Briggs Bluff/Budjun Budjun

The indigenous name for Briggs Bluff is Budjun budjun

Start: Beehives Falls car park, Roses Gap
Distance: 10km return (old alignment), 12.5km (new alignment)
Time: 3-4 hours return

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Briggs Bluff is located in the northern section of the Grampians National Park.

Some overnight hikers can walk from Halls Gap through to Roses Gap via Briggs Bluff, which is approx 22km / 13.75mi.

We however decided just to do a day hike.  We parked the car at the Beehive Falls car park to start our 10km return hiking adventure.

With our hydration backpacks full of water, snacks (including Amazeballs), and lunch we were set for a challenging hike.

I have been to Beehive’s falls before, but never any further.  I honestly thought there wasn’t going to be water flowing, but surprisingly there was a tiny fall, not much, but it was something.

It was also one of the few places where it was lush green, but then again we are in summer so lush green is hard to come across.

The first time I went to Beehive’s Falls was back in July 2012, we took the kids, and they loved it.  We will go there again (as we have a family photo to do again there), in winter when we will know there will be water flowing.

That’s when I found out about the Briggs bluff walk.  It took another 17 months before that goal/wish/dream was achieved. 

The easy part of the trek was the walk to Beehives Falls, after passing the falls it was all a climbing adventure.

After passing the steep scramble we come to a plateau with splendid views.

What I love about bushwalking is how the scenery and the terrain change.  I find that I never get bored, there is always something different to view and experience, and it’s one of the reasons why I love trail running too.

Once we passed the plateau we climbed back into the Mountains, I was enjoying the view so much that I didn’t even notice that I stepped on a brown snake, which by the way is the 2nd most poisonous snake in the world. Yeah didn’t even notice.  I stepped on its tail, and when Tom told me I was like “What, no way! Sorry snakey”.  Tom was more shocked about it than I was.  I think if I actually saw it, my retelling of this story would be a lot different.

We carried on, and this time I became more aware of snakes.  There were none, most likely that it was a bit too hot.

I was glad that I had worn a long sleeve dry-fit top.  It kept me cool from the heat but kept me warm from the cold wind once we got to the top of the bluff.

Briggs Bluff was named after a squatter Robert Briggs, who was the first overlander in this particular area of the Grampians District.  In 1840, Briggs crossed the Pyrenes and squatted on 80,000 ha that would eventually become the property Ledcourt / Letcurt.

This is where we sat down and enjoyed our lunch with a fabulous view of course.  How amazing is the view!  What’s not to love about the Grampians?  It was so clear from the top that you could see as far as the eye could see, so much so I even spotted smoke from a fire in the distance.

Standing up on top of Briggs Blugg makes you realise how small and insignificant (but who also has a massive impact) we are in the world.

Have you ever visited the Grampians?
When was the last time you went hiking?

Footnotes

1 – The word Ledcourt is a corruption of an Aboriginal word for ‘spear point’.

But let me delve a little bit deeper into this because I think you will enjoy this.

Present Name – Briggs Bluff
Recommended Name – Budjun Budjun
Recommended Pronunciation – Boodjun Boodjun
Meaning – Phlegm

Yes, Phlegm.  As in boogers, as in the snot in your nose.

Right next to Briggs Bluff is Mt. Difficult.  The Aboriginal people called Mt. Difficult, Gar, whose meaning is ‘pointed nose’.

Now, do you remember what was at the beginning of the ‘Briggs Bluff’ walk?  You don’t, well it’s was Beehive falls.  And that is where I’ll let your imagination make up the rest of the story.

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