Historic Walhalla to Poverty Point Bridge - Grade 3 (medium)

The Stzelecki Bushwalking Club invites you to join them on the Historic Walhalla to Poverty Point Bridge walk.  This walk is part of the Try Bushwalking Month, celebrating the 90th Anniversary of Bushwalking Victoria, the peak body representing 60+ bushwalking clubs across Victoria. 

Join Strzelecki Bushwalking Club on a walk from the historic Walhalla village to the Poverty Point swing bridge on the Thomson River. This walk follows the original route of the Australian Alpine Walking Track and the goldfields era Walhalla log tramway.

DISTANCE:  16 km.  Return walk will take about 6 hours.

WHO IS THIS WALK FOR?  This walk is for walkers with a good level of fitness who would like to try a scenic walk on bush tracks.

CHILDREN AND PETS:  This walk is for adults 18 years and over, and due to the nature of the walk, we ask you to leave dogs and other pets at home.  Please contact the club directly to inquire about service animals, and any family or pet friendly walks.  

AWT GRADE 4 (Medium): This walk is quite long at 16 km. The track is a foot track and is occasionally quite steep and may be wet, muddy or partially overgrown in places.  AWT Grade information. 

PACE: Moderate we will need to maintain a steady walking pace to finish by mid afternoon.       

WALK DESCRIPTION: 

Starting from the Long Tunnel Mine in central Walhalla, we follow the log tramway track, which contours above the road into Walhalla and gives good views over the township. This takes us to a junction with a 4WD track, and from there we follow a foot track that runs parallel with the Thomson River for several km before descending to the swing bridge. We will have lunch at the bridge before returning on the same track.

MEETING POINT: Meet at 8.45 am and the walk will depart at 9 am. Please arrive 15 minutes before the walk start time.  Meet outside the Long Tunnel Mine building in Walhalla. The mine is to the left of the main road as you enter Walhalla, just past the centre of the town. Suggest parking at the bottom of the steep little stretch of road leading up to the mine

CARPOOLING: Carpooling may be available depending on the direction you are coming from. Discuss with the walk leader. There is no public transport.

DIRECTIONS: Google map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jyNXmbQEiFWotedY6

PHONE SIGNAL:  Good in Walhalla township but may be weak or absent for part of the walk.

TOILETS:  Public toilets at two locations in Walhalla township. The walk does not go directly past these. There are no toilet facilities on the walk.

WHAT TO BRING

Mandatory:

• Emergency contact form with medical info.  Download this form here, or get one from the leader on the day.
• Backpack
• Suggest carry 1.5-2 litres of water.  The track crosses a couple of small streams but do not rely on water enroute. It is quite a steep descent from the bridge to the Thomson river.
• Rain jacket
• Suitable hiking footwear
• Personal first aid kit (your health is your responsibility)
  
• Sun protection

Recommended:

• Walking poles if you are used to walking with these.
• Insect repellent.

LEADER: John Scarlett phone or text 0429 615 800

EXTRA INFORMATION: Please contact the leader directly if you have any queries.  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RISK:  When registering for this event, we ask that you view and agree to our Acknowledgement of Risk.

ABOUT OUR CLUB: Our club draws its membership principally from West Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley and meets in Trafalgar.  We have around 150-160 members. We run day walks, mostly in West, South and Central Gippsland and some extended (multi-day) walks, which may be further afield, and other outdoor activities such as cycling, XC skiing and kayaking. We welcome new members.  Visit our website.

PRIVACY:  

Your privacy is important to us. Bushwalking Victoria and its member clubs are committed to safeguarding your personal information and ensuring that your privacy is protected. The personal data we collect from you is used solely for the purpose of facilitating your participation and communicating important details about the event. 

Please note that your contact information will be shared with Activity Leaders for the purpose of organising activities. Your information will not be shared with any external parties without your consent, except where required by law, but may be used for follow-up contact regarding your participation in this event.

You can view the BWV Privacy Policy on our website.

Inclusion in Photographs

We encourage participants to take photographs during activities, which may be shared publicly through various channels such as newspapers, magazines, websites and social media.  If you do not wish to be included in any photographs, it is your responsibility to inform the photographer and take reasonable steps to avoid being captured in the images.