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Finding snow only three hours from Sydney

You don’t have to travel far, as long as the weather plays along

 

Normally, only the Victorians get to have all of the fun in this regard, and anyone within close reach of the Kosciuszko area. But every now and then, it gets close to Sydney. Very close. Katoomba and Blackheath, at the top of the Blue Mountains, does get the occasional dusting. But there’s a better spot. Keep driving through the mountains, head down Victoria Pass, and turn south onto Cox’s River Road.

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Give yourself another hour, and you’ll be coming quite close to Shooters Hill, and Vulcan State Forest. It’s south of frosty Oberon, on the Oberon Plateau. Where Katoomba has an elevation of around 1,000m, this area betters it. In fact, look at a good map, and you’ll find a few spots over 1,300m. In other words, it’s perfect for snow.

 

We cottoned onto a pending cold snap at about 2pm on Thursday, and quickly made plans to meet at our favourite pie shop early Friday morning halfway up the mountain. I slept in and was running late, but we still had time for a notoriously delicious breakfast pie and a coffee, before punching out to our destination: Vulcan State Forest.

 

Home to vast acres of Radiata pine, a popular place for hunting and fossicking, this state forest straddles Shooters Hill Road and give you the best opportunity to do some snow driving close to Sydney. Sure, you don’t need chains as you plough through hip-depth drifts, but we did get a good dusting of about 10cm. Enough to turn this pine forest into a winter wonderland.

 

The other great thing about it is you practically get it all to yourself. We saw only a couple of other vehicles near the fire tower (which is marked on maps, and a good starting point). But once you start following your nose down the many unnamed tracks in the area, you’ll have perfect solitude.

 

Being so close to Sydney (we reckon about three hours from most of Sydney, on a good run), this area is perfect for a last-second dash out to find snow. You often don’t have much warning, but keep a sickie or leave day up your sleeve, and spend an awesome day experiencing something rare and special.

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EYRE PENINSULA: HOW’S THE SERENITY

WHY THE EYRE PENINSULA IS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED ESCAPES FROM THE RAT RACE

 

The Eyre Peninsula is a popular stopover on the way west for many travellers but this spectacular region is well worth an extended stay to explore the area. With some pre-planning you can access and stay in one of the most picturesque areas of southern Australia, and take your 4WD through some great sand dunes along the coast as well. Read on to discover some of the secrets of this region.

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Port Augusta is the gateway to the west and the Eyre Peninsula, and is also the last major centre before heading west. Top up your fuel tanks, grab any food or beverage supplies needed, and then head west towards the Eyre Peninsula.

 

Port Augusta has a few caravan parks to choose from, but a better option when heading for the Eyre Peninsula is to have a night on the coast in the Fitzgerald Bay area just north of Whyalla. Here the camps are free, fires are allowed (outside fire restriction times), and you will most likely get a campsite all to yourself.

 

Heading down the eastern coast of the Eyre Peninsula there are a number of caravan and camping spots such as Arno Bay and Port Neill that are worth spending a night at, especially if you enjoy a fish. Next is Port Lincoln – the major centre of the Eyre Peninsula.

 

Port Lincoln is the place to replenish your stocks with plenty of supermarkets and fuel outlets to choose from, as well as all the major stores you would expect in a regional city. The Port Lincoln Tourist Information Centre has all the relevant brochures and information about the nearby National Parks including Lincoln, so this should definitely be your first port of call. Here you pick up your key to access the Memory Cove area that was organised prior to coming down this way.

 

A good tip when planning a trip to this area is to pre-book your stay in Memory Cove and add on a few days at the beginning or end within the Lincoln National Park. This way you only have to pay for one park entry and thus you can maximise your time (and save some money).

 

The entrance to Lincoln National Park is only 11km south of Port Lincoln, so it’s not long until you’re away from civilisation and into the bush. Lincoln National Park has more than 10 designated camping areas within the National Park, most with toilets and fire rings. If travelling outside the fire danger period (1 November to 15 April) make sure you bring some wood and choose one of the campsites that allow fires such as September Beach. An evening around the campfire is a great way to finish a day. Some campgrounds (such as Surfleet and Memory Cove) have a year-round ban on fires – so make sure the gas cooker is also right to go.

