Gar to Werdug
Wildlife, spines and peaks with views, views and yet more views
We respectfully acknowledge the Djab Wurrung and Jardwardjali people as the traditional custodians of the lands and waters of Gariwerd. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and to the Aboriginal people present today.
Views southwest over Lake Wartook here, but you’ll also have them to the north, east and west for most of the day. In country that largely comprises forested terrain, this is extraordinary.
You can see from the elevation graph that today’s hike is longer than yesterday’s but with similar elevation gain, so grades are less steep. After leaving Gar Hut, you’ll divert at the Mt Gar spur trail for splendid 360 degree views from the highest peak in this section. Next is a steep climb up numerous well-built steps, followed by a wonderful walk along spines for yet more views, culminating at another marvellously elevated campsite with — yes, you guessed it! — more views.
How to Make Today Easier
As always, starting early is the most reliable option for slower hikers. You have no intermediate camp options —Long Point West Campground is too far off the track, and not well placed distance-wise either — so take your time, knowing that there are no scrambles and that the track is mostly good underfoot.
One of the best ways to ease today is to hike the Gar spur trail as an out and return from Gar campsite yesterday instead of today. We did this to good effect; it’s also practical if you expect low cloud to obscure views in the morning. You have a little elevation gain from camp — just 100m (330 ft) — and doing so reduces today’s distance by 2 km (1.2 miles).
You can also skip the spur trail — some of the hikers we shared camp with did precisely that — but it is a shame to miss Gar’s first class views, some of the finest in this section.
There is a serviced water tank at the Mt Difficult Road crossing just 1.5km (0.9 miles) from Werdug where you can top up, so you need carry only the water you need for the day’s hike even if you expect the tank at the campsite to be dry.
Also at Mt Difficult Rd, you could have done a food drop for tonight’s dinner plus this section’s final day breakfast, snacks and lunch which would mean that today you would only be carrying snacks and lunch in a nicely lightened pack. Multiple food drops are expensive but, if you give yourself a day before the start of the hike, you will have plenty of time to drop at every road crossing if you wanted to. Learning how to dehydrate meals and reduce your carried food weight whilst maintaining nutrition is also worthwhile — see our tips here.
Walk with Us:
Start the day with a gentle climb up steps and along sloping rock.
Keep your eyes peeled for new orchids: these are the first Scented Caps (Caladenia moschata) I’ve seen.
This Fairy Waxflower (Philotheca verrucosa) is also delightfully scented.
Leave your pack at the spur trail to Mt Gar; no day hikers are likely to be around this early or at all so drop it somewhere obvious and easy to find. We each have a tiny Ultrasil day pack weighing just 30g (1 oz): enough for a camera, first aid kit, water, lightweight rainwear, and navigation. Unclip your PLB and Inreach from your main pack and you’re set. Geoff is carrying his ultrasil pack for our gear; I’m super ultralight without anything but the clothes on my back!
When diverting on spur trails, it’s tempting to leave everything behind in your pack, but even on short out-and-returns you want to have your comms and medical patch kit at hand should something happen, especially if you’re solo. Murphy dictates that something will go wrong at the least convenient and expected location!
Rain was threatening and the light was dull when we hiked here the previous afternoon but the views from the top — here south over Lake Wartook — were wonderfully atmospheric. It was cold and windy so we didn’t linger, aiming to race an approaching rain squall back. Although navigation to the peak wasn’t difficult in the sense of getting lost, fewer markers meant that at one point we found ourselves on an adjacent line of rocks a few metres to the side of the official route. Returning in the dark might be a lot trickier!
A tiny patch of sunlight breaks through cloud to the northwest.
Once back on the GPT, you’ll face the famous steps ascending 300m. Fortunately, they are all like this rather than loose boulders or scree.
More orchids and wildflowers to be enjoyed, here Nodding Greenhood (Pterostylis nutans)
Don’t forget to turn around whenever you have a breather to take in the views opening up behind you. You can just make out Mt Stapylton in the centre distance and, behind it, Mt Zero.
In some places you’ll see branches or debris laid down to indicate that this is not track. A branch laid across a side track is another universal indicator that it is not the route you should take.
You’ll have views on and off right through this section. It’s rocky but not loose underfoot. Moderately fit hikers will be fine.
Grampians Grevillea (G. confertifolia)
Here the rock has been worn by many feet to highlight the track. If you’re ever unsure, stop beside a trail marker and scan for the next one in a line indicated by the marker. Remember to look for markers on flat surfaces as well as vertical ones. Also look for small navigational cairns — sometimes just two stacked rocks — that have been placed in confusing spots. Please don’t build ornamental rock stacks in parks — they destroy habitat and confound navigational cairns.
As on previous days it’s not all rock, with pleasant smooth track between the rougher bits. The wildflowers are still prolific; botanists and ecologists will have begun to recognise patterns, such as which plants grow with which, and in what conditions.
Following a spine…
… with a few ups and downs.
Mossy rocky track through teatree
Rest break. Geoff and I stop for 5 minutes every hour for a drink (10-15 minutes at morning and afternoon tea). The main reason we do this is to ensure we drink plenty of water; before we initiated this practice one or both of us would forget to drink enough. The switch regulating thirst gets a bit sticky in older folk, so if you find you are often dehydrated, this might work for you too. It’s also a good opportunity to pull out the map to see what’s ahead, especially if you’re handrailing as a navigation technique. This isn’t as important on the GPT, which is mostly well marked, but helpful if you can’t see a marker on rock, but know you are following the spine for another few hundred metres.
Passing by more fantastical rock formations. When dry this granite is very secure underfoot.
Descending. I take my hands out of trekking pole loops on most descents after once faceplanting and splitting open my brow while tethered; Geoff is more confident and only takes his hands out on very slippery or rough descents.
And up again. You’ll have a fair bit of this today.
The track follows the edge of this escarpment for much of the day, with easterly views nearly all the way.
Where you have no easterly views, there are southerly ones.
Last views of Wartook until you reach camp.
Descending to Long Gully Creek
A few boulders to squeeze between.
If you’re lucky, you’ll see a Mountain Dragon, Rankinia diemensis. This not so painted tiny juvenile sunning itself on rock is less than 8cm long. It lacks the brilliant colouration seen in its older brethren, and is regrowing its tail after an encounter with a predator. The camouflage is exceptional; this one was invisible against the mottled granite until it moved.
Wine-lipped Spider Orchid (Caladenia oenochila). Much excitement, I can tell you! I saw only this one clump of plants along the entire track: orchid enthusiasts, don’t hesitate to photograph new flowers thinking you will see more later because you may not!
A lovely constellation of Scented Caps. Like many plant enthusiasts, I’m a slow hiker partly because I shoot hundreds of images each day: botanists and landscape photographers will no doubt understand! In areas with few flowers, or in bucketing rain when it’s difficult to shoot views, we’re a lot faster, aren’t we?
More of those views. Fantastic, just fantastic.
Down to Mt Difficult Road.
Through taller yellow box…
… and across Long Gully Creek. One last climb to camp!
And here we are at Werdug. The hut blends perfectly with the landscape and will do so even more when the timber weathers to grey.
Werdug Hut.
Make your way up from camp along the track past the toilets for two recliners from which to enjoy the view.
Climb the rock beside the hut for wonderful sunset views over Lake Wartook. It has been another marvellous day of hiking, so much variety in such a short distance. Will tomorrow be any different?
