Gabriels Gully. Key to Maps
Map No. 2. Otago Dam
Map No. 3. Munro’s Gully Bush Walk. Oburns Track.
Map No. 4. Wetherstons to Goldfield Park Historic Reserve.
7. 5 April 2023. Combined. Gabriel’s Gully, Lawrence. Grade 4 (trampers) & Grade 2 (hikers). $20. Leaders: Phil Keene (Trampers), Jan Butcher (Hikers)
Hikers’ Report (scroll down for Trampers’ Report):
At 8.45am we travelled in convoy with the trampers to Lawrence, where we had a comfort stop before continuing onto Gabriel’s Gully. Halfway down the road the brakes were on as we came across a large STOP sign and barriers preventing us from going any further.
Monument to Gabriel’s Gully (Photo & Caption Helen)
It turns out contractors were cleaning up a large tree which had fallen across the road, so we retraced our steps back to Blue Spur Road, a gravel road taking us up and up, around and down, meeting up with Munro Road and down into Gabriel’s Gully. Whew!
Getting ready to start our journeys (Photo & Caption John)
Hiking group at the start (Photo & Caption Helen)
We all had morning tea on arrival and then said goodbye to the trampers as they set off in another direction and 19 hikers commenced the Interpretation Loop Track.
Pretty in pink (Photo & Caption Margreet)
The first 20 minutes was up and up and a couple of “breathers” needed but soon we reached the top with great views over the Gully floor below.
Looking up into trees at Racemans Hut (Photo & Caption Ady)
We continued around the well-groomed ridge walk and down Blue Spur/mining sites checking out the information stations along the way and stopping at points of interest.
Cave (Photo & Caption Helen
It was then back down the hill to our cars and a short walk along the road to Grey’s Dam where we sat under a large tree to enjoy our lunch break, after which we dropped our packs back at our cars and took a short walk around the gully floor.
Lunch stop (Photo & Caption Margreet)
Fortunately, the return road was cleared and we stopped off at the ‘Prospector’ for refreshments before returning to Mosgiel. The weather played its part – not too hot and no wind to speak of. A very enjoyable 4ks walked on the day.
Jan and Jay
Trampers’ Report:
32 very keen walkers set out on time, in 8 vehicles, to make their fortune in the hills of Central Otago; we suffered all sorts of setbacks as traffic delays, or ‘hold ups’ frustrated us. Most of us felt better for the stop on the corner in Lawrence; and some just had to get that takeaway coffee…..another ‘hold up’ on the road up to GG with a sign that had multiple meanings and road block. On up around the bend Jan B walked and got the low down (tree clearance) so the cars did an about face and detoured over Blue Spur – once farmed by Chris and Ant Wither and down into GG. Chris outlined the local well known activity of sheep rustling, and apparently ‘not just back in the day’.
Once again Gabriels Gully the centre of the world (Photo & Caption Phil)
With a school group also present the GG car-park really did feel as if another gold rush was underway. The delays did not lessen the need for morning tea, as the sun was shining, but we were finally off on our way by 10.45am.
13 trampers skirted the SW ridge of GG, through the man-made landscape now dominated by Sycamore trees, feeling very much at home here as well as adding a nice splash of Autumn, passing the mine tunnels and North of Ireland battery. Some of us musing where was the South of Ireland battery?
We crossed Victoria Road, the main entrance to the Glendhu Forest and on past Victoria (Milburn’s) Dam and started the steady ascent, initially through a larch forest, then up through the remnant beech forest and gorge/ ravine/gully of the Munro track.
Munro Gully jungle (Photo & Caption Phil)
What’s so interesting up there in the jungle? (Photo & Caption Marijke)
Admiring the “Shelf Fungi” growing on this dead tree (Photo & Caption Pam)
Trampers walking beside the “Water Race” (Photo & Caption Pam)
Progress was tempered by the intimate feel of the walk, as well as the little dips into streams (they looked gold bearing to me) then the challenge of all those man made steps.
Trampers on Munro’s Track (Photo & Caption Pam)
Finally, we emerged into the Glendhu pine forest and onto road 21, are we at the top yet? being a common question. The answer being ‘no not yet, we’ll just go up and around the bend a little way for lunch, which will give a lovely view into the West, Blue Mountains and all’. And of course, this happened as planned.
Lunch stop in a forestry clearing (Photo & Caption John)
After lunch we continued the steady ascent, mostly now on Victoria Road; no trucks came past to enjoy our bright coloured tops…..We took the first turn on the right into Road 22 and continued down, shambling through fir and gum forest and along the very well maintained forestry roads and drainage systems.
Looking down to the Otago Dam (Photo and Caption Pam)
Upon a slight rise in the road, we enjoyed a view down into Otago Dam which was full to the brim as usually there is just a trickle of a stream.
The entrance onto the Dam is now much clearer than other recent club forays and we stopped to pose, as you do in these sorts of places. From here it was a slow and steady descent through beech forest for a couple of hours, as a little care was required on the steeper parts, as well as completing half a dozen stream crossings, and of course the banter about the number of flood warning signs there were and how many hundreds of metres did each sign say?
