b'Dec 2021 Trackwatch.qxp_Trackwatch Layout 128/11/20215:38 pmPage 13Day 3 (Easter Sunday, April 4th) was a little nervous being in the down Wombat and Cynthia RangeIt was clear and very cold overnight passenger seat. I went into full Tracks. The views were marvellous aswith everything wet with dew. The Driving-Instructor-Dad-mode and there was hardly a cloud in the skygoal was to make camp at Eaglevale started rattling out instructions and and you could see forever. Weat the end of the day, but nobody was observations to Katelyn (who was stopped for a bite to eat at thereally interested in a wet pack-up, so quite competent and largely ignoring Eaglevale Track intersection, andwe all gathered around the fire and me). In fact, I didnt realise just how really took in the vistas (once the dustwatched the sun creep into the valley nervous I was until Jarryd pointed out had settled). After the steep climbover the treetops. I decided to my white-knuckle grip on the radio down to Eaglevale in the early after-maximise the drying time for my 270 mike. Whilst hanging the mike back, noon, we re-crossed the Wonnangattadegree awning, and so I drove into the radio suddenly blared into life. It River and found a nice shady spot tothe middle of the valley to meet the was Ingo (still behind me in proper set up camp and have afternoon tea.sun with my awning still out. This convoy order) politely observing that Finding ourselves with some morecaused a few looks from others the instructions and observations free time on our hands, we did somecamped nearby, but it worked, and a were informative and helpful, but exploring. We eventually found thecouple of people got the idea and asking if someone else in the car drop dunny at the far end of themoved their own tents and swags. could please take the mike out of my campsite shrouded in trees (whereCrossing the creek, after we got hands so that someone else in the you would not find it at night if yougoing, we went to visit the tent that convoy could transmit for a change. didnt already know where it was). Wethe historical society had set up to Apparently, I had been squishing the also found a creaky old wireshow off all the photos and memora- mike long enough for people to suspension bridge where we gotbilia they had collected over the wonder what was wrong with their some wonderful shots of the river - ifyears. We thanked them again for own radios, as they could hear this you were brave enough to risk drop-their efforts the previous night and voice prattling in the background, and ping your camera or falling in yourselfhad a good look at the merchandise nobody could hear anyone else. if anyone else stepped on that bridge.they had on sale. One history book, Hanging my head in shame, I was Apart from the occasional entertain-some pens, a hat, a teddy bear, some summarily banished to the backseat ment of other vehicles and some trailstickers, and a few stubby holders for the rest of the day, and Jarryd took bikes doing the wide crossing of thelater, we got back on the over radio duties. river, we had a quiet and relaxingWonnangatta Track heading south. Climbing up out of the valley, the mud night.There were quite a few deep muddy turned to dust and we headed southruts on the way out as we crossedquite a few tributaries of theWonnangatta river running alongsidethe track. It wasnt long before weencountered a victim of the trackconditions - a poor family from NSWwho had broken an axle on theircamper trailer. They were close tohelp, and despite some unhappy kids,they were Ok, so we kept moving,crossing the Wonnangatta River andturning east on to Humffray RiverTrack. My daughter Katelyn was in thedrivers seat today. She was still onher green P plates and having alreadyencountered a casualty of the track ITRACKWATCH DECEMBER 2021 11'