Wollangambe Crater gets its name from its appearance rather than its origin. On air photos – it is a shallow bowl shaped depression that looks like a crater. It does not appear to be a meteor impact crater, nor of volcanic origin.

View from 994

There are two other so called “craters” in the Wollangambe Wilderness. One is the Bungleboori Crater – an interesting feature in lower Bungleboori Creek about 1 km downstream of the Short Creek junction where the creek cuts a deep gorge around three sides of a rough square shape – and also with the whole square shape being a depression as well. The other crater is “Doyle’s Crater” – a tributary of Nayook Creek, not far from Black Cliff Creek.

Around 1970, a walk to Wollangambe Crater from Mt Wilson was a popular and challenging objective. I know of some parties that tried to get there via a route that involved crossing Clatterteeth and Bell Creek Canyons. Definitely a tricky task! A good summer trip is to walk from Mt Wilson to the Wollangambe River via the tourist track and then cross the river and walk along ridges to the north and drop down to the Crater to camp. The next day would involve going down the Wollangambe River back to Mt Wilson. The first part, for about half way back, is rough going – boulders and scrub. Then follows a nice section of canyon – one of the better parts of Wollangambe Canyon. Lilos are often used for this. The canyon continues right to the Du Faurs Creek junction.

Our route and walk was more straightforward. This was out and back was via an old route. It leaves the road behind Bell Station about 400m west of the station, where the bitumen ends, and where there is a turnoff into private land and a small sign saying Wollangambe Walking Trail. This leads onto a fire trail that runs down to Wollangambe Creek (South Branch), climbs up onto the ridge to the north, close to the 994 spot height pagoda and then down to the larger north branch of Wollangambe Creek. This trail was bulldozed through in about 1980 to control a bushfire. We went out to the 994 pagoda and then followed the “good use” track along quite a complex ridge right to very close to the Crater. (A “good use” track is one formed by the passage of bushwalkers over time rather than a cut and marked track. If bushwalkers stop using the track then it will (rightfully) get overgrown and vanish.) For details of the route see good notes on Tom Brennan’s website here.

At the crossing of the South Branch of the Wollangambe there is a small campsite, good water and a small camp cave. Then it is a short climb up to the ridge and the 994 pagoda. In SUBW, this pagoda is known as “994″ or the “Centre of the Universe”. It offers very extensive views of the Wollangambe Wilderness. On our walk, it was too cold and windy to stop there for long, so we continued on the track until we could find a sheltered spot for lunch.

The ridge walk is very attractive. Two features stand out. The beautiful scribbly gum (Eucalyptus sclerophylla) is ever present and very striking. And the intricate and delicate pagoda rock formations never fail to astonish.

The track makes it easy to walk through some scrubby sections of heath. We did lose the track once, but it is not too hard to pick up again.

The track takes you to a nice campsite right next to the North Branch of the Wollangambe Creek. Another walker was already camped at this sheltered spot, so we crossed the creek and walked the short distance into the Crater to occupy the campsite there. This campsite is on a day bit of land surrounded by a swamp and is quite picturesque but a little exposed. It was cool and a bit breezy, so in the evening we sat close to a big fire.

The next morning, after a lazy start, we went home the same way we had gone in – along the ridge track and fire trail. We arrived back at the cars just as it started raining.

More photos can be viewed here. Su Li’s photos can be viewed here on Picassa.

Parramatta River at Meadowbank

We enjoyed the new section of track early on. This follows a path through mangroves. At one point there is a nice observation platform on a side branch. Then nice cycling to Silverwater Bridge and beyond. It was a surprise to find another new section of cycleway behind factories closer to Parramatta. This saves ridng on boring streets.

Post aboriginal midden - Meadowbank

Ferry

Our way - the cycleway

Then past the University at Parramatta and again on the shared path past the ferry wharf and through to Parramatta Park.

