Peter and Vicki's Travel Blog: It's all about hiking in Mother Nature's amazing Art Galleries!!

Woke up this morning to beautiful sunshine which kept us company all day! Fantastic for exploring and bushwalking in this awesome Park.

Last night we had four visitors for dinner; and this morning we had some more visitors for breakfast - they really enjoyed Pete's dry rolled oats!

Our first stop today was Brambuk - The National Park Information Centre and Cultural Centre.

Fantastic setting and meaningful architecture!

The Cultural Centre, housed in an extraordinary building whose undulating roof resembles the sweeping wings of a cockatoo or Gariwerd's (the aboriginal name for the Grampians) mountains, brings home the significance of indigenous culture in the Grampians. It was interesting to learn about the six seasons of gariwerd; the six distinct weather cycles that relate not to just climactic features, but also to plant flowering, fruiting and animal behaviour patterns. The Dreaming Theatre shows an award winning video that tells the Gariwerd creation. There is an interpreted walk through the native garden, as well as a walking loop along Fyans Creek stringybark banks to view the waterbirds. This was our first walk for the day!

The second building, equally inspiring in design, houses the Grampians National Park Information Centre and a bush food cafe.

The Cultural Centre shaped like a flying cockatoo ( Brambuk)

Lecture room

A group decorating and painting boomerangs

Click to enlarge

There were lots of interesting story boards - this one was about
the possum skin cloak

An informative and interesting Centre!
The storyboards were an effective way to communicate the information.

Fyans Creek Loop Walk

Our second walk and explore for the day was to Silverband Falls, a 2k return through lovely bush and along the Dairy Creek. The walk was beautiful and the air was filled with the smell of eucalyptus but an interesting story came with the walk......what Mother Nature does!!

On our way there we stopped at Lake Bellfield which is damed above Halls Gap - hope the dam wall holds!!!! or ....poor Halls Gap! See what I mean in later pics!

The Wonderland Range overlooking Halls Gap - these are the mystery mountains that were
shrouded in the cloud and mist yesterday!

The dam wall at Lake Bellfield

Click to enlarge

Silverband Falls

What happened?
Read on....

Our walk to the Silverband Falls - very pretty but very much changed by mother Nature!

Evidence of the flood damage - see the original bridge that went across the creek?
Click to enlarge

Our third walk for the day was a pure adrenaline rush - The Pinnacle!

We started the 5.5km return hike from the Wonderland Carpark. We headed across the footbridge into the spectacular Grand Canyon. We then climbed across the ascending rock platforms, and then through rocky woodland to the Bridal Veil Falls, through Silent Street and onto the awe inspiring Pinnacle Lookout. Just amazing! It took our breath away!!! ( And our knees shook! And our heart raced!)
It took us about 2 hours to do the hike - great exercise, and fantastic scenery!

Click to enlarge

Turret Falls

Off we go to The Pinnacle .....got our water!

Pete on the Pinnacle!

Amazing views
Halls Gap Valley

Mount William Range and The Terraces

Back down we go!
The Wonderland Carpark where we started is a tiny speck in the middle of the pic

We went down between the rocks!

Well balanced!

Nearly back

The MH is patiently waiting!

We finished the day off with a visit to the Baroka Lookout for another great view of the Halls Gap Valley and the eastern plains. A nice stroll through open stringybark forests leads to two platforms with these amazing views........