Howqua: Lickhole track - 7 hours?

[ErichFromm]

Just got back from a two day hike across the lickhole track (starting from the high trail past sheepyard flats). The post said distance to Upper Jamieson Hut was 17km and estimated 7 hours.

A friend and I set out at about 11am and kept hiking until a couple hours after dark. It took a further hour or so to get to the hut (we camped on the side of a hill directly on top of brambles as my friend was adamant there was definitely no way he could go any further) So effectively the time was about 9 hours? I admit my colleague was not the fittest and I spent a lot of time waiting for him on the inclines - but can anyway give me an idea of the time it normally takes for this walk? I'm fairly fit and I found it quite a challenging walk.

As an aside - we walked along the road back the sheepyard flats the next day (via 8 mile etc) and our feet were killing us by the end. Definitely a painful walk (and too prideful to ask for a lift). Would like to do another hike in the area but not sure how far in it's safe to go with a 2WD car (the map indicates most of the roads are 4WD but they seemed pretty good to me...).

[andrewa]

You can get upto 8 mile gap (well beyond 8 mile flat) in a 2wd, and probably further, although I haven't been down the Jamieson side of the gap for years. It would be a horrible road to walk along though!

Andrew A

[wildlight]

Hi Guys

Mrs and I are regulars in this area. We can drive our bubble Barina to the split where one track goes to the Nobs, and the other up to Howitt Plains.

ErichFromm, how did you find the track up Mt Darling, then to Lickhole Gap? Open/Thick/In Between? What about the descent to Upper jamieson Hut?

If you do the walk again... come back along the continuation of the Eagle Peaks spur, it brings you out about a kilometer upstream of Sheepyard Flat. The track is quite good along that spur, until the ridge begins to lose its distinctive sharpness. Then the track disappears- and you're in a jungle. Stick to the crest of the ridge, despite temptations to drop. The scrub (but no prickles) is quite thick. All of a sudden, as you continue along that ridge, you pop out on a track that looks as though it was cut a month ago, in simply beautiful condition.

I asked the Mansfield Ranger about it and he said "the contractors began at the Howqua and stopped where the funding ran out". Talk about a clear line defining the boundary!

We used to camp a lot about 1k or a bit more up the track from Lickhole Creek (twds Mt Darling) but it's such thick scrub there now, Lickhole Creek itself is not too bad, we'll head there this weekend, just maybe take a walk up Mt Darling and return.

Another great walk there is from Mt Darling to Mitchells via the Governors, several interesting ways in.

I hope you enjoyed your trip there. The "screensaver" of my iPad mini is the area down by Lickhole creek in the crisp, misty light of dawn in early spring, one of my favourite photos. As I type this, above my desk is a spectacular shot of the old Mitchell's Homestead in a all its glory, surrounded by wildflowers. I spent decades there, in that area, decades ago.

Safe Steps!

WildLight

[ErichFromm]

Hey wildlight,

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll consider doing it again once my ankle stops aching and the feeling comes back to my knees

The track up Mt Darling is, in the main, fine. Going down there are alot of collapsed trees, and the path leading up to the mountain (coming from Sheepyard side) is a little soft and eroded in some places but still mainly good (leeches were a pain on the hut side too). The placement of the orange reflector arrows is a bit comical - they're up on trees where there is only a single clear path, but absent in the few occasions where there seems to be a split in the path.

I did the track that goes up from lickhole creek up to Eagle Peak (not the one that starts near Upper Jamieson hut) a few weeks ago and it's very hard to find. It just goes up the spur so it was relatively easy just to keep moving forward and hope it turned up again but in some places the scrub is quite thick and I wasted a lot of time going horizontally across the spur trying to find a way through. I got to the top but by that stage was running out of time and not feeling overly confident I wouldn't get lost so turned around. Going back down was no easier - I followed a clear path that ended up in some dense bushes and then just ended.

You must be quite the accomplished walker Wildlight - across the governors to mitchells. Not sure I'd have the confidence not to get lost at this point

[Strider]

Who the hell names these places?!

[trickos]

Excuse me, what's the name of this track?

[north-north-west]

Excuse me, what's the name of this track?

Probably courtesy of the same mob who gave us The *&%$#!'s Neck, Son of a *&%$#! Spur & Mount Buggery. The Little Dick Range and Bare Buttocks Creek are a bit too far away to be connected . . .
(ps: There's also a Licking Hole Creek in the ACT.)

