By KATH GANNAWAY
QUITE sensibly, the Donna Buang Road between Healesville and Warburton (or Warburton and Healesville for more intrepid travellers) is closed during winter.
A feature of the trip across the top is Ben Cairn. At over 1040 metres above sea level it is wedged between Mount Toolbewong and Mount Donna Buang in the Yarra Ranges National Park.
The road, narrow, winding and mostly unmade, skirts the ridge of the Great Dividing Range between the Yarra Valley’s two most popular tourist towns.
Being above the snowline, it’s best experienced either side of winter. My personal favourite time is spring.
As a not-so-intrepid traveller, I’ve always opted for the clockwise journey – Healesville to Warburton – to avoid having to drive on the ‘drop’ side of the road.
And, there are significant drops.
If this all sounds a little too daunting, believe me, there are rewards to be had.
As the road climbs, the forest changes through spectacular rainforest to alpine vegetation with mountain streams and springs bubbling their way to the tributaries of the Yarra River in the valley below.
In spring, and in autumn, the late afternoon sun shines through the trees like a horizontal spotlight, lighting the bush with a warm yellow glow.
The highlight of this trek for me is Ben Cairn itself.
Some 18 kilometres into the journey the track to the summit zig-zags for about a kilometre through scrubby undergrowth to the massive boulder outcrops that have fascinated visitors for almost a century.
Photos taken in the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s (last century) show groups of tourists clambering over the boulders to enjoy magnificent panoramas across the Warburton Valley.
After the 1939 fires, the tall timbers have regrown and for the most part, those views are largely obscured.
The cliffs of the massive outcrops are popular with climbing groups who test their skills on climbs with names such as Bluffing It, Savatage, Fiction, No Steel, Frankenstein and Walk Away.
Back on the road, after five kilometres or so, you come to another attraction for dare-devils, this time, the work of man.
A launching ramp for hang gliders stretches out over the valley and even if you aren’t tempted to launch into the crisp mid-air, it’s a great spot to enjoy the panoramic views of the valley below.
As you start the descent into Warburton, it’s well worth heading skywards again to climb the tower on top of Mount Donna Buang.
Back on track is the 40-metre long Rainforest Gallery observation platform.
One of only three in Australia, it takes you into the rainforest canopy 15 metres above the ground.
A 350-metre long walkway below the platform makes its way through the forest of old growth Mountain Ash, ancient Myrtle Beech trees, ferns and mosses.
More information: www.visitwarburton.com.au (5966 9600) or www.visityarravalley.com.au (5962 2600).
