The Views, Halls Gap

After a whole day of hiking and walking at the Grampians (Boronia Peak, Boroka Lookout, Reeds Lookout, the Balconies, the Pinnacle), my friends and I decided to treat ourselves to a well deserved feast. Given the rave reviews on TripAdvisor, I figured out that The Views would be overcrowded with hungry backpackers. So I felt a bit silly when I entered the restaurant at around 8pm and only a couple of tables were taken.The interior of the spacious restaurant was carpeted in red and sits adjacent to the Grampians Motel.  The floor to ceiling windows offer a nice view of the field outside. You might even spot wallabies hopping around.

Once we were seated, a friendly staff drew out a blackboard displaying the day’s specials and rested it on the table right next to ours. Well, now I feel obliged to order something from there.The always jovial staff members will be happy to provide some helpful recommendations and welcome a friendly chat. Looking at the board, I was immediately drawn to the Italian Beef, tomato and herb ragout served with home-made spaghetti by their Italian chef.

Italian Beef, tomato and herb ragout served with home-made spaghetti, $26

The mere sight of this dish made me drool. Here the spaghetti strips were silky and cooked to al dente. It’s served with a luscious beef ragout and sprinkled with fresh rosemary leaves. I like my pasta sauces to have a strong herb flavour but not too overpowering and this dish definitely delivered. As I speared my fork into the spaghetti, twirled it around allowing the strands to wrap around itself and tipped it into my mouth, the texture on my palate sent me in raptures.

Eye Fillet, $34   

Eye fillet beef steak topped with a mushroom and red wine sauce, served on a bed of creamy mash potatoes. Matt ordered a medium rare, however it turned out to be a tad bit overdone i.e. medium. Having said that, he was quite pleased with the tenderness of the beef. Every element of the dish was well seasoned.

Rolled Chicken, $26

Keat ordered this dish of twice cooked (poached and roasted) rolled chicken thigh infused with sundried tomatoes and spinach, wrapped in proscuitto. To add a punch of flavour, the dish was tied together with a chive and garlic sauce, served on herb couscous and a side salad.

As cliché as it may sound, there is always room for desserts!!!

Chocolate Fudge Cake, $9

The rich and moist texture of the chocolate fudge was a nice contrast to the lightness of the vanilla ice cream. The white chocolate dressing that coated the top had a distinct vanilla flavour, adding a subtle, sweet flavour to the dish.

Apple and Raspberry Crumble, $9

Keat had her eye on the apple crumble so we had to have a bite. The apple slices were perfectly poached to the right softness and tenderness topped with crumbly rolled oats with a sprinkle of icing sugar. For me the dish was a tad too sweet for my liking. However do note that my threshold for sweets is lower than the general population.

If The Views was located near Melbourne CBD, it’ll be one of those places where I would return time and again. I don’t simply say this as I am a self-confessed foodie, well to put it bluntly a picky eater. Highly recommend this place.

Cuisine: Modern Australian/ Italian

Contact: 394-404 Grampians Rd, Halls Gap VIC 3381. (03) 5356 4248

Opening hours: 7 days a week

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Grampians (McKenzie Falls, Briggs Bluff)–Day 2

I have a love-hate relationship with hiking. "Hate" - the journey to the summit is likened to swallowing a bitter pill. It's more of a test of patience rather than endurance. The closer you get to the top, it appears that the summit is drifting farther away, with no end in sight. "Love" - once I get a first glimpse of the view from the summit, I am filled with supreme joy.

Oh, did I mention that we bunked in a three-bed dorm room (1 queen size bed and 1 bunker bed, AUD98 per night) at Grampians Eco YHA, Halls Gap for the night? The room was really clean, comfortable and had patio doors which opened out to a courtyard area. The kitchen is spacious and well equipped with stoves, fridges, microwave ovens, plates and cutleries. The TV room is a great place to chill out and relax.

For breakfast, we gobbled down some red bean buns and leftover party pastries, before setting off for McKenzie Falls. It is impossible to visit Grampians without going to McKenzie Falls. Standing over 30 metres in height, this largest waterfall in Victoria is one of only a handful of spills that flow all year round. From MacKenzie Falls Car Park, we veered right from fork of the trail and took an easy 1km stroll towards the viewing platform.

