Description

The Forests in Gipsland are very unique especialy Mt Erica.

Mt Erica is one of those places in Gippsland Victoria which I constantly walk up. My first ever bush walk with my school was up this Mountain, I think I was 16. So much has changed since then my current tent has a floor, my boots do not give me multiple blisters, I can remember those boots like yesterday, my feet were wet and in pain. They were called Rhino boots and were just rubbish.

As an Australian landscape photographer I am always looking in every direction for that perfect image, I love all my work but this one is close to my heart and hangs in my bathroom.  I try every Australia Day  (January 26th) walk up this small mountain and on this day in 2011 looking up I noticed the trees in the mist. This is actually a colour photo though the mist makes it look like a black and white photograph.

Some Information on the Mt Erica walking track ( Part of the  Alpine Walking Track)

You start the walk  at the Mt Erica car park (Just off the Thompson Dam Road from the township of Erica in Victorias Gipsland)  This foot track climbs steadily through mountain ash forest passing a rocky outcrop. This track has improved significantly, over the years with in places a raised boardwalk. About 1.6 kms from the car park the forest begins to open out and you can see large granite boulders on your left when I first walked this track in the 1980’s it was pretty muddy, how things have changed.

Once you have cleared this forested area the track starts to climb and hooks to the right, this leads you to  Mushroom Rocks. Though it is not well known in the 1930’s a local ski club created a cave between some of the larger boulders by boarding up the gaps and sealing the draft’s with tar. Not exactly the thing you would do in today’s world.

After Mushroom Rocks  the  track climbs steeply for about 3 km, to an open lookout area near the summit of Mt Erica. This is a great place to stop after the climb up and have a water and some food. The trees around this area now the the best part obscure the view of the farms below and the Latrobe Valley below.

You can actually follow this track “The Alpine Walking Track” all the way to Canberra.  This link might be helpful  http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/baw-baw-national-park/things-to-do/mount-erica-carpark2/mount-erica-carpark