Bundanoon to Kangaroo Valley

[mirv62]

Has anyone found an interesting route from Bundanoon to Kangaroo Valley, crossing Bundanoon Creek and ending at Griffiths firetrail or out via the track in the gap near Mount Carrialoo . Thanks MIchael

[gandolph]

I can probably help you. But it would need to be talked over on the phone with the Bundanoon topi map in front of us. Much too complex to discuss on line. Hope to hear from you John 4268 2368

[clarence]

There was a recent thread on the descent of Bundanoon Creek which may be of interest, with a trip report at some stage.

There are a few passes in and out of Bundanoon Creek. I'm sure Gandolph will give you more than enough info to get you going.

Clarence

[Benja]

Hi there, I am also interested in doing a walk from Bundanoon to mt Carrialoo and would like to know of any recommendations for crossing the Bundanoon gorge and the best route to the Merlya Pass... Would crossing the Sandy creek gorge be advisable?

[clarence]

As you haven't had any replies to date I will pull out my maps and have a look.

Beautiful country, but can be very slow going in places.

Clarence

[Benja]

Thanks Clarence.
Much appreciated. I have been wanting to walk the area ever since I saw it, but don't want to get bogged down on the first step...

[clarence]

Hi Benja

I have searched high and low and cannot find my old copy of the Bundanoon map with all the notes from previous trips.

I have never done exactly the trip you propose, but I've done various off track trips in the area generally.

A lot of the country is very rugged, and vegetation can be thick in the creeks (that being said Yarrunga Creek has some exceptionally clear walking).

The other thing is that some of the creeks can canyon out into proper slot canyons which are impassable without rope. This is not the majority, but be aware of this before you commit to descending a given creek line. I would suggest this is probably some of the most challenging country for off track walking in the greater Sydney region (on par with anything in Blue Mtns, Wollemi, Ettrema, Budawangs etc).

The easiest way in is via one of he tourist tracks from Bundanoon. From there it would take a solid day and a bit to get down to the lake.

I have been up onto Sandy Creek fire trail from the west (probably the creek joining Bundanoon Creek at 528577) and also the south (probably creek intersecting at 504535).

Sandy Creek is very slow going in the upper reaches. The pass we used to the east was up a creek (probably 570571).

There is a pass on the NW corner of Carrialoo (655566 approx) which we descended. From memory we had a handline, but didn't need abseiling gear. Beautiful rock formations and forest on the spur below it too.

I cannot be any more specific with out my annotated map.

Depending on the route you take it could easily take 4-5 days to cover that country. All things going well with routefinding, pace, scrub etc, it would be 3 days at a minimum. Remember you are travelling across the major drainage patterns of the landscape. It would be a great walk, but do not underestimate the terrain. If you cover 7km per day you will be doing well.

I would seriously consider making a shorter reconnaissance trip (2-3 days) in the area before committing to Bundanoon to Carrialoo.

Clarence

[Benja]

Hi Clarence,

Once again, thanks for all the time and effort you have put into this conversation, it's been very helpful and much appreciated.

I have noted that walking in this area can be quite arduous and slow going, especially in the creek gorges, both from your posts and others i have read on the area. Having done some walks in the Budawangs, i understand that the trade off for being in areas of natural beauty such as these is a bit of effort.

Since my first post, i had decided that it would be too ambitious to attempt to cross the Sandy Creek gorge and was intending for us to make our crossing of the Bundanoon gorge as direct as possible, avoiding tracking the creek for any great distance as this sounds like very slow going. I am hopeful that your suggested crossing points will help with this. From there we would use the fire trails on the Merlya plateau as much as possible to get us to the Merlya junction and the trail into the Yarrunga creek gorge.

I agree that a shorter "scouting" walk is advisable, and may aim to exit directly to Jacks Corner Rd from via the Griffin fire trail than attempt to include Mt Carrialoo in an initial outing. I have some info on walking in this area from the book Fitzroy Falls and Beyond.

Thanks for the advice, it will be most useful. I am looking forward to enjoying some of this beautiful landscape!

Benja

[clarence]

Hi Benja

There are a lot of options for walks in this area, but unlike the Budawangs, Blue Mtns, there are very few recognised walking tracks or negotiable routes that go into the wilderness parts of it. (Lots around the edges and perimeter).

What this means is walking is completely off track OR on fire trails.

Some of the best off track walking is up Yarrunga Creek from the fire trail off Jacks Corner Road upstream to Fitzroy Falls. Only problem is the Fitzroy Falls end has only one way out through the cliffs, and it is very difficult to find without some detailed information. I have tried to find alternative ways in, and they do not really exist (ie abseil in with a 50m rope only). Although Yarrunga Creek is only a few kms from the roads/farms etc, it is very much a wilderness like area.

The other option, which is still a bit slow, but less of an unknown, is to enter Bundanoon Creek via the tourist tracks then head down to the lake and then lilo along to Yarrunga Creek.

As an aside, I read an article many years ago where a cyclist did a trip from Tallong to Nowra, and went out along Caoura Ridge, descended to Lake Yarrunga, then took his gear across the lake on a lilo and continued out to Kangaroo Valley. Lilos (or packrafts I assume) open up a huge range of possibilities in these situations.

Clarence

[clarence]

Here is a picture of a little known canyon on one of the tributaries of Bundanoon Creek, just for a bit of interest.

Clarence~