After, capturing a few shots of this majestic fall, we returned to the fork and started our 0.75km descent towards the base of MacKenzie Falls. Half-way down the trail and there were still no tourist in sight, hence we shamelessly, climbed over the railings and carefully inched our way towards the edge  of the anterior end of the fall. For a moment, I feel like a trespasser, but who cares!!  

Me, “trespassing”. I bet I’m not the first and last to do so

It feels amazing sitting there, immersing yourself in the moment the tranquillity while streams of water pass you by. I could sit here forever, but the grandeur of the great MacKenzie Falls awaits us at the base. Time to move it move it. We gotta move it move it.

Streams of water cascading down huge cliffs into a deep pool that narrows into Mackenzie River 

Within seconds, the base transformed from a silent solitude to a tourist fest. Hence, we decided to leave for lunch before the 5.3km hike to Briggs Bluff. Speaking of lunch, I had the weirdest meal ever! Picture this, peanut butter, raw cabbage leaves, potato chips, tuna chunks wrapped in tortillas or even worst – two bars of Snickers, tuna chunks and raw cabbage!! So how did it taste like? Stay tuned for my post on “Idiotic Stuff to do in Grampians”.

Carb loading done, sunscreen applied liberally, water bottles packed and we’re ready for a much anticipated hike. The first part of the trail is 1.3km to Beehive Falls, which was a flat and wide dirt track. Initially we weren't sure how it'll look like, but expected sounds of pouring water that will eventually guide us to the waterfall. Instead we came across this.

Beehive Falls without the fall - Dry as a bone

After this, the trail squeezes into a steep ascend. In geographical terms a ‘bluff’ according to the freedictionary.com is “a steep promontory, bank, or cliff, particularly one formed by river erosion on the outside bend of a meander”. However, I reckon the name Briggs Bluff suggests otherwise, as it’s easy for one to lose the trail (especially during the descend) because lines of flat rocks go off in different directions. Even with a compass, and brochure map in hand, we somehow manage to get lost several times. As if, hours traipsing on uneven tracks weren’t enough, for most parts, we had to clamber up slopes of loose rocks and near vertical sandstones.

Follow the yellow arrows

I posted these photos, to give a sense of the size and steepness of our passage. 5 hours of these, amazingly fun. When I said fun, I meant gruelling, at least for someone who had virtually no experience with near vertical sandstones. I had to grip tightly onto the sandstones and  haul myself up. Every step I took, I wonder how in the world am I gonna get down?! No time for self-pity, we had to trudge onwards and upwards. Well, the journey wasn’t that all arduous, as we were treated onto the first plateau where the view of Briggs Bluff was finally insight. After ~1km, the route loops into the main plateau, through a rock arch and arriving at an intersection.

Unfortunately, our navigation skills were not perfect. From an intersection, we veered right instead of left and found ourselves walking aimlessly towards Mount Difficult. It wasn't until we came across three girls whom like us, took the wrong path. Hence, we turned around, went all the way back to the intersection and found the proper trail head for Take 2 i.e. left.  

Again, hauling ourselves up the rock  face with our hands, we finally reached the last phase of the trek and made it to the summit.  

Looking out from Briggs Bluff over the Western Victorian plans and the Northern Grampians, was a surreal and profoundly satisfying. 30 hours prior to this moment, I was trembling at Boronia Peak as I allowed my fear of heights to dominate my being. At this point in time, I won’t profess that I am Spiderman, but me being able to stand calmly at the edge of the cliff (well nearly), tells me that Achilles heel of mine is ‘curable’.

Our return journey back down the same route wasn’t the smoothest descent as we had to detour a few times before we located the next yellow arrow. That involved clambering up and down steep rocky peaks numerous times. My advice would be to take note of the small markers of passage on your way up.

All in all, the trip to Grampians was all I wanted and more. Great workout, great scenic views and great company. Though it’s a short weekend getaway, there’s so many elements to Grampians that I would like to put together including a comprehensive tourist guide, a food review of The Views Restaurant and a post on “Idiotic stuff to do in Grampians”. So stay tuned.