 

To gain your bearings and take in the scenery, a short hike up Stamford Hill to the Flinders Monument is worthwhile. There are spectacular views across Boston Bay, Port Lincoln and Lincoln National Park. The monument commemorates Matthew Flinders’ voyage of discovery to this area in 1802. Flinders himself climbed Stamford Hill and named the area Port Lincoln after his native province in England. There are other walks heading off from here. There are more than 20 designated walks in the Lincoln National Park, which are detailed in a brochure available from the Port Lincoln Visitors Centre.

 

Cape Donington is the most northern section of Lincoln National Park, and there are great coastline views from here. There’s a lighthouse at the point, with the sheltered campsites at September Beach just around the corner. This campground with its fantastic beach and sheltered campsites with fire pits makes it one of the better camping areas in the Lincoln NP. Make sure you choose one of the sites bordering the beach – we stayed at Campsite 8 which was great.

 

Within the Lincoln National Park is the Memory Cove Wilderness Area. Unlike wilderness protection areas in the eastern States, Memory Cove is open to four-wheel drivers and visitors are actively encouraged. It takes a little bit of planning and organising to gain access to this area, and this was a major highlight of the trip for us.

 

The access gate to Memory Cove Wilderness Area is about 20km from the park entrance, and it’s 4WD access only from here. From the gate the Memory Cove camping area is 19km, with plenty to see on the way in. Going straight to Memory Cove will take about an hour; longer if you stop for photos or take a few of the side-tracks on the way in. It took us nearly three hours to drive in!

 

The drive into Memory Cove covers a range of different vegetation. It starts with a fairly dense mix of eucalypt and sheoak woodland consisting of coastal white mallee, tea-tree, and sheoak. It quickly changes to rugged granite and limestone headlands, then more tea-tree and mallee sections.

 

Early into the drive we came to a clifftop section that offered great views out to the nearby islands and rugged coast below. The track then heads inland to an open plain where we saw emus and kangaroos. This area has a farming history: It was grazed and cropped from 1840 until 1957 as part of the West Point Lease. Stock were watered from springs and soaks near the granite outcrops and along the clifftops. The flats were ploughed by teams of bullocks, and harvests of barley were bagged and shipped out from Memory Cove. The last barley was shipped out in 1912 prior to a bushfire that devastated the area.

 

Further into the drive another side-track leads off to a great clifftop view. The open ocean swells crash on the rocks below, sending salt spray into the air. Just prior to heading down into Memory Cove, there’s a scenic lookout that provides spectacular views to Cape Catastrophe, Thistle Island and the bay below. The lookout is known locally as ‘Ivy’s Leap’ after a local tour operator’s vehicle plunged off the cliff here when the handbrake failed. Fortunately no-one was in the car at the time.

 

Memory Cove is a shady and sheltered campground just back from the beach. Our campsite had its own track leading the few metres to the brilliant white sands of Memory Cove. Vivid crystal clear blue waters make up the spectacular scene – what a fantastic place! You can fish right off the beach here and we managed to catch a nice feed of salmon one afternoon.

 

The campground has male and female pit toilets that were clean and smell-free. There was also a small rainwater tank but don’t rely on this; bring in sufficient water for your stay. The park contains a variety of wildlife. We saw several western grey kangaroos on the way in, along with emus and a few large seabirds, some pretty wrens and fantails, along with pelicans and seals that were keen to check us out. A couple of kangaroos that were obviously used to being fed regularly frequented our campsite.

 

There is a marked walking track at the right-hand end of the beach that leads to the ocean coastline. This is a great place to watch the passing boats, look out to the nearby islands, and throw in a line for a feed of fish. About halfway along this track, mobile phone service is possible.

 

Memory Cove is a great place to relax and unwind for several days. We spent three fantastic days here and really enjoyed our time. With such a spectacular location and limited camping spots and access, it is a definite ‘must-do’ when in the area.

 

Another major highlight of a trip to Lincoln National Park is the scenery and 4WDing along the Sleaford Bay coastline. Massive wind-sculpted sand dunes, pounding surf and spectacular limestone cliffs await visitors to this area. You can pick up a guide to this track from the Port Lincoln Visitors Centre. The Sleaford-Wanna 4WD track is only about 14km long, but there’s a lot to take in and plenty of side-tracks to explore. The track can be traversed in a few hours, or a whole day could be easily spent having fun in the dunes and on the beach. The scenery along this track is just spectacular! There are several good fishing areas along the beach, including Miller Hole and Salmon Hole.

