Abseiling at Mount Buffalo
Last week was Senior Citizens Week.
Alpine Shire Council offered seniors free lunches at Mount Wilson, Myrtelford and Bright.
You could choose where to collect your lunch from three nominated cafes in each town, on specified days.
They also offered free abseiling lessons for beginners at Mount Buffalo.
This offer was too good to be true for any senior familiar with the old “Life Be In It” campaign that promoted getting off the couch and going outside for health, fitness and fun.
It started in Victoria in 1975, became a national then international campaign and eventually faded away in the 1980s.
Last Saturday there were two morning and one afternoon sessions for a maximum of 10 abseilers, first in best dressed with a booking.
You could be a senior from anywhere, not just the Bright area.
This has been offered for the past four years and will probably be repeated next year.
A local company, Adventure Guides Australia (0419 280 614) organised the day.
Its motto is “Live a life you love. Choose your own adventure”.
For 30 years it has also run caving, kayaking, bush walking, gold panning and rock climbing activities, plus visits to Aboriginal art sites.
I chose the afternoon session.
My husband came for support.
My daughter and her four-year-old came to catch me, but as a couple did not turn up they were invited to abseil, too.
So the group ended up with an age range of four to 82.
Everyone loved it, everyone abseiled four times between 10 and 20 metres and all have photos to prove it.
The whole event proved that once you have trust in your instructor you can do anything.
The road up Mount Buffalo is winding and slow, at present you pass two large waterfalls.
You also see a lot of fallen timber from a storm last April.
At the top you can also walk, cycle and paraglide or ski in winter.
The huge and imposing timber chalet has been restored, but is currently closed.
It sits majestically with fantastic views to the distant mountains, some still snow capped.
One wing is called Antarctica because it is most exposed to the winds.
We did not just day trip to the mountain, which you can do from Benalla.
Instead we chose to collect our free lunch from Tu, a Vietnamese cafe in Myrtleford the day before.
There were groups of seniors throughout all the parks enjoying their free lunches.
We were the only ones who took ours to the amazing Cundy Park Adventure Playground beside the library in O’Donnell Ave. Myrtleford was well rewarded by our visit. We shopped (and shopped) and stayed the night.
Next morning we had a delicious breakfast at Coffee Chakra, known for its golden latte made with freshly ground turmeric and other spices.
We were told that having almond milk was the healthiest.
Our four-year-old wanted to go to the nearby deer park or Bright's heated indoor pool. We went to Bright.
It is so pretty now with large pink dogwood and mauve paulownia trees in full flower.
House gardens also have gorgeous azaleas of nearly every colour.
We all had a wonderful 24 hours away, something for everyone.
Inspired by the beautiful countryside that is looking picture perfect and green at present, we think a day trip hot-air ballooning in the King Valley might be our next “living life” adventure.
Watch this space. Day trips are such fun.
— Suzie Pearce