[neilmny]

.............I hope you enjoyed your trip there. The "screensaver" of my iPad mini is the area down by Lickhole creek in the crisp, misty light of dawn in early spring, one of my favourite photos. As I type this, above my desk is a spectacular shot of the old Mitchell's Homestead in a all its glory, surrounded by wildflowers. I spent decades there, in that area, decades ago.

Safe Steps!

WildLight

Aw come on wildlight, post that or those pictures

[ErichFromm]

Who the hell names these places?!

One of the many topics of conversation during the hike

"Yes boss - I'm taking Friday off so me and my buddy can go down lickhole track - and that's not a euphemism'''.....

[wildlight]

Aw come on wildlight, post that or those pictures

Will do a website soon, just need to find the time. Got the domain registered and delegated, etc just need to build the wretched thing. It's a comin...

Safe Steps

WildLight

[wildlight]

You must be quite the accomplished walker Wildlight - across the governors to mitchells. Not sure I'd have the confidence not to get lost at this point

Hey ErichFromm

I sit and wonder how I did it all. I would end up spending days in places which should have taken just hours to get through. I was so enamoured by it all, so wide-eyed with wonder- I never wanted it to end. (Still like that now).

Unless it was off-track and through thick scrub, it simply wasn't bushwalking! All of this was done solo, with the heaviest gear, I cringe at the thought. There were no mobiles, no-one to call if things went wrong- thank goodness they never did for me. For the last few years I have had serious calls from within to do this again, but the annoyances of life and work seem to take over. Have been from Mitchells to Governors and back via three different routes, all were fun. Walked accross from the Slate Mine to the Governors, then down to Mitchells.

Am at a significant "pivot point" in life, rapid change and shift in mental state are descending upon me quite suddenly- starting to embrace a minimalist thinking.

My plan is to share the lessons learned- and remote area access and notes online for all to benefit from and enjoy. I have been caught up with a couple of massive projects, these are almost complete. Mrs and I ( a massive project in itself lol ) are off to Larapinta again this year despite her declarations of "I am never doing this again" last year. Once we return, I will have a little more free time on my hands, so will work on the pictures and website.

Have been revamping my kit of late, down to less than 10kg with 5 days food and 1 litre of water. This includes all luxury items, camera, tripod, sat phone etc. Believe me, it's been an exercise.

ErichFromm if you ever take that walk from Sheepyard to Eagles Peaks via the direct route, it might be preferable going to Eagles Peaks as opposed to from Eagles Peaks to Sheepyard.

Don't know how far in we'll go past Lickhole Ck this weekend, sometimes the sheer joy of just being in there overrides the schedule.

The Governors are fairly accessible from Mt Darling. If you ever go, watch the return route, it is so very easy to take the wrong spur down off The Governors, because it is more pronounced initially, than the correct one. Walking a little west from the peak of the Governors gives you a great view of Mitchells. There used to be tree up there, on the Governors, I called it the "water tree". During anything more than light rain, water would flow down the primary arms off the tree, and cascade forth off the main trunk, so conveniently, one could place a billy on the ground, and in no time have it filled. This was great- as you can probably gather, it's waterless up there. So it made extended stays more comfortable.

Safe Steps

WildLight

[surly 17]

Just got back from 2 days walking along the Lickhole Creek Track, I started from Sheepyard flat then went to Frys Flat along the river then followed the road up to the track start.I walked almost to the top of Mount Darling, I had intended to camp at Upper Jamieson hut but set off a bit late although still with more than the 7hrs the track sign suggested at the start of the track. I ended up pitching my tent just down from the saddle at the turn off for the governors. The next day I returned the same way.

The first section down to the first creek crossing, the track was pretty good and the last section which climbs up to Mt Darling was also pretty good but the middle section well that's another story, thick with blackberry's, ferns hiding blackberry's thistles rose bushes it makes for a bit of a slog.

The track is generally in good condition although eroded in some places and evidence off deer along parts of the track. The Scenery is just beautiful, the track seems to be little used what a great place, I will definitely be returning to explore further.

Surly 17

[stry]

Great country Eric. I've spent a bit of time there over the years.

I'm having a little difficulty understanding "the high trail past Sheepyard Flats".

I've gone in via a pad/path that goes in from the Fry's /Ware's track just a kay or so west(?) of Frys and which climbs up a gully and drops through a low saddle to the Lickhole itself. I've also gone in along the spur in which that saddle is located but starting further west along the Frys/Wares track and following the spur south (sort of) to the previously mentioned saddle.

There is a path/route on a now disused 4WD track which runs up Tunnel Spur and along the ridge to Eagles Peaks, but this one doesn't drop down to the Lickhole, although you can pick a spur and cut down in a few places. It is a fair way down from the ridge to the Lickhole.

