Walk Report - Williamstown

Walk Report May 23.

14 of us met Libby on Footscray Station for the short trip to Yarraville, to begin our walk to Williamstown. We passed through the charming Yarraville Village, with its beautifully restored Art Deco Cinema and quirky shops, on the way to a delightful little café for coffee and calories,before setting off into the more industrial side of the suburb.

After crossing  Docklands Hwy., with its stream of B-double trucks, we headed south beside the Yarra River, hidden from view behind oil depots and terminals. Here we had our first glimpse of the West Gate Bridge where it looms over the street and houses.

The Stoney Creek Reserve provided stunning views of the bridge and an appreciation of the sweeping elegance of the structure, unseen from above. Most of us recalled the tragic collapse of the bridge, during construction, on Oct.15, 1970, with the loss of 35 lives, as we passed the Memorial Park – surrounded by scaffolding and fences for pylon maintenance work.

We finally joined the Yarra at Newport Riverside Park, with views back towards the city and the docks on the other side, where the river enters Hobsons Bay. The Sandy Point Nature Reserve gave us our only bush walk for the day and provides a buffer between the up-market residences on one side and the industrial docks on the other.

After alerting the local Wildlife Rescue organization to the plight of a swan, entangled in fishing line, we followed The Strand into Williamstown where we all enjoyed lunch in the park adjacent to Gem Pier. Several of us perched on the edge of the rotunda, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the spectacular views across the bay.

We returned to Ballarat, a fairly tired, but very happy and appreciative group of walkers. A huge thanks to Libby for organizing such an interesting and enjoyable walk in perfect weather, and to Greg for his generous and valuable assistance to Libby and as Whip on the day.

Helen Mc.

Melbourne Photos

 

Walk Thursday May 30

 Walk for Thursday, May 30, 2024

Beaufort Lake and Forest Walk

Meet at Llanberris car park at 9.20 for a 9.30am departure.

Drive to Beaufort for an 8km walk, graded easy.

Bring morning tea and lunch.

Car pool $8

Led by Judy Turnor 0438 261155

Melbourne walk Thursday 23rd May 2024
Yarraville to Williamstown.

Meet at Wendouree railway station 8.01 or Ballarat station (meet Greg) for 8.19 train to Footscray Station (Arrive 9.41). Toilets available on the platform where you get off (before going up the stairs/escalator). Libby will meet you outside the concourse. Swipe off as we then change to platform 6 for the two stop ride to Yarraville. From here we meander through the village and have a coffee and toilet stop.

The walk passes through some industrial areas and under Westgate Bridge and joins the bicycle track along the Yarra River all the way to Williamstown. It is a flat walk giving a different perspective of the Yarra as a working river, looking over to the docks. It also  includes a wander through the Sandy Point Nature Reserve. 
Historic Williamstown provides plenty of cafes, a pub and ice cream places to eat, and also a lovely park for those who choose to bring their own lunch. 

After lunch we walk to the Williamstown Station for the return to Footscray Station (and a chance to shop at Footscray Market), or into Southern Cross station (to be sure of a seat) for the return trip to Ballarat. 
Distance: 9-10 km, flat. 
Walk led by Libby Todd and Greg Anderson.

Walk Report May 9.

 

In perfect conditions, a group of 14 walkers set off from the Anakie Gorge Picnic Area, along the track through the gorge, beside the dry Stoney Creek. The path crosses several stone walls thatsupport and protect the large metal pipe that carried water from the reservoir at the top of the gorge to the city of Geelong. The pipe also passes through tunnels in the rock walls, dug by hand in the 1880s.

There are information boards along the way relevant to the flora, fauna, geology and engineering. The geology is particularly interesting and variations in composition and strata are visible along the gorge. OzGeology describes Anakie Gorge, “As a geological marvel that tells a story of tectonic movements, volcanic eruptions, ancient collisions, and the relentless force of erosion”.

The area is also a haven for wildlife, wallabies and koalas, plus a wide variety of birds. The bush includes Red Stringybark, Messmate, Manna Gum and Swamp Gums, with Grass trees, Grevillea and Acacia also present along the path. Most of the group took the “rock hopping” option over the dry creek bed wherever available, adding to the general enjoyment of the walk.

Arriving at the Stoney Creek Picnic Area, Marlene kindly volunteered to mind our back packs as the rest of us continued on to investigate the impressive, Stoney Creek Reservoir. Built in 1874, it is the oldest of its type in Australia. The impressive 16m high concrete wall, with its carved stone crest, is 68m long and was part of the water supply to Geelong from 1873 to 1998. The exitcontrol outlet for the pipe through the gorge, sits at its base. A burst of energy to scramble up the side of the gorge, provided a view along the dam.

After lunch, we returned through the gorge to our starting point, with most of us meeting at Espresso Depot in Buninyong, for a cuppa and chat. It was a very pleasant walk and a joy to introduce it to those who hadn’t been there before. Thank you to Helen Bosher for stepping in as Whip, with Wendy unable to join us.

Helen Mc.

Thank you to Helen McD for a most enjoyable walk!