b'Russell reheated the roasts that werecooked the previous night and lunchwas enjoyed as we all sat aroundeating roast pork, roast lamb,potatoes, pumpkin, peas and gravy.Thankyou Russ for a beautiful birth-day lunch.The afternoon saw us mostly doingthe same as in the morning, with theadded extra of some having an after-noon nap and a fun game of cricketbeing played. Before we knew it, it was tea time.Atidy up was done to make packingeasier in the morning then we allgathered around enjoying a chat andWhile preparing dinner Paul and Iheard a call out on the UHF radiofrom Russell who soon found us.As the night cooled off a small camp-fire was lit, music was playing in thebackground and laughing was heardaround the fire, with the last of usgetting into bed about 3:00am. Sunday 24th January: With aminimal amount of sleep by some, wewere a little slower getting ready.However, we were on the tracks by9:00am with Russell taking the leadturning right onto Crooked River trackso he could set up the drone on thefirst river crossing.Once set up weall filed through and with the dronecollected and Paul back in the lead,we continued on and turned upRandells track, our first steep inclineof the day. We slowly traversed thetrack taking in the views, and at the again for the entire trip.Leaving a few drinks.An early night tonight.end of this track we stopped for a Dargo, we headed to Dargo High Tuesday 26th January:With wetquick break. Here Shannon informed Plains road to King Spur track pulling weather forecast everyone was upus he had an engine light on. in to take in the views overlooking Mt early and ready to head back to theThinking it was a blocked air filter he Hotham and Dinner Plains and top of King Spur track.quickly changed it and with the light decided to make this our lunch stop.still on he continued on. After lunch some firewood was Following a quick morning debriefWe followed Hibernia rd then Gradys collected and with Russell leading we and back in our 4WDs we started onLink rd, onto Gradys Creek track. travelled down into Mayford.The the track; the closer we got to the endWhen we first started Gradys Creek track started to decline; bumpy in of the track, the more the light raintrack it was slightly overgrown and no spots and further on we crossed a fell.In no time at all we reached theviews, but soon we started getting river then back up and down, through top and pulled in to take a very quickviews and even through the track isnt a couple of river crossings then into photo of the 4WDs. Here Paul, Keith,that wide we started on a downhill the open plains and arrived at our Lachlan and I said our goodbyes.incline.Here we met 2 4WDs that we campsite.We chose an open area The others continued on finding ahad to squeeze past, and continuing shaded by some trees on the edge of spot on the Dargo High plains road toto take in the views we met 5 more the river. air up (in the rain) and found their own4WDs.We pulled over and allowed After setting up camp, cold drinks ways home from there.them to squeeze past us, then went were had while we enjoyed the river. Paul, and the boys stayed a whiledown through the small creek cross- Later tea was had and another nice longer taking photos of the rain anding and up the incline and back out night was had around the campfire. fog over the mountains, thenonto the black top and down into Monday 25th January: Today saw continued on to Lankey Plain hutDargo. us all relaxing as we here not where we had a very quick look as itAt Dargo we all dispersed and did our traveling anywhere for the day. was now getting cold. We went alongown thing such as refueling, restock- Throughout the morning people either the Dargo High Plains and pulling outing, cool drinks or ice creams. relaxed around camp, sat in the river, on the Great Alpine Way we stopped,Shannon was also able to reset the explored the surrounding area or went aired up and continued on home.engine light, and it didnt come on fishing (with no luck).Fiona Hendry26 MARCH2021 TRACKWATCH'