Langi Ghiran

Now it's time for a blast from the past. This, you could say, is where my love of hiking in the Australian bush began. Mt Langi Ghiran (aboriginal for "home of the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo", I know which name I prefer) dominates any view looking towards the east. It's main attractions are a picnic ground and a reservoir and the low number of people who camp in the area.

I first climbed the mountain the hard way, navigating straight up the western side of the mountain, finding the gap between the rock faces that dominate the western peaks. The top of the mountain offers a few very nice camping spots, sheltered under the tall eucalypts and the main peak offers a fantastic view over a sizable portion of the state. You can see all the way to Ballarat in the east, the entire length of the Grampians to the west and Mt Napier and Mt Rouse poke their heads above the horizon to the south.

The easier route up the mountain simply follows the track that circles up and around behind the main peak to finish at a dead end near the top. Despite being "easier" my first camp up the top finished with more pushing of the bike than riding. I left a small mechanical self timer sitting on a rock face this trip, but found it, still in working condition, six months later.

More to come.......