Sheepyard Flat camping ground is on the Howqua River out the back of Mansfield. I hadn’t been there for about 45 years and was keen to fly fish the river. We were a bit cautious driving in as the road is narrow and steep in sections. Meeting another caravan or truck coming the other way would have been interesting in a few locations.

Our camping spot was fantastic – right beside the river with a fire place nearby. Some people were leaving when we arrived and offered us their firewood which we gladly accepted. We were careful not camp too close to any trees as they are known to drop limbs. After hearing of a camper in Healesville the week before who was crushed by a falling limb we were doubly careful! As it turned out we did hear a large limb fall from a tree close by – sounded like a rifle shot followed by a large thump.

There was lots of gold working in this area in the 1800’s and cattlemen used the tracks to access the high country. The last time I was in this area was on a bushwalk and I can still remember stockmen bringing cattle down The Bluff with their hooves skidding on the rocks.

Fishing was good – managed a total of seven trout but also managed to drop five – some right at the net!

After 3 days in this magical spot we packed up and started the long climb out of the valley.

How to lose a fish!

The Water Truck

I’d put the car in low range for the climb out of the valley just to make things a bit easier. As we reached one of the steeper, windy sections of the road we met a water truck coming the other way. There was a grader working the road ahead and the water truck was doing its thing on the freshly graded area. The middle of the road was a mound of dirt from the grader. The water truck driver stopped and backed out of our way. We stopped and asked him if we should take the left or right hand side of the track. He said to stick to the left and that the grader would get out of our way. So, off we went.

A freshly graded road that has just had the water truck over it is very slippery! Wet clay. As we started turning into the corner the car and van started slipping towards the gutter on the inside of the bend. I corrected for the car but the van was under the control of gravity and was continuing to slide into the gutter. My only option was to mount the graded dirt in the middle of the road and get to the other side. A quick glimpse in the mirror showed the van dropping into the gutter and appearing to scrape against the bank. Putting the car on the other side of the graded mound pulled the van away from the bank and we continued to drive along the center of the road ’til we got to the top of the hill.

Pulling over we both expected to see the side of the van damaged from what appeared to be an impact with the bank but there was nothing! Not a scratch on it! Luckily the rest of the drive into Mansfield was uneventful.

*Warning* Some colourful language in video below.

We stayed in Mount Beauty for several days and caught up with Chas, Ita, Lizzie and William. Had a great time and Ita cooked us a delicious Indonesian meal one night.

We were keeping an eye on the bad weather that was happening on the coast and decided to sit it out at the Coolac Farmstay. Another nice stay at this place but it was a bit noisy. There were several caravans full of Greys who all new each other. Happy hour started about 2PM for them and didn’t finish ’til about 8PM. Sounded like a cross between a scene from Polanski’s version of Macbeth and The Castle!

Weather event over we had a nice drive home.

Off again in May but this time for six months.