 

There are markers and signs along the track to guide the way, but still plenty of track options at times. Like other 4WD tracks, there are hard routes along with easier routes to choose.

 

The track contains a range of conditions – from soft dunes, tight sections through vegetation, to slow rocky treks over limestone sections. The ever-changing conditions and scenery add to the appeal for the area. You’re never sure what is coming up next. There are several beach access points, so if the tide is right a run along the beach could be in order. The access points do vary in difficulty… so checking before venturing onto the beach may save a tricky recovery when exiting the beach.

 

Quite a lot of the Sleaford-Wanna Dunes track consists of narrow sections and vehicles may be coming the other way, so caution is needed. A sand flag is a good idea to advertise your presence – much easier to spot (and be spotted) in the narrow parts and when cresting dunes.

 

The Lincoln National Park has plenty to offer the avid camper and 4WDer. The Eyre Peninsula has many attractions including Lincoln National Park, Memory Cove and the nearby Coffin Bay National Park. Even though the Eyre Peninsula is a long way away for most of us, it’s well worth the effort and you will not be disappointed.

 

Destination Details:

Eyre Peninsula is famous as a coastal getaway without the coastal crowds. With over 2,000km of coastline, there are plenty of options to find a quiet section with few other visitors. Lincoln National Park is 11km from Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula. The Sleaford-Wanna Dunes track is located within the Lincoln National Park. Memory Cove Wilderness Area is also within the National Park and is 20km from the entrance to Lincoln National Park. When planning a visit to this area, make sure you book a stay at Memory Cove. This can be done by ringing the Port Lincoln Visitors Centre. Port Lincoln is 647km from Adelaide via Port Augusta.

 

CONTACTS & INFORMATION:

Port Lincoln Visitors Centre

National Parks South Australia

 

WHAT TO TAKE:
Basic spares and recovery equipment, along with sufficient food and beverages for the period planned in the park. The best place to stock up is Port Lincoln, which is the main centre on the Eyre Peninsula. Port Lincoln hosts all the major supermarkets, 4WD suppliers, fuel outlets and mechanical services.

 

TRIP STANDARD: The access tracks within the Lincoln National Park are sealed roads and well maintained gravel roads suitable for all vehicles. Access to Memory Cove is restricted to high-clearance 4WDs, but the track is quite easy. The Sleaford-Wanna Dunes track has plenty of soft sand so it’s definitely 4WD territory with low tyre pressures essential.

 

RESTRICTIONS & PERMITS: A National Parks pass is required to enter Lincoln National Park. The cost is $11 per vehicle for park entry, plus $12 per vehicle per day to camp. Unfortunately South Australia has gone down the online booking path so all booking needs to be done ahead of time, online.

A key and pass from the Port Lincoln Visitors Centre are required to access the Memory Cove area. Visitors are limited to 15 vehicles per day and there are only five campsites (limited to a maximum of three nights). Cost is $20 per night to camp, plus park entry ($11 per vehicle). Note you only need to pay for park entry at the time of entering the park, so plan your trip accordingly (i.e. spend some time in Lincoln NP before and/or after your visit to Memory Cove and only pay for one park entry). Booking ahead of time is essential as the limited spots at Memory Cove fill up quickly! There is great free camping in the Fitzgerald Bay area just north of Whyalla, and plenty of caravan parks at the various small towns along the coast.

 

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS:
With so much coastline on offer, there are plenty of great spots to wet a line. The scenery is spectacular so there are photo opportunities aplenty. There’s a range of bushwalking trails to follow, some great 4WD tracks to explore, and an abundance of great beaches for a swim or a surf if the weather suits. It is also a great place to relax at one of the many quiet coves or beaches while taking in the fantastic scenery.

 

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL: Summer is great for water sports and swimming, but the area can get quite busy particularly in the school holidays. Spring or autumn are my picks, with campfires allowed at several camps (check fire restrictions); with the weather still great but generally smaller crowds.