Mangove viewing platform

River feature at Parramatta

Ferry wharf at Parramatta

Buildings - Parramatta

We continued through the park and then past Westmead Hospital on the Parramatta to Windsor Cycleway. Our plan was to branch off along the M7 Cycleway. This short stretch is perhaps the poorest part of the whole ride. The Cycleway should have gone along the T Way. Instead it winds its way along side streets and footpaths and seems to find the slowest changing traffic lights. Its impossible to get into a good cycling rhythm.

M7 Cycleway

Then a chance meeting with another friend at the start of the M7 Cycleway – Big Kev, who was out for an early morning ride too. The M7 Cycleway is cyclists heaven – easy, fast riding. No traffic lights for 40 km if you want to go all the way to the end. We rode to the M4 interchange and a few kilometres past that point and turned off at the Equestrain Centre and climbed up a nice hill festooned with communication towers. At the top is a very pleasant lookout with great views looking towards the city. A good place to stop for lunch.

The city from Moonrise Lookout

Next was a descent to the Orphan Creek – Prospect Cycleway and off to Prospect Reservoir and then along the old aqueduct cycleway to Guildford. More fast enjoyable riding. A path that gradually goes downhill! Again with no traffic lights or crossroads to block the way. Great!

Pipelines and cycleway

At the railway line – we followed the cycleway past Guildford and Merrylands to the M4 near Harris Park.

M4 Cycleway

Urban art

M4 Cycleway

M4 Cycleway

Then along the M4 Cycleway to just past the Duck River. Next was a few kilometres of back streets to get onto the cycleway under Silverwater Bridge – this time we went on the south side of Parramatta River – through Blaxland Riverside Park, past the old Newington Armoury and back to Bicentennial Park at Homebush Bay.

Newington Armoury

Cyclists! A great day for a ride.

Rob was wearing his hard hat.....

Waterbirds - Homebush Bay wetlands

Steps - viewing tower Homebush Bay

Waterbird

Wild rabbit - Homebush Bay

Rob set off for Meadowbank and I set off for home via the Cooks River. The speedo showed close to 125 km by the time I got home.

Trees near the Cooks River Cycleway

Flax - Cooks River

My good friends, John and Chuin Nee invited me to john them for a photographic trip to the Gardens. Chuin Nee’s parents were in town and they joined us (and they were very patient with our photographic pursuits)

These gardens are really beautiful. Well worth a visit. Particularly during Autumn. There was a great display of colour. Not only Autumn leaves – but plenty of flowers were out. Particularly some attractive proteas.

Another highlight was number of carnivorous plants on display. Venus Flytraps, Pitcher Plants, Sundews etc.

There is also a very good Gondwana Garden section there.

After our visit, we enjoyed some nice views at the nearby Walls Lookout. This provides amazing views into the Grose Valley.

We rode up the old road for 13 km to where it meets the electricity access fire trail. This section is excellent riding. After an initial ascent, the road is quite rough – providing entertaining mountain biking. Its is mixture of short technical sections – usually nothing too hard and separated by faster, sweeping level sections. It is great fun.

When we joined the fire trail, we followed along it (it follows the original Old Great North Road formation) past a monastery to Clares Bridge, where we had a snack. Then we returned the same way. A nice day out on the bikes. A total distance of about 35 km.

The weather was quite nice – but the crag was not so good. The area has become a rubbish dump. A huge number of stolen cars have been dumped off the cliffs, there is a lot of other rubbish around – paper and plastic bags, plastic bottles, broken glass bottles…. You get the picture. Its a shame! It is a really great location.

The climbs were mixed. There has not been much traffic and many of the climbs were dirty and dusty making them hard for their grades. Also – a lot of the bolts are now old and look a bit suspect.

On our visit, we could not cross the river, to what may be the best of the three cliffs. We started by bashing around to the base of the cliffs on the West Side Crag. Its easier to get to this cliff via a set of chains, but Martin and myself had forgotten the way. The climbs here start from a dodgy ledge.

