Bushwalk Australia

View from the top of the Castle (Oct 2019)

Hi Everyone

Does anyone know what the water situation is like at Cooyoyo? Planning on heading up there for a night soon. the last time I was there it was very dry and had to collect water from some stagnant pools. Hoping it’s a bit better this time!

Cheers

bushnut wrote:Hi Everyone

Does anyone know what the water situation is like at Cooyoyo? Planning on heading up there for a night soon. the last time I was there it was very dry and had to collect water from some stagnant pools. Hoping it’s a bit better this time!

Cheers

Plenty of water in the Budawangs (and everywhere) at the moment. Haven't been to Cooyoyo recently but have no doubt there would be plenty.

bushnut wrote:Hi Everyone

Does anyone know what the water situation is like at Cooyoyo? Planning on heading up there for a night soon. the last time I was there it was very dry and had to collect water from some stagnant pools. Hoping it’s a bit better this time!

Cheers

Given that the East Coast low over the weekend has caused serious flooding in the shoalhaven. I will take a stab in the dark and say that it probably flowing it's best in a long time and is well saturated. But that's just a guess.
Although I'm headed there tomorrow and I won't be bringing more than a litre from the car.

That all makes sense!

Huntsman247, might check in with you next week to see!

Thanks everyone

Just got back from a few days in the Budawangs. I haven't seen so much water coming off the castle for a few years now. All the water ways are flowing well. Lots of slushy bits again. I didn't go to Cooyoyo but people that were camping there said the crk was pretty high. So many people doing the castle...
On the walk out, just before the conglomerate slope with the chains I saw 2 guys who were astonished that I could fit two days worth of gear and food in one bag. One had a 70l pack and the other a larger backpack and 2 very large duffel bags. The guy with the bigger pack looked like he was about to pass out. The bags contained 'food & music' and they admitted that had over estimated what that could carry. I'm assuming that by music he meant speakers and there had to be a case in there too. It was even funner when I found out one of the guys had done the castle before as a day trip. That provided some good entertainment.
Although I feel sorry for the people that were camping next to them if they brought speakers.... And hopefully their 'food' doesn't end up at the bottom of Cooyoyo.

Huntsman247 wrote:It was even funner when I found out one of the guys had done the castle before as a day trip.

What's funny about that? Fast and light without an overnight pack, it's a fabulous day trip and not too strenuous.

ribuck wrote:

Huntsman247 wrote:It was even funner when I found out one of the guys had done the castle before as a day trip.

What's funny about that? Fast and light without an overnight pack, it's a fabulous day trip and not too strenuous.

I thought it was pretty funny that they knew what the track is like and still decided that they would take 2 bigger than life dufflebags. Forgivable if you haven't done it before.... But knowing... That to me is the definition of stupidity.

Question and an update on the Budawangs and Ettrema.

We hiked up Byangee Mountain last week - at the chockstone against the tree to scramble up the gully were two bits of rope both of which had been essentially melted in the fire and were hanging on by a few threads. I would not use these. There was, however, a newer piece of cord higher up the gully where nothing is really needed which we moved down to the more difficult section. It was not good quality but seemed better than having people using the dodgy burnt stuff. The top of Byangee is all open and easy walking after the fires.

Also, there was a really big puddle on the road as you drive through Yadboro Flats camping area (officially closed) and I wonder if anyone knows how deep this is after the east coast low last weekend? I will call the Ulladulla office on Monday to try to find out. If I can any information I will post it here.

Ettrema area is also open and we did a three day walk a few weeks ago out to Tilly Ann Gap, along Cinch Creek, over Billys Hill, out to Hamlet Crown and back via the edge of the escarpment overlooking Ettrema and Jones Creek. The tops have been burnt but the gorges look OK. Walking is very good right now as the scrub is gone, there is lots of water and easy camping with stunning views.

It is sad to see the damage from the bushfires and very little bird or wildlife, but the ease of travel is kind of nice.

Yadboro flats was completely full during the school holidays. As for the puddle it's not very deep. The deep ruts that used to be between the camping area has be graded and repaired. I wouldn't worry about it. The road hasn't been in this good shape for a long time.

Yeah, cheers, it was not very deep and then the catchment had 200 to 300 mm of rain last weekend! The Clyde peaked at 10 metres.

We just had another 40 to 50 mm of rain down here yesterday.

Just returned from walking into Mount Tarn area via Wog Wog. Lots of water around and also the entire area is burnt.

There is a big new fire break that you encounter on the Scenic Rim track and it is easy to lose the track since the fires, but a bit of scouting around and you will usually pick it up.