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BOURKE TO BIRDSVILLE

Cutting up the Cut Line

 

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS LESSER-KNOWN TRACK FROM BOURKE TO BIRDSVILLE

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An Outback adventure that can be done over a few days or a few weeks! Sound interesting? It did to me so that’s why I took off on a Friday afternoon and hightailed it north-west towards Bourke. You see, heading west from Bourke there is an adventure oasis that begins with a road called ‘The Cut Line’. Now this track doesn’t get the press of the Darling River Run or even a Broken Hill to Tibooburra trip… but I promise you it’s every bit the adventure.

 

This trip commences in Bourke on the banks of the mighty Darling River. From Bourke there’s a chance to grab last-minute supplies including free water from the Back O’ Bourke Centre before a 30km run of tar. Then you’re onto The Cut Line. You will want to drop your tyres down to appropriate touring pressures before continuing onto the dirt.

 

The Cut Line passes through sections of sand, clay and gibber and it’s this variability, together with the isolation, that makes it such a great drive. It is one of the most remote roads in NSW and passing only one or two vehicles a day is not uncommon. It’s this remoteness that gives way to two main options: You could comfortably sit on near enough to 100km/h and experience that freedom you only get from driving a deserted road with a huge dust cloud trailing away; or you could take it much slower and just soak it all in. Me? I like a combination of both.

 

Heading along The Cut Line I saw roos, emus, goats; and that most iconic Outback reptile, the Shingleback Lizard. These lizards are awesome because, unlike emus (where you are only ever likely to see their backsides as they disappear into the scrub), the Shinglebacks will sit there and rely on their favourite defense mechanism – a tail that looks like a head. This means it’s easy to get up close and personal with one of these guys; and often they will show off a bit by poking out their famous blue tongue.

 

Towards the western end of The Cut Line the landscape changes again as the road passes over sand dunes and across salt flats. This was the first taste of dune country for the trip and it was merely a preview of what was to come. Just before Tibooburra lies the outdoor pastoral museum. More than simply a look into the history of graziers of the area, it also signifies another change in landscape where mountains of boulders seem to spring up from nothing.

 

From Tibooburra the trip takes a more traditional route through Sturt National Park, to the dog fence and Cameron Corner. Cameron Corner is one of those peculiar places you only find in the Outback. The Corner Store, which is pretty much a pub, sits hundreds of kilometres from the nearest town. Although just about as remote as you can get, the Corner Store offers brilliant hospitality, a campground and a nine-hole golf course with three holes in each of NSW, SA and QLD.

 

While at the store, I met a bloke who works maintaining the dog fence. If there is a more remote and lonely job in this country I don’t think I’ve heard of it. This particular guy has a family with two kids waiting for him at home and it’s not like he can just pick up the mobile phone and give them a bell. My hat goes off to him and to all those who work maintaining the world’s longest structure.

 

I mentioned a preview of sand dune country earlier. West of Cameron Corner is the real deal. We like to call this section of road The Rollercoaster. It is just endless ups and downs and losing your stomach over each dune. This really is a fun drive.

 

Now most would follow the Strezlecki all the way west before turning north towards Innamincka. This trip, I was doing things differently – so that right turn came a little sooner and I ventured along the Old Strezlecki Track. While the main Strezlecki Track is more of a road, the Old Strez is definitely a track. In fact, at times, it comes down to two wheel tracks through the grass or sand. Currently the north section of the Old Strezlecki Track is closed indefinitely – so at this point the journey rejoins the main Strezlecki Track to Innamincka.

 

To explore Innamincka you need a Parks pass and a camping permit, both of which can be purchased from the Trading Post (the general store). Exploring Innamincka is highly worthwhile as you learn about not just the aborigines that lived here for thousands of years but also the first white men to come through this way. You might recognise their names – Burke and Wills. Both men died trying to cross the country and sadly, in the case of Burke, it was mostly due to his stubbornness and unwillingness to accept help or advice (especially from the aborigines).

 

There’s plenty of camping options at Innamincka but the pick has to be Cullyamurra Waterhole. What an amazing spot set against such an arid environment. There’s yellow belly in those waters and sadly a failed fishing attempt was all I could muster. I did, however, manage to catch a couple of blue claw yabbies and some freshwater prawns. I know from previous experience you need a whole bunch of these yabbies to have a feed… so it was this pair’s lucky day. Back they went.

