APUG Grampians adventure!

[munz6869]

I've chatted in recent times to a few APUG folk I've bumped into on the train or in the city, and there's been some enthusiasm for a long overdue get together. The last one was the tall ships thing at Williamstown, and it all got a bit fragmented when they (the ships) sailed off on a different date to our initial grand plan...

So, it's totally time that this adhoc informal group of longtime/brand-new film enthusiasts hung out somewhere photographically interesting, snapping away, gas bagging, and day dreaming about what to spend our non-disposable income on next, guided by peer-group pressure, envy, and totally good ideas and innovations.

Thus, I resurrect the idea that we pop up to the Grampians. Given the distance from town, I'd be inclined to camp there over a weekend... It should be interesting now in spots, where fuzzy post-bushfire regrowth makes the trees look weird. And then there's the rocky peaks made famous by John Farnham, etc.

What do people think? Do you have better ideas? What about dates? I'll start with late June...

Marc!

 

[Dr Croubie]

Wouldn't September or October be a better idea, less rain and maybe wildflowers out? (certainly Nov-March gets into bushfire season, but is there anything in there left to burn?)

With enough notice I could even treck down from this end with the Travelwide, it's gotta be here by then...

 

[munz6869]

Good points, and oh I wish we already had our travelwides - I have all the necessary add-ons sitting on my desk forlornly...

Marc!

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Good idea. It's a place I haven't been to for a long while, but it's also a place that I have not been very successful in photographing in terms of character; it's a strangely difficult place to photograph well. A lot of my trips have been based around the northern Grampians e.g. Troopers Creek / Mount Difficult-Briggs Bluff where in winter the delights of Beehive Falls (only after good rains) and Tilwinda Falls await.

The Gramps though can be pretty cold and gloomy in winter. But this however is often nicely offset by the atmospherics (fog and calm) that can be a bonus. The bushfires in January will prove a boon: grasstrees (Xanthorrhoea australis) will flower around late in July through August and it will be a spectacular profusion in the northern bit of the park after the inferno.

I have extant commitments for travel from 14th June through July. But May looks good.

 

[SMBooth]

Think it might be best to base it at Halls Gap as those who wish could hire a cabin. But good camping at several places if just tin tent or tow alongs. Some great photography at Hollow Mountain and Mt Staplton in the northern Grampians.

 

[LJH]

Bit dry up there now (for waterfall and/or creek photos).

Who's up for a degustation at the Royal Mail in Dunkeld?

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Bit dry up there now (for waterfall and/or creek photos).

Who's up for a degustation at the Royal Mail in Dunkeld?

You know chef Dan is no longer there, right?

 

[munz6869]

We're out for May (off to Europe, yay!), but I agree with camping in Halls Gap (proximity to coffee), and we haven't been to the Royal Mail Hotel in yonks...

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

I just checked my archives to find out how long ago the first APUG gathering in the Grampians was. It was 2nd January 2006 and the attendees were Old Biker Pete, Graeme Hird, Wyno, Chiller and myself.

 

[munz6869]

Eight years!! Crikey...

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Haven't you mastered the art of making a coffee at a campsite in the bush, Marc?? It's not hard.

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[LJH]

You know chef Dan is no longer there, right?

Since when was a chef needed to uncork a bottle of red??

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Since when was a chef needed to uncork a bottle of red??

Good point. But once you've tasted Dan's crispy chicken skin, nothing else ever comes close.

 

[Dr Croubie]

About 15 years ago I was in Grampians somewhere with the family, and we went to a very nice restaurant but I have no idea where it was (I know, "the Grampians" is a big area). The chef was from Europe, I seem to recall someone saying he was Michelin starred but could be wrong. He had his own vegie/herb patch out the back and most of the stuff he served was from there. Is this the 'Chef Dan' of whom you speak?

ps, just got 20 rolls of in-date 120 Velvia for less than $10/roll average to go with my new 617 back from KEH which should be arriving in the next few days. Damn I wanna go somewhere picturesque to test it out...

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

About 15 years ago I was in Grampians somewhere with the family, and we went to a very nice restaurant but I have no idea where it was (I know, "the Grampians" is a big area). The chef was from Europe, I seem to recall someone saying he was Michelin starred but could be wrong. He had his own vegie/herb patch out the back and most of the stuff he served was from there. Is this the 'Chef Dan' of whom you speak?...

That sounds like the same place, The Royal Mail in Dunkeld, to the south of the Grampians. Dan Hunter is his name. He probably trained in Europe, and he definitely had his own herb and vegetable patch at The Royal Mail.

 

[LJH]

Damn I wanna go somewhere picturesque to test it out...

Why not head up to Goyder's Line? I could shoot panos up there for weeks!

 

[OldBikerPete]

I think I might be somewhere North of the QLD border at that time, having been on the road for a couple of months.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Why not head up to Goyder's Line? I could shoot panos up there for weeks!

Yyyyyesss!
Let's all take a week off and explore the beautiful Goyder district with a base in Burra! I spent a beautiful 4 days there last September (plus the year before) and have my work cut out for me continuing the vetting of so many 6x7 images. Particularly of the 'House of Midnight Oil' (Pete Dobré pulled up while I was there and photographed the vast scene with his two Fotoman panos).

 

[munz6869]

Before we completely unravel...

Timing - suggestions so far: May (I'm away), June (Gary's away), September-October?
Location - Grampians/Halls Gap/Dunkeld or a week away in Burra and environs? (you keen-as-mustard people!!)

Opinions?

Marc!

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Before we completely unravel...


Timing - suggestions so far: May (I'm away), June (Gary's away), September-October?
Location - Grampians/Halls Gap/Dunkeld or a week away in Burra and environs? (you keen-as-mustard people!!)

Opinions?

Marc!

Oh Marc! I unravelled a long time ago...

Well, I'd jump on the gravy train to Burra for a week (c. 880km away) if it's in September-October. Longer daylight hours, green hills, rolling by-ways, ruins galore, friendly towns. But not in winter! There's a fair bit of driving for Burra (and yes, Marc, it has excellent cawfee...).

The Grampians is more of a weekender that everybody could manage. Let's do two outings!

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Our weekends are pretty much occupied for the next 14 or 15 weeks with junior football on Sunday mornings. A day trip is not out of the question though.

 

[Dr Croubie]

Man, it's just as long since I've been to Burra, in Scouts I think.
Burra's only 170km for me, I'd be up for that as a day/overnight thingummy...

 

[SMBooth]

Im away in Oct. But not even thinking about going to Burra.

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

I also have zero interest in Burra. And yes I have been there.

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[munz6869]

I'm not super keen on Burra either I'm convinced it would be interesting though, another time...

Marc!