2 April 2011 Mt Mavis

Map: Rendezvous Creek 1:25000

Getting There

This walk was organised and led by Jeff B (and some by me, as it turned out) as a CBC walk:

Saturday 2 April - Mt Mavis - L/M-R. Mt Mavis is the 1711m granite summit just NE of Creamy Flats which offers fine views across the high Namadgi peaks. Starting from Orroral Valley, we follow a good track to the top end of Nursery Swamp, a somewhat overgrown one to Rendezvous Ck, and a non-existent one beyond it. Return the same way. I will take the 14 km at a moderate pace but there will be 3 climbs of about 200 m, 600 m and 200 m respectively, scrub, and scrambling, so some stamina is required. Map: Rendezvous Ck 1:25,000. Leader: Jeff B; book after 21 March. Transport: ~100 km return ~$37 per car, ~$9–$12 per person. Limit: 12.

12 of us gathered at Lanyon shops and travelled in 3 vehicles to the Nursery Swamp Track car park in the Orroral Valley.

Photographs

You can also access all photographs here.

Walk

Track maps: thumbnails are active - click for a larger picture
Track overview Track 1 Track 2

2.5km in 1hr 5mins saw us up the Nursery Swamp Walking Track, down across the boggy Nursery Creek, past the pig trap and at the blue paint marking the start of the footpad across and down to Rendezvous Creek. Unfortunately, just after leaving the Nursery Swamp track, one of the party twisted their ankle.

A further 2.6km in 1hr had us across Rendezvous Creek at the fire place. Someone has done some work on the footpad - new tapes on the section across to the saddle and some lopping/clearing of encroaching regrowth.

The next leg took us bush, heading up through dry forest and regrowth towards the wonderful tops of the Mavis Ridge. 1.4km in 1hr 10mins saw us at the 1300m contour where a rest was called. It was obvious that the injured party member would not make the objective, although they certainly wanted to press on. Always a hard decision, Jeff made the correct call that they should slowly return, supported by 3 other party members.

So 8 of us continued the climb, a little while later encountering a tiger snake. First time I've seen one of these - obviously more aggressive, head raised, not backing off, watching us. We made to circle round, with the snake turning towards us and heading our way.

Plenty of regrowth and granite as we puffed up the last 400 vertical metres over 1.5km in 1hr 45mins.

To remind myself, you get to the base of the granite tors from the NE side. We squeezed through a slot between the boulders and out to the SW side of the ridge, with views over Big Creamy Flats and across to Mt Namadgi. We had lunch here. Spying the tiny cairn/pile of rocks up on a nearby tor that marks the true Mt Mavis brought back memories of the last climb up to it. With time ticking away, I scurried to the tor and scrambled up (it's a bit airy) to admire the view.

Away at 1.20pm, I decided for variety to take a slightly different route home. Not wise! We dropped away more easterly and were soon heading down towards the damper (hence more regrowth) basin to the E and N of Mt Mavis and Mt Herlt. To add insult, a couple of areas of mild pick-up-sticks. There were muffled and mutinous cries of "get up on the ridge", but with that feature a long way off, it was just grin and bear it. At last the going became a bit more ridgey and the vegetation more open. Across a couple of drainage lines, up and over near SH1147 and we were back to the fireplace. Not a route to be recommended. But anyone with me is more than welcome on a Tuesday walk - from top to fireplace 3.3km in 2hrs 45mins with no stop (up was 3.0km in 3hrs with a 5min break). A well earned rest here.

We managed the 5.2km leg out in 1hr 30mins. I did well on the footpad, only losing it 7 times.

A great trip, even with the longer and more richly vegetated return (grin). Thanks Jeff B. And thanks to Brendan K, Chris F, David L and Cristina K, Kieran M and Jane D, Linda S, Lois P, Trevor L and Veronika V.

Distance: 16.6km Climb: 1000m. Time: 7.40am - 5.50pm (10hrs 10mins), with 55mins of breaks.
Grading: L/M-R; H(14)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Mt Mavis

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This page last updated 25Aug22