Bushwalking Tracks and Conservation -BTAC

The section of AAWT over Square Top has been cleared!
After much planning on how to get a team in, we got a fine weather window on the 14-16 May. Our small team meshed well with PV Rangers to clear a short section of track that had some very thick overgrowth and tree fall.
The mild conditions made walking our gear and tools over Mt Clear quite enjoyable with great views of the surrounding peaks.

On the 9th May with snow on the ground, a team of BTAC volunteers worked to re-open the short Myrtle Loop Walk at the Beeches Picnic Area on the Lady Talbot Drive out of Marysville. With focused effort and fine teamwork we finished the track by the afternoon, which was better than we expected as there was much timber across the track. As we were only 300m from our trailer, a sausage sizzle lunch was able to be enjoyed. The walk is a good example of the regenerating Ash and Myrtle Beech forest of the area and has lots of interesting fungi at the moment.

BTAC will be at the Beeches Picnic Area in the Yarra Ranges National Park on the 9th and 10th of May. We will be working to re-establish the short Myrtle Loop Walk which has been closed for a while. It is a good showcase of the regenerating Ash and Myrtle Beech forests in the area. Volunteers welcome, more details on Park Connect.
https://www.parkconnect.vic.gov.au/Volunteer/public-planned-activity/?id=7f0c4439-f437-f111-9a90-7ced8dd15a5d

Working from a base camp at Muttonwood on the Wellington River thirteen volunteers from Bushwalking Tracks and Conservation, Ben Cruachan Walking Club and Wollangarra Outdoor Education Centre along with two Parks Victoria Rangers cleared 10.5 km of walking track, including 8.5km of McMillans Walking Track, over four days including ANZAC weekend.
They cleared logs and cut back vegetation on the track to the Crinoline to within 600m (100m in altitude) of the summit. Approx 5.5 km, restored approx 1km of the walking bench on the track to Smith Street (the saddle between Sugarloaf and The Crinoline) and erected signs at the trail head and Smith St as well as refreshed some track markers.
They also cleared logs and fallen trees, removed many trip hazards, cut back vegetation and refreshed and added track markers on the 5km section of McMillans Walking Track between Kelly Lane and Dingo Hill Track.
It wasn't all hard work. Convivial evenings were spent around the campfire with Parks Victoria providing a delicious BBQ on the Saturday evening.

BTAC and FoBB volunteers joined forces to do track maintenance work on the AAWT between Walhalla and O'Sheas Mill Site this last weekend. The 13 volunteers cleared/tidied up some 6.6kms to a high standard. Thanks to Parks Victoria Ranger, Mark, for joining the team for the weekend. Apart from all his hard work on the brush cutter and chainsaw, he cooked all the participants a great BBQ meal on Saturday night.

BTAC 27-29 March 2026 – Skene Lookout Track Clearing

Three volunteers arranged to meet Parks Vic Rangers in the early afternoon on Friday 27th March at the Bicentennial National Trail, opposite the Lazarini Spur to clear timber and brush up to its junction with the AAWT so as to be able to transport tools up on the next day.
On Saturday three work fronts were established utilising the skills of six chain saw operators to clear the massive amount of fallen timber whilst brushcutters and hedge trimmers were used to clear the lower 2 km of the track. Due to the low temperatures everyone worked very productively. Parks Victoria rangers provided a very tasty BBQ meal on the Saturday night, and the volunteers were most appreciative of their efforts. The opportunity to sit around the campfire and swap tales was enjoyed by all.

From 20th to 25th February, 19 BTAC volunteers and 2 Parks rangers gathered to clear the overgrown 5 km section of the AAWT from Benambra Corryong Road up to Turnback Creek Track. While in the area, we also gave attention to the AAWT between Omeo Highway and Mt Wills. Sections at the top and at the bottom had previously been cleared by Parks but the middle 2 km up the ridge to Wills South was very overgrown but is now cleared again. Another 2 km section of the AAWT north of Taylors Crossing, beside the Mitta Mitta River was marked more clearly and had additional clearing after some reports of its being overgrown and hard to navigate. Hopefully, this will give walkers a more pleasant and scenic alternative to the road walk in this section.

Heavy rain on Saturday evening made it difficult to access some other areas, so we had to be satisfied with improving these three sections of AAWT for now.

On 6th - 9th March, 13 BTAC volunteers and 2 Parks rangers gathered to clear Mt Stradbroke Track (roughly half-way between Native Dog Flat and Buchan). It is a 6 km long track undulating to Mt Stradbroke, where there are spectacular views to the Cobberas and into the hills in NSW. It had become overgrown, with people reportedly becoming lost. Parks were keen to get it cleared, and with two days of hard work, it is now much easier to walk it. Parks provided a barbecue meal for us all on Saturday night as a way of thanking us for our efforts.

On 27-29th March BTAC will be working on the AAWT to clear the Mt Skene Lookout Track from the junction of the Barkly River Logging Road/Jameson Licola Rd. There will be a lot of chainsaw work as well as brushcutter and hedgetrimmer clearing. Details will be on Park Connect soon.

Last weekend volunteers from BTAC camped in the Upper Howqua to work with Parks Vic to clear the following tracks - Howqua Feeder Track (4km to Ritchies Hut), Howitt Spur Track, Queens Spur and the first section of Stanley Name Track towards the Crosscut.