Sunrise 11 - TUMUT to THREDBO
Months ago on the kitchen table, the back road between Talbingo and Thredbo according to the map was a 230km drive passing along Highway 72 before joining the Alpine Way into Khancoban then onto Thredbo. Accordingly, today was a slated “rest day” allowing as many photo ops as desired while still bringing us into camp well before Gin’o’clock.
Oh how we underestimated Australia.
We started the day with a refreshing wash in the reservoir before breakfast and exploring the eastern banks of this magnificent waterway. As the rising sun lit the opposite hills, we saw strange black “scars” etched into the ridge line of trees. Normally heavy with vegetation, the now black and bare trunks were see-through creating an optical phenomenon we couldn’t quite put our finger on initially.
Our first planned stop was the hidden Yarrangobilly thermal pools a little off the Highway. The drive itself was easy and enchanting, but the 700 metre trek down the god forsaken, snake infested path was less than desirable. It wasn’t so much the downward passage, but rather knowledge of the return journey waiting for us. Defiantly, we continued on to discover a beacon of refreshment at the base of the path bubbling with fresh springs of warm water atop a bed of gravel and natural moss flooring. With the place to ourselves, we plunged head deep into the spring and wallowed for an hour delaying the inevitable climb back out.
Bush fire scars
The crest of The Great Dividing Range
Leaving the Yarrangobilly area perhaps not as as refreshed as when started, we drove the crest of the Great Dividing Range for miles through open, Scottish-like moors before stumbling upon the Wild Brumby Plains. Unlike Dubbo Zoo, there were no fences impeding our vision, and just as the sign indicated, a team of brumbies were not 40 metres from the road side. A lone proud stallion, numerous mares, and 4 newly birthed foals grazed on the wetted vegetation seemingly impervious to our presence.
If not for the cold we would have stayed for hours, but just on the bend ahead lay the turn off off to Link Road and the Alpine Way.
Wild Brumby Plains, Kosciuszko National Park
This is where things slowed. Not so much for the journey but the reflection brought on us through the barren, ravaged moonscape of recent bush fire destruction. Channel Nine News painted a very good picture, however until you have witnessed this first hand, no manner of directorial genius will truly reflect the forces this great region endured.
The meandering, often single lane road chiselled into the mountain side switched back upon itself through 180 degree hairpins turns allowing an average speed of no more than 40 km/h. That wasn’t an issue, for beyond every bend we slowed to absorb the sight before us. Sadly, pictures can’t illustrate the vision, and whist we tried, somethings are better left to the magic of the human eye and not a mechanical diaphragmatic lens.
Natures kaleidoscope
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Thredbo Diggings campsite amongst the southern greenery of the snowy ranges was a welcome reprieve from a long, not necessarily hard days drive. On the banks of the Thredbo river, amidst wombat holes and boundary riding ducks, we cracked a dark and stormy to light a fire and wonder what the cousins of those animals must have withstood only 24 months ago.
With bedtime approaching, we moved from fire to van only to discover one cheeky possum savouring the scraps of our dinner dormant on the now cooled hot plate of the camp stove. In awe of the balls of this marsupial, we laughingly opened the van door to find an even ballsier varmint on our bed tucking into a loaf of fresh bread. The bastards.
In all, that kitchen table mapping over red wine and scotch, took nearly nine hours to complete. If truth be known, we wouldn’t have changed a single mile of that thought provoking and awe inspiring trek through the little known back country of the Kosciuszko region.