MELBOURNE APUG OUTING No. 4: MARCH 2013

[Poisson Du Jour]

One inland possibility is Melville Caves north west from Bendigo, about 180 klm's from Melbourne.

http://bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&p=215282&d=pics&cmd=sp

If you click on a picture you can then scroll through a fair assortment of scenes available to us.

Should help those who live north of Melbourne and those who may wish to camp or find a local bedsit.

Mick.

It's worthwhile. I would be making my 33rd visit to the place if I did go! It's ideal for camping, with the setting sun creating a striking golden hue on west-facing boulders on the summit (see below) and also, if you hang around long enough, for the extremely impressive 'fire in the boulders' show — a cherry red afterglow set deep in a granite fissure that looks like aflame is dancing. I have an Ilfochrome on the wall here of such a scene.

It's a 460km return trip for me from Geelong, probably a bit longer for Melbourne peeps. I'd make it an overnight trip if the weather is fine and clear, for the unmissable opportunities of working with sunset and sunrise light. I think my bushwalking group is planning an overnight camp there; I'll need to check dates.

• Rock of Ages, west summit, Melville Caves, Kooyoora State Park




sent from e732 | Lake Sambell CP, Beechworth

[LJH]

This seems to have died a slow, quiet death...

[munz6869]

Maybe we all got distracted by Australia Day? I am totally up for Melville Caves - I remember hating there on a family trip in the 80's - I am sure my perspective will have changed :-) Google Maps says it's only a two hour and 43 minute trip from Hawthorn... That would make the mid-coffee stop Castlemaine, which ain't bad at all.

Marc!

[craigt]

Sorry to jump in on your 'Melbourne Outing' thread but as you are planning things around Easter, and you seem to be large format users, I thought you may want a suggestion.

Goldstreet Studios at Trentham is hosting the Australian Alternative Photographic Process Symposium at the start of April. Several very experienced people from around Australia and overseas are speaking and running workshops. The famed daguerreotypist Jerry Spagnoli from New York will be there for one. This will be the biggest event of its type to be hosted in Australia.

If you are at all interested then you can find some information on the Goldstreet Studios site:

http://www.goldstreetstudios.com.au/...ymposium-2013/

Have fun at your outing.

My best,

Craig

[hoffy]

Ohhh, such a shame guys - I'm in Melbourne on the 2nd and the 3rd. Would have been good to catch up.

Cheers

[mrsmiggins]

End of March should be OK for me too and the Melville Caves sound good. I'm still exploring Victoria so any suggestions you old-hands come up with will be OK with me.
Just have to make sure I've accumulated enough brownie-points with the boss for a weekend pass.

Recently discovered the Murchison Gap LO and Strath Creek Falls - worthy of a return visit when the sky's a little more angry.

/Frank...

[munz6869]

So are we in fact saying: March 23/24 at Melville Caves? Who's in?

Mick, LJH, mrsmiggins, poisson du jour, munz6869....??

Marc!

[LJH]

Is there actually much there? Google Images doesn't really sell a 500km round trip to me. More than happy to hear more about it (perhaps I'm just a bit gunshy after the Phillip Island shot-free trip...)

[wotalegend]

I have voted for March 16/17 Urban, but March 23/24 is equally good/not good. I feel guilty placing a vote because I have missed the last couple of outings due to other commitments, and it's just as likely I will have to miss this one also for the same reason. Long distance / overnight places it even further beyond my reach. So I guess I'm saying that you should discount my vote....if it had much value in the first place.

[LJH]

So I guess I'm saying that you should discount my vote....if it had much value in the first place.

Don't undersell yourself!!

If you've got some thoughts as to where/what urban location, they're just as valid (and likely to happen) as anyone else's here!!

Please, post your suggestion(s).