For the Australia Day long weekend I went up to historic Newnes camping with a group of family and friends. My goal was to take a few first timers through canyons and explore some of the Newnes region. I arrived early Friday morning before most people had arrived, but Carmen and Mark had arrived the night before, so were kind enough to offer to put up our tent while Jake, Josh, Jamie and I went up and did Firefly canyon. It was at about this time that I realised that I had a flat tyre - which is impressive because the road into Newnes is actually pretty good, so I can’t blame the road.

Anyway, it took us about 8 hours to return from the Canyon, then Jake, Josh and Jamie left for the Central coast again and I spent the remaining sunlight running around trying to make sure my campsite was set up, my tyre was replaced with the spare, and all that sort of stuff. I met our neighbours who ended up very kindly providing me Chicken Madras for dinner (camping in style! - better than the continental pasta instant meals I had brought with me) and we all sat around the fire for much of the night chatting.

The next morning we waited for the next group of our party to arrive, then helped them set up tents etc before I stole Nick, Mark and Carmen and drove all the way back down the Wolgen valley, back to Lithgow, Zig Zag, then all the way along the Newnes Plateau to the car park for Rocky Creek so that we could do Twister Canyon. Twister canyon was over before we knew it, and we were back in the car repeating that long drive back to Newnes.

The problem with the Newnes Plateau and historic Newnes down in the Wolgan Valley is that Newnes actual is a GREAT campsite. Easily my favourite camp site that I have ever stayed at - there is a river with flowing water, open grassy area well maintained, spectacular cliffs all around, great people (everyone was so nice all weekend) and plenty of stuff for kids and families to do (we had kids with us). But there are no easy canyons in the valley. All of the easy canyons are up on the Plateau, which is a 2 hour drive to get to. So either you camp in the family friendly camping ground and have no family friendly canyons, or you camp on the plateau at Barcoo Swamp, Bunglebori Camp ground, or Deep Pass and have family friendly canyons but less family friendly camp sites.

Anyway, back that night and there was a lot of drinking and sitting up around the fire playing Scategories with our neighbours. The next morning I got up at 7am and drove back down to ZigZag with Carmen and Ben to meet Penny (someone I just met through the OzCanyons group). We then drove out to River Caves canyon. That was far shorter than I expected, and I feel really bad that we did such a short canyon with Penny, but I had to keep the canyon relatively easy for Carmen and Ben (Carmen has very limited motion and strength in her arms thanks to rheumatoid arthritis since she was a teenager, and Ben is 10). Nonetheless the short bit of canyon that there was was still pretty spectacular. We were back at the car in a few hours and started the drive back to Zig Zag, then back around to Newnes.

The plan was to then do Glow Worm Tunnel Canyon, and I expected to just walk up from the valley to the Tunnel up on the edge of the Plateau, but someone in our party knew another way around to it via 4wd road. We decided to drive to it, but instead of it being a shortcut, it involved several hours of 4wd driving along Blackfellow Hand Road in two 4wds jam packed full of adults and children (almost 10 bodies per car because we thought it was going to be a short drive!). Anyway, if you are camping at Newnes and want to do the Glow Worm Tunnel, I highly recommend just walking the 5km up the hill from the Wolgan River - it really isn’t that hard and is much nicer than driving around.

Since we had all spent so long in the car, I was keen to walk back down to the valley rather than drive back around, besides one of the 4wds was getting low on petrol and so had to go back into town and couldn’t do that with 9 or so people in it. So most of us walked back down to the valley, meeting up with the road about 8km out from the camp site. Normally if you took this route you would have a car left here, but as we drove around, we didn’t, so the plan was to basically hitch hike. Better than that though, an amazing group of campers did the most incredible thing and went back to their campsite to get the rest of their cars, then come back and pick everyone up and drive us back to the camp ground. Like I said, everyone was just so incredibly nice, helpful and generous all weekend.

Anyway, back at the camp everyone was considerably more subdued this night than the previous night. The next morning we simply ate and slowly packed up the camp site and headed back home.

I really like camping at Newnes, and will definitely be returning. Next time I will have to go with a group of canyoners though, so I can get through all of the grade 3, 4 and 5 canyons in the area.

Shane

See Also:

• Newnes Camping Guidebook Article
• Firefly Canyon Guidebook Article
• Twister Canyon Guidebook Article
• River Caves Canyon Guidebook Article
• Glow Worm Tunnel Guidebook Article
• Firefly Canyon Photos
• Twister Canyon Photos
• River Caves Canyon Photos
• Glow Worm Tunnel Photos

Trip reports from each canyon will follow shortly.

Only a short video clip this week - I took more photos than I did video.

See Also:

• Water Dragon Canyon Trip Report
• Water Dragon Canyon Guidebook Article
• Water Dragon Canyon Photo Gallery

Rob, Jake and I were planning on doing Water Dragon canyon sometime during the week, so when Rowan posted on the OzCanyons Yahoo group asking if anyone was available to canyon on the Wednesday, I offered our trip through Water Dragon because I like to meet new people and a group of 4 is better than a group of 3.

