In Search of Gold : Goldseekers Track, Kosciuszko National Park, AU

Wild Brumby at Three Mile Dam, Kosciuszko National Park Australia

Wild Brumby at Three Mile Dam
Is there anything more beautiful than a wild horse? An estimated 6,000 brumbies – feral horses – roam free across the Australian Alps in Kosciuszko National Park.

My idea of a great New Year’s party is a trip into nature.

The bonus of being “down under” is that the New Year break falls in the height of summer. I escape to Kosciuszko National Park to enjoy fresh air, summer alpine flowers, and some quiet contemplation.

I have my favourite walking tracks that I return to regularly (eg: Rennix Walk; Kosciuszko Lookout; Porcupine Rocks; Mount Kosciuszko Summit; Mount Stillwell; Seaman’s Hut; Waterfall Track; Rainbow Lake; Illawong Lodge; The Old Geehi Huts; etc.), but we usually try to explore one new destination each trip.

Early into one New Year, we decided to drive a little further afield from our Jindabyne base, and check out the Goldseekers Track in the Selwyn area of Kosciuszko National Park. The weather was clear and hot – very hot – so the easy 3km loop track was just what the doctor ordered after all the excesses of the festive season.

The Big Trout – Adaminaby
Australia loves its “big” monuments to local produce and regional highlights. The drive to the Selwin area took us through the small town of Adaminaby, where we stopped to picnic-lunch and admire the “Big Trout”. (iPhone6)

Historic Sawyers Hut, Kosciuszko National Park Australia

Historic Sawyers Hut
There are around two hundred historic huts dotted around the Australian Alps – some dating back to the 1860s. They were built by graziers, gold miners, foresters, government workers, skiers, and bushwalkers to provide temporary shelter. They are still left unlocked for emergency use, and are stocked with matches and a small amount of dry firewood and kindling. Most are in remote locations, but Sawyers Hut caught our eye from the car, and was an easy stop. It was originally constructed in the early 1900s, but was rebuilt after the bushfires of 2003. (iPhone6)

Wild Brumbies in a Field of Flowers
I was thrilled to see a herd of brumbies in a nearby meadow as we parked our car.

Brumby in a Field of Wildflowers
Although these magnificent animals roam the alpine country freely, I haven’t seen them often, and never this close!

Wild Brumby at Three Mile Dam
I followed them at a discrete distance on foot as they went down to the water to drink. Because they are considered a threat to the delicate native ecosystems and are not indigenous animals, their management – particularly control of their numbers – is subject to vigorous debate.

Goldseekers Track
Setting off on a new track is always an adventure!

Buttercups
The wildflowers were taking advantage of the glorious summer weather, blooming in clumps at our feet, …

Lilies in the Meadow
… or in delicate clouds all around us.

Pale Vanilla Lily (Arthropodium Milleflorum)

Sign-Posting
Sign posts introduce visitors to the region’s highlights.

Snow Gums (Eucalyptus Pauciflora) and Black Sallee (Eucalyptus Stellulata)

Alpine Shaggy-Pea Bushes (Podolobium or Oxylobium Alpestre)
Bees hum in the heat, and the bush smells beautiful all around us.

Lake Eucumbene
At a vantage point on the track, we can see Lake Eucumbene, the largest storage lake in the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, in the distance.

Dandelions and a Fallen Log