High Country

The first Tuesday in November, a Melbourne holiday for an iconic horse race, is an opportunity for those of us not champing at the bit for race day to take Monday off and enjoy a four-day weekend. Hello high country, the Victorian Alps, a 400-kilometre drive from home.

A rule about trekking in hill country is that every descent is followed by an ascent. Trekking is a great way to stay in the moment, taking on every difficulty as it arrives, sometimes one step at a time. And the kilometres melt away. At the end of a long, four to five-hour trek, I am tired, ecstatic when I reach my place of rest. The next day, after the first few steps, I find out I am ready to go again.

The first major walk wasn’t especially difficult. I never got out of breath, lactic acid did not build up. I guess this meant the absence of long, steep ascents. For the first hour or so, the trail took us through a scraggy forest pummelled by strong wind. I kept a vigilant ear out for cracks and snaps. Thankfully trees don’t crash or shed branches silently. I heard nothing more than groans and murmurs. Although there were many fallen trees, either all the frail ones had already succumbed or the wind, strong as it was, wasn’t of uprooting or snapping ferocity. I relaxed a little when the terrain opened up to a tussocked meadow. The destination of this particular walk was a windswept plain, the end of which looked out onto a vast vista of mountains. At the precipice the wind was ferocious, but thankfully blowing away from the edge, allowing us to get close and take in some breathtaking views of Victoria’s high country. The plain was harsh country indeed, imposing a massive struggle on any form of life trying to survive. And still trees and shrubs were managing to raise their heads. Nothing tall, mind you, the wind would have cut it down to size long ago. Even at the very edge, eucalypts, battered and gnarled but very much alive, withstood the wind, their violently buffeted leaves rustling and rattling without rest. We sat down to lunch between rocks that provided some shelter, although occasional gusts threatened to rip the sandwiches from our hands.

Our other major walk occurred in Hotham Heights, dominated by Mount Feathertop, Victoria’s second highest peak. Cool, sunny weather, with the wind reduced to a breeze, made it a perfect day for trekking. The pictures below continue the story.