After lunch, we headed to the lower Riverside Crag. Martin had been there before, but the track was buried under a huge mass of dense lantana. We eventually found a clear higher way, that led to the gauging station – and we knew the climbs were below.

Despite the rubbish – there was a lot of wildlife around. We saw, what look like a huge eel in the Warragamba River. It must have been 2 m long! And several eagles circled overhead.

Nortons Basin is described in the Sydney Rock Climbing Club Online Guide

More photos on my website here.

There are lots of beautiful trees in Blue Gum Swamp Creek – and as the name says there are a lot of Blue Gums. In this case Eucalyptus Deanei – “Deanes Blue Gum” rather than the Sydney Blue Gum (E Saligna).

The walk is a short loop – about 8kms in length and is popular with locals and mountain bikers. After recent rain – a lot of the walk along the swamp was quite wet underfoot and there were a few leeches around. All the walk is in Blue Mountains National Park.

The Red Rocks is the section of the tops between Mt Dawson and Point Nicholson and then on to Point Anderson. The first part follows the Wolgan/Capertee divide and the second part is a peninsula jutting out into the Capertee Valley.

So a group of us headed out to Newnes and walked up Little Capertee Creek. This is only one of many ways top get to the Red Rocks. At first the route follows a road which goes up to some cabins. This is at a large flat. Here you leave the road and head out for the other side of the flat, passing through high bracken. You need to watch out for nettles and wombat holes. From both sides of this flat are easy passes onto the tops – and a route on one side to Mt Dawson and the other side onto the Wolgan/Capertee divide. Many years ago, on a walk along the divide – we had named the saddle there – “Bottle Saddle” because we had found the remains of quite a few smashed beer bottles right on the high point of the saddle. We carried out the broken glass – in our billies, to stop sharp glass cutting our gear. The base of the bottles had dates on them – they were all from 1939.

Our route was straight up the creek. On the right as you go upstream, there is a faint track. You need to watch out as you go upstream – fallen trees have obscured the track in places. This “track” is actually an old road – in many places you can see benching on the side. Why was there a road here? I’m not sure. I can remember a phone call from bushwalker Pat Harrison years ago (1970′s) saying he had heard of a route for taking cattle from the Wolgan to the Capertee Valley that went up Little Capertee Creek and asking if I knew it or had seen signs of it. On the divide there are no signs of a formed track like this – or at least not remaining anymore. Perhaps this old road was part of that route?

Anyway – about 40 minutes after leaving the flats, we arrived at a side creek and it was a nice place to stop for lunch. Again, from this spot there are several routes to the tops. The shortest is to head straight up the small side creek, and then through a very small canyon to a low saddle on the divide – in the middle of the Red Rocks. Another route is to continue up Little Capertee Creek – although this is rougher walking at first. We went up an intermediate route – onto the ridge between these two creeks. If you look around there is a very faint pad to follow along the ridge, bypassing some giant pagodas. It takes you all the way to the divide. It was disappointing to find some previous visitors had built a few cairns (ducks) to mark the track in places. The Red Rocks is no area for marked routes!

Once on the divide – we arrived at the top of the “Pagoda of Death”. We stopped to admire the views and take photos. This giant pagoda has a nice scrambling route straight down its northern face. Photos make the pagoda look quite steep due to foreshortening.

We camped near Point Nicholson. I was hoping for a good sunset and sunrise – but unfortunately both were disappointing. But we did have nice weather and great views looking out into the Capertee Valley. The stone fastness of Pantoneys Crown, a mesa, was impressive.

On the Sunday morning, Dave had to leave us to get back to some work. He left us and headed down the fast route for Little Capertee Creek while we continued on along the Red Rocks Traverse heading in the Mt Dawson direction. So it was back up the “Pagoda of Death” then along the tops, past many interesting pagodas, cliffs, pinnacles and deep slots.

Visitors to this area need to tread very carefully. The delicate rock formations can be easily broken.

