6/2/2007 - Quamby Bluff
On Australia Day it was a real treat to go along to see my amazing wife awarded 2007 young citizen of the year for our municipality. Along with the award presentations, citizensips and other formalities, a selection from "Call My Bluff - Art of the Wild" was performed. The drama, music, dance and even a live painting by Tony Smibert was all dedicated to a local mountain, Quamby Bluff.
Quamby Bluff - Hooray, we did it!
On the following Monday in a moment of mad inspiration we decided to climb the 1228 metre Quamby Bluff as a family. We chose the 'top track' or 'fairly glade' track because you can climb to the 730 metre level in the car via the Highland Lakes Road. Other tracks ascend the mountain from the northern slopes almost 200 metres lower.
At 12:15pm we left the car at what really should have been lunchtime and managed to get an hour's walking out of the children before breaking for lunch. After passing through a very dry tea tree swamp, the track climbed steadily until it emerged beside a large boulder field where we found a comfy lunch spot in the shade.
Lunch
Crossing the boulder field seemed to be very popular with the males in the family but not so popular with the ladies. Thankfully, the track has been rerouted in recent years to cross the boulders at their narrowest point and then complete the main ascent in the forest. The original route followed the boulder field upwards for most of the climb. Great if you like boulder hopping. Not so great when walking with children.
At 2:45pm, we emerged on the summit ridge and were suddenly exposed to the wind from the west. A short rocky scramble led to the surprisingly flat plateau where the highest point beckoned a few hundred metres away.
The children had no trouble racing each other the last few metres to the trig point. It's amazing how children can suddenly forget their weary legs.
Signing the summit logbook with Drys Bluff in the background. In the logbook, we discovered the 2007 'senior' citizen of the year also climbed Quamby in the days following the presentation.
From the summit the grandstand view of the Great Western Tiers was terrific. The 100km line of bluffs were made even more spectacular by approaching inky black storm clouds that were slowly but surely enveloping the western summits.
On arrival back at the car close to 5:15pm, we were quite proud that our 5 and 8 year old climbers were able to go up and back in the 5 hours that were declared on the sign. Our timing was so good that tiny drops of rain had just started to chase us as we staggered over the road to our car.
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