 

The quickest way from Innamincka to Birdsville is via Walker’s Crossing, but in keeping with the theme of the trip I decided to take the Cordillo Road. Wow! What a drive this road was. From crossing Coopers Creek at the causeway at Innamincka (which was up and flowing hard) to the miles of ruts and waterlogged track.

 

The track was a challenge and would soon cause my first breakdown of the trip. Driving along one of the many sandy sections, I heard a crunch followed by a squeal from the trailer. Bugger! Sounded like a wheel bearing, which I thought was not so bad as I had spares. Thirty minutes and I would be on my way again. I checked the hub and it felt cool. “That’s strange,” I thought, then I had a closer look.

 

The nuts on my leaf spring had rattled loose and the bolts had been damaged as they popped out. I do not have a spare leaf spring or bolts. In the end I managed to wedge the spring up under the chassis and tie it off with a strap. Only 350km to Birdsville… time to limp.

 

The bush repair worked and I managed to see Cordillo Downs Shearing Shed (the largest in Australia). The sandstone walls on this shed come alive just before sunset with an absolutely gorgeous orange glow. Be aware there is no camping allowed here, so if you stay for ‘Golden Hour’ be prepared for a little night driving to make camp. I made camp further up the road and, like a reward for a hard day behind the wheel, the stars came out across a stunning night sky.

 

The next day I managed to limp the rest of the way to Birdsville where Sam and the guys at the Birdsville Roadhouse sorted me out with some new bushes and bolts for the trailer. Much appreciated, lads. Once in Birdsville you realise what an adventure centre this place is. There were people here heading to or from the Simmo and others heading south down those famous Outback roads. As for me? I was hitting the tar and heading north to where my next adventure waited.

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BEACH ETIQUETTE

Let’s not leave our manners on the blacktop

 

You have ploughed through the Friday afternoon traffic and arrived at your favourite beach for a weekend’s camping with the family. The sky is blue, the weather perfect and the first guy you see fishing has bagged a monster… how good is this!

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We recently had a weekend away during busy school holidays and it wasn’t long before I thought someone had taken the lid off the dickhead jar and they had congregated on our section of beach. It made me wonder if anyone still knew the etiquette of beach camping and driving.

 

This is not a wowser’s guide to camping killjoy. Circumstances change depending on peak periods, the season or even if the fish are biting – but what doesn’t change is the need to apply basic common sense and good manners.

 

So what is the etiquette of beach camping and driving?

 

Camping

  1. Respect others’ personal space. When someone sets up camp so close you can share tent pegs, it’s guaranteed to get the hairs on the back of your saintly grandmother’s neck bristling. Struth! We go camping to get away, not to play footsies with the next tent’s occupant.

    Give people as much space as is practical. If you don’t, it might just be your weekend that is ruined as happened a few Easters ago when two couples erected their tents right next to my mate, Ray.

    What they didn’t know was that he snored liked a wounded bull. Next morning I was starting the fire and Ray, true to form, was snoring up a storm. The campers who almost literally shared Ray’s pillow were already up and pacing the camp. As the sides of Ray’s tent sucked in and then billowed out with each snore, he suddenly stopped. “Thank Christ for that,” one of them exclaimed. They were packed and gone by 8.30am.

 

  1. Fires. I love to cook on an open fire. There is nothing more relaxing than sitting around the fire chewing the fat over a XXXX or four, watching the flames well into the night. But fires are being banned in more areas and unless we respect the local rules and use common sense, it is only going to get worse.

    Don’t start a fire if there is a fire ban. As basic as that sounds, 3 out of 10 campers couldn’t come to grips with the concept on our trip. The bush on the sand dunes was tinderbox-dry and (combined with strong breezes) would have gone up in a flash – heading straight for several inland campgrounds.

    Use an existing fire pit. If you want to see another pile of sand, go to Coober Pedy and dig for opals.

    Don’t throw glass bottles into a fire; glass and sand do not play well together.

    Where required, such as most National Parks, bring your own firewood.