At one point, the best way forward is to go through a natural tunnel that provides a convenient route to a lower level. Another route lies through a narrow slot canyon – an excellent pass through the cliffs at one point.

This allowed us passage into Little Capertee Creek once more and we followed the stream back to where had come up and then back to the car at Newnes.

More photos can be viewed on my website here. Albert has a set of photos here.

We started from Kanangra Walls. This is perhaps my favourite starting point for Blue Breaks trips. You can start from Batsh Camp, Yerranderie or Katoomba but often those routes involve long road bashes. Going from Kanangra involves some very nice walking in  the Kowmung Area before you get to the Blue Breaks and I find that a nice way to start.

So on the Thursday evening we went out to Kanangra Walls and walked the short distance to the Dance Floor Cave where we camped. Up early on Good Friday, we set off across the Kanangra Plateau as the morning mist was lifting.

It was lovely and atmospheric. It would have been nice to spend a few hours photographing – but we could not tarry – we had a long way to go. We had a quick breakfast at the Coal Seam Cave and reached the Kowmung River via the Bullhead Range and Cambage Spire for elevenses.

The Kowmung River was as beautiful as ever. The rapids sparkled in the sun. The river was up a little but not too hard to cross. Then we struggled up through the lower scrubby section of the Bulga Range and reached Bugle Lookout at the top, for lunch.

Then a brisk walk following a very faint pad along Bulga Range to join the Scotts Main Range road and down to Butchers Creek for a drink of water. Then to Byrnes Gap where we filled up our water bottles and bladders from the tank at the nearby hut. The owners were there and we had a friendly chat. Next, was a short but steep climb up Gander Head onto Axehead Mountain. Our proposed campsite, at Toddy Head was still a fair way off – and we walked fast in the late afternoon to arrive there just before dusk. The traverse of Axehead Mountain is always excellent. High level – skyline – magic views that seem to get better the further you traverse. Great walking.

We were a little weary after our exertions, but a small toddy of port worked wonders. Appropriate, as we were camping on Toddy Head! Next morning, I got up early to photograph the sunrise. I was hoping for more valley mist like we had at Kanangra – but there was none that morning.

After breakfast, we set off for more high level traversing – over Bull Island (which I understand from talking to Myles Dunphy years ago, that this name is a corruption of the aboriginal “Bullaren”). Some of the other place names in the area are unofficial and are due to Sydney Uni Rover Crew (SURC) who produced he Gundungura Map and Guide in the 1960′s. Toddy Head lies above the “Grog Shop” – a bend in Butchers Creek (an old local name). After Bull Island lies Vengeance Peninsula with its three peaks – Mt Ruthless, Mt Remorseless and Mt Relentless (all SURC names). Off to the side lies Bull Island Peak (SURC name is Alchemy Mountain) which as a long ridge that joins up with Lacys Tableland. That ridge is amazing! An extreme knife edge. Years ago I gave it the name “The Razorblade”

We had our own thin bit of ridge to negotiate. The first two peaks of Vengeance Peninsula are joined by a very thin isthmus, with high cliffs on either side. To cross it is quite easy but does involve some exposed scrambling. This is a very spectacular place!

Once across, it is easy fast walking to the end of Vengeance Peninsula and then you have the descent to Green Wattle Creek. This is one feature of the Blue Breaks – the cliffs are not too hard – it is often lower down – where there are steep dirt slopes – that are tricky. We had two such places to negotiate. Then it was a scrubby ridge to arrive at the junction of Butchers Shop and Bull Island Creeks – the start of Green Wattle Creek, for lunch. Back in the 1970′s, when I first visited this area – there were large open grassy flats. The large flats are now scrubby, but there are still nice open areas near the creek that make attractive campsites. Moist conditions meant a few leeches however, and that was not all – a few nasty jack jumpers made their presence felt as well while we had lunch.

