Phantom Lake – March 11/12

Mansfield Country Resort used to be called Lake Eildon Country Club. We suspect the name change became necessary after the lake dried-up! Originally the owner operated a houseboat rental & caravan camp on the shoreline of Lake Eildon. In the 70’s, after witnessing the success of timeshare in North America he built 50 lakeside cottages under shared ownership. He built jetties, a floating marina, boating-related facilities; 2-story lodge housing common areas, bar, kitchen, squash court, gym, library, sauna, swimming pool, etc. not to mention the corresponding lighting & security systems. One can imagine this was a popular weekend & vacation destination. But, that was before the decades-long drought and the disappearance of “The Lake”.
Today as we walked the dry lakebed the remains of boat docks, buoys & petrol-pump ‘floating’ stations are abandoned high & dry along the foreshore. Evidence of the many failed attempts to follow the ever-decreasing water level as the lake gradually evaporated! The formerly waterfront cottages are now landlocked about one kilometre from the nearest moisture; a small boggy weir running along the former lake bottom. A sign posted nearby warns: “No Skiing from Shore in Club Area, No wash inside marked areas, Beware of Swimmers” reminding them of days of water; or is it hope for a wetter future!
The trees which relied on moisture from the lake are dead, creating a desolate landscape. We were reminded of Harry Potter’s enchanted forest as we expected the limbs of these tree skeletons to spring hands! The floating marina sits on a desert, an eerie sight. Looking across the valley one can see the progressive levels of “lakeshore” over the years. The resort itself is worn, in a time warp. The managers are hopeful, welcoming those who grace the resort. No doubt the original purchasers are disgruntled & new investors aren’t anxious to buy into this ecological disaster; a poster child for global warming.
The 170mm rainfall in this part of Australia over the past week made international news, creating amazing flooding situations. In 2009 only 7mm of rain fell in the entire year. You can imagine why 170 mm would create floods, if you have ever over-watered a very dry houseplant! On a positive note, already the grass is greener; the trees have sprung to attention and no limbs have dropped from the Stringybark trees! Signs of hope for sure, but with the drought so advanced it will take a lot more rain to restore this area to the 1970s lakeside resort.
From drought to forest fires; today’s blog is about local realities! Last February a flash forest fire hit this region at night, killing 125 people. Even though the fire was 30-40KMs from the resort, the smoke was so thick one could not see from one cottage to the next. Thursday morning, March 11th we drove the valley road to check its condition for our airport trip tomorrow. We stopped at Alexandra, a lovely town surrounded by 380-490 metre mountains. We ate lunch at “MIA MIA Tea Rooms” in the town centre. Elsa & I shopped at Alex’s Giftware & Woollens. Elsa bought a dessert cookbook and we gained firsthand knowledge on living conditions when the surrounding hills are in flames!
We drove a little further into the valley to Marysville where most of the 125 died. It is ying/yang; while the devastation is evident everywhere, there are signs of re-growth! The tree trunks are blackened while a few branches are lush with new greenery. The prefab housing parks have clothes on the lines & kids’ toys on the lawns. New homes are in various stages of completion. Some have temporary corrugated metal roofs. Building lots have been cleared with work-in-progress evident while others are “For Sale” with prices advertised as “POA”. We were dumbfounded to see entire hillsides burnt with only charred tree trunks remaining; then a few rows of trees in full health! We took no pictures but the images will not soon be forgotten!
As we drove to Melbourne Airport we saw barren hillsides, some in various stages of reforestation, trickling brooks and dried-up riverbeds. Folks live with the constant need for fire prevention and water conservation. We leave this area after 4 days and 1274 KMs. We have checked OZ wildlife in its native habitat off our list & have a greater awareness of our environment. We made the right decision coming to Mansfield.