LESSONS FROM LIMA

A SHORT DRIVE FROM MELBOURNE TO THE HEART OF KELLY COUNTRY PUTS YOU AMONG SOME CHALLENGING TERRAIN TO TEST MAN AND MACHINE.

- MIRIAM BLAKER

WHEN I saw the huge tree strewn across the track, my heart plummeted. I only hoped our vehicle wouldn’t do the same, as it was precariously close to the massive bog hole of mud in front of us. The main track was tantalisingly close, visible barely 50 metres away, but the huge tree effectively blocked us from going any farther.

Turning around was our only option, but even that would be tricky. The terrain was slippery; it had been a slow crawl down the muddy track and the thought of going back up the embankment did not thrill me. We were alone, we had no phone service and the winter sun was quickly disappearing into the cold shadows of the afternoon.

We’re in the hills of the Strathbogie Ranges, near Lima South, just over a couple of hours from Melbourne. It was the June long weekend, the first weekend after camping restrictions had been lifted. It was also the last weekend before many of the seasonal tracks would be closed for the winter months. Perhaps that should have been an early warning sign.

Our trip had started sedately,. At Benalla we camped by the lake, a great place for an overnighter, and woke the following morning to a frosty -3C. Rugging up for the 4.5km circuit-walk around the lake was invigorating. Little did we know it would be a walk in the park compared to the challenge we’d find ourselves in later that day.