Ascending Mt Lofty

As the weather today wasn't too hot ( 27.6 deg max in the city) I decided to walk from Waterfall Gully to Mt Lofty on the main (most direct) walking track, which has recently been reopened after repairs to damage caused by the November floods. During the closure walkers were diverted to other longer and IMO less attractive tracks elsewhere in Cleland Conservation Park.

To give them their due the National Parks authorities have moved relatively quickly and put in a replacement at the top of First Falls. The force of the torrent must have been considerable: for as long as I can remember a tree trunk segment with a diameter of at least 60cm had been wedged under the bridge.

The impact of the floods is still clearly visible. The torrent has cut a swathe through First Creek above the First Falls (the ones visible from the car park) so that it now looks as if it is possible to walk much of the way along the creek line without being obstructed by blackberries and other vegetation. It's almost as clear as I recall it after the Ash Wednesday fires 23 years ago.

Where the official walking track runs above the creek line, which is most of the way, it has escaped major damage. Only in one or two places, such as Wilson's Bog, has it been badly eroded but nowhere is it impassable to walkers who take reasonable care. The disabled access, which previously extended to the Second Falls, now only goes just past the top of the First Falls, so some further work will need to be done to restore the track to its previous condition. As a regular user I'd be happy to volunteer to help. What I wouldn't want to see is another long closure, such as happened a year or so ago when part of the track was closed for months to repair a small landslip.

The damage along Waterfall Gully Road is being repaired without closing the road (if there was the slightest hint that this might happen there would be a huge outcry from residents). Transport SA not the Burnside Council is doing this work.

As for the walk itself it was extremely pleasant (as it usually is). The steep climb in the upper part of the track made me sweat but as I reached the open ground on Davenport Ridge a cooler breeze kicked in. Near Wilson's Bog I observed a couple of firetails, a bird which I don't recall seeing in Cleland before, which is not to say that they are unknown there.

Time for the walk: just over 59 minutes (I was aiming to do it in less than an hour). As I'd not done it for a while I was quite pleased with this. I returned on the 823 bus which was well patronised, though everybody had a seat even on the connecting 165.