GEELONG/WEST MELBOURNE - Day Camping @ Stony Creek Anakie Gorge

Come and join us for the easiest kind of camping - DAY CAMPING - sitting around the campfire, the marshmellows, the snags on the fire, great chats, and fun, short walks, without the hours of packing up the car, tossing and turning on a camp mattress, or an uncomfortable sleeping bag! 

The location for this "Day Camping" is the Stoney Creek Picnic Ground, in the Brisbane Ranges National Park.  From here we can access the lower reservior via a short 500m walk, or the longer Anakie Gorge walk and more.  The walks are entirely optional, with a walk for everyone, from a short 500m to the reservior, to longer ones in the area, this is 100% achievable for anyone without mobility issues, and we will take it slowly, with plenty of breather stops.  

I'm also looking for someone to come along who doesn't want to go for a walk, and can look after the fire while we are walking.

For more information on this area, check out the Brisbane Ranges Park Note: https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/-/media/project/pv/main/parks/documents/visitor-guides-and-publications/brisbane-ranges-national-park/brisbane-ranges-national-park-visitor-guide.pdf

Escaping Your Comfort Zone is Body Positive Adventures for women and non-binary crew.  The outdoors don't care about your size, your speed or your fitness, and neither do we!  100% body positive, no focus on weightloss. Just having fun in the outdoors, cause we can! 

See note below for directions for getting there.  

Hike Leader: Richelle Olsen.  EYCZ 4wd.  0402936397 (note this area likely will not have phone reception)

Important COVID Information - 

• All participants are required to carry a a mask.  
• Carpooling is accepted, but please be respectful of other passengers. Masks may be required where requested by the driver.  
• Please review the latest COVID information that applies to this hike

Hike Rating (for the Reservior Walk): Slow & Steady (refer to Hike Ratings for details)

• This hike is on wide, well-formed, pavements, mostly flat, with some undulations.
• The path may have some stairs, short hills, or small obstacles.
• We will walk for up to 1hrs in total, with tons of drink and breather stops.
• This hike is beginner friendly, for those without specific mobility concerns, and always paced at the slowest in the group, to ensure no one is left behind.

If you are wondering if you're fit enough for this hike, the answer is YES! We all need to start somewhere and this is a great place to start - this is an excellent hike for beginners. Please contact me if you have any specific questions or concerns!

Kids:  This one is an adults only walk and Day Camp

Dogs: Dogs are not allowed in this park

Accessibility: This hike is not suitable for wheelchairs, however the carpark is close to the campfire area, so, with some maneuvuring, we can help get wheelchairs to the campfire.

Cost:  This event is $20 for members, and $35 for non members - this includes sausages (please advise if you prefer veggie snags), bread, sauce, marshmellows, choc wheaten biscuits for s'mores, firewood (and someone to make the fire!), water for extinguishing the fire and insurance.

What to bring

• Camp Chair for lounging
• Properly fitting mask
• Hand sanitiser
• Water - at least 600ml. More if its hot.
• Wear comfortable exercise clothing, and layers are great as you can add and remove as you get hot or cold. Any comfortable shoes with laces will be fine.
• Bring a light, waterproof raincoat if you have one and rain is forecast.
• First aid kit, including any medications you might need, such as asthma puffers and antihistamines. Your health is your responsibility. Please alert the leader to the location of your medication (if you are carrying any).
• Emergency Contact/Medical Details form  Please print out and fill in a copy of this form before your attend any EYCZ event, and leave it in your pack.  If you can't access a printer, please simply write the details on a plain piece of paper, and put it in a ziplock bag in the top of your pack.  Any medications you are carrying should be stored in the same section of your pack.
• Snacks and Drinks - these are often the most important bits!

Other key information:

• Toilets - there are drop toilets at Stony Creek Picnic area.
• Parking - park at Stoney Creek Picnic Area (always reverse park into all EYCZ events)
• Mobile Reception - it is unlikely you will have phone reception, so plan your drive accordingly (download google offline maps for the area)
• Getting there - Enter "Stoney Creek Picnic Area" into google maps.  Before leaving home check the route it is taking you.  You MUST get onto Geelong-Ballan Rd, and turn onto Switch Road to take you to the picnic area.  Switch Rd maybe a bit steep in sections, but should be fine in normal cars.  If your car is low to the ground, or doesn't have much power, pop a comment in the comments, and grab a lift with someone. 
• ALL DRIVERS - DO NOT attempt any other roads in, or Switch rd from the other direction, as I promise you will get an adventure you didn't plan on (unless you are in a full 4x4 vehicle, and are an experienced driver).

I look forward to seeing you join us!

Cheers

Richelle 0402936397

Ann-that is one spectacular toasted marshmellow!