Yesterday I spent the day walking between The Jawbones and Cathedral Mountain. While the park was closed (due to the Black Saturday fires in 2009) Parks Victoria have done quite a bit of trail maintenance and realigning work. The trails around the Farmyard have been been realigned slightly but are clearly signposted. The trail linking The Farmyard with Cathedral Mountain (walk no 71) is now officially called Ridge Track. If you are familiar with this part of the walk but have not experienced it since the park was reopened last December, then you are in for a big shock. The ridge is now largely bare with blackened trees hinting at just how severe the fires really were. On the plus side the sweeping views are incredible. The walk feels nothing like it did pre February 2009. The trail from The Cathedral linking Cathedral North and Little Cathedral and back to Neds Saddle (Walk 69 and 71) is currently closed. Walkers will have to use the link trail that starts just south of Cathedral Mountain and which descends steeply east to Neds Saddle. It’s also worth noting that the walking trail (indicated on the map on page 166) running south and linking Neds Saddle with the Ridge Track has been permanently closed. This is not a bad thing as it was rarely used. The Little River Track is open but the Friends Nature Trail (at Cooks Mill) is still closed and will be for some time. Walk no 73 to Little River Falls is also still closed. This walk has never been officially recognised and it appears it was only minimally damaged by the fires. The problem is that Lowerson Track (which the walk initially follows) is currently closed.
