Sat-Mon: Dave N, Ashley, Mary, Jo Boyd, James Bevan, Helen Smith, Germán, Andrew, Martin, Steffy, Peter B, Mitchell
Sat-Sun: Marc, Gerald, Tim V, Chris B, Kosta
This very belated trip report is for completeness of the record, and was a (P)BT as neither the President nor the Vice-President were in attendance! However, the Honorary Junior Vice-President, and a range of ex-presidents were there to help carry on the tradition. Apologies for any poor recollection!
The trip started Friday night for some, and early Saturday morning for others.
However, most of us managed to rendezvous at the start of the track before we started walking. It was a pleasant morning’s walk out along the Uni Rover trail, until rain started falling around lunchtime. We regrouped at lunch, now with the entire party complete. Gourmet lunches were had, hammocks lounged in, in true (P)BT style.
It rained on and off through the afternoon as the groups picked their way down the ridge to our intended campsite near the Kowmung River, and Huey opened up with full force shortly before we reached an expansive campsite on a ridge above the river, near Broken Point.
Due to the sodden conditions, there were multiple attempts at lighting fires, which led to 2 fires going for a short while, and our campsite was graced with a “hot seat” for the brave!
All manner of gourmet dinners were cooked, but with the wet conditions, the bludge style partying was more subdued than usual, except for those that may have imbibed perhaps more than they ought!
The following day dawned calm, wet, and soggy. We had some discussion as to whether we would break camp and move down the river, and decided that it would be more enjoyable to move on to a new location. We bade farewell to those who couldn’t stay for the full trip, and set off down the river. Here we split into 2 groups for the rest of the walking, with James, Helen and I some way behind and spending some time examining plants and such. Meanwhile, the heavens had again opened up with a relentless torrent of water, and the lead group had arrived at the Christies Creek junction to set up camp and attempt (successfully!) to get a fire going.
I wandered up Christies Creek, and there was a real abundance of large trout, with 5 in the pool at the junction of Arabanoo Creek alone!
It rained on and off all evening, although there were enough clear patches for us to cook our dinner, while huddling under James’ fly during the occasional cloudburst. We set about finishing off some of our liquid supplies, including a cask kindly donated by Kosta as he was leaving earlier.
The next morning, some of the group had to leave early in order to get back for other engagements, while the rest of the group had a more leisurely start up the hill. The weather cleared somewhat for our climb, even threatening at one point to show some blue sky, but overall the conditions were pleasant for slogging up the hill. We stopped for a very welcome dry and large lunch in the Coal Seam Cave, before walking back along the tops to the carpark. Unfortunately all of our views were obscured by the weather.
Back at the carpark, we did some car shuffling, and only minor difficulties with the very muddy and slippery road, before stopping at the Hampton Halfway House for food and beers.
While wet, it was still an enjoyable long weekend on the Kowmung, and thanks to those who drove, organised, scouted, and came along.