Walk into Burrungubuggee Hut Site track

[Chris-Toms Outdoors]

Hi,
Anyone else been into the the Burrungubuggee Hut Site recently? We went in over the long weekend and found the track into the hut site from Gunglarlin powerline trail fairly overgrown. We attempted the route from Constances Hut to Tin Hut as described by Robert Green in his book. We never made it to Tin Hut due to time spent bashing through scrub. That said we had an enjoyable bush camp and spectacular weather.
Has anyone else attempted this route recently? I don't know if I made a navigation mistake (entirely possible) but I mostly found this whole route very thick with regrowth.
Cheers
Chris

[LachlanB]

I suppose I owe you a thank you!
I was in a CBC party which tried something similar on the long weekend, but for us it seemed that the track into the Burrungubugge Hut site got enough use to make our way along it pretty well.

Did you actually follow the route in Green's book? We used two of the ridges further north from Green's route to get up to the tops. Both were quite scrubby in spots.
The party I was in also didn't make it to Tin Hut due to the scrub on the tops. Be curious to hear more about your trip!

[Chris-Toms Outdoors]

Hi,
All things considered the track into Burrungubugee was good to follow just found it a bit wet (on the way back in the morning), I found if I just slid my feet forward following the trod we made good time. We attempted to follow the route in Green's book via gps. We followed it for the first half out of the valley, and then just picked our way up that ridge because they're didn't seem to be a clear route. We tried to follow as close as possible. On the way back down we used the first ridge further north of greens route and just came straight down. We went up on the sunday and came back down on the monday. The decent was good fun, and we had a late breakfast by the river. I would do it all again but i'm was disappointed not to have made it to Tin, we didn't leave our car till 11am so it was partially our own fault, we drove around from Tumut in the morning. I had the shop closed for both the sunday and monday so decided to get away for the two days without having to be in the store.

[RVG]

HI Chris

John Evans, Max Smith and a party recently went into Kidmans from Snowy Plains and then up on to the Divide. They returned to Kidmans and then went down the Burrungubuggee to Constance Hut site and from there to the Island Bend Fire Trail.

Their conclusion, with which I agree, is that the section of the Burrrungubuggee between Constances and Kidmans is best left alone. The lower section, from the Island Bend Fire Trail to Constances is OK but scrubby. The route itself is still quite obvious.

If going from Constances to Tin Hut it pays to stick closely to the co-ordinates given in the book. The lower section from Constances along the route of the old road up to the ridge is scrubby but once one gets up onto the ridge, from there to Tin Hut, following the GPS co-ordinates, is good.

One of the premises in the book is that the old graziers had the opportunity to see the area when it had been cleared by grazing and as a result chose the best routes. So, if they chose, a particular ridge they did so for a reason and we should go the same way today. That was certainly the case after the fires and I haven't seen any reason to doubt that point.

There is a very good route between Tin Hut and Kidmans, but it does pay to go up or down a precise ridge rather than a nearby one. Hopefully now that the area has been recorded and, in that sense, has been re-opened for walking , a track might be formed which will help future walkers.

John Evans route through nearby country is written up in his blog


http://www.johnevans.id.au/wp/8-10-febr ... ing-range/

Robert

[LachlanB]

Hi Robert,
The group I was with ran into a lone walker at Constance Hut site. He'd tried to go up the Burrungubugge to Kidmans Hut, and looked like he'd had a horrible time. ): Doesn't sound like a pleasant patch of scrub at all...

Exactly what route would you suggest to Tin Hut? A lot of Mt Porcupine and its associated ridge seems to be covered in nasty knee-high regrowth.

Also, is there really much point following the old track up from Burrungubugge Ck onto the tops? From what you're saying, it sounds like the climb is just as scrubby as the rest of the nearby ridges? Plus, you have loop a few extra km south through that scrub.

[north-north-west]

Between Porcupine and Tin it's pretty open and so is the Porcupine's ridgeline - or it was when I was up there and there's no real reason for it to have changed in the few years since. Didn't have much trouble on the other side but I didn't go very far down.

[Greg Buckman]

Could I ask Robert what the 'very good route between Tin Hut and Kidman' is? Is it basically following the top of the Brassy Mtns to near Burrungubugge Creek?

Also, does anyone know which is the better (easier to drive) access to the Gungarlin River east of Kidman's Hut? Is it the Island Bend Fire Trail or the one north of it that goes into the Teddys Creek area? People talk about a campsite on the Gungarlin River but I'm not sure which trail they are talking about.

