2 May – 17 May 2023
During May, 23 Batemans Bay Bushwalking Club members participated in a 16 day bushwalking safari to parts of northeast NSW. The itinerary was designed as a “taster” – an introduction to some of the best walking in NSW, sampling a variety of landscapes and vegetations along the northeast NSW escarpment and New England tablelands.
Some members joined part way and others left early, but most stayed on to the end. Participants were responsible for their own accommodation, centred on the following base towns – Gloucester, Armidale, Glen Innes, Tenterfield and Kyogle. Some members, the “glampers”, stayed in the towns and others, the “ferals”, chose bush camping, usually at the main national park being visited at the time. Each afternoon the Club scheduled the following day’s walk(s) and organised the meeting point for commencing the day.
Over 16 days we visited 13 national parks/reserves – Barrington Tops, Oxley Wild Rivers, New England, Cathedral Rocks, Gibraltar Range, Washpool, Torrington, Bald Rock, Boonoo Boonoo, Girraween, Border Ranges and Toonumbar National Parks plus some minor reserves.
All walks were day walks, and all on formed signposted tracks. We walked in total 91 kilometres. The maximum number of walkers we had on any one day was 16.
Except for one damp showery day, the weather at all times was perfect for walking.
Day 1 (2nd May) Gloucester Tops. Distance 8km
The Gloucester Tops form the eastern part of the Barrington Tops plateau. It is easily accessible up the picturesque Gloucester River valley.
At the Gloucester River Falls Picnic Area the river falls over the plateau. The associated walking circuits were an ideal starting point for our walking. We broke into two groups and explored Antarctic Beech rainforest, tree ferned gullies, tall eucalypts, snow gum woodland and gushing river cataracts. We were impressed.
On our return to Gloucester, countless splash crossings gave tantalizing views up and down the river. The National Park campground, with its variety of rainforest trees, had an interesting log wagon with friendly lyrebirds scratching about nearby.
Day 2 (3rd May) travel
The journey to the Armidale area followed the scenic Thunderbolts Way, with a convenient stop at sleepy Walcha. Many members called in to the Apsley Falls and gazed down into the deep slot of Apsley Gorge. The timing of our visit to the New England plateau was perfect. Autumn colours were at their best.
Day 3 (4th May) New England NP. Distance 7km
We started our exploration at Point Lookout in New England NP, on the edge of the coastal escarpment. At a chilly 1,564 metres asl, this lookout presents a magnificent panorama from Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour. We lingered in the morning sun. A wedge tailed eagle drifted by, below us!
We had intended to walk the Lyrebird Track, with its extensions but at every turn we were confronted with “track closed” signs, allegedly due to rock falls. We constantly adjusted, eventually able to get through to Wrights Lookout for lunch, another lovely observation point further down under the escarpment.
This small open plateau of volcanic origin is on the Snowy Range dividing the large catchments of the Macleay and Bellinger Rivers. It is a useful point under the clifflines to launch into further backpacking journeys. On the way there, we sampled some lovely Antarctic Beech, open woodland, elevated rock swamps on clifftops and warm temperate rainforest. We exited via Robinsons Knob Firetrail.
Day 4 (5th May) Oxley Wild Rivers NP. Distance 8km
This was an easier day, wandering the tracks above the many drops into the gorges of the Oxley Wild Rivers NP. The first was a traverse of the cliff edge above Wollombombi and Chandlers gorges around their waterfalls. At 260 metres, Wollombombi Falls are the highest in NSW.
Many of us then explored the Gara Gorge area with its fascinating history of hydro electric development in the 19th century to feed nearby mining complexes. The circuit walk was a delight and the views into the gorge tantalizing.
Day 5 (6th May) Cathedral Rocks NP. Distance 11km
Cathedral Rocks NP is a great introduction to the geological features of the New England’s granite slabs, tors and boulder fields. Everyone started the day by climbing, with varying success, the boulder cluster featuring the park’s name. A 360 degree view was the reward.
One group continued to complete the circuit while another branched away and followed a walk through to the Guyra Road via the Woolpack Rocks. At lunchtime, atop a small cluster of rocks, an inquisitive, large, healthy snake galvanised our relaxing diners into emergency escape mode. Some hesitated for only a split second as to whether they take their lunch with them.
The Woolpack Rocks were equally impressive as Cathedral Rocks, but more extensive. We enjoyed exploring it.
Having completed the necessary car shuffle, the first group visited nearby Ebor Falls and enjoyed an ice cream at the local pub. Max’s camping tales were lengendary – battling possums, and other campers trying to steal his spot.
Day 6 (7th May) travel
We moved camp to Glen Innes and the cold overnight weather moved in!
