Skipworth campground, Jamieson - base camp
Date and time: 16/17 November 2019 9:00 am
Description: Base camp at the Parks Victoria Skipworth Reserve campground on the Goulburn River, approximately 11 km south of Jamieson on the Mansfield - Woods Point Road from late Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. This trip provides the opportunity for members wishing to take their families and caravans or campertailers, as the Skipworth campground is located on the sealed section of the Mansfield-Woods Point and is a large flat grassy site, set up with good drop toilets and fireplaces. Whilst the campground is on the Goulburn River, drinking water is to be carried into the campground.
There will be two trips each day.
On the Saturday, the convoy of one trip will leave the campground at 09:00 for a trip up to Mount Terrible at 1325m for morning tea, with great views over the high country, along medium to steep graded tracks. The convoy will then follow the ridge line south along the Mount Terrible and Ryan Spur tracks to Frenchmans Gap on the Mansfield - Woods Point Road. For those that prefer an early afternoon back at camp, a run down the Mansfield- Woods Point Road can be taken back to the camp. For others, the convoy will then travel north, down along the steep and historic German Spur track back to the main road and back to camp. Both groups may elect to stop at the historic Kevington Pub for light refreshments before returning to camp.
The convoy of the other trip will leave the campground also at 09:00 and commence the day visiting the ruins of the Star of West mine, near Kevington before fording the Goulburn River and heading up the Sappers and the Jamieson Lookout tracks before dropping down into Jamieson. These tracks have great views of the Jamieson valley and have some steep ascents and descents that make this trip challenging but good fun. The convoy will have a late lunch at either Jamieson or back at the camp.
On the Sunday, the two convoys will swap trips.
The Hema Map High Country Victoria, Western Sheet indicates the locations of the trips.
I will be at the campground from early afternoon on the Friday to set up an area for our club.
Weather: Alpine environment, potentially cold and wet. Bring appropriate clothing and footwear.
Equipment: Vehicles are to have low range 4WD capability, good ground clearance, good all-terrain tyres and UHF radio equipped. Usual recovery gear is to be carried.
Trip Standard: Medium on dry tracks with some steep, low-range hill climbs and descents, some rocky tracks and some easy forest roads. Standard will become hard and challenging if tracks are wet and slippery.
Fuel: a full tank ex Mansfield. Note that the Mansfield service station closes at 9:00 pm Friday evenings. Approx. distance from Melbourne is 235 Km.
Convoy limit:16 vehicles with 8 vehicles in each convoy each day.
Trip Leader: Graeme Allen. Ph 0477 488 434 or graeme.allen86@gmail.com for any queries.
……………………………………..
Post trip report
Day 1. 12 vehicles. Left 0920. Poletti Tk, Mt Terrible Tk, Mt Terrible for morning tea. Ryans Spur Tk, lunch at Ryans Spur Hut at 1300. CornHill Tk, Frenchmans Gap Tk, German Spur Tk. Campsite at 1700 with stopover at Kevington Pub for refreshments . 70 km Medium std on dry tracks. Some rocky sections.
Day 2. 10 vehicles. Left 0920. Sealed road to Jamieson, Sappers Tk, morning tea at ford. Ferguson Saddle Tk, Jamieson Lookout Tk, Jamieson, back to camp at 1300. Medium std, dry tracks, some steep ascents and descents. 50 km. Ford was considered too deep on the Saturday by going through the middle when checking out but proved to be okay when looked at from the Sappers Tk side and the down stream side is taken