Interesting creeks, luckily none were flooded! (Photo & Caption Marijke)
Chris negotiating another creek crossing (Photo & Caption Marijke)
As we emerged around Grey’s Dam into the bright open car-park many mused on the fact ‘that last time this was where the bus was parked, and we took our boots off and lay in the sun…..’
Greys Dam group photo (Photo & Caption Phil’s camera assistant)
Grey’s Dam without the group, what a lovely spot! (Photo & Caption Marijke)
After the inevitable team photo with the autumn coloured back drop, we set off for the last ten minutes of walking to the cars, where we did take our boots off; the general consensus being it was to be each car for itself back into Lawrence (the tree had been cleared) and get an ice cream on the run which we did do, helping us to get back to PJ park at 4.45pm, just as the first bus pulled in to take folk to the Rod Stewart concert. For those that went, is he still sexy? Is he still sailing? Did Cyndi just want to have fu-un?
Happy Trampers posing (photo & Caption John)
A great day out, thanks to the drivers especially and to Rayonier Matariki Forests for access to Glendhu Forest. For the trampers 11km, walking time 4 hours 30 minutes, 350 m altitude gain and I’m sticking with Grade 4.
Phil
Walk map – Phil
6. 3/2/21. Combined. Gabriel’s Gully/ Munro Gully Track/ Glendhu Forest
Gabriel’s Gully: Lawrence 3 February 2021
Well then, what about the best laid plans of mice and men…… thanks to everyone for being early, and money in the bank, but we were undone by an accident near Burnside that held the bus up! Fortunately there was no walk out, and once it arrived, everyone jumped on board to go for a ‘walk about’ at Gabriel’s Gully, on a near perfect day, not too hot & not too cool. Just perfect you might say.
Richard the bus driver did his best to get us back on schedule, and after a short stop at the corner in Lawrence, we arrived at Gabriel’s Gully just after 10am; so naturally the 40 participants partook of morning tea and readied for the walking, as you do!
“Morning tea on arrival.” – Photo and Caption Clive
With map in hand the 7 (including the driver) in the Jan Team (thanks Jan B and Jan Y) headed up the hill to undertake the Interpretive Track, and to spend an hour or two absorbing the history of the area.
The remaining 34 headed to Munro’s Gully on the opposite side of the Gully, with the groups able to wave to each other, almost ‘Bon Voyage’ like at a wharf.
“Off we go!” – Photo and Caption Gordon
“Follow the person in front around the loop.” – Photo and Caption Noi
Passing both an old Mine Shaft and the North of Ireland Battery, the self-named Team B (29 walkers) led by Phil, opened up a bit of a gap on Raewyn’s Team A (5 walkers).
“Underground mine shaft.” – Photo and Caption Noi
Crossing Munro Road and heading for Milburn’s (Victoria) Dam, there was time to stop & take in the reflections, no hint yet of any early autumnal colouring.
“Victoria Lake.” – Photo and Caption Gordon
From the Dam it was a steady ascent through the lovely beech forest, with those pesky red Rowan berries trying to outdo the red colouring on the native Horopito (pepper) trees.
Some impressive bracket or shelf fungi were visible (Ganoderma); in days of old, these were sent back to China by early immigrants apparently having amazing medicinal properties; at a more practical level they are rock hard and used for intricate wooden jewellery. They attack the diseased heartwood of a still living tree.
Bracket Fungi on some of the trees.” – Photo and Caption Clive
The rise and fall of the track gave time to take in the babbling brook, ferns, mosses etc and the dappled light was well, beautiful. For Team B we were welcomed about 2/3 of the way up by some Falcon screeching, with some brief sightings – this was in the same place as the week before recce, where 3 came much closer and all being very visible. I was reminded in this time and place of Wendell Berry’s lines “Always in the big woods when you have left familiar ground, and step off alone in to a new place there will be, along with feelings of curiosity and excitement, a little nagging dread. It is the ancient fear of the unknown and it is your first bond with the wilderness you are going into”.
“Terrific Bush” – Photo and Caption Gordon
After an hour and a bit, pine cones were lying on the track, an indication we were getting near Glendhu Forest, ‘the top’ and not long after, we emerged on to Road 21, the lunch spot right on 12 noon. Most sat on the road with feet downhill, almost meant to be!
“Lunch.” – Photo and Caption Gordon
The arrival of Team A gave rise to enthusiastic acclamation – well done! After some chit chat, 4 of Team B were welcomed into Team A. They returned to the Gabriels’ Gully car park via Cornishman’s Dam, down through the forest beside water races to Pollard’s Dam and then followed the Interpretive track to their destination. Once reconnecting with Jan’s Team they all drove off to Lawrence to enjoy the local delights.
This left 25 in Team B, and so we headed off up through Glendhu Forest on Road 21 thence Victoria Road. At the top, this provided great views of West Otago and I think Northern Southland in the murky distance. Thence down Road 22 through a delightful archway of Douglas Fir and at the intersection of Roads 22, 23 and 24, we found a ‘yellow ribbon tied around a wineberry tree’. Amazing.
“On the road to the top.” – Photo and Caption Gordon.
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After welcoming a new hiker, Peter Dodds, twenty-four hikers left Livingstonia Park, about 9.30 am, heading to the left (east) to the sand dune track that led out to the road by the bridge and then headed up Sawmill Road to have morning tea beside the implement shed on Alan Gorton’s farm.