Next was a climb up Cuff Link Pass. This is an easy way up onto Lacys Tableland directly above our lunch spot. There is an interesting story involving the name for this pass. Back in the late 70′s I was in a party that had pioneered the pass. On the way up, we arrived at a nice boulder and stopped for a rest and a bit of bouldering. One of the party – Ross Bradstock, on top of the rock – rolled down his shirt sleeves and took off his cuff links. Just why he was wearing cuff links on a bushwalking trip is another story. Anyway, he put the gold cuff links down on top of the rock and then completely forgot about them. A few years later, Ross happened to be on another trip in the area, and just happened to descend the pass, and just happened  to spot the same boulder, and just happened to think some bouldering would be nice, and on top – he was surprised to find his old cuff links lying just where he had left them!

Our way up the pass, was probably a bit south of the easiest route. We had to do a little easy scrambling to get through the cliffs. Once on top, the way along Lacys Tableland involves walking “inland” – away from the cliffs. The ridge systems are vague and navigation is tricky. Scrub is not too bad. A small rocky knoll marks the border between Lacys and Bimlow Tablelands. Not far past this – we arrived back at the cliffs and stopped for our second camp. We found plenty of water in a small canyon nearby.

The third day was spent traversing the Bimlow Tableland. The walking is not easy – there are lots of small ups and downs, many small cliffs and lots of thick, prickly scrub. But the views are magnificent and get better as you walk north. It was another full day of walking, and we arrived at a small camp cave in the late afternoon for our third high camp. Water was obtained only a few metres away in rock pools in a creek.

Day 4 was spent descending to Green Wattle Creek and then crossing some scrubby flats to arrive at the base of the ridge to Shoobridge Head. This was another pass, that we had pioneered in the late 1970′s. I had only been up it once and down it once and remember it as being quite loose. It certainly was quite scary! The scrambling was quite easy, but quite exposed in places – and often followed the skyline – the only way to go as massive cliffs dropped off on either side. In one place we passed packs up a small bluff. The rock always looked chossy.

So it was with great relief that we arrived on top, and could again enjoy some fantastic views. The traverse of the this part of Broken Rock Range is quite easy. The scrub not too bad and no tricky cliffs. We passed a lot of nice campsites and some great lookouts. We got water from a small side creek that had a nice camp cave, but we preferred to camp close to the cliffs and views.

Our fifth day was much easier walking. We soon arrived at the south end of Broken Rock Range and then then down the easy pass to the ridge below. As I said above, the tricky bit is below – a place known as the “Cliffs of Dirt”, where you need to be careful as you descend. A nice ridge took us to Butchers Creek, and then we climbed up a generally open ridge to Scotts Main Range for lunch. After lunch, we walked down the road to the Kowmung River, meeting a NPWS ranger (or park worker?) on the way. Our last camp was spent at the junction of Gingra Creek and the last day we walked back to Kanangra Walls via Gingra Range.

Thanks to Rob and martin for their company on the walk. More images can be seen on my website here.

Links -

Blue Breaks Notes

Easter 1973 Blue Breaks Walk

Broken Rock Range Traverse 1973

Bimlow Traverse – 1974

Tonalli Tablelend Traverse – 1974

Blue Breaks Walk – May 1975

Blue Breaks Walk – 1976 – this was the one we pioneered a pass up Shoobridge Head

Blue Breaks Walk – 1979

Blue Breaks Walk – 2001

Blue Breaks Walk – 2005

Blue Breaks Walk – 2010

Blue Breaks Walk – 2011

It is essential that the river level is quite high. We had a river height at Kelpie Point (below White Dog – our exit place) of about 0.35 m according to the BOM website. I think this level would be too low for liloing – too slow for the paddling sections, but it was certainly quite nice for packrafts. You would probably not want it too much lower – you may scrape too much on rocks over the rapids.

