jimricho wrote in another thread: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I must say however every time I see a post from Ron and Shirley I do admire the picture of that idyllic campsite.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes Jim it is an idyllic spot, and probably our favourite, and typical of our style of camping. It is just magic to go there and veg out.
It is in the Victorian High Country in a deep valley approximately 25km east of Dargo and 60km north of Bairnsdale on a bend of the Nicholson River.
The place is called Marthavale where our 4WD Club restored the hut. We have been returning there once or twice every year, as a Club and privately, to check on the hut and do a little maintenance/clean up, for the past 7 or so years. The photo was taken in March this year where a couple of us spent a week cleaning up around the hut and doing some 4WDing. Since its restoration the number of visitors to the hut has been amazing such that DSE last year, based on the number of entries in our visitor books, at last installed a drop loo.
Pleased to say that the hut gets very well looked after, in respect to rubbish and graffiti, compared to other huts in the area. Our clean up usually involves cutting grass, gleaning the leaves off the roof, maybe an odd nail or two here and there, sometimes a bit of paint, and re cementing some bricks in the fireplace. We usually stock the hut with a large supply of firewood whilst we are there, but who knows how long that lasts.
We have come across plenty of wildlife and birds in the bush near the hut. Often we have seen deer, wombats, kangaroo, and emu, plus the occasional dingo like dog.
-- Edited by Ron and Shirley on Saturday 11th of December 2010 01:20:57 PM
Smokeydk said
01:50 PM Dec 11, 2010
Excellent Ron...^5s
Dave
jimricho said
05:50 PM Dec 11, 2010
Thanks for that info
Jim
Helena said
07:27 AM Dec 12, 2010
Would love to go there but unfortunately we don't have a 4 WD (can't afford to run one) we drive a Toyota Corolla pulling a a small A.Van both vehicles very low to the ground do you think we could get through Thanks Helena.
Ron and Shirley said
03:21 PM Dec 12, 2010
Helena wrote:Would love to go there but unfortunately we don't have a 4 WD (can't afford to run one) we drive a Toyota Corolla pulling a a small A.Van both vehicles very low to the ground do you think we could get through Thanks Helena.
Hi Helena We usually go there mid week but have seen many 2WD vehicles in at the hut. Not only the larger Holdens and Fords but also smaller vehicles like your Corolla that have dropped in for a day visit/picnic.
The Bullumwaal-Mt Baldhead road form the outskirts of Bairnsdale is a gravel main road, except for a couple of kilometres through the Bullumwaal settlement. As such there can be some small corrugations on the corners as the road twists and climbs up the mountain. There are a number of spots on this road where there are some great views, on a clear day. Freds Lookout is one. A few years ago there was a lot of logging activity up that way and the road was a little rougher due to the trucks, but earlier this year it was OK.
The road down the mountain to Marthavale is typical clay based forest road, a little narrow in places but nothing to worry about unless it was really wet.
Overall it is a slow trip from Bairnsdale taking us around 90-120 minutes to cover the approx 60km. Make sure you have a good map, say Hema East Gippsland, do not rely on a GPS Navigator.
We left our Garmin 760 on the normal mapping just to see what would happen. "Karen" did a good job until we got to the Yahoo turn off. She spat the dummy after that as she wanted to go to Yahoo (a mining area) then up the Nicholson River Track instead of continuing on and turning down the Marthavale road. Marthavale Road was not on the Garmin maps, so guess it was not "her" fault.
That Nicholson River Track in the past was real 4WD with some very interesting low range sections. Sometime not long before March this year it had been graded and realigned, probably was a result of recent bushfires in the area. In the main it is still a 4WD track, albeit high range in sections, though it is certainly not suitable for caravans.
Helena said
09:46 PM Dec 12, 2010
Hi Ron & Shirley, Thanks for the info will be great to go and have a look when we are out that way again it is good to get info regarding roads especially with the lowness of our vehicle so thank you once again.
Helena & Bill
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I must say however every time I see a post from Ron and Shirley I do admire the picture of that idyllic campsite.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes Jim it is an idyllic spot, and probably our favourite, and typical of our style of camping. It is just magic to go there and veg out.
It is in the Victorian High Country in a deep valley approximately 25km east of Dargo and 60km north of Bairnsdale on a bend of the Nicholson River.
The place is called Marthavale where our 4WD Club restored the hut. We have been returning there once or twice every year, as a Club and privately, to check on the hut and do a little maintenance/clean up, for the past 7 or so years. The photo was taken in March this year where a couple of us spent a week cleaning up around the hut and doing some 4WDing. Since its restoration the number of visitors to the hut has been amazing such that DSE last year, based on the number of entries in our visitor books, at last installed a drop loo.
Pleased to say that the hut gets very well looked after, in respect to rubbish and graffiti, compared to other huts in the area. Our clean up usually involves cutting grass, gleaning the leaves off the roof, maybe an odd nail or two here and there, sometimes a bit of paint, and re cementing some bricks in the fireplace. We usually stock the hut with a large supply of firewood whilst we are there, but who knows how long that lasts.
We have come across plenty of wildlife and birds in the bush near the hut. Often we have seen deer, wombats, kangaroo, and emu, plus the occasional dingo like dog.
See http://www.ronshirl.net/Marthavale.htm
-- Edited by Ron and Shirley on Saturday 11th of December 2010 01:20:57 PM
Hi Helena
We usually go there mid week but have seen many 2WD vehicles in at the hut. Not only the larger Holdens and Fords but also smaller vehicles like your Corolla that have dropped in for a day visit/picnic.
The Bullumwaal-Mt Baldhead road form the outskirts of Bairnsdale is a gravel main road, except for a couple of kilometres through the Bullumwaal settlement. As such there can be some small corrugations on the corners as the road twists and climbs up the mountain. There are a number of spots on this road where there are some great views, on a clear day. Freds Lookout is one. A few years ago there was a lot of logging activity up that way and the road was a little rougher due to the trucks, but earlier this year it was OK.
The road down the mountain to Marthavale is typical clay based forest road, a little narrow in places but nothing to worry about unless it was really wet.
Overall it is a slow trip from Bairnsdale taking us around 90-120 minutes to cover the approx 60km. Make sure you have a good map, say Hema East Gippsland, do not rely on a GPS Navigator.
We left our Garmin 760 on the normal mapping just to see what would happen. "Karen" did a good job until we got to the Yahoo turn off. She spat the dummy after that as she wanted to go to Yahoo (a mining area) then up the Nicholson River Track instead of continuing on and turning down the Marthavale road. Marthavale Road was not on the Garmin maps, so guess it was not "her" fault.
That Nicholson River Track in the past was real 4WD with some very interesting low range sections. Sometime not long before March this year it had been graded and realigned, probably was a result of recent bushfires in the area. In the main it is still a 4WD track, albeit high range in sections, though it is certainly not suitable for caravans.