Location: Chiltern Mt Pilot NP
Leader Peter Presutti
Start Date: 16.04.2016
Finish Date:16.04.2016
Participants: 13 members and 4 visitors
Distance/Time: 6km with about 4km off track - approximately 4 hours
Rating: Grade 3
Points of Interest: Caves, Lookouts and off track walking
Mobile phone reception: Yes
Report Author: Tony Marsh
Event Report:

We met in Beechworth outside the Neighbourhood Centre at 8-30am and drove to the start of the walk in the available 4wd vehicles. Peter talked about the Kelly gang history and was full of relevant and interesting facts. Tony talked about the aboriginal heritage and the significant art sites in the Mt Pilot block of the park as well as the Dudhora tribe and their connection with this country.

Walk start

We commenced walking about 9-30am and after a rough and scrambly off track walk arrived at Kelly Cave. After morning tea and Jenny Marsh's pineapple cake we explored the area and cameras were busy.

Rough going The Cave site Cave vicinity

The next objective was the Kelly Lookout which was achieved in less than an hour also through untracked scrub. We enjoyed the views and took more photos while thinking about who used this site the most - the police or the outlaws?

Kelly lookout

We then set out to find the Police cave which was always going to be the most difficult one to locate. Lots more off track scrambling up and down hills and through scrub finally got us to this location. 

Police cave

After lunch and lots of exploring it was agreed that any attempt to return via the same route would have caused a mutiny! So Peter devised another route to get us back to the road the cars were parked on as painlessly as possible. Not surprisingly this required more off track walking! 

An elated group of walkers were thrilled to find the road reasonably easily and the final kilometre back to the cars was plain sailing.

We then returned to Beechworth and most of the participants joined Peter at the Bridge Road Brewery in Beechworth for a drink and a chat. 

Drinks at Bridge Road Brewery

 

Google Earth Track:
Photos on Flickr: Click here for photo album of this event
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