A really interesting post, all this, thanks for all your tips.

Greg

[RVG]

Hi all

I'll deal with the questions which have been raised. Mostly they are answered in the book so the precise routes, GPS positions and old maps are set out in detail there.

Route to Tin Hut from Constances.

The old route is scrubby in its lower sections near the ruins of Reids Hut, but once one is about 1.5 to 2km past Reids Hut the old road to the top of the ridge can be followed without difficulty. Once one is at the top of the ridge the route from there past the Porcupine Ridge to Tin Hut is not difficult, so I would say that it definitely makes sense to follow the old road even though it heads to the south before swinging round to the north when it reaches the ridge.

Route from Tin Hut to Kidmans

There are several ways to go.

It is straightforward to go north along the Brassys until one reaches an old strainer post. That strainer post, now lying on the ground, marks the point where one heads downhill east to one particular ridge, just south of the Burrungubuggee River, which takes one down towards Kidmans.

But there is an alternative route which goes directly between Kidmans and Tin Hut. The precise GPS co-ordinates are given in the book, but it essentially follows an old bridle track which went directly from Kidmans to Tin Hut. The bridle track was the route by which materials were taken to build Tin Hut in 1926.

From Tin Hut go east to the saddle at the top of Dead Horse Creek and follow Dead Horse Creek downstream until you reach Brumby Bend (details in the book). From Brumby Bend one needs to follow the GPS co-ordinates closely, through to a ridge above the Burrungubuggee River. Then go down that specific ridge (more or less following the old bridle trail) but sticking closely to the GPS co-ordinates. That brings you down to the Burrungubuggee River close to Kidmans. It is a good route and a lot shorter than the one along the top of the Brassys. Mostly, it is lovely open high country which has probably only seen a handful of visitors in the past 25 years.

In fact, a good circular walk is to go from Munyang Power Station up to Schlink Pass, Gungartan, then to Tin Hut. From Tin Hut one can do a loop down to Kidmans via Dead Horse Creek, then back up to the Brassys and Tin Hut, returning to Munyang the way you came. Highly recommended, but one needs to use a GPS and follow it precisely.

Access to Kidmans

Do not go to Kidmans via the Burrungubuggee River. It is overgrown and scrubby.

Use either the access from the NPWS campsite (near Daveys Hut) beside the Gungarlin River which is accessed through Nimmo Hill and the Island Bend Fire Trail or as an alternative use the access from the Snowy Plains Fire Trail on the northern crossing of the Gungarlin River. Both of those routes join at the junction of Teddys Creek and Collins Creek, from which one goes past Mill Flat, up to Little Brassy Gap, then downhill to Kidmans. If that is dutch, refer to the maps in the book.

I hope that clears up some loose ends.

This is a great area to walk. The walking is not physically demanding. The real skills are in navigating trackless country and a GPS is an enormous help. In time, some of these old tracks might be walked in again. I hope so, because it would be a real shame to lose them.

Robert

[RVG]

Hi all

Just to make one point clear. Between Tin Hut and Kidmans, one of the two recommended routes involves following Dead Horse Creek down to Brumby Bend, before leaving the river and heading to a specific ridge near Kidmans.

But if you follow Dead Horse Creek down as far as the ruins of Alpine Hut, do not, under any circumstances, try to keep following Dead Horse Creek any further downstream. Either return to the recommended direct route between Tin Hut and Kidmans or go to Kidmans via the old route from Alpine Hut. Details in the book.

Robert

[RVG]

HI Greg

I might not have answered your question fully.

If one is going only to Kidmans, I would take the turn off to the right at the top of Nimmo Hill, go down to the Gungarlin River and continue along the Snowy Plains Fire Trail. Park at the recommended spot on the road reserve. From there follow the recommended route across grazing land and then into the National Park and on to the junction of Teddys Creek and Collins Creek. (It is rocky going up Nimmo Hill but from the top of the hill the road is quite okay.)

If one also wants to see the Daveys Hut, Rabbit Hut, Diggers Creek area and use a very good campsite beside the river, then, at the top of Nimmo Hill, continue under the power lines down the Island Bend Fire Trail until you come to the NPWS campsite beside the river. It is frequently used by fishermen and campers, and there is a large, pleasant campsite, with toilet, beside the river. From here to Kidmans the route is to go past Daveys Hut and then upstream along the valley of Teddys Creek until you reach the ford at the junction of Teddys Creek and Collins Creek.

