Mount Buffalo and Lake Catani

Hi everyone,

I would like to run a trip that I had to cancel last year. Who is keen to join me on a winter hike in Mount Buffalo National Park? Expect snow (hopefully), sheer cliffs, granite tors, waterfalls and spectacular views.

The plan would be to meet at the clubrooms at 5pm on Friday and drive 3.5 hours through Porepunkah to Ah Youngs campsite and stay there for the night. We could stop for dinner somewhere along the way. On Saturday we will head back to Porepunkah for breakfast before continuing on to Eurobin Creek Picnic Area; the car park and trail head. From there we will hike along ‘The Big Walk’ trail for 11km and about 1000m of altitude gain to the abandoned Mount Buffalo Chalet, where we can have a little explore, soak up the views and have lunch.

After lunch we will make our way along another 2.5kms of trail to Lake Catani, an artificial lake in the National Park where we will set up camp among the snow gums. I will bring a special prize for anyone who takes a dip in the lake! The facilities at the campground are fairly limited in winter, consisting of just a drop toilet and a stone hut.

On Sunday let’s get up earlier rather than later and follow ‘The Monolith Circuit’ for 4km along the lake and past the Monolith back to the Chalet, before joining back up with ‘The Big Walk’ and returning along the 11km trail to the cars. By then, I think we will all be ready for a pot and a parma at the Porepunkah Pub.

To join this hike, you must have overnight hiking experience and ideally winter/snow camping experience. Closer to the date, I will contact people individually regarding their experience, setup and gear hiring requirements. Transport costs TBA.

Sound like fun?

Regards, Lindsay