    A pet hate of mine is seeing branches on live trees with a squillion little cut marks on them. You are not going to cut it down with your tomahawk regardless of how long your holiday is; and even if you did, it is going to produce more smoke than heat. Seriously, this sort of stuff gives officialdom the excuse to close access. Importantly, ensure your fire is out before you leave camp. Spread the coals and douse them with water. Never cover the fire with sand as it effectively becomes an oven. If someone were to step or fall into it, they would be severely burnt.

 

  1. Dunny. Remembering that someone else is going to use the area after you, just as you are using it after someone else, is the key here. Position your dunny on the edge of the camping zone or beyond. Obviously not quite so far away as to be in the next person’s camp.

    Depending on how long the handle on your shovel is, you might be able to dig a 2-, 3- or even a 4-day hole. Just remember that you need to have at least 300mm of sand on top when you’re finished. An excellent practice is to leave a stick poking up to show where your pit was.

 

  1. Leave it better than you found it. Take your rubbish with you and put it in a bin. Have an ‘emu parade’ before you leave… it’s a great way to keep the kids occupied.

 

  1. Noise. You have memorised the words to ‘Khe Sanh’ and are in fine voice. However other camps have turned in for the night and as good as your Barnsey impersonation sounds to you, it sucked big-time after the third beer and got 20 times worse after the 10th. Trust me on this one. Respect and consideration in big doses will help make everyone happy campers.

 

  1. Keep an eye on the kids. Remember that not all 4WDers may be as responsible behind the wheel as you. Kids chasing a ball are not even on their radar. Equally it may have been great fun digging that half-metre deep hole in the  middle of the hard sand where the cars drive – but serious damage is going to happen if someone drives into it.

 

Beach Driving

What is it about feeling rubber digging into the sand that turns normal law-abiding 4WDers into Formula 1 drivers? Why do we drive on the left-hand side of the road, indicate when changing lanes, refrain from drinking and driving, obey speed limits (well, most of them) all the way to the beach and then – suddenly – disobey everything which was keeping us safe? If the logic isn’t Irish, it is at least Kiwi! Am I missing something here? Seriously, it isn’t rocket science so let’s take a stroll through beach driving.

 

  1. Normal Road Rules Apply with speeding and drink driving. If you don’t abide by normal road rules, especially speed limits and drink driving, you are very likely to have a sad ending to your camping trip. Police are increasingly monitoring  beaches with speed traps and conducting drink driving checks. Just because you have your bathers on doesn’t mean you can be a bloody idiot and drink while you drive, or treat the beach as your personal speedway.

 

  1. Watch out for local rules. Additional rules governing beach access set by local shires may apply. These will normally be well sign-posted and implemented for specific local reasons.

 

  1. Keep to the left and use your indicators. This is the concept that the F1 drivers have most trouble coming to grips with. It particularly applies at mid-tide when there’s a tantalising section of hard sand that everyone wants to own. We were keeping left, with the LH indicator blinking away, which put us near the water’s edge. The guy coming up the beach, with no indicator on, was horrified that I held my line. Gimme a break… where did he expect me to go? Effectively cross the road onto the right-hand side with vehicles coming in the opposite direction, or go submariner! Going into the soft sand will not kill you, but hitting another 4WD head-on might. If everyone keeps left of the oncoming traffic and uses their indicators to let others know what they’re doing, it will be really simple (and, more importantly, SAFE).

 

  1. Be patient. It amazes me that people on holidays with all day to do nothing are so impatient. We watched a car get stuck at a beach exit and his three mates stopped to help. Two parked up the track a bit and the third backed up to snatch him. With four 4WDs blocking the track, and two of them unhooking recovery gear, what does the genius on the beach do? You guessed it: Took off and then got angry when he had to stop in the soft stuff, getting stuck! In two minutes the track would have been clear. Instead he sent rooster-tails everywhere and dug himself down to the axles.

 

  1. Let your tyres down and carry your own recovery equipment. As we were exiting the beach the bloke in front of us got stuck. Once he had stopped, I went around him and backed up to give him a tow. My first question was, “Are your tyres let down?” to which I got an affirmative answer. He already had his snatch out and attached it to my recovery point with his shackle. Two unsuccessful snatches and I went back and asked him what pressures he had in his tyres. 28psi. We dropped them to 18 and pulled him out easily. People are happy to help, but they like you to help yourself as well.