From the junction, using either route, continue to Mill Flat, Little Brassy Gap and down to Kidmans.

The route via the NPWS campsite would take about an hour longer as there are 4 gates along the Island Bend Fire Trail and the distance from the campsite to the ford is a little longer too.

For a weekend trip to Kidmans, just go in via the Snowy Plains Fire Trail.

[Greg Buckman]

Thanks, Robert, you've been heaps of help, I didn't realise you were the author of the Jagungal book (which I read in conjunction with your posts).

Yes, I was after a quick way into Kidmans and didn't think my low clearance car could cope with the Island Bend Fire Trail.

I assume there are no issues with crossing the private land south of the Snowy Plains Fire Trail then?

Again, thanks,

Greg

[Greg Buckman]

Hi Robert,

Would you mind if I asked one last question?

I want to walk between Cesjacks and Tarn Bluff, to do so I was thinking of waking up to McAllister Saddle, then across the Geehi River below the forks, then along the ridge that comes down from Jagungal, across the Geehi River (again), then up to Bluff Tarn. Does that sound like a feasible route or is there thick scrub or swampy patches in the way?

Again, heaps of thanks for all your help.

Greg

[RVG]

HI Greg

I assume that you are driving along the Snowy Plains Fire Trail to the National Park boundary. The last property before the boundary has recently put a Private Property sign near their gate. Do not be put off by that sign. Read it as meaning "Stay in your car. Stick to the road."

When there has been snow or during the winter, they sometimes put a chain across the road higher up. If that happens I take the view that they have acted reasonably and am happy to leave the car at that point, which is not all that far from the boundary anyway.

From Cesjacks take either the Bulls Peaks Fire Trail (co-ordinates in the book) or go up along the true left bank of Doubtful Creek to McAlister Saddle. The route you have suggested is through the high, open, plains of the Jagungal Wilderness and is not affected by scrub.

You could do a loop going to Tarn Bluff via the Geehi Forks and return by way of Mailbox Hill and the Bulls Peaks Fire Trail (check the GPS co-ordinates).

Tarn Bluff is not shown on the latest Jagungal map. I assume that you know where it is. The location is in the book but if you need it just let me know.

Robert

[RVG]

Hi Greg

As far as the "the car with a low clearance question" is concerned, I recently went in there with two lots of Leaders from ACT Scouts and Venturers who had cars of different types.

1. Nimmo Hill is rocky but any sort of car except something very low would get up there if things were taken slowly.

2. The Island Bend Fire Trail needs more clearance but any form of soft roader is fine as would be a car with GOOD clearance, especially a rear wheel drive.

3. If you are going to Kidmans via the the Snowy Plains Fire Trail, once you get past Nimmo Hill the road is quite okay, except that if heavy rain is expected I'd be tempted to leave the car near the stockyards about 1.5 km past the top of Nimmo Hill. From the stockyards down to the Gungarlin R there is a reasonably steep slope down to the river which is on soil which gets slippery when it is wet. Any form of 4WD is okay. Leaving the car there would add about 2.5 km to the trip into Kidmans, so it's not a big deal anyway.

Robert

[Greg Buckman]

Can't thank you enough, Robert, you've been very generous with your advice. Love your book.

Greg

[jobell]

This thread just answered my question nicely about access along the Burrungubuggee. A friend and I are walking into Kidmans on Tuesday this week from the Gungarlin River Camping area, and it now seems we won't be trying to walk out by following the Burrungubuggee, especially given it's my friends very first overnight walk. Thanks for the intel!

[RVG]

Hi Jobell

From the NPWS campsite on the Gungarlin the best route to Kidmans is via Teddys Creek, turning off just past the ford at its junction with Collins Creek. The first half of the route is shown on the Jagungal map.

Return the same way.

Are you just going to Kidmans and back or are you going past Kidmans?

Robert

[jobell]

Hi Robert,

We just went into Kidmans and back out via Teddy's Creek firetrail. Your book served me very nicely in planning the walk, thank you!

Joanne

[Kletterer]

Did the walk from Kidmans to Constances last weekend. Quite a lot of tough going but worth it imo. Used John Evans waypoints as a rough guide but followed my nose quite a lot.A few bits of old animal tracks and lots of decission making re which way to navigate through the worst scrub. Dont cross the river. stay on the Eastern bank. 6.5 km, 5 hours 17 minutes.A challenge well worth doing.