After visiting Hole in the Wall Canyon the day before, Dan was keen to visit Bowens Creek – South Branch on the Sunday. I had visited this canyon, not that long before, so suggested we enter it part way down via a small tributary canyon from the south. This small canyon is probably the most popular entry point to the south branch, but it had been many years since I had gone in that way. My memories of that canyon was that it was nothing special and I had tended to avoid it as it takes you in too low into the south branch. This time, it was quite nice – with high water after the thunderstorms the afternoon before.
The party was the same as the day before – Dan Lauren, Sharon, Gabriel, Bridget, Wendy and Dave.
We, left a car at the climbers carpark on the Bell Road at Range Hill, and parked the other cars at Pierces Pass carpark. We walked along the Bell Road o the top of a small rise and set off through thick scrub along a ridge to the north. We followed a good track all the way to the small side creek. Then we followed the creek downstream to where it forms a canyon. It is interesting that just above the first drop is a levelled off bank that had previously been used for “agricultural purposes” many years earlier. Similar signs of plantations can be seen in the main creek just below our entry point.
We used a handline to descend the first short drop, then abseiled three drops to reach Bowens Creek South Branch at a nice section of canyon.
After exploring upstream a bit, we continued down Bowens Creek to reach some large flats where the creek winds through. We stopped here for lunch. This is a place where I have often stopped for lunch. And on those trip, we had started off much higher in the South Branch. So – this way into the creek takes just as long and misses much of the canyon sections. It does save some scrub bashing which is required to enter higher up, but it means you do have to carry a rope.
After lunch, we continued on to the next constriction. This one is perhaps the deepest, darkest and longest in the canyon. It features 4 “technical sections” that need care to negotiate. The first one is scrambling down through boulders to avoid an abseil. This is easy if you find the right way. The next technical bit used to be a ricky drop down onto a sandbank. This has now changed. Part of the creek has opened up -and it is an easy walk/scramble under a boulder and then a long swim (previously a wade). The next technical bit is a descent down a log (which can be scrambled around on ledges to the right). This is the same as it has been. But, below it, the last tricky bit was a jump off a ledge onto a sandbank has now changed. The sandbank has now gone and the jump is much higher, but a jammed log makes it easy to climb down at the head of the pool.
This constriction continues as a high standard canyon to the junction with Range Creek. This side creek, known as Hobnail Canyon, since it was pioneered by members of the Hobnail Club (a former Sydney based YMCA club) back in the late 60’s. It is the only knowledge I have of the history of canyoning in the Bowens Creek system.
We kept on going down the creek to the exit point, about 15 minutes below. There we climbed out to the climbing area, and then up the track to the Range Hill Firetrail and back to the car.
On the way home, we stopped for refreshments and pizza at the Archibald Hotel at Kurrajong Heights.
More photos from the trip can be found on my website here.