Squatters Dam

The viciously gusty wind of yesterday has abated thank God and today produces a gentle breeze with the occasional light gust. The sun is shining, the solar panel is producing its maximum 65W and the sleeping bag is airing on the washing line. Life is good.

This is a delightful campsite next to a small dam with good water, it's in State Forest but only just - 50m to my west lurks a Nature Conservation Reserve or a National Park by stealth as I consider them. National Parks need specific legislation to be created (difficult) NCRs can be established at the stroke of a Minister's pen (easy) but an excellent way for the Greenies to lock up the bush. NCRs have almost exactly the same prohibitive rules framework as do NPs.

Talking of Greenies... where the hell are you? Over the past few years I have spent months rough camped in these Ironbark Forests in central Victoria and I've only seen two other people and both of those were gold prospectors too. So where are all these Green Party members who voted for Adam Brandt in order that they could take their children for picnics in the "Pristine Wilderness"? Not bloody here, that's for sure!

However, Squatters Dam is all the more enjoyable for their absence. As mentioned, a small dam in a semi clearing two hundred meters diameter with good sky views and even a little grass. Located on the edge of the Pyrenean ranges it's high enough, at 400m, to catch the wind. No views from here but the few hundred meters one can see into the forest is pretty. It's a 4WD only campsite with an easy entry but the erosion control mounds would certainly stop a Commodore well before it arrived here.

Gold wise: clearly there have been some workings by the "Old Timers" but few of them. There is considerable quartz on the hillsides but little indication of serious prospecting. I suspect the name arises from some optimistic chums who decided to have a go on an already taken claim but soon discovered the ground would not pay. I suspect I shall discover the same... but then... they didn't have a GPX-4500 metal detector :)