Date: 2/10/2010
Maps: LPI Kanangra 89303S, LPI Yerranderie 89294N and Dunphy's Kowmung
Route: Kanangra Walls Road, Gogy Ridge, Sunshine Hill, Mt Barrallier, Barralliers Crown, Wallara Ridge, Hercolton Rocks, Bradbury Cone to Central Christys, returning via Groaner Cone, Great Groaner, Colboyd Range, Mt Colboyd, Mt Bungin, Pindari Top & Marrilman Heath. A long day. Distance: 15 kilometres. Ascent: +- 770m.
Gear: Day Pack, Camera, PLB, Maps, Compass, GPS (set to WGS84), 2 litres water.
Party: Peter Medbury & Bill Beck
Notes:
Even though I've been exploring this area of Kanangra for several years I had never been to Central Christys. I'd planned to go 12 months ago but heart disease had put this walk & a number of others on hold for quite a while. So after spending the past 6 months regaining soome fitness I'd reached the point where I just couldn't put this one off any more.
The start & end of the walk were well known to me. I've done Gogy Ridge & Pindari Tops & Marrilman Heath on many occassions, a couple of times in the dark or in very thick fog. Mt Barrallier, Barralliers Crown & Mt Colboyd are like old friends. I'd never been down the Colboyd Range or down Wallarra Ridge so a large portionof the walk was exploratory. Bill had been to Mt Barrallier with me in April 2010 but most of the area was new to him. The day offered plenty of adventure.
We planned an early start to allow for the unknown. I camped at the Boyd River Crossing while Bill left Sydney very early. I think the camping area at the Boyd Crossing is terrific.
Tall trees, great facilties & plenty of wildlife - wombats, possums & birds can often be seen. A wombat had built its burrow at the camp site & wasn't at all shy.
We left Bill's car at the Marrilman Heath track & then left mine between Dione Ridge & Gogy Ridge.
We were walking at 7:00am using a route across Gogy Ridge that avoids the thick heath in the area.
As long as you don't get caught in the heath, Gogy Ridge allows fairly quick access to Mt Barrallier. Where the heath hasn't taken over Gogy Ridge is a forest of eucalypts & you spend a lot of time dodging round narrow tree trunks. It took us 50 minutes to walk the 2 kilometres to Christys Creek. Wallarra Heights & Sunshine Hill are quite open.
Sunshine Hill lived up to its name. The sun came out from behind the clouds & lit up Sunshine Hill just as we reached it. The sun disappeared a bit later as we left Barralliers Crown & didn't put in another appearance for the rest of the day.
Barrallier's low northern cliffs are protected by thick heath. A route has been forced along the rim rock at the top of the cliffs & a lot of plants have been badly damaged. I have never seen so many cairns so close together. I don't use cairns. Usually I don't object to them but I just can't see the need for so many.
By approaching Mt Barrallier's north eastern corner across Wallarra Bay from Sunshine Hill you can avoid most of the heath. There a couple of spots to scramble up onto Mt Barrallier & from there the route across Mt Barrallier continues along the eastern rim rock above the cliffs. Walks to Barralliers Crown follow the cliff line.
Our route today took us under the cliff line towards Barralliers Crown & as is often the case it was very easy walking.
Barralliers Crown is a large, narrow butte with 2 large columns, 1 at each end separated by what appears to be a short, fairly level area. The level area can be reached via a scramble on the western side. The climb up isn't hard but a tape makes the descent much easier. It is worth the climb to see the views over Tartarus Deep & Yalpur Gully. Unfortunately we didn't have time to climb Barralliers Crown today.
We reached Barralliers Crown before 9:00am & took a short break at the southern end before continuing on down Wallarra Ridge.
Wallarra Ridge runs south from Barralliers Crown for almost 2 kilometres to Bradbury Knoll. It is easy walking, offering views back to Barralliers Crown & glimpses of Christys Creek in the valley700 metres below.
Along the way we crossed 2 fairly level platforms before the ridge narrowed & became very rocky. We'd reached Hercolton Rocks, named after Herman Colton, Dunphy's companion on the walk to Barralliers Falls.
At Hercolton Rocks the eastern side of the ridge almost looked like a retaining wall. Below the rocks there groups of wildflowers, their flowers glowing in the filtered light.
We continued on down the ridge to Baradbury Knoll. The ridge we intended to follow heads off to the south-east just before Bradbury Knoll but we walked past it to see if there were any views from the knoll. All we could see were trees. We couldn't really even see Mt Hyperion, another 400 metres on.
We thought about descending into Wheengee Whungee Creek from Mt Hyperion & walking down the creek but decided to stick to the plan, head out to Bradbury Cone & descend to Central Christys down the nose of the ridge. Maybe I'll get to Mt Hyperion on another walk... perhaps walking out up Spine Bender Butress...