I have never gone in from the Upper Jamieson, but have gone out that way. It sounds like you are running around the head of the Lickhole to get to the Governors ??

Does any of this ring a bell,or is your "high trail" something else ??

[Bodysurfer]

I would have thought 7 hours from Sheepyard Flat to Jamieson Hut would be a little ambitious. The time we did it many moons ago we camped in a clearing a little way past the Governors. The next day we descended to the Hut, then went up and down Mt MacDonald before heading home. Really nice walk.

[surly 17]

I think if you you could get to upper Jamieson hut in 7 hrs you would have to be going petty hard and would probably not have chance to enjoy the terrain you were travelling in.

[ErichFromm]

As OP says - it took my friend and I about 9 hours. That was at a fairly average rate and me waiting at intervals for him to catch up. If you were fit and conditioned and were focused on just getting the distance done rather than stopping to smell the roses I think you could do it in 7 hrs without too much problem. It would be a tiring hike though.

There aren't a whole lot of places to camp if you find you can't make the full distance. Closer to Upper Jamieson it's all blackberry thistles and overgrown path. If you were to do it I'd recommend an early start (we walked in darkness for the last few hours last time)....

[Lophophaps]

Advice is sought about Eagles Peaks. The tentative plan is
The Bluff - Eight Mile Gap - Eagles Peaks - Mt Darling - camp at Lickhole Creek 436799, at the foot of the climb to Frys.
The second day is short - Sheepyard Flat, have to meet up with a lift. Sleep in for a change.

I have not done this for a while and am unsure about any of it. The climb from 8MG is okay if steep, as is the descent to Lickhole Gap and the climb to near Mt Darling. I understand that there's a track or pad all the way, which turns Mt Darling on the north. Is Mt Darling worth climbing? The descent to Lickhole Creek and to the campsite is straightforward, but I'm a little concerned about blackberries. The section from the creek to Frys may also have blackberries.

Can anyone shed some light on the current or recent state of the above? TIA.

I was toying with going from Eagles Peaks NW on the ridge and camping short of SYF but there's no easily found water. The scrub described above is a bit off-putting.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I found Brocks road in July 2015 to be a no go zone for my 2 WD Jap. hatchback. In Summer it might be better. We didn't make it even as far as 8 mile flat. We wanted to snow shoe it across the Bluff from refrigerator gap. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Going up there when the 4 WD tracks are open doesn't appeal to me as much.

[surly 17]

Hi lophophaps I was there last year lickhole creek track down from mt darling has lots of blackberrys and other lovelies but it's not so bad you just need to push through there are some good clear sections the are couple of camp spots one just down from mt darling it's self and a nice spot next the creek it's self but it's much lower down. There was a controlled burn up along the track earlier in the year but I'm not sure what effect this would have on the track. It's a great area to walk in but doesn't seem to get to many visitors enjoy your walk.

[north-north-west]

It's worth going past Darling, but the summit itself is a mess of fallen trees and weeds. Eagle Peaks is cool enough to make up for the loss. The Governor is a far better summit, too.

[Lophophaps]

I'm not that keen on blackberries so I may go over Eagles Peaks and camp on the ridge at about 436817, the bump level with but some distance above the last creek crossing on Lickhole Creek. The ridge is dry so water must be carried in, heavy but managable. The previous night will be on The Bluff, and there appear to be two sources of water. The first is at Refrigerator Saddle, 535800. The next is west on the road to Eight Mile Gap at 519793. This one seems best as it has a bigger catchment and is closer to Eagles Peaks.

Does anyone have knowledge of either of these possible sources of water? I'll be there in late October.

[stry]

I think your chances of finding something flowing/trickling under or near the road between Refrigerator Gap and Eight mile saddle are pretty good. (but not certain)

If it's warm, you'll sweat a bit out going up to the Eagles. Could always carry 1.5 ? litres from Bluff Hut as a "just in case". That bit is pretty easy and a kilo or so of water shouldn't be an issue.

[Lophophaps]

Stry, thanks.

Agree, probable but not certain water east of 8MG. I'm camping just below the summit of The Bluff, and will carry water from Bluff Hut. There may be water at The Blowhole, about 100 metres of climbing and 1.5 kilometres from Bluff Hut. By the time I reach The Bluff it will be about day nine, so the pack will be lighter. Carrying water for a dry camp is a pain, but the weight will still be 3-4 kilgrams lighter than at the start. I like camping on summits, and on this trip hope to do so on The Viking, Spec, and Helicopter Spur. Downhill after breakfast is nice.