We met at the Mount Wilson fire shed at 9am, chatted and got to know each other while we organised our gear, then headed off down the fire trail to the Wollangambe One exit track. We climbed down to the ‘gambe, walked across the reasonably low water level and up the incredibly steep hill on the other side. It was a stinking hot day, and the climb up the hill really hurt at that temperature. We got to the top and followed the single track path along the ridge which would eventually take you to the start of Whungee-Wheengee if you followed it the whole way. Instead we turned off to the left about half way along it down a pseudo-path which quickly faded into nothing. We basically scrub bashed our way down to the creek, then followed the small creek down into the main creek (which Jake and I managed to head up the wrong direction without even realising it).

Once in the main creek it wasn’t a long walk until we reached the first hand line into a wading pool. We stopped above this for lunch, then climbed down and waded through, not yet bothering to put on wetsuits because the day was so warm and we weren’t actually swimming yet. There was still a bit of walking to go before we reached the first abseil which was down a tricky climb down. We rigged up the rope over a huge dead log and negotiated the tricky start (made tricky by the dead branches sticking out over the edge which tended to wedge the rope).

Once down the bottom of the first abseil, we were really into the canyon. Rowan and I went pretty snap happy and took a whole bunch of photos between us as we approached the second abseil. The second abseil was at the other end of a deep pool, so we finally put our wetsuits on, climbed down the hand line into the pool and swam across to the anchor point - a collection of small sticks wedged into the water flow…not very confidence inspiring stuff as you put your entire body weight over the edge of this most hairy of abseil starts. It is actually one of the most tricky abseil starts I have done because the sticks are at ledge level, so you have to get your waist down below the ledge before your weight is caught by your descender, and the abseil is down a slippery waterfall with nothing to hold onto. You have to lower yourself down off the edge as you would lower yourself off the side of a brick wall, and then somehow transfer yourself to the rope… Well, its hard to look graceful while doing it anyway. And everyone knows that this sport is all about grace.

Once at the bottom there were a whole lot more photos taken in the very dark halls of the underbelly of Water Dragon canyon, some really nice photos coming out of it. Once at this point of the canyon though, there wasn’t much left. We walked for a few minutes through the narrow section until it opened up a bit, then a bit more into a rainforest environment shortly before meeting back up with the Wollangambe.

Just like Geronimo the week before, and Whungee-Wheengee before it, the water of the Wollangambe was a good deal warmer than the water in the narrow slot canyon and you just want to bask in its warmth for a while. We stopped and had a second lunch opposite the exit from Water Dragon before moving on.

Only 100m down the river though, I noticed that my camera wasn’t in my pocket. Very ungood. No one else seemed to have it, so it must have been back where we had lunch. I swam back up stream - it wasn’t there. I swam back and forth two or three times between where I noticed it missing and the lunch spot trying to look down to the bottom to see if I could see it. No luck. I climbed up out of the water onto the edge to see if I could get a better view from there - I couldn’t. It was then that the Canyon Gods decided to smile upon me in a way that they have never smiled down upon someone before. I heard voices upstream. I saw people upstream. I jumped back into the water and swam up to them (I think this confused them a great deal), and asked the most odd question I could think of asking someone in a canyon - “You don’t happen to have a snorkel and set of goggles on you do you?”.

They did. Apparently taking goggles into the Wollangambe is a normal thing to do (I hadn’t thought of it before - but it makes sense to me now). They had two sets and were happy to lend them to us (happy that I didn’t ask them for a first aid kit or Epirb to rescue a dying friend apparently) so I threw one over to Rob and took the other and started swimming. It only took a few minutes to find it with the goggles, and I had to duck dive down to at least 4m depth (causing great pain to my inner ear) in order to pick the camera up. Happily, it still worked! (only rated to 3m)

*very happy*

Anyway, with that little drama sorted out, we proceeded down the canyon to the end, did the usual de-wetsuiting, the usual uphill walking, and eventually got back to the car before it even started to rain (the thunderstorm which hit us on the drive home though, made it almost impossible to see the road!)

A good canyon, an eventful day, and good company.

Shane

See Also:

• Water Dragon Canyon guide notes
• Water Dragon Canyon photo gallery

Just a quick post to say that I will be out of the office (or in my office, depending on how you look at my job description…) for the next few days as I will be camping up at the Newnes Camp ground. Planning on doing at least 3 canyons (probably starlight, firefly, and glowworm tunnel - but nothing for certain yet.). So please excuse my complete lack of new articles, forum posts and guide additions over the next few days - hopefully someone else will make a post or two or edit an article or two while I am gone!

Anyway, when I get back there will be a whole lot more material for me to add, and a whole lot of work for me to do! So enjoy your Australia Day long weekend, and if you happen to be heading up Newnes way this weekend, look out for me and say hi!

Shane

This spectacular walk is a year round activity, but especially beautiful in the spring and summer months.

Four of us Shane, Marc, Benny and I headed out on the 3rd and 4th January 2008 and to a mix of weather conditions and terrains.

