The Mountain Safety Collective (MSC) is a voice for the backcountry community. It organises training and other events, produces wonderful maps, merchandise, and the backcountry conditions report through winter.
It is run by a group of diehard backcountry enthusiasts. Lately it has been introducing its committee. This is taken from a recent MSC newsletter and is an introduction to the wonderful Narelle Watters, who lives in north eastern Victoria, at the base of Mt Feathertop.
The Facebook group objecting to gold mining in the Ovens Valley has launched a survey to get Alpine Shire people’s views towards the future of gold-mining in the Alpine Shire.
It comes as a gold exploration company has been drilling in the Havilah Valley in recent weeks.
There are many exploratory licences applicable to the upper Ovens Valley. And there are 2 applications for gold exploratory drilling waiting for approval covering areas south of Yackandandah, Wandiligong, all the upper Ovens Valley to Harrietville and a strip down the western side of Kiewa Valley near Mt Beauty.
“We were getting clear indications many people in the Alpine Shire were not happy with the exploratory drilling and the prospect of new gold mines in the area” said Col Finnie, administrator of the group. “But we thought it was time to find out what ratepayers and residents of the Shire think, hence launching a Survey Monkey survey.”
Continue reading “Please express your views about gold-mining in the Alpine Shire”
Recent snowfalls across the Alps has got every snow lover excited about winter. Here is an initial list of snow related events happening across Victoria, NSW and the ACT this winter.
Please check here for a list of tour guides, all avalanche training providers, and gear hire options.
FITSKI is something of an institution in Harrietville. It happens before winter to help get the community fit for the snow.
The May session will include a screening of the Backcountry Film Festival.
Continue reading “Backcountry film festival screening in Harrietville”
An Exploratory Licence application for gold is with the Victorian government’s Earth Resources department for the upper Ovens Valley. The deadline for objections is 23 December. The best time to stop a destructive project is before it gets going. Please add your voice to the strong community campaign against this proposal.
Governments and companies often dismiss opposition to exploration, saying that ‘any environmental issues will be considered’ if the proposal moves toward a mining application. But the more money the miner puts into the project, the more they will push through with the proposal to commercialise. The best time to stop it is before exploration starts. And if a project has no social license to operate, why approve exploration? There is strong local opposition to gold exploration in the Upper Ovens. In a time of climate change, where water flows are expected to decline over time, the river systems that rise in the Victorian Alps will become even more important for downstream communities and environments. Why would we risk such a significant river system for short term gain for a mining company?
Continue reading “No Gold Drilling for the Upper Ovens Valley”
There will a screening of the 2019 Backcountry film festival (BCFF) happening at Harrietville on Saturday June 1.
The BCFF features 10 great films, including an edit of the Ode To Muir splitboarding film.
There will be soup, bread and drinks available by donation.
All funds will go to the Avalanche Training Centre planned for Mt Hotham.
Harrietville community hall, Great Alpine Road, Harrietville from 6pm.
This is another great guide to north east Victoria. Like the Walk and Trails guide, the Bright and Surrounds cycle guide provides a fantastic introduction to all types of riding in the area from Myrtleford to Mt Beauty and Falls Creek to Dinner Plain.
It includes easy, family friendly riding, road riding options and the many shared trails (including the popular Rail Trails) plus details on Mountain bike riding. It is produced by the Alpine Shire. You can get free copies in local tourist information centres or download it as a pdf here.
The Alpine Shire has produced a great walking guide for the areas between Myrtleford and Mt Beauty to Dinner Plain and back to Harrietville. Operating through the ‘Bright & Surrounds‘ tourist info program, the guide offers descriptions for walks in and around key towns plus wilder destinations like the Alpine National Park, Mt Bogong and the Buffalo Plateau.
Paper copies are available from tourist information centres in north eastern towns or online here.
This excellent resource aims to get more visitors to the region out on walking tracks, and makes it easy for first timers by providing full details on the distance and difficulty and notes for more than 65 walks.
The Bright Mountain Film Tour (BMFT) is a celebration of mountain culture and those who embrace it. Over five nights, the best adventure films from around the world are showcased amongst the alpine communities of North East Victoria.
This year BMFT2 will ‘feature some epic, home-grown, Aussie adventures and some awesome female adventures, recognising the diversity in adventure sports’.
There are five shows over the Christmas/ New Year period.
Continue reading “Bright Mountain Film Tour. December 28 – Jan 6.”
The Bright Mountain Film Tour (BMFT) is a celebration of mountain culture and those who embrace it. The organisers say ‘over five nights, the best adventure films from around the world are showcased amongst the alpine communities of North East Victoria’.
This year BMFT2 will feature some epic, home-grown, Aussie adventures and some awesome female adventures, recognising the diversity in adventure sports.
Bright has become the epicentre of mountain sports with visitors from around the world enjoying everything the town and surrounding area has to offer. The BMFT is not just a film festival, it’s a community celebration. The films are handpicked by a panel of local enthusiasts, all experts in their related fields of filmmaking, mountain sports and tourism. The BMFT organising committee are looking to grow the event through the support of like-minded sponsors.
There are screenings planned for the new year period, in a range of towns, starting on December 28.
What’s winter without a decent road trip? As I wrote earlier this year, I reckon the ultimate Australian winter snow road trip is the journey between the Snowy Mountains and the Victorian Alps via the Alpine Way.
There are lots of ways to cross the Alps or link up different mountains. But the Alpine Way has a special appeal I think, as it brings you under the western face of the Snowy Mountains, surely the most impressive alpine views on mainland Australia.
CELEBRATING THE WINTER HUMAN-POWERED EXPERIENCE
The Backcountry Film Festival is produced each year by Winter Wildlands Alliance as a celebration of the human-powered experience and a gathering place for the backcountry snowsports community. Winter Wildlands Alliance is a nonprofit organization working at the national level to inspire and educate the backcountry community to protect and care for their winter landscapes. Funds raised at each screening stay in the local community to support human-powered recreation and conservation efforts, winter education and avalanche/safety programs and to raise awareness of winter management issues.
For a full listing of the films in the festival please check here.
Thursday August 31
Harrietville Community Hall
210 Great Alpine Rd, Harrietville, Victoria 3741
Starts at 6.30pm.
Fundraising event by Mountain Sports Collective & Harrietville Community Hall
Soup and Drinks available
Entry: $10 Adults / $20 Family
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