Farewell* Gembrook (actually not so well)

[Michael2]

A small group of us went for a drive up to Bunyip State Forest at Gembrook today. 2 Defenders, a D2 and an older Land Cruiser. Guess who got bogged - my only clue is it wasn't a European car.

Anyway, to our dismay, the whole forest has been closed to 4WD and motorbike traffic. The main tracks are walking tracks and the tough tracks are management vehicle only tracks. There are gates and concrete bollards everywhere.

Traffic is being directed to tracks north of the park, where we managed to have a brief play.

This was an area I had always thought worked so well, 4WDrivers and bikers supported the local town on weekends, tracks were kept open and used for fire access, pedestrian traffic was always minimal (never seen one actually) due to the length and gradient of the tracks and the lack of adequate drinking water creeks. So I can't understand the "dog in a manger"* mentality that leads to such a lock out.

* The Dog in a Manger is one of Aesops** fables, about a dog on a farm who couldn't eat hay, so he lay in the manger so the other animals wouldn't be able to eat either.

**Aesop - a famous ancient greek story teller circa 650 BCE.

[rangieman]

Yep they have been slowly closing the tracks over that last few years

im spose all those cowboys on horse,s will be happy now

and it was close to me for a play i think the greens played a big part in closing the tracks

[LandyAndy]

Is Gembrook roughly where the steam train runs???,went over there for a holiday a few years back,awsome countryside.
Andrew

[Michael2]

im spose all those cowboys on horse,s will be happy now

Horsey people should know what it's like to be locked out of the High Country - you'd think they'd learn to share.

Horse riding is more dangerous than motor bike riding (though I'd rather be on a horse). Do they really think it's good to have a fall, no mobile phone reception and no vehicular traffic for days?

Now that you mention it, I have seen horsey people there once - several years ago. We slowed right down so as not to create dust or spook the horses, we gave them a wide berth, we gave them a friendly wave - and we got dirty looks in return. But that's okay, I always give people the benefit of the doubt and assume a degree of mental illness on their behalf.

[rangieman]

that would be puffing billy yes the train runs from belgrave to gembrook

[Michael2]

Is Gembrook roughly where the steam train runs???,went over there for a holiday a few years back,awsome countryside.
Andrew

Yep, that's the Gembrook.

[Bytemrk]

Just another reason for us Victorians to think very carefully who we vote for.... particularly in the upper house..

Mark

[LandyAndy]

Yep did Puffin Billy with the boy,the missus picked us up at the other end,great countryside,pitty rails dont do extreme stuff.
BUT WE HAVE BETTER STUFF OVER HERE.
Duck for cover LANDYANDY those Vics are going to nail you.
Andrew

[rangieman]

you have just been nailed big time

[Michael2]

BUT WE HAVE BETTER STUFF OVER HERE.Andrew

Where!?

And the Gascoyne, Pilbarra and Kimberley don't count, as they're about as far from you as they are from us.