 

  1. Watch out for kids. They are here to have fun and may not be paying attention, so keep an extra eye out for them.  
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BLUE WATERHOLES | NEW SOUTH WALES

Keep your cool and go underground

Who doesn’t like a quick dip on a hot summer’s day? And it will be quick, as the underground streams that feed Cave Creek remain very cold, even in mid-summer. And yes, there’s even a couple of caves to explore.

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Blue Waterholes is an excellent spot that is overlooked by many as they spend time bagging the highest mountain in Australia or just chillin’ in Jindy. The northern part of Kosciuszko NP offers a lot of areas to explore without the crowds of the Thredbo/Jindabyne side of the Park.

 

WHERE IS THIS?

Blue Waterholes is located 120km north of Cooma and only 110km south-west of Canberra. If you are heading down from Canberra it is best to be in a high-clearance 4WD as some of the track can be rutted and become very slippery in rain. Just make sure none of the Canberra pollies follow you – they’d be guaranteed to spoil your trip.

 

The route from Canberra is via Brindebella Road, Barnetts Road, Bramina Road and then on to Broken Cart Trail before getting on to Long Plain Road. Some of these roads are gated and locked between the June and the October long weekend. The road from Cooma is via Rules Point – also being suitable for horse floats if you want to saddle up and ride with the brumbies.

 

You’ll need to take the horses to Cooinbil Hut as they are not allowed at Blue Waterholes. Apart from the Christmas/New Year holidays and Easter, you are likely to have your pick of the campsites at either Cooleman Mountain or Blue Waterholes. Both have pit toilets, grassy sites and fireplaces; and some have tables. Excellent camping in a terrific location in the High Country, that is pretty easy to get to.

 

THE CAVES

Cooleman Cave is the easiest to access and provides the opportunity for the family to take a torch and explore a limestone cave. Most people will only go about 20 metres but the more adventurous could go a lot further. Some of the caves are more serious in depth and distance; so they require experience, skills and specialised equipment to make it back out again.

 

The first Europeans to explore the caves were stockmen back in the 1830s, with the area being recognised and reserved for public recreation in 1882. Murrays Cave is further up Cave Creek and is least visited. A lot of the water in Cave Creek is actually running underground and doesn’t surface until the Blue Waterholes.

 

THE HUTS

Grazing commenced in the 1830s with the establishment of some stockyards at the Cooleman run. The Cooleman Homestead and ancillary buildings are worth visiting and are just off the road leading in to the waterholes. The two-room slab hut was built in 1883 with additional buildings being built since. The last permanent resident of Cooleman Homestead left in 1958.

 

The buildings fell into disarray until the process of stabilisation and reconstruction occurred in the 1980s. In the days before pink batts and roof insulation, newspaper provided both insulation and a form of wallpaper in the huts. Some of this can still be seen and it gives an insight into life before TVs and smartphones.

 

THE GORGE

The first creek crossing prior to Clarkes Gorge will probably have you taking your shoes off to keep them dry. By the third crossing, you’ll probably just be walking through – boots and all. There are quite a few creek crossings as you walk through Clarkes Gorge looking up at its grey, almost vertical walls of limestone. The track is narrow and rocky, and is not the easiest of tracks; but it has a fairly shallow gradient. Just take it slow; the Gorge is a great walk.

 

As you exit the eastern side of the Gorge, the rough track continues on towards a picturesque waterfall before plunging into Wilkinsons Gorge. We were warned by another walker to look out for black snakes on the track. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before we saw one slithering off the track as our leader stepped over it. A good track not to let the kids run out in front! If you get all the way down to the falls and back, expect to take a couple of hours to cover the 5km return trip.

 

Apparently there are trout in Cave Creek and fishing is allowed. This would be a great place to throw a line in – even if you didn’t catch anything. The fire trails would be a good mountain bike ride as they would take you further afield. You may even spot some of the activity of a new Snowy Mountains Scheme near Tantangara Reservoir to the south.

 

VERDICT

Blue Waterholes is an excellent camping spot with plenty of activities – including putting your feet up and watching time pass. Off the beaten track, yet not far from the big smoke of Canberra… it’s surprising how few people visit.

 

Destination details

Nearest town: Talbingo is around 40km away via the Snowy Mountains Highway.

