Colo explorations: Turner to Tootie and back

A group of us explored yet another stretch of the amazing Colo River recently. 

The Colo is that long, winding, thing that drains much of the Wollemi National Park. Its geography is a little too complex for me, I've come across it from many angles, encountering many of its loopy bits, and been forever confused about what's where exactly. 

Anyway, I'm gradually coming to grips with it. This time we entered via the Bob Turner Track from Upper Colo, and ventured down the left(?) / downstream bank a couple of kilometres as far as the Tootie Creek confluence.

We'd planned to cross the river at the usual crossing point, but found it to be pretty uncrossable. The water was higher and faster flowing than I'd come across before, even this long after the floods of a few weeks back. It drains a big area, this river.

Progress was less arduous than it might have been, thanks to the destruction that had been wrought by the earlier torrents. Nevertheless, one of our members was defeated by the various obstacles, and had to be left for a while and picked up later.

Recovery was at the newly-discovered 'Australian Brewery' pub at Rouse Hill. And this was quite a discovery too.

(3rd photo courtesy Liam H, 4th photo Australian Brewery)

Colo Meroo circuit

 

Every year or three my bushwalking club gets itself around the Colo Meroo circuit in the Wollemi National Park. We assemble at the starting point on the Upper Colo Road. Here we were the other day.

 

 

 

 

Not far from the Rural Fire Brigade station in fact.

It's a somewhat contorted loop that traverses Gospers Ridge and Mailes Ridge, and although I last did it less than three years ago, I found I was still a bit disoriented. It was a bit misty, so we didn't get to see the distant city views, for instance. They were said to be on the other side of the ridge than where I'd expected them to be. It's a very winding river, the Colo, and could defeat the best navigator, I'm sure.

 

 

Here we are, admiring the views down to the river from Mailes Ridge.

 

Back down at river level, near the unexpectedly closed Meroo camping area, is the traditional swimming spot. We were ready for a cooling dip, and there was a fair bit of water in the river, following recent good rains.

 

The boys did a synchronised swimming demonstration.

 

Somehow the girls didn't look all that impressed!

Mystery Mountain & Zobels Gully

The Thursday Surveyors went out to the Newnes area again the other day, for yet another fabulous bushwalking adventure.



We first headed on up to the summit of Mystery Mountain, where we had morning tea and looked down at the Wolgan Valley below. Great views also across large swathes of the Wollemi National Park.

We then retraced our steps part way down again, and strode out along a rather magnificent (and very navigable) ridge, half way up the cliff face.

Up now onto the plateau, via a handy slot, to a very scenic lunch spot.

It's easy walking over the top of the hill through an area burnt out by a fire last year.


















Then it's a long, easy stroll down again, via the rather magnificent Zobels Gully.

Back to the cars via the old Newnes railway route. A hundred years ago they were mining oil shale here. The ruins are nearby of the extensive refining works. The railway used to take the product out to Newnes Junction, 50km to the south, via what's now the Glowworm Tunnel. More here: Wikipedia article . That's all a whole other day out though.


GPS trace courtesy walk leader Harold.

Where's Daniel?

Off to explore Daniels Ridge the other day, in the Wollemi wilderness in the Gardens of Stone area north of Lithgow.

It was named after Edward Daniels, a bushwalker who had pioneered the route and led walks for the National Parks Association. But for us, our trip was inspired by our own Daniel bushwalker, who in the event couldn't make it. He was there in spirit anyway.

As ever the views were excellent, and the remoteness inspiring.






You look down on creeks and canyons (with names like 'Heart Attack').

If we'd started a bit earlier we would have gone on to the northern end of the ridge and attempted the climb down through the cliffs via the heart attack-inducing Daniels Pass.

 Or maybe we wouldn't have.











Maybe next time!

Carry on up the Colo #2

Colo River excursions are almost always big and unpredictable events. Over the years my bushwalking companions and I have been exploring some of the multitude of ways down to it and up again. Sometimes none of us have done the particular route before, and we tend to come across unexpected obstacles, like hard-to-negotiate cliffs, very thick scrub, or running out of daylight. Here's the link to a previous such adventure: http://www.sydneysapiential.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/carry-on-up-colo.html 

Last Sunday's trip was an excellent example of the genre. We  took the Grassy Hill Trail to Canoe Creek and hit the Colo River at a sharp and scenic bend.  Then it was about two kilometres down the river, to an escape route known as Pass 18, followed by a somewhat complex ridge-top return to the cars.

There hasn't been much rainfall of late, so progression down the river works best if you just wade down it. Mostly the sand is firm and makes for easy walking.

But what's this? Quicksand!

Suddenly progress wasn't so easy at all. Fortunately we've all watched 'Mythbusters', so we know we probably won't die. You avoid panicking, and to extract yourself you go onto all fours, and maybe crawl or slither out.

This lady lost her shoe. It stubbornly refused to get found again, and has been retained by the river as a memento of our visit.

This chap went in almost to his waist. He'd foolishly had his pockets full of things that didn't take kindly to getting wet - like his mobile phone.





                         (Photo credit: J Joseph)








By the time we'd climbed out the shadows were lengthening, and we still had many kilometres of unknown ridge-top bushbashing.

Somehow we didn't take too many false leads, and fortunately the maybe-there fire trail was in fact there. It was on an old map but not the new one. So we were able to complete the walk in the darkness.

Yet more Dunns Swamp

More Dunns Swamp