Currently, the walk in is very scenic as all the scrub is burnt and the views are excellent. Not much shelter from wind anymore at Bibbenluke camp, and it was windy. We camped up near the head of Corang Creek.

The track to Mount Tarn starts off easy to follow but where it traverses above Angel Creek it has completely disappeared. We scrambled up the 910 metre point at the far west end of Mount Tarn assuming it was the high point. There are remnants of an old trig there.

A lot of the duckboard has been burnt.

On the way out we came back via Canowie Brook and the Corang River. The area around the cascades on Corang looks completely different since the fire.

It is very easy to lose the track from the Corang River to Goodsell Creek.

Thanks for the trip report Sandym! Has anyone been able to eyeball angels ck and Hollands?
I'm interested to know if it's been burnt or not? At least by the creek.

Huntsman247 wrote:Thanks for the trip report Sandym! Has anyone been able to eyeball angels ck and Hollands?
I'm interested to know if it's been burnt or not? At least by the creek.

Not up close but have gazed upon it from Folly Pt and it looks about as burnt as the rest of the area. The area between FP and Styles Ck (including SB falls etc) has been dramatically thinned out and would expect Hollands to be similar.

Walk_fat boy_walk wrote:

Huntsman247 wrote:Thanks for the trip report Sandym! Has anyone been able to eyeball angels ck and Hollands?
I'm interested to know if it's been burnt or not? At least by the creek.

Not up close but have gazed upon it from Folly Pt and it looks about as burnt as the rest of the area. The area between FP and Styles Ck (including SB falls etc) has been dramatically thinned out and would expect Hollands to be similar.

What was the way to Folly like? Easier going I imagine?

Huntsman247 wrote:

Walk_fat boy_walk wrote:

Huntsman247 wrote:Thanks for the trip report Sandym! Has anyone been able to eyeball angels ck and Hollands?
I'm interested to know if it's been burnt or not? At least by the creek.

Not up close but have gazed upon it from Folly Pt and it looks about as burnt as the rest of the area. The area between FP and Styles Ck (including SB falls etc) has been dramatically thinned out and would expect Hollands to be similar.

What was the way to Folly like? Easier going I imagine?

Much easier. Bit vague in places but can't get lost.

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Walk_fat boy_walk wrote:

Huntsman247 wrote:

Walk_fat boy_walk wrote:[quote="Huntsman247"]Thanks for the trip report Sandym! Has anyone been able to eyeball angels ck and Hollands?
I'm interested to know if it's been burnt or not? At least by the creek.

Not up close but have gazed upon it from Folly Pt and it looks about as burnt as the rest of the area. The area between FP and Styles Ck (including SB falls etc) has been dramatically thinned out and would expect Hollands to be similar.

What was the way to Folly like? Easier going I imagine?

Much easier. Bit vague in places but can't get lost.

Sent from my SM-G977B using Tapatalk[/quote]I'm not worried about getting lost but wanting to do it as a day trip to see if it's worth carrying camera gear into Hollands for a few days. After all this rainfall settles down a bit.

The bottom of Angels Creek is untouched but surrounding ridges are burnt but recovering well. Could not see into Hollands Gorge.

We had a typical Budawangs weather experience - gale winds, driving sleet, rain, sun, gale winds, all in the space of a short time!

Huntsman247 wrote:

Walk_fat boy_walk wrote:

Huntsman247 wrote:[quote="Walk_fat boy_walk"][quote="Huntsman247"]I'm not worried about getting lost but wanting to do it as a day trip to see if it's worth carrying camera gear into Hollands for a few days. After all this rainfall settles down a bit.

Could do it as a day trip if you start early, especially if you take an mtb for the fire trail bit

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Just returned from a few chilly and windy days in the Budawangs. Did the north to south route from Camp Rock to Long Gully via Island Mtn, Sluice Box Falls, Hollands Gorge, Angel Creek and Monolith Valley. The fire's removal of most of the undergrowth has made the walking across country very good, there is water everywhere and the views, especially of the rock formations, are superb. You get a bit grubby and "feral" from the charcoal and the dirt but there is no better time to be out there! The fire covered all the eucalypt areas to varying degrees of intensity, even most of the cliff ledges ignited from the associated ember attack. As expected, the heathy ledges burnt hot. Rainforests are OK, a bit tickled on the edge but there is some tree fall from wind. We didn't see much wildlife, including insects, even the flowering grass trees are absent of nectar feeders. No ants at ground level either. It will all take some time to recover but the recent big rainfalls are already powering up the vegetative regrowth. Nevertheless, to my mind, there will be no better window for walking in the Budawangs than the next couple of years, especially if you want to explore the nooks and crannies.
Hope you like the photos.

