Skiing / Snowboarding

Mt Baw Baw ski village is only 20 minutes from our ski Lodges to the top car park. This is a very convenient Ski Resort for Tanjil Bren. It is a no fuss ski resort with easy access to the ski slopes. It has 7 lifts and numerous runs. It is great Skiing for Families, snow boarders and cross country skiing at economical prices.
Follow this link to go directly to their site www.mountbawbaw.com.au
Follow this link to view ski trail map http://www.skireport.com/australia/mt_baw_baw/trailmap/?id=671

 

Chains can be hired at Tanjil Lodge if your going up the mountain. At Baw Baw you can hire skis and toboggans if required. If you would like a free toboggan from us, please just ask.

Shown below is the snow cam on the mountain (you can also visit it at www.ski.com.au).

Walking

Tanjil River water fall

There are many interesting walks to explore. A great local walk is to take the road below Moosehead Lodge to the right and follow it all the way to the waterfall. It will take about 1 hour 20 mins from Tanjil. You will arrive at a bridge across a waterfall, which is magnificent, and worth seeing. Just before the water fall is a road to the right which goes up steeply for 30 metres then goes round and up and down for some half hour before coming out at Saxtons Rd which is well cleared and takes you straight back to Tanjil. The whole trip takes about four hours if you stop for lunch. A great walk! You don't need to go all the way to the waterfall. Any distance you want to go will be enjoyable and provide great views.

Tanjil river

Another very pleasant walk is to go down the main road to the Tanjil river. This is a delightful walk along the river and very easy to do. You can spot trout swimming in the pools and occasionaly platypus. By the time you have got to the third bridge, the one on the main road included, it will have taken 45 minutes from Tanjil. This is as far as the best part of waking along the river goes. After the third bridge the track winds it's way gently up hill and after about 10 mins does a u turn to the left. Just a 100 metres further on the left is the only remaining cottage from what was a small township in this area. If you then follow the track another 90 metres it does another u turn to the right. At this point go straight on through a clearing and you will find the remains of an old road going into the bush. Follow this another 90 metres or so and if it's possible, blackberries permitting, go to the right and all through the bush here are the remains of a long ago township. The walk to the cottage from Tanjil will take about 1 hour there and another hour back.

Saxtons Road

Then there is the walk up Saxtons Rd. This will take you through the forest and past some magnificent sweeping views. The road winds its way gently up the mountain through several areas where logging has taken place. If you follow the main part of this road you eventually come to, after about one hours walking, a place where the road virtually turns into a track and becomes quite narrow. At this point a car can go no further [if you have decided to drive here]. Walking now becomes a bit harder but it is still accessible and after only 10 minutes you will find yourself at an old logging town and sawdust pile. Today there is nothing left of the houses and mill. You will find on the ground remnants of habitation like old beds, shoes, pots and pans etc. The view from the top of the sawdust pile down to the river is beautiful. However, snakes live in the sawdust pile and come out to sunbathe when it's hot. We have been there plenty of times and as long as you look out there's no problem. You may also get the occasional leech in the bush so carry a cigarette lighter or salt to get them off, don't pull them off as the bite can then become infected.

Tanjil Bren Village

The walk around the village is also fun and interesting to see all the old houses. Check out the old sawdust pile, the fire escape dugout, the old mill workers cottages down Mill Rd and the dam at the top end of the village.

Mt Baw Baw

In summer or winter going up to Mt Baw Baw and having a walk around the Ski Resort is also interesting and fun for everyone. A really delightful short walk is up to the summit at Mt Baw Baw, then back via the summit trail, takes about an hour. If you are more adventurous then you can walk over to Mt St Gwinear, look at the trail map for details. The views up there are spectacular. Click here for map http://www.skireport.com/australia/mt_baw_baw/trailmap/?id=671

Trial Bike Riding & Four Wheel Driving

There are many great tracks all around Tanjil Bren for both types of recreation. There is only one rule about trail bike riding at Tanjil. Pease don’t ride your trail bike around Tanjil Village. It’s very easy to get straight out of town on one of the many interesting tracks.

