Bright to Bairnsdale, on the Great Alpine Road

Today we travelled from Bright to Bairnsdale on the Great Alpine Road, which took us up to, and over Mt Hotham.  And we were not disappointed in the sheer steepness of the road up to Mt Hotham.  And the steepness of the slopes down the sides of the road.

Mt Hotham was the setting for a couple of family adventures but more about that later.

We stayed over night in Bright, a shaded and cool settlement at the foot of the ranges.   Bright started off in the early 1950s being called Morses Creek.   Gold was found there and in 1862 the name was changed to Bright.    

The Owens Valley was found to be suitable for growing tobacco, hops, maize, nuts and fruit.   Tobacco is no longer grown there but you can still see the drying sheds.   The area has now become successful at producing wines.

The shallow and icy cold Owens River flows down from the mountain range.  When we stayed in Bright, Darren, Emma and I floated down the stream on air mattresses.  Very exciting.  Walter was allocated the task of picking us up further down the stream.

Saturday afternoon and no one about, blissfully quiet, except for one noisy pub

Our motel, typical of the motels we have stayed in on our travels.  Great to be able to park the car directly outside the door of our room.  All rooms have been very comfortable, and two motels had microwaves and sinks. 

This morning we left in glorious sunshine and continued along the Owens Valley until we came to Harrietville, another cool settlement shaded by the huge pines that were planted along the valley.  Bright especially has huge northern decidious trees, which give a colourful display in Autumn.

After Harrietville the road started to climb very rapidly.  The surrounding bush was beautiful.

Soon we came across huge areas of burnt bush, and this contunued all the way up to Mt Hotham.  The bush fires in February 2009 burnt out thouands of hectares of bush.  Some trees are but blackened trunks now.

Other trees have sprouted new growth.  But at ground level there is much new growth, which is typical after a fire.

Riding a bicycle up to Mt Hotham is a pastime that rivals cycling in the mountains in France.

These burnt snowgums have been bleached by the weather.

A view over the ranges with whitened snow gums in the foreground.

Although we were amazed about the amount of burnt out forest we both kept our eyes on the road.  One wrong turn would result in a very quick and disasterous ride down the side of the slope.  Much of the upper road is on a ridge.

In the late 1980s we drove to Mt Hotham in a blizzard, in very deep snow.  We had chains on and were in a front wheel drive car but it was very scary.  All we could see where the taillights of the car in front, and the snow poles on the side of the road which mostly indicated a long drop on the other side.  It took us hours to drive to the top.  We literally crawled along.

Every few snowpoles there is a sign which says 'Keep right of poles'.  And you need to too, as there is a long drop on the left hand side of the poles.

The entrance to Hotham, a large ski resort at the top.  And in the year of the blizzard, which lasted the whole week, the top runs were closed, as the conditions were so bad.

A stop for a much needed cup of coffee after that nerve wracking journey.

The view from the cafe showed us the extent of the burnt out bush.  Luckily it will regenerate completely in the next few years

This was the slope where Walter fell, and broke the cruciate ligament in his knee and tore the cartilage in both knees.  On the first morning, just after his lesson. So while we were out enjoying ourselves he had to spend the rest of the week hobbling around inside.  And then had to have major surgery when he returned home.  And of course he now has problems with his knees.  Poor Walter.

The offending slope, called the Big D, probably a blue run, with no runoff at the bottom, had to be used for learners due to the blizzard.

We stayed in this hotel, called the Alberg.  Walter knew every inch of the hotel, due to being confined inside all week.  The snow was very deep and soft, and great for skiing.  We loved it.

On the last day Walter struggled outside, while we skied, and eventually found the car, completely covered in snow. The only part showing was the aerial. He spent the next few hours digging it out with a dustpan.  When he managed to get the boot open he was able to get the shovel out.  After lunch we thought it best to help Walter rather than spend the afternoon skiing  Walter was not a happy man.

Since then Walter hates snow and gets very stressed if there is any about.  And no wonder, after driving the car up to the top of the mountain in atrocious conditions, wrecking his knees on the ski slope, and then having to dig a car out with a dustpan, and trying to manage crutches as well.  Plus damaged knees.  I told him today he needs counselling, as it was such a traumatic experience.  Then he will enjoy snow again.

On another occasion, in the summer time, Darren, Emma and I walked along some of the walking tracks.  We drove up to Falls Creek, stayed the night, and then Walter dropped us off, with our back packs, at the start of the Bogong High Plains.  He continued to drive to Omeo and then back to Hotham.  We walked across the plains, down into a valley where we camped the night, and then walked back out of the valley and around to Mt Hotham, where Walter picked us up.  The only excitement was Darren's very heavy pack, I allowed him to pack it himself, and the March flies on the Hotham side, which stung us every time we stopped for a breatber.

After staying at Mt Hotham with Walter, we then set off to walk along the ridge to Mt Feathertop, which is the lower peak in the photo below.  The higher peak is Mt Bogong I think.

We foolishly put our tents up so that we would have a view of the valley below.  But once the sun set the wind started and we had to drop the tents, put rocks on them and seek shelter inside the hut.  We listened to a man snore above us all night.  The next day we took a leisurely walk down the mountain to Harrietville where Walter picked us up in the car.

Snow gums, stunted due to the extreme cold in winter, but survivors.  The leaves freeze and hurt like crazy if you brush against them when skiing.

A ski tow, with a hidden ski run which winds down, down into the valley.  I must admit I was not confident enough to ski on some of those runs.  Far to steep and fast for me.

After getting our bearings at Mt Hotham, and finding all the landmarks, we continued on our journey to Omeo.  A longer and much gentler way to get down the mountain.  After we dug the car out on the ski trip in blizzard conditions we travelled out the same way, as the road to Bright was closed.

The peaceful park in Omeo.  We ate lunch there today, and for me it was a tasty pumpkin soup.  Home grown pumpkins apparently.  We then continued, following a river, down to the coast, where we are now staying.  In a motel in Bairnsdale, which is at the end of the Great Alpine Road.

And before I forget, I must make a comment about Walter's generosity.  He has always been willing to drop off and collect us when we have gone bush walking.   He has also accompanied me on ski holidays, and watched, even though he hates snow,

A big thank you Walter, from me.