This is a bit delayed. I've been too busy... Need to go for a long multi-day...
Some photos taken around the monolith a couple weeks ago showing the fire damage. Sad to see that awesome tangle of roots at the bottom of the 'civilised' ramp going to up to Owen burnt...
And some before & after photos.

Starting at long gully we ascended up Owen, skirted around Owen to the saddle . Stayed a night on Owen and then explored the fire damage in the monolith and a quick dash up the castle before camping on shrouded gods. Then headed back towards the castle carpark the next day but cutting across back to long gully at the end of the ridge.
Back for lunch at Milton.

Just returned from a 5 day return trip from Wog Wog to Mount Cole and Monolith Valley. Fire damage extensive but Monolith Valley largely okay.

On return I tried to come back via Corang River but track is blocked by a Trespassers prosecuted - Do not enter sign as it crosses private property. Just beware of this. Looks like this has only happened in the last few weeks and means a loop of scenic rim walk via Corang peak and back via Corang River is no longer possible (or at least harder if you go around the private property). I had to back track to Canowie Brook then return to Wog Wog via the main track which made for a long last day!

circleflight wrote:
On return I tried to come back via Corang River but track is blocked by a Trespassers prosecuted - Do not enter sign as it crosses private property. Just beware of this. Looks like this has only happened in the last few weeks and means a loop of scenic rim walk via Corang peak and back via Corang River is no longer possible (or at least harder if you go around the private property). I had to back track to Canowie Brook then return to Wog Wog via the main track which made for a long last day!

I recall that it was sensibly suggested elsewhere in this topic that we refrain for calling the new property owners selfish A/holes until the current negotiations are concluded. So I won't.

You can fairly easily walk around the property instead of backtracking. It is all quite open.

Couple of questions.
Out of curisoity, has anyone here gone up Freeman creek this way from the yadboro river to corang? It looks negotiable on the map and badly burn on the satellite imagery...
Secondly, has anyone followed viney ck/murrumbooie ck? I'm wondering how slow going that would be? Intending to get from the yadborro to yurnga. With no straight forward spur the ck seems to be the go.
Cheers.

Huntsman247 wrote:Couple of questions.
Out of curisoity, has anyone here gone up Freeman creek this way from the yadboro river to corang? It looks negotiable on the map and badly burn on the satellite imagery...
Secondly, has anyone followed viney ck/murrumbooie ck? I'm wondering how slow going that would be? Intending to get from the yadborro to yurnga. With no straight forward spur the ck seems to be the go.
Cheers.

Nope and nope. Regarding the first route, are you looking for an alternative to Snedden Pass?

EDIT: That second route sounds fascinating. Not sure if it "goes" - it does look awful scrubby down in that basin but the fires might have taken care of that - but you'd be able to get a decent look at Murrumbooie Falls maybe? (As an aside, has anyone seen those falls... the view from along the rim, including Yurnga, is obscured from what i can see?)

Walk_fat boy_walk wrote:

Huntsman247 wrote:Couple of questions.
Out of curisoity, has anyone here gone up Freeman creek this way from the yadboro river to corang? It looks negotiable on the map and badly burn on the satellite imagery...
Secondly, has anyone followed viney ck/murrumbooie ck? I'm wondering how slow going that would be? Intending to get from the yadborro to yurnga. With no straight forward spur the ck seems to be the go.
Cheers.

Nope and nope. Regarding the first route, are you looking for an alternative to Snedden Pass?

EDIT: That second route sounds fascinating. Not sure if it "goes" - it does look awful scrubby down in that basin but the fires might have taken care of that - but you'd be able to get a decent look at Murrumbooie Falls maybe? (As an aside, has anyone seen those falls... the view from along the rim, including Yurnga, is obscured from what i can see?)

Yup. I'm wanting to do the wiritin ridge in its entirety. So from the very end it would be closer to yurnga than snedden pass. I realise it's gonna be a lot tougher than going up sneddens though.
I can't recall seeing the waterfall from the lookout before but quite possible. I'm pretty confident it goes.

Not sure of all of your proposed route but the gap in the top cliff line at the head of Canowie Brook is very walkable. Explored that area a few years ago.

Re viney ck/murrumbooie ck. Pre fire Viney was fairly open. Just dodge around the lawyer vine. Murrumbooie is one of the best cks in the Budawangs. Easy going. Ihaven't been in the upper section with the falls.

A KBC trip I was on in the early 70s did Wirritin Ridge from Yadboro. Walked up the river to GR 786618 (I think) then up the ridge (SW) onto the Budawang Range and along to the top of Wirritin Ridge. We camped just past the top and I think we were able to find water. Side trip up to Currockbilly. Next day down Wirritin Ridge and back to Yadboro.