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Grampians (Mt Williams, Boroka Lookout, Reeds Lookout, the Balconies, the Pinnacle)

Mount Williams Summit

Following Boronia Peak, we made our way to Mount Williams Summit, the highest point within the Grampians National Park. We drove to Mount Williams Carpark, then proceeded on foot for 1.8km to the summit via a sealed road.

Strenuous walking involved. I repeat…..strenuous walking involved. 

The path started off with a steep inclination and trailed off into a plateau towards the end.

See the whitish tree brunches with blackened spots, I reckon they’re part of the remains from the 2006 major bushfire which burnt a large section of the area.

Panaromic view of the eastern vantage from Mount William, towards Ararat.

We made a few idiotic poses for the camera from push-ups to martial art poses to filming a parody of the scene from Lion King where Rafiki presents Simba to the Pride Lands. I shall include this in a separate post, which I’m dying to put together – “Idiotic Stuff to Do in Grampians”. We could have stayed longer and continue to act like fools on the summit but the chill of the weather urged us to hustle back to the car and make our way to  Boroka Lookout.

Boroka Lookout

The walk to the lookout point from the carpark was easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. I shall cherish this moment. Take a mere 10 seconds walk and you’ll find yourself overlooking the spectacular 180 degree views out over the the north and east regions and over Halls Gap and Lake Bellfield to the south. After spending ~15 minutes admiring the awe inspiring view, we proceeded to Reed Lookout/ The Balconies.

Did I mention it is beautiful? Because it is!! You can even point out Lake Lonsdale and Lake Fyans from a distance.

Reed Lookout/ The Balconies Lookout

To get to the Balconies, take a relatively easy 1km stroll along a gravelled trail where you’ll come across wooden chairs carved out from tree trunks and mini stone henges resting on rock outcrops.

After what felt like forever into the stringybark (Eucalyptus) forest, I finally laid eyes on this beauty.

I saw people clambered pass the steep edges of the rocks then balance on their two feet like a stork at the tip of the cliff, posing for the camera. Something in me wanted to scream: “Are you out of your freaking mind?!”. Anyone that knows me, knows I crave adventure and an adrenaline spike. Yes, it would be exhilarating to tempt fate but for me, I crawled to the edge, looked down, snapped a quick photo, then quickly scurry back to safety before the wooziness kicks in. Better safe than sorry, one misstep and it’s hasta la vista.

By the time we returned to Reeds Carpark, the time displayed on my watch was 3:45pm. Signs of exhaustion were beginning to show and our knees were starting to feel ancient. However, we still yet to make a 20 minutes drive to Wonderland Carpark and complete another hike to the Pinnacle.

The Pinnacle via Grand Canyon

The Pinnacle is a popular attraction for day trippers. From Wonderland Carpark, it’s an alleged 0.1km walk to the Grand Canyon and a 2.1km hike to the Pinnacle. Note that I mentioned “alleged”, because it feels like much longer and an effort of a 10km run. Despite the fact that it isn’t the most challenging trek, by the time we reached the end of Grand Canyon, we were laughing at the distance. They must have gotten the signage wrong. Another option is to bypass the Grand Canyon but I must say that it is one of the most unique and inviting site of the Grampians. You wouldn’t want to give it a miss.

Like most walkers, we veered left towards the Grand Canyon track; veer right and you’ll ascend directly to the pinnacle bypassing the Grand Canyon. Following the small yellow arrows painted on the rocks we began the uphill walk.

Half an hour in and I found myself panting away, hopping from one rock to the next. The trail ahead seemed like a never ending series of ragged sandstone formations.

The Grand Canyon houses massive stacks of rocks, neatly balance precariously on top of one another. This hard sandstone nature was formed after thick layers of sediments were intensely folded and thrust up from under the earth dating back to 430 million years ago, making human existence on earth seem tiny in comparison. 

As you can see, there are metal railings and stairways along the gorge at various section, however most sections involves rock-hopping and uneven surfaces. All you need is yourself and a pair of good gripping shoes. Ironically, I was surprised at how many people were in sandals and worse – dressed up as if they’re heading to the mall.

Once we approached the Pinnacle, instead of heading to the strategically placed fenced platform, I immediately head to the massive cliff situated adjacent to it, clambered to the edge of the cliff, well nearly and set there for what felt like eternity.

