The accompanying photo sums up today in a nutshell. If you're into nicely manicured tracks with breathtaking views, you'd be well advised to avoid this day on the AAWT. A long hot slog through 10ft high fire regrowth in part, but this would be a tremendous cop out for Parks Victoria and does not tell the whole story. The truth is today's walk was made much more difficult than it should have been by the state of the track and Parks Victoria and in turn the Victorian State Government are to blame. The Government for providing Parks' track maintenance budget the incredibly generous yearly total of $0. Yet Parks cannot be let off the hook so easily. It must be said that the worst of today's walk appeared on 'management vehicle only' track. Although the only management vehicle you could drive along any of it's length would be a D4 bulldozer! The fact that Parks Victoria are the 'manager' in this instance suggests that they should be maintaining this track, at the very least to a walking standard. People travel from interstate and even overseas to walk the iconic AAWT and with this in mind the section I walked today is not nearly up to scratch. This section when compared with the rest of the walk is blaring in it's lack of management. It is not only the track condition that needs serious attention; the number of weeds on, nearby or in the country traversed needs serious attention also, which is budgeted. Parks cannot even hide behind the 'Wilderness Area' banner, which only begins south of here. Yes, this area is inaccessible, that's the magic of it, but most of the 4x4 tracks in the area show evidence of recent attention, if not upgrade. So to Parks, get your act together, with increasing popularity and with it, the spotlight of the outdoor world, this section is just not good enough for this otherwise world class walking track, I certainly understand that the AAWT takes a myriad of different forms but really this should be firmly on the agenda for work.

Whooah??!! Fair rant that! But I really do mean it. When you compare today to any other on the walk it really does reflect badly on Victoria. It's enough to make you want to join a 'friends of the AAWT' group! Get me in there with a hedge-trimmer and a chainsaw!!

Anyway apart from that today was fine, ticked the distance I needed to and now I sit at base of the biggest challenge of this section of the walk. The mighty and awe-inspiring Viking awaits. The guidebook promises scrambling and a pack-haul...very exciting!!

I am certainly looking forward to Saturday when I meet up with wife, her uncle, hopefully cousin, dad and his cousin! In true Ahern/Cairns form...come one, come all. That is the true beauty of that extended family. I am blessed to have their (four-wheel drive) support. It promises to be a good night!

Until tomorrow...if I can still lift my finger to screen?!