Season’s Greetings everyone.
As the year is drawing to a close it is nice to look back at 2021 and note that, despite all its difficulties, we still managed to get out there walking. Even in the last quarter with the restrictions and unfortunate weather events, the club managed to do something like 18 walks. A sterling effort. Thanks must go to those on the committee and their helpers that made that happen and of course those walk leaders, who in some cases stepped up to lead two walks a week, to get the concertinaed walk programme completed.
Here’s now looking to hopefully a brighter and more normal year of bushwalking in 2022. There should be plenty for everyone with a mixture of walks each week of various degrees of difficulty, at least two camps and hopefully some planned multi-day walks – also of different degrees of difficulty. Can’t have enough of being out in the bush!
And now a Christmas treat – I have the last walk report for you for 2021. It is from Ian on the Jagungal Wilderness Backpack Camp undertaken between 13 December to 17 December. It was an exploratory walk catering for the most intrepid and fit of us. Ian’s report below, accompanied by some fantastic photography courtesy of Erika, Philip, Rachael, Torin and Ian, suggests it may have been a mere doddle, but I suspect not. In any event as the photos are testimony to, it went through some spectacular country. Thanks, Ian, for leading and organising it.
Peter
22 December 2021
The Jagungal landscape
The Jagungal Wilderness, Kosciusko NP, 13-17th December 2021
The Jagungal Wilderness is a large 66,300 hectare sub alpine bushwalkers’ playground in central Kosciusko National Park. A BBBW party of five sampled the southern part of the wilderness over five days in almost perfect weather. It was a first visit to the area for most of us. We were determined to take our time, not rush it, and therefore enjoy it even more.
We accessed the eastern side from the 4wd Nimmo “Road” which runs up the Snowy Plain through private property. The last set of creek crossings were still at high level from recent rain so left the vehicle, walked across the Great Dividing Range, and detoured in to our first night’s camp at Cesjacks Hut.
The gang is eager to go. Torin, Ian, Phil, Rachael and Erika
The upper Geehi River valley
Delightful creeks and interesting granite boulder fields
Ian, Phil and Erika with Mt Jagungal in the background
Wildflowers
More wildflowers, at Mawson’s Hut
Next day, we headed south to McAlister’s Pass, across the upper Geehi valley plains, passed by the lovely Bluff Tarn and, after skirting Cup & Saucer Hill, crossed Valentine Creek to camp at Mawson’s Hut for two nights. This hut became a busy place, with 11 others on the first night and two on the second. We also passed a lone walker on the first day like ships in the night. One commenter put it down to post Covid escapism.
Using Mawsons as a base, the third day was devoted to exploring nearby features, reading the hut’s literature (especially regarding the area’s rich history), and rest. That afternoon rain visited so, with the pitter patter on a tin roof, we enjoyed the cosy kitchen of the hut for shelter and swapped stories with our co-inhabitants.
Rachael bursts from a Snowgum platter
Overlooking Bluff Tarn
Approaching Valentine Creek with Cup and Saucer Hill in the background
Looking across to Mawson’s Hut
Cesjack’s Hut (and no, Rachael did not carry the chair in)
Kidman’s Hut
On the fourth day, we headed east, back across the very enjoyable snow grass plains of the Great Divide and then dropped down into the upper reaches of the Burrungubugge River. This required a bit of scrub bashing but at least it was downhill. After some rest at Kidman’s Hut, we passed over a saddle south of Gungarlin Trig and camped on a very pleasant flat in the headwaters of Teddy’s Creek.
On the final day we awoke to a light frost but under sunny skies we had a short easy stroll through open snow gum forests and snow grass flats back to Nimmo Road.
We thoroughly enjoyed the variety of the walk. Features were:
• The open plains and undulating hills, interrupted by small outcrops of granite boulders and copses of snow gums. This area is a delight to walk as it offers endless views, with the sentinel, Mt Jagungal, always looming to the north.
• We often stopped to enjoy not only the landscape but the detail in the wildflower displays, rock outcrops, gushing creeks, upland pools and gnarled snow gums.
• There were some snow packs remaining on the higher southern slopes
• Despite its almost romantic appearance the open tussocky slopes were rough underfoot, constantly generating ankle stress. Even the creek banks were to be avoided due to bogs and knee deep sphagnum swamps. After a while you get your eye in to navigate a path between the ridges and creeks. Good map and compass navigation helps.
• There was high insect activity, lots of evidence of crayfish, flame robins, the ever present crow nests, large wolf spiders and two snake encounters
• Unfortunately, brumby and pig activity in the east toward the Snowy Plain was prevalent. We also saw evidence of deer, rabbits and a hare.
• There are a lot dead trees, many of them quite old, killed by drought and the 1993 bushfire.
Erika battling out of the scrub
Sunset, before rain
Exiting the Burrungubugge River valley with the Great Dividing Range in the background
Teddy’s Creek campsite
Brumbies (or domestic horses?) near Snowy Plain
A celebratory beer in Cooma
It was a successful walk. Having now sampled both The Pilot and Jagungal, to complete the high country traverse south of Kiandra, we now have only the Main Range to visit.
Ian
