We meet up at the Glenbrook rail commuter car park, noting that there were no other crazy mountain bikers willing to take the challenge that lay ahead of us. Considering this night was the first day of winter, we were surprised by the “relatively” warm air temperature by blueys standards.
After a leisurely stop at Blackheath to buy last minute supplies and consume coffee and bakery products we drove down into the Megalong Valley towards Carlons Farm to start the walk. The weather was fairly warm; heading down Breakfast Creek we managed to startle a red belly black snake stretched across the path catching some sunlight. The creek contained a healthy flow of water and some rock-hopping skill was required on several occasions to cross over and follow the path.
The full compliment of 8 people turned out for the walk on a glorious sunny Sunday. After picking up people from the train at Woy Woy we drove up the hill and parked in Brisbane Water National Park. We headed first down a ridge that was capped with flat sheets of sandstone and saw a number of aboriginal engravings, including people, fish, kangaroos, and shields.
Last week’s rain had gone by Friday evening, when 3 cars coming from different directions rendezvoused on the Putty Road beneath clear starry skies and welcome autumnal coolness. We consolidated into 2 cars for the drive out along a fire trail to our camp site, which was a cleared area beside the trail where there was room to park.
We started early on Sunday morning, so I could make it back home early to prepare a Mother’s Day dinner. So we met up with Bruce at Wondabyne station just before 9 am.
Alicia Corbett Ashley Burke Cameron Schmelitschek Daniel Ryan Elva Cha Ãve Vautier Jennifer Burnett Kim Corrans Laura Ashton-Ross Marcelle Gannon Martine Bardy Matthew Noone Meena David Meredith Dodds Nicole St Vincent Welch Pete Harvey Philipp Vorderwuelbecke Silke Walleser Yip Chung (Rita)
The weather wasn’t looking fantastic for this Anzac Day ride along the Oaks trail from Woodford to Glenbrook. We started at Glenbrook, where we squeezed onto the 8:23 am train along with 10-15 other mountain biker. We arrived at Woodford just before 9:00. It was overcast but fortunately it wasn’t raining. After a few hundred metres of bitumen riding we reached the start of the Oaks trail. The recent rain which had soaked the city meant the trail was wet, muddy and slippery.
Alicia Corbett, Megan Higgins and I had planned an adventurous route to take in Hannel’s Spur, The Geehi, Townsend Spur, Lady Northcote’s Creek and Watson’s Crags Spur over five days. We had an amazing trip, especially me, (literally) who tripped near Moira’s Flat and tore a lateral ankle ligament on my left foot. This injury forced us to turn back and overshadowed much of the rest of the trip as we limped slowly home. Thanks to Megan, an almost doctor, and to Alicia for helping me to make the decision to pull out. It was one of the hardest decisions of my bushwalking life. As a result my recovery time will be much shorter than it probably would have been had we have pushed on (regardless).
Deua National Park is a large area of rugged mountain country along the Great Dividing Range southeast of Canberra. Steep quartzite ridges, beautiful stands of eucalypts and pristine creeks and streams are some of its key attractions. The above party of 7 spent the four day Easter long weekend completing a circuit through some of the most spectacular parts of this National Park.
This feels like it was probably one of those walks that was planned enthusiastically after a few jugs at a Canoe Club slide night. I do seem to recall something about us all taking a blood oath to ward away the evil piking spirits, but then Wilmo snapped his arm off at the canyoning weekend (or bruised his hand, or something) so clearly something thicker than blood will be required next time.