Three Days in the Blue Rocks 10 – 12 June 2017

The June long weekend is always a good time for bushwalking. Usually fine and cool weather which makes it a good time for high camps. However this year the weather forecast was not the best…. rain was forecast for the whole weekend – for most bushwalking areas near Sydney.

Some of us were keen to get away, no matter what the forecast was, so a walk was organised. Well somewhat organised. We had planned the transport and where to meet at the start, but not actually a destination. It was not until Saturday morning, after looking at the latest forecasts and at some maps that we decided to head to the Blue Rocks Area. We could do a nice loop walk around part of the Capertee Valley – and be able to camp in a cave on the first night.

In the party was Martin, Steffy, Wendy, Enmoore, Keith, Michael and Susan, as well as myself.

So we headed out along the firetrail along the Coxs – Wolgan divide and then a little further towards Cape Horn where we parked the cars. We then set out in light rain along the track to McLeans Pass. Despite the gloomy weather, we had great views along the way. From the pass, we continued towards Mt Jamison and stopped for lunch in a very slight overhang which provided shelter from the rain. We walked past the Exploded Pagoda and then turned to the north towards Point Cameron. Along the way, we heard distant voices. It seemed there was another party on the area.

We soon arrived at a swampy area, and headed downstream to some pagodas and a small canyon. At the start of the canyon was a camp cave – adequate in size for all the party. This provided a good refuge from the rain. Later in the afternoon, the other party arrived at the same cave, having taken a much more circuitous  route. Some of the party members were familiar to us. Two of them later joined with our party.

Next morning – the weather was still overcast and gloomy, but the rain had abated. We packed up and left our camp to climb some domes nearby. The highest of these provided excellent views of the rest of our walk.

Just past the domes was Point Cameron. We descended down a steep pass and then followed a mainly open ridge to reach the junction of Crown and Blue Rock Creeks. We stopped for morning tea and some of walked a little way upstream along the fire road to a Pressure Reducing Station.

We then crossed the dry creekbed of Crown Creek. Many of the creeks in this area are typically dry – due to the limestone in the area, water flows underground. The Blue Rocks are an outcrop of limestone nearby that has a few small caves. Climbing up the ridge towards Pantoneys Crown – we passed two other parties of bushwalkers. They both had camped on the Crown the night before.

The ridge is fairly open and provides good walking. One singular feature along the way is a forest of native pines. Their bark is covered in a red lichen or fungus while the ground underneath is completely covered in white coral lichen.

It looked like rain was coming, so we stopped while it was dry on the ridge for lunch. A little later it did rain – but not for long as we soon were able to climb up the northern pass onto Pantoneys Crown.  The Crown has very convenient passes at both the northern and southern ends. The northern pass is technically trickier than the southern pass but the southern one is more exposed.

On top, we found plenty of rock pools, and our decision not to carry up very much water was vindicated. The views were excellent as we traversed south. We passed several campsites and  reached the summit and signed the logbook, and then continued on to a sheltered campsite at the southern end. The weather had been improving and the sun came out as we reached the campsite. Nice!

After a pleasant sunset, we enjoyed a nice fire and then after the last of our port we retired for the night. I got up early the next morning in order to photograph the sunrise. The best vantage point lies a few hundred metres back to the north. It was nice – a sunny morning with a temperature version that had filled the Capertee Valley with mist. The mist stayed around till close to noon.

Back at camp, we packed up and continued on our way. We soon reached the souther pass and descended to below the cliffs and then picked up the saddle and ridge that would take us up to Baal Bone Point.

At the point, we climbed up to a nice sunny ledge for morning tea. Then more nice walking along the tops to Baal Bone Gap. The weather stayed fine and the walking was grand – some easy scrambling and some open forest and some short section of scratchy heath.

Along the way, we passed a rock formation that has a resemblance to a boot – as this always provides a good place for a scramble and a photo or two.

Then the easy descent to Baal Bone Gap, another pressure reducing station and then a fire road bash back to the cars.

This was an excellent three days spent with good company in fantastic scenery. A good way to spend a long weekend.

More photos are online on my website.

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5 Responses to Three Days in the Blue Rocks 10 – 12 June 2017

  1. Simon Tout says:

    Hi David,
    Spectacular shots, as usual. The scenery is just magnificent! The low cloud provided you with some lovely photo opportunities, as did the pagodas and the sweeping vistas from the cliff edges.

  2. Rod Hart says:

    Hi David
    We were one of the parties you passed on the ascent from Crown Creek. We were back out at Blue Rocks this weekend. You may be interested to know if you have not heard that the area between the Lost City Pagodas and Point Cameron is/was under fire! Presumably from an escaped campfire near Point Cameron as the Pondage area has not been burnt. There were 3 national park ground crew fighting the fire + one chopper that water bombed the area almost continually right through Saturday and Sunday until we left.

  3. chriskoz says:

    Hi David,
    I’ve just returned from my first Blue Rocks trip this record hot weekend: 21-24 Sept 2017. I was planning it for many months but Iwas unable to do in winter due to other commitments and thought now was the last chance to do it this year.
    Despite having to carry all my water in unusual heat (but still far more comfortable than SYD record temp) which drained more energy, I was amazed by the beauty of the area.
    I took a train to Lithgow + bicycle as a transport which worked very well.
    I’ve done a bit larger anti-clockwise 3-day loop that you’ve described in 2008: Baal Bone Gap/Point – Pantoneys – BR Creek Caves – back arround Stuart – BR Creek Gap – McLeans Gap. As a guide, I used the GPS plot of your 2008 trip that you published – helped me not to get lost, thank you! Obviously there was no one around in the area, I was there clearly outside of walking season.
    The most important news I want to share from it is: despite the drought there is still surface water flowing in Crown Creek along about 2km east of lower pressure reduction station (where seires of “fords” are marked on the map). I bet my trip on that water because I would not be able to carry for 3 days. So I carried 2.5 litres only through Pantoneys and descended a bit dehydrated. If Crown Creek was completely dry and I couldn’t dive into pressure station I would have to bail out along the trail, very dehydrated. Not wanting to stretch my luck, I decided to carry as much as 5.5 litres for the second part of the trip (in addition to 2 litres cashed with my bicycle) and it was very wise: I used every single drop of that 7.5 litres for drinking only.
    My luck altered the last bit of my route: after crossing McLeans Gap I wandered a bit too far into huge pagodas and onto Mount McLean. By the time I realized my navigation error I just had little energy and no desire to go back to the Gap to find the exit ridge going straight S. But luckily, I found a well formed path that was doing a loop between those huge (more than 50m high) pagodas and down into the valley. I happily took the path thinking if it does not end it must bring me to Bicentennial Trail or Baal Bone Gap at least. And surely, the path hit the Trail about 500m south of camping ground – a very convenient exit for a walker like me confused by so many pagodas. Sticking to my original route & going back to the Gap would require more time and energy and water!
    So can you (or anyone who knows the area) do me a favour and answer the question:
    what is this path from campground to Mount MCLean? I cannot find it on any map but it seems to be well maintained…
    And second question: is there a walkable route between Baal Bone and McLeans Gaps straight through Mount MCLean? It would be desirable for the next trip I’m already planning. I still have to see Point Cameron that I sadly has to miss this time…
    Thanks,
    Chris.

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