Day 17: Tin Mine Huts to Cowombat Flat 14/12/19

The brumbies were very active outside our tents last night. Whinnying, running around and doing some very loud grass munching. It was lovely lying in bed listening to them.  In the morning Laura gave me some advice on how to navigate to the summit of The Pilot. I was convinced I wanted to do it by Tom’s description of looking back at the Main Range and Kosiuszko. Those three were such lovely campsite companions – lucky again! I set off at 8:20 for The Pilot. It was management trail all the way, so pretty quick going to do the 8kms to get there. I found the cairn marking the recommended starting point easily. The flies were relentless, worst they’ve been so far. I still hadn’t decided whether I’d climb to the summit or not. In the end, l kept thinking how disappointed in myself I’d be if I didn’t have a go and I could always turn back if I needed to.  So, l dumped my backpack, climbed over the fallen tree and set off. I marked a waypoint to the summit and stuck to the spur the whole way up. There was no path, but the scrub wasn’t too dense and l hopped on and off brumby lines. I was super chuffed when I made it to the trig at the top! And I was extra chuffed when I got back down the mountain and popped out right near where I’d left my pack!I had refried beans for lunch together with all my fly friends then set off on the remaining 8kms to Cowombat Flat and the border of Victoria. Again, it was management trail along Snowgums Trail and easy going although lots of uphill and then the last 3km of very steep downhill. Arriving at the flats was quite remarkable. I haven’t seen anything like it so far. It’s a huge area of short grass (picture mown lawn), rolling land with the infant Murray River running through it. Yes, you can stand with one foot in Victoria and one in NSW. Something funny about our highest peak being the easiest to summit and being able to straddle our mightiest river!There’s this fenced off section that brumbies can’t access which is an experiment to see what would grow in the absence of brumbies. Its results will feed into future management plans. The difference of what’s growing in there compared with what the brumbies can access is insane. Reminds me of The Rolling Ground, all big springy grass and diverse plants and flowers.My tent is right near the site of an old plane crash with a few random bits of wreckage strewn around.It’s a really beautiful place to camp. I’ve heard that the brumbies gallop up and down. Boy l hope they’re good at missing tents!