Glenbrook- St Helena Crater-Springwood this weekend

[Grantmac]

Hi all, I am looking at doing the above walk that I got from the Bushwalks in the Sydney Region Vol 1. I was wondering if anyone has done this recently or could give me any incite to the walk with regards to track condition and tricky bits or anything about water and the camping area.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Grant

[kanangra]

No water at the crater. Nearest is down at the creek. Not much room for camping in there any more. All overrun with vines and weeds I'm afraid.

K

[DaveNoble]

I haven't been out to St Helena for quite a few years, but I understand that NPWS have been doing a lot of bush regeneration out there. That is why the fire trail to St Helena from the Oaks Trail was upgraded a few years back. Does anyone know how the bush regeneration is going?

As for water - get some from side creeks that flow out of the bush rather than out of the main creek (Glenbrook Ck) - which could be polluted.

Dave

[kanangra]

By creek I mean Western Ck. the crater drains into this and clean water can be got from there.

K.

[tom_brennan]

My wife walked it earlier in the year and I updated some of the track notes based on her info
http://bushwalkingnsw.com/walk.php?nid=728

[MasonD]

One of my scouts found Tom's walk description, and wants to do this walk in two weeks. Can anyone comment on the condition of the campsites at St Helena Crater and Lost World Lookout? Or would it be preferable to camp creek-side below Martin's Lookout (which if the current hot weather keeps up may be the default option).
We'll be 7 people in three tents.
Thanks

[jonnosan]

I was at St Helena Crater last year, it looked very overgrown with blackberry then. I think the Lost World Lookout would be a little crowded for 3 tents (not much of a clearing there) - that plus absence of water means the best bet is probably down at creek level. If you are feeling a little adventurous, you could look for 'shark head cave' which is a camp cave on the nose of the ridge below Lost World lookout - http://topo.notto.be/#ll=-33.735121,150 ... d%2520Cave - you will know it when you find it.

[JoshT]

I just spent the weekend walking in this area and can give a bit of an update, probably too late for those in the thread, but maybe useful for posterity with the internet being what it is.

St Helena's Crater has been pretty much totally reclaimed by weeds - no open ground anywhere and no sign of recent vehicle access. I assume NPWS has given up the spraying program, and a wet hot summer has seen it grow wild.

Lost World Lookout has quite a bit of room, we had 11 people there, three tents and two tarps, and there was room for a couple more. You can camp at Bunyan too.

There's one nice big camping area next to Glenbrook Creek, near the western track junction to Martins Lookout, lots of room and water (which needs treatment).

Here's the crater.

[GPSGuided]

Waiting for the next bushfire?

[MasonD]

JoshT, thanks for the very valuable update. We definitely won't try for camping in the Crater. We are going this weekend, so with the light rain forecast I may try for Shark Head Cave, thanks jonnosan.