When to go: The access tracks are closed between the June and October long weekends (and longer if the weather requires). Spring and autumn are the most pleasant, but expect cold temperatures any time.

Accommodation: Camping at Cooleman Mountain and Blue Waterholes campgrounds.

Difficulty: High clearance 4WD via Broken Cart Trail or 2WD from Rules Point.

Further info: nationalparks.nsw.gov.au

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A LOCAL FAVOURITE

If you were told that R M Williams (the man, not the company) said that one of the most beautiful, rugged valleys in Australia was only a couple of hours from you, would you take a look? You’d be mad not to! Goomburra Valley is not far from Brisbane. If you live somewhere else, it’s going to take a bit longer.

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At one end of the valley there is a National Park with dense rainforest and tall vertical cliffs. From the other side, it is a wide open valley with large, level paddocks well suited to cattle grazing and farming. Although there are still cattle grazing in this 30km long valley, there are plenty of camping and 4WDing options. The original and largest of these is Gordon Country.

 

Samuel Gordon first settled in the valley over 150 years ago. His grandson Ian still runs the property. That’s a lot of history just there! It’s still a working cattle property but visitors have been camping on the banks of Dalrymple Creek since the 1970s. These days there are even facilities for weddings and fine dining, although we cooked our own meals on the fire. With over 4,000 acres, there can be a lot of people camping… but you can still feel you’ve got the place to yourself.

 

The 4WDing at Gordon Country is only moderate so don’t bother with your rock crawlers here. There are however some steep, rocky climbs that reward you with sweeping views across the neighbouring rugged valleys. There is also a 4WD playpen with obstacles of varying difficulty to show the mates what you can do or to give the partners a bit of practice 4WDing.

 

If hard 4WDing is your thing, you are in luck. Janowen Hills is another site in the valley that offers camping and 4WDing to the extreme level. If you intend to go there 4WDing, there is a buddy system in place. This requires at least two 4WD vehicles travelling together – so don’t go it alone. Bring a mate. A few years back we found a fella who was stuck pretty well. Even his buddy couldn’t help. One of our blokes pulled out his pink (?!) winch rope which did the trick to get old mate’s four wheels on the ground again.

 

Both Janowen and Gordon Country allow you to bring your dogs with you as long as they are kept under control and you clean up after them. If you want to bring motorbikes though, they’re not welcome. There’s a couple of other places nearby on the Cunningham Highway that cater for the dirt bike crowd.

 

Most people will visit Gordon Country for, dare I say it, the serenity. Camping is mostly along the creek which flows all year round; and there are a few deep swimming holes in summer. In winter, it can get very cold (like ‘below freezing’ cold) so don’t forget the warm sleeping gear like I did this last trip (total rookie error!).

 

With cattle grazing the paddocks, the camping areas are like parks with mown grass making for the most enjoyable campsites. There are half a dozen different campsites all along the creek with names like Banshee Valley and Bull Hole. Some sites are powered and there are different levels of facilities at different campsites. Tall trees stretch skywards and there is plenty of firewood around. Might be worth throwing in the chainsaw, though.

 

If either of these camping locations are not what you are looking for, there is the National Parks campground at the eastern end of the valley. Sites are a bit cheaper but no dogs or generators are allowed. The NP campsite isn’t as picturesque as the creekside Gordon Country area, but it is a good base if your prime activity is bushwalking.

 

One bush walk that shouldn’t be missed is the Sylvesters Lookout walk which is a short 450m each way. The narrow, sometimes rocky track winds through thick rainforest before taking you to the edge of a cliff dropping away a few hundred metres below you. There is a secure platform to make the best of the fabulous view at any time of the day.

 

There are a few other longer walks taking in cascading streams providing a home for the endangered ground-dwelling Fleay’s Barred Frog. There are a number of interpretive signs explaining both the natural and man-made history of the area. Logging was another reason the valley was of interest to the early settlers. One of the signs adjacent to a huge tree stump explains that it was a massive Sydney Blue Gum that stood over 36m and was around 500 years old. It was cut down in 1962 and it will take a long time before there are any more of that size again.

 

An easy drive from Brisbane, the Goomburra Valley is too easily overlooked when travelling from interstate. For the locals though, it is a favourite… and they keep coming back for good reasons.