CA - Glorious Cathedral Range

Wow, what a great weekend!

The boys sprang out of winter and into the beautiful Cathedral Range State Park nestled neatly between Buxton and Taggerty in the northeast region of Victoria. Driving towards the breathtaking peaks poking out from otherwise flat surroundings was enough for everyone to become excited about reaching those heights.

Setting up camp in the glorious sunshine was an excellent way to start a camping trip. On top of this, we could see the luscious grass being grazed by friendly kangaroos, and we knew that we were in for a belter of a weekend. The daring group of boys were eager to seize the sunlight, and we decided to make our way to the Sugarloaf Peak track. This trail was covered in greenery. It was steep, rugged, and felt prehistoric in some sections.

Some of the boys made it to the top, while others were not so keen on some of the narrower sections. This was a great test for some, whilst others made it look easy.

Calzones for dinner, heated over the open fire, were a hit (they have never missed). With gooey cheese and plenty of topping options, how could they go wrong? Maybe Olly’s tummy would tell a different story. Friday night was perfect; we were all around a warm fire, our bellies full, and we were surrounded by nature. what else could you need or want? We got an extra special moon, popping over the surrounding range and lighting up the campgrounds with radiant light and energy. But that light wasn’t enough to keep the boys awake; all of them hit the air mattresses before 9:30 p.m., ready for the big next day of adventure.

Saturday morning began with the kooka of a burra and sunlight lifting dew drops. The boys were eager to sleep in and relished the opportunity to stay curled up in a sleeping bag until the last minute, except the keen fisherman. He couldn’t resist the opening of trout season as a chance to hook a delicious fresh fish straight from The Little River that ran through our campground.

Alas, there was no fish for breakfast, only bacon, eggs, bread and butter.

This was no matter; not one of us fussed; it was shoved into our guts and said;

Wow! What full boys we are.

Breakfast

Fergus Russell.

Our day got rolling quickly, and we packed snacks and supplies for the exciting trek up   Sugarloaf Saddle. The walk up to Sugarloaf Peak via Wells Cave, and a further 5km hike across the Razorback Track down to the Jawbone car park was intense.

The first part of the walk was a scramble up the edge of the Sugarloaf Peak, and then up through Wells Cave, a first for most, and a tight squeeze for those who were carrying a few extra kgs (Ferg mostly).

Wells Cave

Once we were back at the peak, we could see the 918m views, and we fed our hungry bellies. As such, we were on to the next part, descending the razorback trail.   We saw some gnarly rock formations, skinny sections, and drop-offs of the rocky path. The foot traffic was coming from both ways, and the boys navigated the trail expertly. Some of the boys found themselves taking in the landscape, and others had destination fever, but they all had a great time.

Returning to camp for a bite (Bucket Lunch) and a cold dip in the river for some led to some rest and others to play, and a nighttime walk while the Bolognese sauce simmered away. The famous Smoreo was released for dessert, and the boys gave it rave reviews. The bed was drawing most of us in, and with a full belly and legs like jelly, we were not to give in.

Pack-up was seamless once everyone put in. The sunny morning helped us to get moving, and we were cleared out so early that we were able to undertake a short walk before departing the Cathedral Range State Park. Which we eventually did, ending up in Seymour for a BBQ and goodbye. By popular demand, it seems that the beach awaits our CA crew in November.

Fergus Russell

Program Facilitator

Challenge Accepted,