Ettrema regrowth?

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

Ettrema regrowth?

Postby Bergs » Thu 05 Jan, 2023 10:20 am

Hello

Anybody been to Ettrema Gorge in the last 6 months or so and can comment on post-bushfire regrowth on entry/exit routes?

I found reports from soon after the fires commenting about how easy the walking was. But like in the Budawangs, that may have changed dramatically of late!

Thanks!
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Re: Ettrema regrowth?

Postby Walk_fat boy_walk » Thu 05 Jan, 2023 3:40 pm

No recent experience but was getting pretty overgrown in some parts early last year... wouldn't be surprised if it's putrid now. By entry/exit routes I assume you mean from Tolwong road (west) side? The sandstone plateaus themselves should be OK but once you drop into the valley it gets pretty hairy. You do have the option of using Myall and Bullfrog creeks as entry/exit points to avoid much of the scrub (noting there's still a fair bit of scrub between upper Myall Ck and Quiera, but that isn't a long distance). I'd stay away from the likes of Transportation Spur and Jingles Pass. From the tops (east) side it's pretty clear out to Paul's Pass but not sure what it's like down in Cinch Ck.

Definitely keen to hear from others with recent experience though.
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Re: Ettrema regrowth?

Postby jmp_au » Thu 05 Jan, 2023 7:50 pm

I did a 3 night trip down the gorge via transportation spur around late April 2022. I concurr with Walk_fat_boy_walk, beware Transportation Spur. I was out of shape and practice so the route was not overly ambitious in length. So I thought...

parking around 404277
Went east roughly along the ---280 line grid line Northing. It used to be recommended as the ground growth was less under tree cover. I found that not true anymore post fire; more open areas 400 meters south were overall easier on the way back.
camping one night up near pardon point
Down the pardon point pass, the ground growth on transportation spur was much tougher to go through than I remembered from going up some years before the fire. This was particularly so lower down the spur, getting tangled and tumbling down in vines. I was happy to have a rather larger knife than usual to get unstuck a few times. I had taken only one litre of water with me thinking it would be enough on the way down, and regretted that.
Made it to Thompsons Cliff at nightfall after more difficult day than I anticipated.
Back out the same way the day after, a bit more prepared for what was ahead. In some respects easier up (less tumbling)

Hope this helps.
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Re: Ettrema regrowth?

Postby rachel_g » Tue 21 Feb, 2023 9:34 pm

We exited via Transportation Spur yesterday. There's been enough traffic that there's a pad through the scrub - if you can find it! We followed the beaten down route for the first 100-150m (??) of ascent and then lost it so had to make our own up to the knoll at 460m contour. The section above that wasn't as thick and we were on & off a light pad much of the rest of the ascent. But I would say it's considerably scrubbier than pre-fires. Our group of 8 took two and a half hours from Ettrema Creek to Pardon Point, in 2010 the same climb took one and a half hours (though party members obviously differed!).
Scrub on the tops is considerable in places but generally vertical acacia type growth so not hugely taxing to get through but you can't see where you're going as it's well over head high.I'd definitely be aiming for to travel via the rock platforms which are mostly shown by the white areas on the topo map - some time with aerial photos might also help.
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