Stories, Poems and Comments from past participants
Walking Errinundra Plateau
By Lisa (Vic)
Seeing all this nature with sincere caring people and guide is great. I felt very comfortable with our guide Maria, she was extremely friendly, relaxed, knowledgeable and helpful. Just so great to get right into the forest where I couldn’t venture alone without a 4WD and guide. It was a fabulous de-stressing time spending time in nature and becoming more aware of it.
Errinundra for Walkers
By J. Kenny (Vic)
I have wanted to visit the Errinundra Plateau since I saw David Tatnall’s photographs of its magnificent giant eucalypts during the 1980s campaign to stop logging in those old growth forests. I joined Jenny’s five-day walking tour to Errinundra and our base for the first three nights was Delegate, across the NSW border on the southern Monaro Plains.
We spent our days exploring the Errinundra National Park and surrounds, combining short and medium length walks with scenic drives. The weather was ideal for walking in the magnificent ancient cool temperate rainforest and eucalypt forests, which are home to many species of birds, including lyrebirds, as well as wallabies, sugar gliders and water dragons (lizards). The streams and the air were clear, the shining gums, wattles, sassafras, native plum pines and other species were healthy and apparently untouched by fire, and the orchids, snow daisy bushes and other wildflowers were profuse.
The Gippsland waratah–more delicate than the NSW species–grows in the higher altitudes, and we saw its crimson blooms at the height of their flowering season. We saw many wallabies, and birdsong accompanied us almost constantly as we walked along 4WD tracks and walking tracks. One day we ate our lunch by a creek, and spotted many species of birds, including a restless flycatcher, bathing–or rather ‘dipping’–in the stream, less than a metre from where we were sitting. To my great relief we encountered few leeches. (My bushwalking group visited Errinundra in 2001 and still tell horror stories about being devoured by voracious leeches.)
Staying at Delegate, each evening we walked around the town in the moonlight. Hardly any cars passed us, although on one night we were almost bowled over by a wombat that shot across the road in front of us!
Delegate is a service town for the surrounding grazing and timber communities. We learned some of its history from signs and plaques around the town. In 1915 a ‘Snowy River route March’ or recruitment drive began in Delegate with nine men and finished months later at Goulburn with more than 140 recruits. This was repeated in 1939.
On Thursday we explored more of Errinundra National Park and made a side trip to the summit of Mt Morris (a fairly gentle ascent). This time we were in luck. Visibility was excellent, and our views across the ranges included Mt Tingaringy–bathed in full sunshine–and beyond it the Kosciuszko Range, with large patches of snow glistening on the southern slopes. Later we stopped at ‘Ocean View’, to look towards the Bass Strait coast and the huge sand dunes at Thurra River, a few kms from Point Hicks. At afternoon tea by the beautiful Brodribb River Jenny insisted that we finish the delicious fruit cake. Then we made the long descent into Orbost, where we stayed on our final night.
The beautiful environment of Errinundra Plateau was what brought me to East Gippsland. Jenny’s knowledge of and enthusiasm for the bush and the history of the area, plus her ability to communicate these to us, enhanced the experience tremendously.
More comments
“Ancient rain forest in all their glory – shrouded in mists of time – tall tall timber, deep deep fern gullies… all memories to cherish,”
Jackie (Vic)
“Our third trip with Jenny and again a wonderful experience. The hospitality at the Delegate pub was very special. The walks are unforgettable; the ancient forest and the amazingly diverse plants set in a background of mist. Wildlife and birds were in abundance- all in all it has been a very happy and special few days.”
John & Joan (Vic)
“Thank you Jenny for guiding us through this beautiful part of East Gippsland. You have shown us the magnificence of the Errinundra Plateau forests and the birds and wildflowers. I have appreciated the knowledge you have shared with us and the pleasant atmosphere you created. I look forward to more trips with Gippsland High Country Tours.”
Joan (Melbourne)