After perching on that cliff for 15 minutes or so, I finally clomped my way up the the Pinnacle lookout. Again amazing view.

Having taken various shots at the top, we finally made our descend and head back to Halls Gap.

Last stretch of sandstones for the day

First order of business: A much needed shower

Second order of business: A well deserved hearty dinner at the View Restaurant. How good is the food? I shall elaborate in detail in another post. For now, I would say it’s a MUST GO.

The View VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Third order of business: A game of 500 (card game).

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Grampians Challenge (Itinerary, Boronia Peak)

As much as I love urban life, sometimes one just needs to escape the traffic and noise to see wide open skies and breathe fresh air. At 3:00am, I woke up to the buzzing sound of my alarm, hopped out of bed in record time. Not a bad effort for someone who had just gotten three hours of sleep. I scrambled into the kitchen, cranked up the oven, pulled out 24 party pastries and bung them into the oven. This will be lunch for the gang. With perfect timing (3:45am), my friends arrived just outside the entrance of my humble apartment and we were all set to hit the road towards the Grampians National Park, a first for me. Initially, I thought I would be too excited to shut my eyes, but the sleepy head in me crept in and I dozed off throughout the rest of the ride. After a three and a half hours drive, we finally saw the sign we were looking for – “Halls Gap, The heart of the Grampians”.

Before I start babbling on about my stories, here’s a quick run-through of our two day Grampian challenge.

Day 1

• Melbourne CBD –> Ballarat –> Ararat –> Halls Gap
• Boronia Peak (Medium, ~ 2 hours, 6.6km return)
• Mt Williams Summit (Medium, ~ 1 hour, 3.6km return)
• Boroka Lookout (Easy)
• Reed Lookout/ the Balconies (Easy, ~45 mins, 2km return)
• Pinnacle via Grand Canyon (Hard, ~2-3 hours, 4.2km return)
• Dinner at The Views (#1 on TripAdvisor) 

Day 2

• Mackenzie Falls (Medium, ~1 hour, 2km return)
• Briggs Bluff via Beehive Falls (Hard, ~5-6 hours, 10.6km return)

Booronia Peak

When we arrived at Tandara Road Carpark, the weather was perfect, sunny yet embraced with cool breeze. My three friends chatted away, while something caught my attention, some grey and furry object moved. "Oh my gawk!!.....Kangaroos!!!" There were three or four of them along the fence line by the road, one even had a joey in its pouch. I clumsily rummaged my bag to find my camera, by the time I had it out, this is the best I could manage – it’s BUTT =.=

Stupid sign board. Having said that, seeing them bouncing around an open field was heaps better than the time I saw dozens lying around in the zoo. That was so “Aussie!!”. Without further ado, we began our steady and quick hike towards Boronia Peak. It was a fairly steep climb but still manageable. The only way to reach the peak was to scramble up the rocky summit on all fours. Once we emerged from the ragged rocks, the picturesque view of Fyans Valley displayed before our eyes was spectacular. My excitement was cut short as I felt my knees buckled. Then it dawned upon me that I was no good with heights. What was I thinking? What was I thinking?! The narrow summit was just broad enough to accommodate the four of us. My three friends were roaming around the edges, while I spent that time trying real hard to enjoy the silent stillness. We were 15 minutes in before I had the nerve to stand up. Every which way you turn the panoramic views were stunning. Unexpectedly, this elegant little pit stop has cost us 45 minutes!

During our descend back to the car, I heard a sudden rustling of leaves. This time, a Wallaby! It was a mixture of excitement and dismay for me as I captured yet another BUTT.

I gestured to my friends to come have a look into the bushes. Keat squinted as she arched forward, and proudly blurred out: “It’s a rock!”. The rest of us, couldn’t help but burst out into laughter. How in the world can one associate wallabies with rocks. However, her innocent claim/ joke turned out to be half true. This wallaby is known as brush-tailed rock-wallaby and is the only species of Rock-wallaby that occurs in Victoria. I reckon their ability to hide their heads behind objects while their brown-greyish backs enable them to blend in with their natural habited resembling rocks is a way to wean off the prying eyes of their prey.

Next stop: Mount William Summit

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