Lake Albacutya and Lake Hindmarsh July 2015

The Wimmera River rises from the Great Dividing Range below Elmhurst, between Ararat and Avoca, and flows generally north by west near the towns of Crowlands, Glenorchy, Horsham, Dimboola, Tarranyurk, and Jeparit then it used to run into the Wyperfeld National Park and the Big Desert Wilderness Park.

Lake Albacutya fills from Lake Hindmarsh via Outlet Creek when the Wimmera River is sufficiently in flood. At high water mark, the lake covers 5850 ha and is 8 metres deep at its deepest.

Lake Albacurya hasn't filled since 1976, and hasn't received any flows from the Wimmera River since 1996. The lake historically fills and empties on a 20 year cycles but due to man made climate change and river diversion this cycle may be affected.

In 2011 Lake Hindmarsh filled but not sufficiently due to Wimmera River irrigation and diversion.

When it does fill water will then flow further north from Lake Albacutya into Wyperfeld National Park, but that hasn't occurred since 1976.

Lake Albacutya sunset

 Lake Albacutya from the Western ridge

 4x4 Sand Dunes on the North West end of Albacutya

Albacutya on the left and winter wheat cops on the right from the sand dune ridge line 

Winter Wheat

Hermione on Lake Hindmarsh

Dry Lake Hindmarsh July 2015

Almost full Lake Hindmarsh in 2011

Deer no Deer

If you eat meat then ethical Deer hunting is much more humane than cattle or sheep farming in my view. After all idealy a deer is free in the wild doing its thing, next second its taken, no drama. On the  other hand animals from a farm a transported to an abattoir, held for up to 48 hours in a pen and then killed in a row after watching their mates die. To hunt Deer in Victoria is strictly controlled and you need the appropriate firearm calibre, a firearm license and a game license. It is also very hard work. Its reported that over 40,000 deer were harvested last year by licensed hunters.

Last weekend at 0c and less I went deer hunting in the High Country. Just being out there in the bush was fantastic, serene and quite. Its winter, wet and cold and all the seasonal 4x4 track closures not so many boof heads from Melbourne were around yahooing and tearing up the bush. With most of the hordes crowding the queue to the snow fields the bush elsewhere was very quite.

I did not fire a shot this time and walked many K's through rough wet bush but I saw views and things you never see from a car or ute. I'm hooked. 

 Game License

 Scoping for Deer

 Fresh Deer poo

Deer country