Out of the lockdown and into the creeks (VIC)

[stevesteve]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for all the wisdom floating around on here and that to come.

Relatively new to this and have made some perhaps too ambitious trips from Melbourne into the bush this past fortnight.

Had high hopes to camp a few nights at Store Point Hut and to explore the tributaries which confluence into Donnelly's Creek (itself being exempt). Unfortunately I had to turn back as I wasn't comfortable that my AWD could handle the very last few kilometres! Gorgeous area and I'm keen to make a 4WD buddy for that one. Also tried Sebastopol Creek in the Castlemaine Diggings area, which was dried up aside from a few small pools of water in the bed rock - got a few specks. Most recently I scouted several points on Starvation Creek near Reefton. Not easy to access most of the creek but I found a beautiful little oasis with room to set-up/manoeuvre about 100m from the track and got a few specks. The pleasure of being on that creek was the prize though!

I made the above trips solo, which has been rewarding but felt a bit sketchy at times, despite doing things safe. I look forward to being able to access the "meet-ups" section after a few more posts and to find some buddies to pan/sluice/crevice and otherwise hit the creeks with. I'm in my mid-30s and each day's drive/trek/panning knocked me for six so I've got a reason to get our exercising in the meantime :lol:

Cheers! Steve :Y:

 

[RM Outback]

Good on you Steve :Y: great report just jump in on any thread or throw some pictures into this one to get the magic 10.

 

[Jaros]

Welcome Steve. Enjoy.

 

[Teemore]

I'm in my mid-30s and each day's drive/trek/panning knocked me for six so I've got a reason to get our exercising in the meantime :lol:
Cheers! Steve :Y:

Well done Steve ...... imagine how you'll feel after 100+ days of lockdown, too much wine, cheese, snacks and in your 70's ........ I have to pick my days temp wise just to uncomfortable otherwise (fitness really sucks).

What gear are you using, just panning or sluicing/highbanking? Do a bit of both (when there's water) otherwise swing SDC & GPX, no not at the same time. Haven't fired up the dry blower for a while so that's an option once things really dry up.

Good to see you showing a bit of caution ...... have no fear I often take a look and decide I'd rather get out safely.

Good that you at least got some colour ...... it's out there.

Cheers T.

 

[stevesteve]

Good on you Steve :Y: great report just jump in on any thread or throw some pictures into this one to get the magic 10.

Thanks. Good advice... and I'll take some pictures next time erfect:

Welcome Steve. Enjoy.

Thanks for the welcome, Jaros.

Well done Steve ...... imagine how you'll feel after 100+ days of lockdown, too much wine, cheese, snacks and in your 70's ........ I have to pick my days temp wise just to uncomfortable otherwise (fitness really sucks).

What gear are you using, just panning or sluicing/highbanking? Do a bit of both (when there's water) otherwise swing SDC & GPX, no not at the same time. Haven't fired up the dry blower for a while so that's an option once things really dry up.

Thanks, Teemore. Awesome you're getting out when you can. Yeah, tell me about the wine and cheese. I reckon I'll fair better once I've got a routine and a cheap-o camping stool!

Doing a bit of panning and I've got a small sluice. Yabby pump and a bunch of crevicing tools at the ready but I am yet to visit areas with suitable bedrock. Haven't thought about grabbing a detector (yet!).

Cheers,

Steve