Day 7 (8th May) Gibraltar Range NP. Distance 14km
The “glampers” joined the “ferals” at Mulligans Hut in Gibraltar Range NP. We walked the Little Dandahra Creek/Tree Fern/Pidcocks circuit, with its extension to The Needles. We travelled through a wide range of vegetations reflecting the poor nutrient granites, the nutrient rich basalts and every mix between. The boundaries between were sometimes quite dramatic, the forest height jumping from 10 to 50 metres in as many horizontally.
Along the way we enjoyed morning tea amongst the twinkling waters of the Little Dandahra Creek’s cascades.
Half way around the circuit we were surprised by a quick change from the dominating open woodland and sedge swamps of the plateau into a tall, large Sydney Blue Gum/New England Blackbutt forest with tall tree fern understorey. Again, soon after, we were in pure warm temperate rainforest of Coachwood with prolific Midginbil Palm understorey and this delightful forest continued for some time.
At the end, we gazed down onto the impressive granite tors known as The Needles, themselves towering over the gorge of Dandahra Creek far below. En route the Dorrigo Waratah shrubs were a treat.
On the way home to Glen Innes, the “glampers” visited Raspberry Lookout, created on the edge of the dramatic Demon Fault. The north/south fault line is very visible per vegetation change as the Gwydir Highway crosses it. The fault runs from near Ebor to Queensland and is quite significant in that it is believed to have faulted 20km, horizontally!
Day 8 (9th May) Washpool NP. Distance 8km
Just to the north of Gibraltar Range NP, across the highway, lies the vast Washpool NP wilderness. On its edge, at Coombadja Creek is the wonderful Washpool walking circuit through tall eucalypt, warm temperate and subtropical rainforest. As well as the now familiar large Sydney Blue Gum and New England Blackbutt trees being present, we were introduced to new species – Tallowwood, Brush Box and a range within the rainforest – strangler figs, our old friend the Giant Stinger, Booyongs, Tamarind, Illawarra Flame Tree, and a number of Red Cedars, two of which were very impressive.
During a pause at Coombadja Creek, a member’s tale amused our walkers describing his encounter in the wilderness in the early 1980’s with the then NSW Premier – lots of coincidences in that one.
On the way back to camp we stopped off at Granite Lookout and admired the many granite topped hills in the afternoon sun.
That night, the “ferals” were visited by a friendly Spotted Tailed Quoll. And there is a photo to prove it.
Day 9 (10th May) Gibraltar Range NP. Distance 10km
The day began at Mulligan’s Hut with a jaunt through warm temperate rainforest out to Murrumbooee Cascades and return. Among the Coachwood and Crabapples it was unusual to see Blackwood and Coast Banksias, familiar to us on the South Coast.
Mulligan’s sampling weir on the Dandahra Creek is still there decades after a proposed hydro scheme centred on the area was shelved. We visited Lyrebird lookout which gazes down into the Little Dandahra gorge.
Along the way we were introduced to Yellow Carabeens and visited a significantly sized White Beech tree within the rainforest.
The group disturbed a sizeable snake in the middle of consuming a meal of Land Mullet (a large black rainforest skink), an unusual sighting.
In the afternoon, some of us walked out to Anvil Rock and marvelled at Old Man’s Hat in the distance.
Day 10 (11th May) travel/Torrington Conservation Area
On the way to our new base camp at Tenterfield, some members went inland to visit Torrington Conservation Area, near Emmaville. Sitting beside extensive historic tin mining this large granite area hosts Thunderbolts Lookout with its impressive 360 degree view, Mystery Face, Wellington Rocks and the Pig’s Head Rock.
One of us took the slow and lonely road exit north to the State border through Silent Grove. It was slow and rough, nobody in sight, more likely should be called Silent Grave!
Day 11 (12th May) Bald Rock & Boonoo Boonoo NP’s. Distance 5km
Still on the granite theme, our climb to the top of the 200 metre high Bald Rock was rewarded with fine views into both NSW and Qld.
Bald Rock is the largest granite monolith in Australia and its size is best appreciated by wandering its upper slopes, easily done because it is a huge rounded rock with no edge. In our slow descent (it tested the knees and ankles), we caught glimpses of Nankeen Kestrels as they searched the boulders below for prey.
On the road again, we lunched at the Platypus Pool on our way to Boonoo Boonoo Falls. The pool’s resident rewarded us with four appearances before disappearing. That was special.
At the Falls lookout, the dreaded “track closed” signs reappeared but, amongst the contractor’s rebuilding debris, we were still able to gain the platform and get a decent view of this impressive cataract.
On the way back to Tenterfield we inspected, and learnt more about, the Mt Lindesay Highway tank traps, built during WWII to curb threatened northern invasion.
Day 12 (13th May) Girraween NP. Distance 7km
At Girraween NP we encountered more granite on a grand scale. We laboured an exhilarating climb to the first of The Pyramids and gazed on the surrounding countryside. There were some inventive photo shots of members unsuccessfully (thankfully) “pushing over” the giant balancing rock thereon. It’s still there.
