Trail Updates
20 March 2009
Trail Update - Churchill Nat. Park & Dandenong Police Paddocks & Birds Land Reserve still CLOSED!!!
Although the Churchill National Park, Dandenong Police Paddocks & Birds Land Reserve will be ready in time for Oxfam TRAILWALKER next Friday, these areas reamin closed to the public for the time being. Parks Victoria are working hard to ensure that these areas are cleared in time for the event.
Participants are advised not to walk through these areas prior to the start of the event and to train on alternative sections of the trail between Checkpoint 3 (or from Belgrave) to the Finish at Wesburn Park. We appreciate your cooperation.
5 March 2009
CP3 to Finish Now Open
And now for some good news about the trail......
Trailwalkers can train on the trail again from CP3 (Grants Picnic Ground) through to the Finish (Wesburn Park). If walking Mt Little Joe, please take extra caution, particularly over crossings and bridges as some participants have reported these are a little hazardous. DSE will be looking at these sections of Mt Little Joe in the coming days, so please exercise caution.
With the rain has come some welcome news that the Kilmore East - Murrindindi fire (which was threatening the Yarra Valley and Warburton Valley areas) is now listed as contained. While it is now safe to be out in those areas again you need to be aware that there may be some intermittent fire activity behind control lines over the ensuing days.
While Churchill National Park, Dandenong Police Paddocks and Birdsland Reserve still remain closed due to fire damage, the rest of the Dandenong Ranges that the trail passes through are open again.
Please remember to still check CFA, DSE & Parks Victoria for the latest information before you head out.
23 February 2009
BIRDSLAND RESERVE & LYSTERFIELD LAKE PARK CLOSED DUE TO FIRE
Both Birdsland Reserve and Lysterfield Lake Park are closed due to a grass and scrub fire is burning within Birds Land Reserve near Nixon Road, Upwey (Melways Map reference 83 J2), it is burning in a south east direction and is approximately 15 hectares in size. The communities of Upwey, Tecoma, Belgrave Heights, Belgrave South and Belgrave may be directly impacted upon by this fire.
Our advice this week remains that all TRAILWALKER participants should avoid the trail and seek alternative locations for training. As always check the CFA, DSE and Parks Victoria website for the latest advice on anywhere you decide to train.
23 February 2009
LATEST UPDATE ON TRAIL TRAINING
According to the DSE "Victoria is extremely vulnerable to fires ahead of more extreme weather conditions this week. The forecast shows extreme forest fire danger in the Mallee and very high fire danger (forest and grassland) across Victoria, with the exception of East Gippsland."
Given these circumstances and with various parts of the trail not suitable for training on for the time being, our advice is to avoid the trail this coming week and find alternative places to train. Many teams have already taken the opportunity to head out on walks along the beach, Yarra trail, bayside and other areas.
Please check CFA, DSE & Parks Victoria for the latest information before you head out to train.
23 February 2009
URGENT FIRE THREAT - Warburton and Yarra Valley!
DSE has forecast a very high fire danger for the next few days in the Warburton and Yarra Valley areas. Residents have been told to implement their bushfire plans and if choosing to leave to do so last night or early this morning. We advise all participants NOTvisit these areas at this time. This includes all trail and surrounding areas from Mt Evelyn (CP6) to Wesburn (Finish), including: Seville, Woori Yallock, Launching Place, Yarra Junction, Millgrove and Warburton and surrounding areas.
Always check the CFA, DSE & Parks Victoria websites for current updates.
As soon as we have more information we will publish this in Trailwalker eNews and the Latest News & Trail Updates sections of this website.
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns.
These communities have been very supportive of our event over the years and our thoughts are with them all at this time.
9 February 2009
Churchill National Park (CP1), located in Endeavour Hills, & Dandenong Police Paddocks still remain closed to the public due to damage in the previous weekends fires. This area is unsafe to walk through as there is a real risk of tree branches and limbs falling on top of walkers and causing serious damage!. As such, Parks Victoria have closed this area until further notice.
Parks Victoria is working to remove burnt tree limbs and other safety hazards and will notify visitors when the park is re-opened. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns.
5 February 2009
CHECK BEFORE YOU GO!
Due to the high tempatures and dry conditions lately the risk of fires along the trail has incresed (as seen at Churchill National Park & Dandenong Police Paddocks). While we endeavour to keep track of any fires or incidents out on the trail, we recommend you check conditions yourself before you head out. Websites to check are CFA, Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and Parks Victoria.
Also be aware that Park Victoria will close the parks if it gets extremely hot and the parks are full.
Please be careful out on the trail if you are training in these hot conditions, make sure you carry plenty of water, stay hydrated and try to keep cool.
4 February 2009
A NOTICE FROM PARKS VICTORIA: "Churchill National Park & Dandenong Police Paddocks Reserve are closed to the public for safety reasons due to fires in the area on the weekend of 31 January - 1 February. Access roads into the park are temporarily closed and walkers and cyclists visiting Lysterfield Park should not enter Churchill NP and Dandenong Police Paddocks Reserve. Parks Victoria is working to remove burnt tree limbs and other safety hazards and will notify visitors when the park is re-opened." The clean up is expected to be completed by mid February.
While the fire has be controlled the area is still dangerous. This means for those training out on the trail you will be unable to walk the area between Brady Rd (from Nerre Nerre Warren Picnic Area), Endeavour Hills to Churchill National Park. Due to the closure of Churchill National Park you will also be unable to walk the next section to Lysterfield Lake.
You can check the Parks Victoria website for more information and updates on when the area will be re-opened.
23 December 2008
When you're team is passing through Lysterfield Lake make sure you plan a stop at the Trailmix cafe.
Based at the former visitor’s centre at Lysterfield Park, Trailmix services all park users, offering food and drinks, maps & information, bike servicing, bike rentals and mountain bike skills clinics. The cafe is open 10am - 6pm weekdays & 8am - 6pm on weekends.
31 October 2008
Please note that if you plan on training at Mt Little Joe in November, the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) may be conducting Fuel Reduction Burns. Please check with Chris Hodder at DSE on 5965 9901 before heading out on the trail.
If you do go for a walk over Mt Little Joe, look out for the trail markers. The Oxfam Trailwalker team have put a couple of them along the trail. So if you come to any intersections in the trail and are not sure which way to go, look up and around, chances are there will be a trail marker to guide you.
Remember: always take your Map Book whenever you are training; it will be your best friend!
28 February 2008
Please note that a sign on the trail between CP1 and CP2 is broken and may cause you trouble.
Between CP1 and CP2, step 3 in the map books says "Turn right onto Bellbird Track, left at Ridge Track and right into North Boundary Track" - this right turn at Bellbird Track is around 650m after you set out from the car park at CP1 - Bellbird is a narrow walking track that snakes up from the lower fire trail (which is Channel Walk on your maps).
If you reach Army Track, you have missed Bellbird!
Parks Victoria advise us that this sign will be fixed in the coming weeks.
3 December 2007
where to go at 'Birds Land Reserve' CP2 to CP3
Some Trailwalkers have missed the walking track on the approach to the toilets at Birds Land Reserve (the 7.3km mark from CP2). Please note, you need to take the path which heads North and follows along the creek.
