.  This is, of course, not taking into account potentially fatal encounters such as broken limbs, snake bites, as well as falls from cliffs and mountains.
  First-aid kits, whilst not essential, is a highly recommended piece of gear, and need not be a large and heavy piece within the pack, carrying a couple of bandages(or even just a bandanna and/or a shemagh) will help with any potential wound, laceration or injury that may occur.

It doesn't have to be a full 72-hour kit, but at least bring something.

  Myth: Shelter equates to a roof over my head

  This is somewhat true, though it is more important to be properly clothed when heading into the bush. Shelter can be anything from a bed of leaves to get you off the ground, to a fire reflector wall, to a hat on your head, to a scarf around your neck, to the very clothes on your back. Shelter in a survival sense, is considered to be anything that protects your from the elements.
  It is yet another reason why I always wear a hat wherever I go, forgetting the fact that I'm as bald as a badger, and the same reason why always carry a shemagh in my bag. this is regardless of the weather and where I am going.
  When heading into the bush, clothing choice is extremely important as it will determine comfort levels for the duration of the trip. Clothing needs to be breathable, loose and comfortable when sweating. Most importantly, clothing needs to be able to dry quickly. My general rule of thumb is that if I wouldn't go to the gym in it, I don't want to be hiking in it. The only exception to this rule is my socks. This woollen socks are a staple for me, even in the middle of summer, as these help to prevent blisters.



  I'm sure I will have more items to add to this list as time goes on and I may very well write one or more companion pieces to it, however this more than covers what I had to say initially. Make sure that you stay safe on your adventures and most of all, have fun.

Mount Beckworth Scenic Reserve - Lollipops, Gumdrops and Hemlock

A few weeks ago I joined the Ballarat Bushwalking and Outdoor Club on my first group walk to the summit of Mount Beckworth. This was a relatively stress-free experience as we pretty much went straight to the summit and back again without too much hassle, save for my walking buddy struggling to breath half way up the mountain. Today I decided to try and replicate this experience with a small addition, I decided that I would walk to Cork Oaks. This turned out to be far less stress-free than the original walk. Anyway, I shall start from the beginning of the walk.

The Dam as it looked before my ascent

I started out around four pm from The Dam, giving me around four and a half hours of sunlight to get to the summit and back. This should have been plenty of time to get to the summit, have a drink and a rest, wander my way down to Cork Oaks and then make my way back to The Dam. This of course didn't turn out to be the case due to my idiocy curiosity.

  I made my way from the dam to the first pit stop, a large, open patch of grass and weeds known only as The Oval. It was a very steep ascent and my legs felt every step. I had decided on this trip to travel very light, so I only had a small backpack with me, though it felt like it weighed a tonne at that point.

The view of The Dam from The Oval

  Since there was really nowhere shady to stop at The Oval, I pushed on across the relatively flat and plain spans of bush land. I had come out to The Oval around this time last year and it was almost completely bare, with hardly a weed to be seen. In this instance it was almost completely covered, save for two very well worn tracks that were clearly used by both hikers and Park's management vehicles alike.

The fork in the road at The Oval

  The terrain then promptly changed from flat bush land, to very steep, rocky tracks. This took a lot of concentration to traverse safely and once again was a testament to how crucial a good quality pair of hiking boots can be. Without my boots, I would have been constantly slipping, I would have been without ankle support and I would have been much more uncomfortable than I already was at that point.

The junction at the end of The Oval

  There a lot of birds, though I primarily saw magpies and cockatoos. As is usually the case in any Australian bush, the entire reserve was covered in gum trees and one more particular plant that I saw far too much of for comfort; hemlock. I was unsure what it was at first and picked a leave to eat, but as soon as I began to put it into my mouth it began to numb my lips and I spat it back out again. On closer inspection, the red stems and green leaves were a dead give away. Thankfully I had the forethought to spit it out or may not be here to write this.

  As you could imagine, the ascent was largely uphill and very exhausting, and every now and then I would come across a glimmer of hope that the summit was near. As tired as I was, these signs do wonders for morale and at times can be enough encouragement to push on when you just want to quit.

This sign gave hope and seeming encouragement when all I wanted was to turn back.

  It was not far again until I came across the last large hill for the evening, the hill right before the Lollipop Tree on the summit. This gave a feeling of huge relief as I was already so tired at that point and I was desperate for a chance to sit down and catch my breathe. I was startled at the halfway point by a group of kangaroos who had seen me and were in the process of scurrying off, but otherwise i made it up the well-worn hill without any trouble.

It's worth mentioning that The Lollipop Tree at the summit of Mount Beckworth is on Victoria's register of significant trees

  I sat at the top for a few minutes, collected my thoughts, had a drink and pushed on to Cork Oaks. It was just after five pm that I decided to leave the summit, leaving me plenty of time to get back to my car; or so I thought. I found out some time later that Ballarat was to be expecting a large hail storm, and this hail storm was supposed to be passing through Clunes, which is the nearest township to Mount Beckworth. 

My small pack was a simple twenty litre pack. Aside from my water, I only took a basic emergency kit, my shemagh and my kukri.

  At this point, I decided to take the path of least resistance, which meant that I decided to take the less beaten track. Unfortunately, I would then find out that it was the road less travelled for a reason. The same rocky, uneven and slippery tracks that I had trouble traversing on the way up were even worse on the way down. I had many tumbles on loose rocks and spent a good few minutes on my back, though thankfully I knew to tuck my chin on the way down and let my back and shoulders take the brunt of the fall. 

The rocky outcroppings certainly made for an amazing photo, though.

  I eventually made it to the bottom of the mountain, near Cork Oaks. Luckily for me, I knew the area so I knew where I was and was able to make my way towards Cork Oaks without any hassle. Whilst I was still quite a distance away from my car at The Dam, I was able to orientate myself, take a quick rest and assess my wounds before the walk back to my car.

This was such a relief to see.

  The walk back to my car was relatively uneventful, though I will admit that due to my expectation of an imminent hail storm, I was moving at quite a fast pace in order to not get caught in it. When I got home I checked the weather and it looked like the storm was not even close to Ballarat, which meant that I had nothing to worry about. I ended up taking the car tracks around the mountain, rather than taking another pass up and through The Oval, since I figured that it would be faster. I'm not sure if it was faster, though my legs were certainly grateful for the flat and even ground.

  For the most part, the trip was very much a success. I made it to the summit, I made it back to Cork Oaks, I avoided being poisoned by hemlock and made it back home. Next time, however, I will stick to the tracks and pay attention to the signs around me. It might save myself some cuts and bruises by sticking more to the better known areas, or at least using a map.