Descending through gardens of more giant balancing rocks, we ventured on downstream to The Junction for lunch. This is one of the most delightful spots anywhere. Two joining streams have gently smoothed curving shallow pools in the bedrock. There was much wandering exploration and camera clicking here.
Day 13 (14th May) travel
We moved camp to the small town of Kyogle, an outer lying suburb of nearby Nimbin with its wonderful mix of new and old cultures.
Day 14 (15th May) Border Ranges NP. Distance 4km
Our first day into the “real” rainforests of the Border Ranges NP was, appropriately, met with real rain, the first and only of the entire trip. Nevertheless, the damp conditions added atmosphere to the gloomy greenery and presented these forests the way they should be experienced, with a degree of wetness. It also brought another first for the trip – leeches. But they were small in both size and number, easily managed.
Our first walk was at Sheep Station Creek where the “track closed” disease again greeted us. Nevertheless, we were able to do the pretty Palm Gully walk to Brush Box Falls and sample lots of Bangalow Palms under Brush Box with some nice examples of Strangler Figs and majestic Blue Quandongs.
We drove further up the hill into the pure rainforests at Brindle Creek where we walked both the Red Cedar and Helmholtzia tracks. The former, as the name suggests, has a large red cedar to view, and the latter reflects the creekside vegetation of this high basalt plateau. Some wonderful Antarctic Beech and Hoop Pine can be seen here.
Brindle Creek was the scene for the telling of another amusing tale of a field visit by then NSW Environment Minister Paul Landa, just prior to these forests becoming National Park.
In deference to the wet conditions we cancelled the main walk of the day and continued our car tour. We lunched at the Lost World Lookout, a small clearing on high point of the plateau. Before becoming a gravel pit, it was once (before road access) a helicopter pad for unloading fresh (often Vietnam bound) Army recruits in the 1960’s and 70’s. For young men who had never been outside their home city, it must have been quite a shock to be shoved off into a rainforest wilderness with a few rations and a poncho.
The Lost World Lookout has views to the north into Qld’s Lamington NP (which has its own Lost World). It was also here that we became familiar with the fourth NSW palm, Wait-a-While, a ferocious beast not to be messed with.
Further along the 44km Tweed Range Scenic Drive, rainforest almost all the way, a dingo crossed the track. We walked out to The Pinnacle Lookout where, engulfed by cloud, we could only imagine the spectacular view it normally provides of the Tweed Valley with both Mount Warning in the distance, and The Pinnacle itself at close range, commanding centre stage.
We visited Bar Mountain and walked the short Falcorostrum loop, named after the orchid which adorns the large and ancient Antarctic Beech trees in this area.
Exhilarated from the day’s highlights, the dampness was setting in and we returned to Kyogle via the steep southern exit of the Tweed Range Road.
Day 15 (16th May) Moore Park Nature Reserve. Distance 1km
Overnight the light showers had become rain. The landscape was still a bit soggy so we occupied our time mainly at Moore Park Nature Reserve, further up the Richmond Valley.
This small 14 hectare reserve is a gem, a rare remaining example of riverine rainforest which was once more extensive. It is dominated by Black Bean, Plum Pine, Silky Oak, White Cedar and Strangler Figs, one of which is particularly large. A Fruit Bat colony is playing havoc with the forests canopy.
Day 16 (17th May) Toonumbar NP. Distance 6km
On a fine day, our final day’s walking was enjoyed in the Murray Scrub within Toonumbar NP. The Murray Scrub is a lowland “shelf” rainforest and has a wide range of subtropical rainforest species with all its big tree, big buttressing, big variety features. On the edges of the rainforest are large very handsome Flooded Gums.
The highlight of the walk was a copse of mature red cedars near a lagoon, containing more than 20 handsome mature specimens, all about the same age. This is unusual in that the ravages of the Red Cedar Tip Moth usually destine these trees to be singular or in small numbers. This was a special treat and it reminded us that this iconic species is still “out there”.
We lunched at Iron Pot Creek campsite where more, but younger Red Cedars were plentiful and we finished the day with a visit to the tranquil waters of nearby Toonumbar Dam.
Back in Kyogle we celebrated the success of the last 16 days with a welcome glass of bubbly and swapped details on our various plans of returning to Batemans Bay, some via Queensland.
Summary
The safari, and its format, was judged to be a great success. The walks were great, the company superb, the weather perfect, we didn’t lose a day, and there were no significant injuries. Thanks to Rob and Donna joint organisers and to all those members who joined us.
Ian
The Club thanks the photographers for their contributions – Ian, Karen & Bob Mac, Gay, Mary, Donna F, Peter, Max, Phil and Erika. And the Club gives special thanks to Ian, Rob and Donna for coming up with this idea for the safari, organising it, picking the walks and taking turns to lead them. Well done.
