Wonnangatta Circuit (Speculation - Razor - Viking)

[madmacca]

I can't speak for the track from the Viking east (I headed over South Viking to the Wonnangatta), but definitely between Catherine Saddle and the Viking, it HAS been cleared (as of Cup weekend). There was some new deadfall, and little evidence of debris from clearing the path, so I'm guessing it was done between 2-6 months ago.

But I'm a little confused, if you encountered these guys coming down the east side of Viking while you were going up, how did you read their notes in the Barry Saddle??

So 3 options:
* it was an old note you were reading
* they lost the path and just pushed through (unlikely, as the 5 foot wide avenue is SOOO inviting compared to the scrub)
* they don't know what real regrowth is.

[north-north-west]

How did I read it?
I walk alone. And hardly ever have the option of a car shuffle. That means circuits, or out and back. The Viking was an out and back. I read their note on the way back out the next day.

[madmacca]

Ahh, that makes sense. I knew there had to be a logical explanation.

[north-north-west]

Yer. I assumed the continuing line of cairns down from the South Viking was for the Wonnangatta circuit, but was too knackered by that time of the afternoon to have much of a look at it. If the scrub's that bad down there, I'm glad I left it.

[Drew]

We completed the circuit as planned, finishing yesterday. It sure is a great walk through a beautiful area. We found the track easy to follow in most parts. The section between Catherine Saddle and The Viking had certainly been cleared and was easy to follow, although the scrub on either side of the track was very thick in this section and did encroach on the track a lot.

Descending from South Viking to Wonnangatta we did lose the track a few times and spent a while being a little lost before eventually figuring out that we were definitely on the right spur. The last few hundred metres before the river were through ridiculously thick vegetation with no track at all. A bit of fun though when it doesn't last too long and you know you're going the right way. We popped out at the river about 50 metres upstream from the campsite. For some strange reason the water wasn't freezing so we had a nice swim to cool off after battling the scrub.

We made a foolish mistake beginning our final day. Instead of crossing the river 100 metres downstream from the campsite (as per Chapman's track notes) we crossed at the campsite because there was a fallen tree across the river that meant we could cross without getting our feet wet. We were intending to take the Zeka Spur Track option but ended up bush bashing instead. We saw some cairns on our way up that we later realised were cairns for the "alternative route". As it was these cairns just gave us false hope that we were going the right way to meet Zeka Spur Track. We eventually realised that we were on the wrong spur and after a long time bush bashing south-south-east we came out on the road. This turned our easy last day into a long and painful last day, but at least we saw some bits of bush that nobody else sees and got to test out the navigational skills that we should have used much earlier in the day!

My legs are scratched to hell but I'm a happy camper!

[dplanet]

Thanks for your update specially on the river log crossing and the "alternative route". Can't wait to try it again.

[BillV]

Any more updates?..........looking to go through the area in late March 2013?

[awillow]

I'm also interested any any updates. I plan to do the Viking circuit at the end of March. As far as I can tell the Howitt area is reopened but not sure about the top of the circuit.
Has anyone been in the area recently and could give some updates on track conditions?

[MartyGwynne]

Wait for it to rain as it will be so dry over the Mt Despair - Razor - Viking stretch you wont get water till the Wonnangatta.

[andrewbish]

Hey guys

Quick response appreciated as I am heading off tomorrow am.

Is the route from the Viking to the Wonnagatta river the one I have marked on this image?

Andrew

viking to wonnagatta.gif (195.11 KiB) Viewed 27050 times

[ryantmalone]

That sure looks like the correct route down to me.

[dplanet]

+1 Good luck with the log crossing, Andrew.

[andrewbish]

Thanks guys!

[madmacca]

Yes, that is the correct route. The track comes and goes a bit, but there is a steady string of rock cairns to guide you. So long as you stick to the ridge line, you should be fine.

The only navigational challenges are to ensure you take the spur to the SE, (rather than the SW) as you descend off South Viking. And you can expect to lose the track in the last few hundred metres into the Wonnangatta valley in very heavy regrowth, as the ridgeline is pretty indistinct. But just keep heading downhill at that stage, and you will hit the river soon enough.

If you are uncertain how far up or downstream you are, the correct path to the Zeka Spur track is immediately west of the small stream entering the Wonnagatta from the south on your map.

[dplanet]

Hey guys

Quick response appreciated as I am heading off tomorrow am.

Hope you'd get some reasonable weather up there. It was quite wet and windy yesterday and appears cloudy today. Look forward to your trip report.

[andrewbish]

I completed the circuit over 3 days, getting out today. Brief notes:

Took me 20 hours in total - anybody trying this in 2 days better be fit.
- Howitt car park to Mt Buggery 4 hours
- Mt B to Wonnagatta River 13 hours (incl lots of stuffing around in the thick bush near the river in the dark)
- W. River to car park 5 hours

I didn't quite have enough water for the section from Howitt carpark to Wonnagatta (didn't even bother to look at the small stream near Mt Spec as the rivers were very low as I drove in). I started with 3.6 lt. Needed 4.5-5, particularly as the second day got quite warm.

As predicted by dplanet, weather was ordinary on day 1 - I had strong wind and rain from the west as I crossed the Crosscut Saw. Def more fun to do this section when the weather is fine and you can enjoy the views!

Section from Mt Despair to the Viking is well cut and marked.

Navigation thru the section from South Viking to the river was tricky in places - tended to lose the beacons (if they were there!) in places. Found that for the most part the main trail kept very close to the top of the spur, tending to the right side. The scrub got thick around 600 metres from the river (lots of saplings but easy to walk thru), then diabolical about 200 meters from the river.

I couldn't find the campsite, so just found a spot opposite the point where the trail to Zeka Spur begins.

