Last Sunday, ten Ramblers drove out past Mole Creek all the way to the dam at Lake Mackenzie. The skies and clouds threatened rain. When we exited our vehicles warm clothes were essential. The surface of the land gently undulates, most trees are dead, burnt offerings, leaving only cushion plants and native grasses. The bright native called Mountain Rocket is splashed haphazardly, nestled on the ground beside dolerite boulders. Brightly coloured fungi sit beneath grasses and twigs or emerge en masse from dead blackened branches. There are massive, splendid green cushion plants which evaded the fires. At my feet are miniature havens brimming with tiny plants, masses of white flowers in some, red berries in another and all are awash with water.

We walked along a minimal track,  skirting the lake. We entered a boulder field. We carried on to Lake Mackenzie hut. This small cabin was built to replace the original hut swamped by the rising water when the dam was built. There many artefacts including canals and pipes to manage the water now stored in the lake.

The hut is well built. It has a wall dedicated to information about the hut, lake and the high country of the central plateau. There are sturdy timber bunks. There is a loo a short walk away with fabulous views; views of the person using the throne. 

There are some trees that survived the fires, a patch of snow gums and pencil pine within fingertips of another pencil pine burnt down to a skeleton. There are fine views the old shore line, previously sandy lake was one of three adjacent lakes, now combined into one, a crescent of water that arches around the elevation adjacent to the hut.

After lunch we took a shorter route back but this was harder than the tramp in. Thickly congested boulders provided ample opportunity to balance, jump, pivot and so on. 

After we reached the cars, it was only a short drive to the other end of the dam wall. Estelle saw two wedge tails circling high above the dam wall. 

We walked beside a canal then descended steeply beside a huge water pipe to Parsons creek. For much of the descent there were concrete steps. Parsons creek was challenging because of fresh boulders. Jen and Elaine decided they had ample time on boulders and went back to the cars. The rest of us persisted on, the track entered the forest, it took us in just a few minutes to a lookout over parsons falls and the pool beneath. Then a forest scramble until we reached the viewpoint at the bottom of the falls which we could see across the water of the pool.

On our way back, it began to rain. I found my umbrella to be adequate as there was little wind. We decided that visiting Devils Gullet in the rain was not worth the effort so we drove to Earthwater cafe for coffee, tea and cakes.