Anzac Pass, Nattai NP

[clarence]

I do not know if this pass has been done by any other parties. I first ascended it on the Anzac Day long weekend in 1994, by a more exposed route than that shown in these photos. I refer to it as Anzac Pass, and the names Nine Lives Pass and Mad Murrays Pass have also been suggested.

It ascends the long cliff-lined peninsula to the north of Surveyors Crag, on the south side of the Allum River valley. There are two pitches, both of which are quite exposed and airy. The first is a free climb of about five metres. The second pitch involves a few very exposed traverses (after the tree ladder is negotiated). Fifty metres of rope is required and a few slings and gear to belay any following climbers.

I have put the link to the photos on here as an interest item and will purposely NOT include a detailed route description of the pass. I do not wish to direct less experienced people up here as that would not be responsible. It is not for the faint hearted or inexperienced or those not familiar with some climbing and rope skills.

Note the DIY pass method in the second video. It is an old bushy trick. If you are unable to find a way up a short wall, drag up a few fallen trees and lay them against the cliff to provide a makeshift ladder to climb up. The tree ladder was set up on a previous trip at 8pm and the two of us did the final pitch in the dark (fully roped up of course). The handline was placed on that wall as we descended the next morning with the view to the most recent trip with the mad Murrays.

The campsite at the top is one of the best in the Blue Mountains. The ridge leading up to it is equally impressive with a narrow rocky spine and cypress vegetation. On this most recent visit we descended via the creek to the north of Surveyors Crag (heading about 2km W before descending to the creekline) back to the Nattai, and that was a solid day in itself.

Most of these photos were taken by Fred from South Coast Bushwalkers and John Murray and the link is used with their permission.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1115588458 ... 3447911058

Clarence

[clarence]

Here are some pictures of campsite itself

[jackhinde]

fantastic. i have stared at that ridge a number of times when camping at allum flat. i don't suppose you have ever kept going west and got on top of the higher cliffline further upstream of the allum?
i am doing a traverse of the wangaderry plateau this weekend starting at bonnum pic, we'll either drop down the ridge to allum flat that is on the left of your first photo, or if time permits go the whole hog to belloon pass and then nattai bash back to the flat.

[FatCanyoner]

Wow. Love it. Great pics and a wild looking pass. I've really got to get down to the Nattai. Some spectacular country!

[michael_p]

Clarence,

Thanks so much for doing this report.

I have stared at Surveyors Crag on the Hill Top topo map so many times and thought to myself "I wonder what that area is like?". It's great to see some photos of the area. Please thank your friends for sharing their photos with us.

The campsite at the top is one of the best in the Blue Mountains. The ridge leading up to it is equally impressive with a narrow rocky spine and cypress vegetation.

What a superb view. From your description I have been able to roughly work out where this is and it does look like a great spot which the photos only go to prove beyond any doubt.

On this most recent visit we descended via the creek to the north of Surveyors Crag (heading about 2km W before descending to the creekline) back to the Nattai, and that was a solid day in itself.

Very useful information. So the creek is a doable route up. This is tempting .

Inspiring stuff.

Regards,
Michael.

[clarence]

Thanks for the feedback and comments.

The campsite is at approx GR546073 (2nd edition1:25000 Nattai). The amazing thing about this site is that it protrudes so far out into the valley that it allows a view directly down the middle of the lower Nattai Valley, and similarly impressive views south towards Jellore/High Range.

Jackhinde, I have done the Allum River Canyon but am not sure exactly where you are referring to.

There is another pass on the the N side of the Allum River from Wanganderry Tableland (which we named Orthogonal Pass) but it is hard to find from the top from memory. I can give you coordinates for the head of Orthogonal Pass but it is a fairly convoluted route with a fair bit of back and forth to get through it.

Michael, yes, the creek with the headwaters GR527057 (3rd edition Hilltop 1:25000) is negotiable down to the Nattai. We entered via a very steep and cliffy route from about GR533064 to meet the creek at GR 538059 (3rd ed Hilltop 1:25000)(ropes NOT required but very steep). It was several hours walk down to the Nattai from there. We stayed as close to the creek line as possible, and found that when we ventured too far from the creek that the regrowth vegetation was very thick. Overall, provided you stick to the creek, it is a quite pleasant and reasonable route. This allows Anzac Pass to be done as a loop rather than up and back the same way.

Clarence

[jackhinde]

you are not making me feel to confident about dropping down from wangaderry to allum, it looked easy through the binoculars. i might pack the long rope after all, i was hoping to avoid the extra baggage. coordinates of your orthagonal pass might be handy, but could spoil the adventure of finding our own way

i'll put up a photo of the cliff i was refering too once i find one in my files

[clarence]

I'll PM you. You can always write a note and pack it away in your kit and only pull it out if you are desperate.
There may well be other passes in that area, and I think there is a large creekline through the walls maybe 1km N of "Orthogonal Pass".
Clarence

[puredingo]

Yep, they're are the 3 lads a bumped on my way up the nattia rd....G'day again. Pretty small world this bushwalking caper.

[jackhinde]

hey mr dingo, i sent you a pm a week or so ago but was thinking it might not have got through? plenty of walks planned in the near future if you're keen
thanks for the pm info clarence.

[puredingo]

G'day Jack, Nah didn't recieve any PM's but yep keep me posted. I haven't been out for awhile so pretty keen to do something soon, I'm sure your amped as we enter the season of the scaly ones!

Excellent photos Clarence, looks like a you had a top couple of days.

[jackhinde]

been picking up plenty of snakes in the last two weeks, red bellies galore. i'll get to you with dates for spr-ummer and summer walks. submitting my major work for uni this arvo, so let the big adventures begin.

[puredingo]

Today I seen my first big ol' Diamond python. Beautiful colouring and looked to be in excellent health...Well it would of been if it wasn't dead as a door nail compliments of a catchment authority nazi using the roads as their own personal rally tracks. They should have a new motto..."Catchment Authority, 100 years of preserving our own personal fishing holes eveything else can get f*#ked"...

[jackhinde]

yeah, i found a dead one last week end as well. i dunno who i despise more actually, waterboard or nashos.

[juxtaposer]

The ridge in the second photo leading up to Surveyors Crag is doable, although you have to search about for breaks when you get to the cliffs. Did that in '85.

[juxtaposer]

Just on that steep eastern pass: I'd heard that a couple of Sydney Bush Walker parties had tried unsuccessfully to get up that way. Looking at the photo, if they'd tried the cliffs on the north side of the crag it's no wonder. Our break through the cliffs actually brought us to the top a short distance south of the summit. Scrub very thick (NSW context) on the plateau. I've certainly never heard of anyone approaching the crag from the north, Clarence.

[tom_brennan]

We headed out to Surveyors Crag and the top of Anzac Pass (referred to during the trip as "Pointy Point" ) on the weekend from Ben Har. Doesn't seem like it gets too many visits! Other than this page, there's no mention of trips on the interwebs, and the somewhat damaged log book had visits in 1996 and 2000 - and that was it. I know of one day trip there from our club (Sydney Bush Walkers) in 2018, after a hazard burn, also from Ben Har/Wanganderry.

We camped at Surveyors Crag and then dropped into the creek system to the east, climbing up to the ridge leading out to Pointy Point. Both areas are well worth a visit, and deserving of an overnight camp.

We also found a couple of passes up from the Nattai within a couple of kms of Surveyors Crag - one would likely be the same as juxtaposer's above.

Scrub was generally mild, which makes for a nice change from some areas post fires!