I hated the Zeka Spur track. I prefer up over down, but jeez, you can have too much of a good thing! The final few kms off this track was a blessing (tho the gazillion trees across the track were a pain in the butt).

I was wasted by the time I got the car.

I will post photos and the details in a blog post.

Thanks again for the quick responses, dplanet, Ryan and madmacca!

Andrew

[dplanet]

Well-done Andrew. Pity that you missed the lovely campsite near the river. Will have a look at your blog.

[ryantmalone]

Nice work Andrew! Been wanting to knock the Razor and the Viking off my list for the better part of the past 20 years, and have only ever gotten as far as the Razor.

Thinking its set in stone that I'm going to give this one a good hard go this November/December, although if I can find a more interesting alternative to Zeka, I'm all ears!

[andrewbish]

Thinking its set in stone that I'm going to give this one a good hard go this November/December, although if I can find a more interesting alternative to Zeka, I'm all ears!

Go with a mate and do a car shuffle - one car (4wd) at the bottom of the Zeka and the other car at the Howitt carpark!

[ryantmalone]

Thinking its set in stone that I'm going to give this one a good hard go this November/December, although if I can find a more interesting alternative to Zeka, I'm all ears!

Go with a mate and do a car shuffle - one car (4wd) at the bottom of the Zeka and the other car at the Howitt carpark!

Now what would be the fun in that!!

Actually, been eyeing off a very steep un-tracked spur that leads from the Wonangatta River straight up to Mac Springs. I remember a few people talking of a good route that follows the crest to the tops. Much shorter, much steeper, but something I've been wanting to knock off for some time.

[MartyGwynne]

News flash news flash ..... Small fire at Catherine saddle/Mt Speculation..........
Apparently controlled as per the CFA web site.
It should be out but if you are going there today/tomorrow it may pay to check to be sure to be sure to be sure.
Cheers

[DB24]

Hi all, anyone been up recently to see the latest water situation? Macalister springs? The creek near Mt Spec? Thanks!

[Borbs]

Ryan

Actually, been eyeing off a very steep un-tracked spur that leads from the Wonangatta River straight up to Mac Springs. I remember a few people talking of a good route that follows the crest to the tops. Much shorter, much steeper, but something I've been wanting to knock off for some time.

I'm doing that exactly this Easter. Will get back to you with a brief report.

Re: water. The area has had a 130+mm soaking last couple of weeks - water should be easy to find.

[Borbs]

As promised:

Water:
Aplenty atm. Water in smaller gullies is receding but main sources and creeks are flowing well. Got water from smaller sources: SE of Howitt/Crosscut intersection, Mt Despair/Razor Saddle, etc.

Track:
*Track has been beautifully cleared by Parks between Catherine Saddle and the Viking. Logs chain-sawed, grass and shrubs slashed. Looks recent. AAWT signs are particularly prominent here (a little over-zealous actually, considering the signs about, 'you are entering a wilderness area, no signs', etc.)
*Only rough spot is the direct drop-off from Spec to CS (maybe they're encouraging walker to use the closed road)
*Don't expect a footpad from South Viking to the Wonnangatta. There are some clear pads where the crest of the spur is narrow enough to be unmissable and where there are no rocks and no re-growth, but at that point who cares if there's a track, so follow the spur and take it as it comes. If you follow the route along the crown of the spur near the bottom as it bends further E, even when it becomes indistinct, you shouldn't have trouble with blackberries, just thick scrub. (If you miss it, there's plenty along the river, so try to nav it right.)

Fire damage:
The 2ha spot fire on Spec is near the knoll on the NE spur en route to CS (UTM 692 922). There is little immediate danger to walkers as the trees are of no significant size, but, as always, be careful.

As for the rest, I took a spur up from the Wonnangatta to the fat sponge of a knoll at Mac Springs that runs up from about 3k W of the river campsite, but to respect the rules of this forum I will not discuss this. If you are interested, you can message me privately.

Have fun.

[andrewbish]

Thanks for the report, Borbs.

How long did it take you to get to Mac Springs from the Wonnagatta campsite?

[Borbs]

How long did it take you to get to Mac Springs from the Wonnagatta campsite?

No worries, Andrew. 6.5 hours. Started at first light because I had no idea how long it would take. Summited around 2, then trucked it to Hell's Window to see a mate. Do-able, but there are risks, esp for soloists. Message me if you want some notes.

Cheers.

[andrewbish]

Ok. So it's quicker to use Zeka Spur but very tedious (like spending 5 hours on a stairmaster ), so the route you followed sounds like an interesting alternative. Not sure that I will be up that way in a while, but Ryan sounds pretty keen...

[wander]

We wandered about the circuit over Easter plus a coupe of days with a rest day on the Wonongatta where Borbs caught up with us.

We would echo his report with a couple of additions.
We went up the untracked Chapman Spur to get out of the Wonongatta. This was a luverly wander with excellent views most of the way.
Water was easy to find in both upper gullies from Speculation and on the North side of Viking Saddle, we did not look on the South.

I think left my phone on possibly The Viking or Viking South (or possibly in the Wonongatta Camp area), so if any finds it please PM me, or if you are heading out that way please have a look for me. It is an iphone in the black lifeproof (this might test it) case.

[davids]

Chapman's book 'Bushwalking in Australia' (my 4th ed is 03) has track notes for two options from Wonnongatta R to Howitt Rd, not via Zeka Spur track. Says 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours. These are of course 'Chapman hours' which I usually add 50% to.
David

[wander]

We took a little longer than that going up the Chapman Spur, but that was the plan. Cruise, check out the views, long lunch, picture stops. The going is a little slow up top due to a huge number of wind fall trees. So the wander path was very serpentine.