Mt Barney - Barrabool Ridge

This is an overnight hike ascending West peak via Barrabool Ridge. We decided to get the hell out of dodge Friday after work and walk in to Barney Gorge camp to get an extra night in the bush. However, the ascent could easily be done in one day. From Barney Gorge camp, an hour of rock hopping up Barney Creek gets you to the junction of Barrabool Creek for a nice break with a great swimming hole. A short walk up Barrabool creek and at the next creek junction indicates the start of the ridge between the two creeks. If you are lucky you'll find a faint foot pad with light off track scrub. There is a few cliff breaks with easy scrambling and a tad of exposure. Barrabool Peak consists of three rocky outcrops and the camp is in the valley between the western peaks. There is great views from the camp site in either direction for sunrise and sunset. Water can be found to the south through steep scrub. All the lower creeks were flowing well including Rocky creek on the walk in from Lower Portal car park. However, we still had to hike down 15min to get a trickle of water. I would not risk expecting water after a long spell without rain. The hike down to the Barrabool West peak saddle and up to West peak is through thick wooded scrub with slow going. However, the final ascent of west peak is on nice rock with moderate scrambling. Our descent was via Midget Ridge and I think I'm getting dementia because I remember now saying I will never do it again the last time. This ridge is a scrub bash the whole way which never lets up, make sure you have long pants long sleeves and gators. At the bottom we deviated back to the start of the ridge and a chilly winter swim before a long hike back to the cars