Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage Walk

NSW & ACT specific bushwalking discussion.
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NSW & ACT specific bushwalking discussion. Please avoid publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks.

Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage Walk

Postby Naturejourney » Wed 12 Jul, 2017 4:57 pm

Just thought I'd share my experience of my recent walk on The Gibraltar Washpool World Heritage Walk.

July 3rd to 6th 2017.
Very easily accessed via Gwydir Hwy. I arrived at Mulligans Hut and camped out there one night.
I had originally planned to take 4 days to do this walk anti clockwise. I chose this walk as it was close by, accessible and I didn't have to book in advance. The walk is 45km long.

Day 1
Mulligans hut to Boundary Falls Camp Ground 18km plus side track up to Dandahra crags (600mreturn)

Day 2
Boundary Falls Camp Ground to Grassy Creek Camping area 10km (option to walk side track to Duffer Falls 7km return) The Haystack is also another landmark that looked wel worth visiting though there is no marked path so you would need to bush bash to get there.''

Day 3
Grassy Creek Camping Area to Coombadjha Camping Area 8.9km plus 8.5 km Washpool loop walk
As it was so cold and I was fed up of walking only fire trail I decided not to do the Washpool loop walk and joined day 3 and 4 together making it a 3 day hike. The big up hill from Coombadjha is all walking up a National Parks dirt road to the Gwydir Hwy and then continues heading up a service trail after crossing the main rd.

Day 4
Coombadjha Camping area to Mulligans Hut 9.5km


The days were sunny and warm. The nights were fresh and chilly. I used a minus 4 down sleeping bag, a silk liner and woollen thermals and slept on a sea to summit insulated inflatable mattress. I was still cold. At Grassy Creek there had been a frost over night. At both Boundary falls and grassy creek the sun didnt pop over the hills until around 8am so it was cold packing all the gear away. Stupidly I did not pack cloves.

All in all a stunning landscape which could have a gorgeous donkey track/walking track leading walkers through. Instead unfortunately I walked 99.9% service/fire trails which had been freshly bulldozed/"maintained." Very un-beautiful.

I did love how part of the trail connects up with the BNT (Bicentennial National Trail) between Boundary Falls and Grassy Creek. I still think we could have a track on the east coast which links existing trails and creates new paths for walkers only. A bit like the Bibbulmun Track but on this side of the continent.

This track would be obviously better walked in spring for the wild flowers and dips in the many creeks along the way.


Here are a few photos from the walk.
Attachments
IMG_5469.JPG
View from on top of Dandahra Crags
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Dandahra Crags
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BNT Marker
Naturejourney
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