Back to the Upper Grose. My aim was to get more photos of Blue Gum Forest – hopefully with some nice post rain atmosphere. The conditions I had hoped for did not eventuate, but a walk down a section of the Grose River is always good.
I set off from Mt Victoria and walked out to Victoria Falls Lookout and then down to the Falls. Bright sunshine – difficult conditions to get good photos – but some off the cascades below the falls were is shade – so that provided a few photographic possibilities.
Then down the track to Burra Korain Flat on the Grose River, stopping on the way to look at a small area where there was a lot of fungi out.
The Grose River track was not in bad condition after last summer’s floods and it was fast walking downstream. I had lunch at a nice campsite on the ridge between Crayfish Creek and Hat Hill Creek. It is one of many good campsites along the track. The most popular and largest ones are at Burra Korain Flat and Little Blue Gum Forest. As well as my lunch spot – there are other good and established campsites just upstream of the Pierces Pass track junction (one on the track, and also one on a flat near the river) and some downstream towards Little Blue Gum.
On the weekend – no one seemed to be camping at Little Blue Gum Forest, but there were quite a few parties camping at Acacia Flat, where I ended up camping. This is an attractive place not far from Blue Gum Forest.
It is interesting to note the “fuel stove only” signs at Acacia Flat. This is fair enough, it is a popular campsite and wood is scarce and lighting a fire there makes an unsightly fire scar which is difficult to hide when you leave. But, it has been my observation, that quite a few parties ignore the fuel stove only signs and do light a campfire. Perhaps this is understandable. If you look online for National Parks information about Acacia Flat – e.g. here and here, there is no mention of the area being fuel stove only. So, it is likely that many bushwalkers turn up there, not carrying a fuel stove, and once there, it is a bit hard to walk back out of the valley and and get one.
During the evening, a full moon rose – and it was nice to walk back to Blue Gum Forest to see the trees under the moonlight. I tried taking some long exposure photos – but they ended up looking like they were taken on a sunny day!
At dawn – I got up early and ventured back again to the forest. It had been a cold and still night. There was plenty of dew, but no frost and no mist. Photo opportunities were limited.
My walk out was up the track along Govetts Creek to Junction Rock and then up the main track to Evans Lookout.
From there, I walked back to Blackheath via the Clifftop Track and then up the Braeside Track. Braeside Creek has many beautiful cascades. A pleasant way to finish.
More photos on my website here.