Our scheduled program walk around the Mill Creek Circuit was yet another casualty of Sydney’s bad weather over the last two months or so.
After we had parked our cars in the Mill Creek picnic area, leaders Bert and Kurt reported on the reccie they did last week. As a result of the Hunter Valley storms, many of the steeper parts of the track had suffered severe flood damage. Top soil had been washed away and the exposed rubble and large rocks were extremely slippery. They had made very slow progress and they thought the danger of a fall and injury in a larger party was not unlikely. They advised against walking this circuit, but suggested that instead we walk the close by ‘Devine’s Hill and Finch’s Line circuit’ known to Hill Viewers as ‘The Old Convict Road’.
Everyone was in agreement, so we moved our cars and began our walk.
Eleven of us followed Bert and Kurt: David E, Annette, Lyn, Wendy, Chris C, Dawn, Claude, Margaret P, Vreni, Helen A and Pragati. This walk very much holds the charm of history and Margaret and Claude were lucky enough to be doing it for the first time. The temperature was in the high teens, the skies were overcast and there was no wind or rain at all.
We had morning tea in the clearing at the top of Shepherd’s Gully, sitting on the sandstone blocks thoughtfully provided and lunch on the ‘Hill View’ rocks looking
down onto the river valley and township (one of the top views of our walking programs). Wisemans Ferry town is looking prosperous. No-one was taking photos, but a picture from Clive's archives is attached.
Our pace was leisurely. Probably a combination of reasons. On fire trails we can walk two or three abreast and chat easily. Perhaps we were relaxed because we weren’t faced with one of the harder walks and a hungry population of leeches. Maybe we were simply enjoying the surrounds of the newly washed vegetation, all shades of green showing to advantage under the grey skies. Certainly the company.
All walkers stayed for after-coffee on the verandah of the Wisemans Ferry Grocer/Cafe.
No-one seemed in a hurry to end the day and it was with pleasure we thanked our leaders.
Words by Helen A, photo by Clive