Its a 27km trail that can be done from Otford to Bundeena or vice versa, the most popular route is from the north, walking down to the Bundeena ferry under the railway track bypass from Cronulla Station or parking at Gunamatta Bay and walking around to the ferry. The ferry, departs every half hour runs between 8 am to 6.30pm every day. You could also if in a group drop one car off at the exit point at Bundeena and drive to Werrong beach coast walk entry at Otford hill.
or vice versa.

I’ve done it from both directions and i think it’s much of a muchness which way you do it. The beginning and end is the most spectacular part of the walk to me, or maybe its just the excitement.
We started from Otford this time.

The first part of the walk takes in the cliff edge above the Bulga Settlement and further along the nude beach of werrong (yes sometimes it’s nice to take the ‘forks in the road’) Werrong is an easy walk but steep on the way back, so probably better if you’re not at the end of the walk. You are walking in packed sand and acacias and gums with the view of the ocean taking in your whole right side. It remains this way for the first half hour before winding inland to the big gums and descending into what is, for me, the most beautiful part of the walk. Almost rainforest like in appearance with giant trees growing from boulders and crossing small creeks in shade. Down hand hewn steps til ascending again into the palms area. Ancient palms line the track in clumps of green,brown and matting, there are glimpses and small tracks and lookouts to the coast and ocean, it’s fantastic to look out at the many headlands that you will be crossing into as you wander. None of the track is hard, i’d say it’s difficult to get lost, though we did take 2 ‘alterior courses’ we always ended up back on track.

After about 3 hours the track opens up to heather and you wind around and descend into the first of the 2 settlements, Burning Palms, it’s not just beautiful, it’s great for a swim and rest and lunch beneath the rock formations in the middle of the beach. The history of these 2 settlements (Era next along) is beautiful to, in the 30’s the government said if you can carry it and build it yourself you can set up huts in the area, and a few very motivated souls did just that, so there are some eclectic ramshackle and mind blowingly interesting huts on the beach too. Families have handed them through generations until a few years ago when it was stated that when the original owner dies it becomes the property of National Parks again, so some are falling to ruin now. Still it’s a peace of history.

There is another slight climb to the next headland and Era settlement, which is much more contemporary, probably because of its locality to Garie it has easier access.

You have to cross the beach here and again it’s just lovely.

As you come down from the next headland there are spectacular rock pools and rock formations as you wander at the foot of a cliff beside the ocean to Garie Beach. Garie has road access and is a popular surfing beach, it even has a hostel if you’ve decided this is the life for you and you just want to stay! (or it is your 1st chance to say that “this is it! I’ve had enough!” and get on your mobile for someone to come pick you up!)

It’s a long beach walk this one, the longest sand scrubbing of the walk, leading to, just inland the track (which is in the grasses above the clearing) for the steepest climb of the trip.

Here on in it is heather, though most of it reaches head height so there’s a bit of shade i don’t recommend it in the heat of the day. It winds up and down through several small headlands and beaches, along cliff walks and on wire meshed track to protect plants but the expansive views to your left of the rolling scrub and the right of ocean are lovely. There are many aboriginal rock carvings here too, if you have the time to seek them out. it’s another 2hrs to Wattamolla. Here again is road access, the best jump-rock in Australia, snorkelling, and a great bush camp area off to your right on the cliffs edge past all the BBQ and picnic areas for the day trippers. This is where we stayed, along with 3 girls who were also doing the coast walk.

The night was beautiful, a couple of flash storms that the smart ones stayed dry through(Shane and Marc) and the dumb one (me) got drenched in. But the clouds were moving so fast and by the time the sun had set, as spectacularly as it could, the night cleared for the stars and sounds of the national park to take over.

The birds woke us at 7, and we had packed up and set out by 8am. Across the river just up from the jump rock and into the very low heather which is the rest of the walk.

It’s so much easier this bit, the gradients have eased out, but because all of the plants only reach waist height it’s very exposed, for these last 4 hours of walking the views are intense, and even more exciting for me are the rock formations. Each pocket is so very different, there are pristine white rock cliffs which rival Dover. Red, orange and yellow sandstone formations, sponge rocks and because you are on the edge overlooking the ocean some brilliant vertigo inducing moments.

This is also where the 2 most remote beaches are, little Marley and big Marley, in the wind and storms there were a couple brave fisherman out on the rocks, but this was the first time, in the 6 or so times I’d been here, that there were other people. It’s maybe not so beautiful as the beaches further south, but it’s a special place to me because of the remoteness.

Blisters and sunburn accompanied us this last bit, but it was just too nice to care, and all of a sudden, we were on the old fire trail which led down to Bundeena and the beaches. It’s still a couple of kilometres down to the ferry and we stopped at the cafes for a bite to eat, the sun now shining at our accomplishment before we took the ferry back across. It was choppy and a perfect relaxing finish to cross to Cronulla. Blessed we were, that our trains met up to take us back to Otford (Cronulla and Otford are on different lines) And Shane the angel, saved us the last very steep walk up to the car to bring it to us down at the station.

It was a great 2 days, fantastic company, and after it’s over, you just want to do it again.

Carmen Major

See Also:

• Royal National Park Coast Walk Photo Gallery
• Coast Walk Guide Article