Fishing

The local Tanjil River from the bridge upstream offers excellent rainbow and brown trout fishing. Spinning, worm and fly fishing will all produce excellent results if you are good enough. Recently an enormous flood cleared the river of fallen trees and branches leaving lots of pools ideal for fishing. If you want adventure fishing follow the main road back towards Noojee about 1 km from the bridge and go down to the river. It’s a fight to get down there but the fishing is great. Take supplies of food as it takes 6 to 8 hours to walk back upstream to the bridge. This is not fishing for the faint hearted, you will find yourself walking along the edge of sheer drops into the river and climbing here there and every where to make your way back upstream. Good fishing can also be found at the Blue Rock dam, Aberfeldy, Thompson and Tyers rivers about an hours drive from Tanjil. Fresh water crayfish can also be caught in the Christmas Creek and Tyers River an hours drive from Tanjil.

Giant in the Forest

This enormous tree is only 150 metres from Reindeer Lodge behind the dam. Estimated at being 300 years old, this is a wonderful example of our old forest. There are several other "BIG TREES" in the area, just ask Del how to find them.

Steam Winch and Boiler

If you're interested in old logging history or go on an excursion with the kids, go up the Link Road and have a look at the enormous steam winch and boiler. These were used to haul the giant trees out of the bush when cut down around the turn of the century. They are only 50 metres off the road, ask Del where to find them.

This is highly recommended. Great place to stock up on local produce at low prices. They have fruit, vegies, meat, great fruit juice drinks (try the energy one with ginger). This place is like a good old country Supermarket with old time friendly service. You can see the orchards next door.

Lot 1, Princes Highway, Garfield. 03 5629 2520

Open daily 7 days week 8am – 6.30pm. Closed Christmas Day, New Years Day and Good Friday

 

We highly recommend on your way up to Tanjil that you stop at Jindivick. We much prefer coming this way than going on the freeway. It takes 3 minutes less and the road is way more scenic and incredibly beautiful. So whether you come during the day or night it makes for a good place to stop for a break. The view really is amazing, the place is of the highest standard and the owners down right hospitable. Hard to find these sort of places and no they didn't pay me to say this. Be impressed.

This is another great place to stop if you want to be amused by animals with crazy haircuts. These Alpacas are really cool dudes. They are just outside Neerim South on the left hand side. Go check out the shop they have lovely stuff. Lots more detail on their Web site http://www.candalaraine.com/

2035 Main Neerim Road, Neerim South, Victoria Australia ph 03 5628 1718

candal1@optusnet.com.au

Copyright Photo courtesy June Orford juneo@zipworld.com.au

Kids

Well we have a rope swing at Moosehead and a really big one at The Peeping Possum down the hill. Free toboggans when we have snow, just ask for them. Get Dad to take you down to the local river, there are plenty of trout if you're good enough to catch them. Watch out for Platypus, they can be seen if you're lucky. It's also fun if you bring your bike and do a bit of biking around Tanjil. We have a Pool table, Table tennis, Soccer foseball table, DVD's, Chess, Monopoly, Scrabble, a box of toys in Moosehead and Reindeer for rainy days. And guess what? No Playstation, Xbox or Computer. Believe me you won’t need it. Get out there and have some fun. See you soon.

Wonderfull sounds can sometimes be heard at nightfall. Watch out for a Scotsman telling wild stories.
We have a Bush Dance once a year at no given time. More fun than you can poke a stick at.
Watch this web sites front page for details when it happens.

Local Events & Entertainment

Not much happens at Tanjil Bren. Slowgress is the order of the day. The Queen has never been here, and I doubt if any politician has heard of the place. So lets keep it that way. The last Policeman we saw was 23 years ago. There is the Disco Dugout on Saturday nights [not really] and once a year we have this kind of golf competition on the Village green, a bit primitive but interesting and fun, good on you Gary and Peter.