The three of us – Rik, Wendy and myself started off from the Dunphy Campground at Carlons Farm and walked via the old Tinpot horse trail to the Coxs River near Flaggi Clear. The trail has recently become quite overgrown and hard to follow along the lower part and it took us longer than we expected to reach the river – about two hours from the carpark.

When we arrived at the river, we had lunch and then inflated the rafts and set off. Rik and myself had nice Alpacka packrafts – which handle very nicely in white water and are not too slow along the still sections that require paddling. Wendy had her cheap ($17) Kmart raft – which went surprisingly well. She was lower down than we were. The Alpackas have an inflatable seat that protects you from rock impacts and also being higher makes paddling easier. Good paddling is essential for control in rapids. The shape of the Alpackas makes them track better as well.

The rafts when deflated fold down quite small and light and are easy to fit inside a pack. Then there are paddles that come in 4 or 5 sections to fit inside and camping gear and food. No room left! That meant that we had to carry our PFD’s on the outside of the packs for the walk in. But once on the water – this all changes. the raft is inflated, the paddle is put together and you wear the PFD. Plenty of room now in the pack and it can be made quite small and tied on the front of the raft.

The river itself was perfect. Plenty of fun rapids and not much in the way of long still sections. It was really one rapid after another with a short section in between to get your breath back. Nothing too technical – it was all grade 1 or 2. Some rapids did require scouting out – early on there are boulders and low overhanging trees to avoid. Some had rapids that took you very close to logs. We did portage one or two. But most could be inspected from the rafts at the top of the rapids and a good line chosen. It was exhilarating fun! The good weather helped too!

Where we entered the river  at Flaggi Clear was an ideal place to start – the end of the open farming country and the start of the wilderness section. Soon the river leaves the granite of the Megalong Valley and enters quartzite country. Beautiful and majestic bluffs  tower overhead. The section down to the junction of Harrys River is great. The section from there down to Breakfast Creek just as good. A nice river with a series of magical rapids. Great fun.

Breakfast Creek was the first place we had considered exiting. But only if the river was too slow. It had only taken is two hours to get there and we had no desire to stop. We carried on through the Merriganowry Gorge. The large rapid just above Merrigal Creek was no problem for the packrafts – we went straight through without pausing. We camped on the side of the river a km or two short of Kanongaroo.

On the Sunday – we carried on downstream, past Kanongaroo, and then through the Gangerang Gorge. It was again good rapid after good rapid. The Alpackas were perfect for this type of river – easy to control and steer through the rapids. Wendy found it harder with her craft – and got caught on a log in one rapid and almost lost her pack. She also got  a few small holes in her floor that had to be repaired with gaffer tape. But overall – her cheap raft held up well.

Once at Kelpie Point – at the water board gauging station and flying fox – it was time to stop for lunch, let the rafts dry out and then pack them in our packs. The hard part of the trip was the walk out – up a big hill (White Dog) and the to Medlow Gap and then more road bashing to Carlons Farm – in all about 15 km.

One unexpected highlight was the amount of wildlife seen from the rafts – we saw fish jump out of the water after insects, a dingo walking along the bank, a couple of feral pigs, a few snakes and plenty of birds – ducks, shags, kingfishers and an eagle.

How much river did we paddle? I would think about 26 km in all.

I think the short video shows the fun of the river better than the still photos -

Photos were a bit limited. The first canyon was quite deep and very dark. A challenging place to take photos. There was a lot more light in the second canyon – but also a lot more water – swims and deep wades, and it was a long canyon and we tended to move fast.

On the trip were Dan, Rik, Su Li, Disco, Rob, myself and John, from USA, who was on a climbing/canyoning holiday.

On trips like this that involve abseiling, scrambling and negotiating tricky parts of canyons, as well as bushwalking, it is essential to go lightweight. It is good to carry lightweight gear – sleeping bags, shelter and packs but also important to know what can be left out and what should be included. The compromise in safety that can be made leaving out an item of equipment can be made up by being able to move safer and faster with a lighter pack.

More photos can be viewed on my website here.