As we walked down to Bradbury Cone we continued to be amazed just how open the forest was & how easy the walking stayed. Once we reached Kanagaroo Platform all that changed. The gentle slope became very, very steep. Rocks & small stones slid from beneath out feet & we had to grab the small trees for support. We could see the pads used by the wombats & kangaroos. Where possible we used them too.
Before very long we emerged at a small cleared area about 5 metres above the junction of the creeks - a fantastic camps site if we'd been staying & something to remember. We arrived at Central Christys at 11:30am. We'd walked almost 8 kilometres & dropped 770 metres in 4 1/2 hours.
There is a beautiful pool at Central Christys, just below the junction Christys Creek & Wheengee Whungee Creek. A perfect spot for lunch. We sat for an hour watching the water, listening to the small rapids at the junction & watching the fish feeding.
All to soon though it was time to start our return journey. We started up Groaner Cone at 12:15pm, heading for Great Groaner. The route up Groaner Cone to Great Groaner starts at the rapids in Christys Creek, just before the junction with Wheengee Whungee Creek.
Groaner Cone was very steep, the surface made up of small pieces of loose rock. For each step up we slipped back half a step. The trees on the slope provided essential handholds that made the climb a bit easier. In places where trees had come down there were beautiful displays of wildflowers.
As we reached the top of Groaner Cone, the surface started to firm up & the slope wasn't as steep. The going became easier. Almost as soon as we started the climb up Groaner Cone we noticed the sky getting darker & darker. It started raining while we were on Groaner Cone. At first the rain was really nice, just enough to cool us down as we climbed. As we climbed the rain started to get heavier & by the time we'd reached Great Groaner we had to stop put on wet weather gear & cover our packs.
From Great Groaner, the route is up the Colboyd Range to Mt Colboyd, arriving under Krok's View. On a good day the Colboyd Range is a really nice walk. Today it was cold, wet & slippery with no views at all. Everywhwere we looked the rocks turned green as the moss soaked up the rain. Whisps of cloud krept through the trees around us creating a very eerie scene.
As we reached Mt Colboyd & Krok's View the clouds lifted for a moment & we caught glimpses of the ridge to the west of us. Unfortunately it was only a moments respite. It started to rain again, heavily this time, & we pushed on along the foot of the Mt Colboyd cliffs.
From Mt Colbod it was a short distance to Mt Bungin across Col Knoll. We sheltered under an overhang at Mt Bungin for a well deserved afternoon tea.
There are 2 Aboriginal Grinding Grooves on a large block of rock on the floor of the overhang. It seems an unusual place to find Grinding Grooves but I've since heard that there are a couple of sites like that around Kanangra.
After a short break we pushed on through quite heavy rain. The clouds come down further & by the time we reached Wallaby pass it was getting dark. Water was pouring down Wallaby Pass & in some places it was very slippery.
The track across Pindari Top was very wet & by the time we reached Marrilman Heath, large portions of the the track were flooded.
By the time we reached Bill's car we were soaked & very cold, despite our wet weather gear. It was a real pleasure to dry off & get into dry clothes.
Even though we were wet & cold we had enjoyed a terrific day in the bush. What's more, we'd proved to ourselves we could do a return trip to Central Christys as a day walk. Hopefully this will open up a whole new area of walking for me.
Times, Locations and Grid References
| Time | Location | Grid Reference |
| 07:00 | Set off across Gogy Ridge from the Kanangra Road | GR 302 345 |
| 07:40 | Christys Creek crossing | GR 301 331 |
| 07:55 | Sunshine Hill | GR 301 328 |
| 08:30 | Mt Barrallier | GR 303 323 |
| 08:55 | Barralliers Crown - morning tea | GR 306 318 |
| 09:35 | Hercolton Rocks | GR 307 310 |
| 10:00 | Bradbury Knoll | GR 307 302 |
| 10:30 | Top of Bradbury Cone | GR 313 299 |
| 11:20 | Kangaroo Platform | GR 318 295 |
| 11:30 | Central Christys - lunch | GR 319 295 |
| 12:15 | Bottom of Groaner Cone | GR 319 295 |
| 13:20 | Great Groaner | GR 323 301 |
| 13:40 | Reached Colboyd Range | GR 327 304 |
| 14:20 | Mt Colboyd below Kroks View | GR 326 313 |
| 14:40 | Col Knoll | GR 322 319 |
| 15:20 |
Mt Bungin - afternoon tea |
GR 322 326 |
| 16:10 | Wallaby Pass | GR 322 332 |
| 16:30 | Pindari Top | GR 321 335 |
| 16:45 | Marrilman Heath | GR 319 340 |
| 17.00 | Reach Kanangra Road from Marrilman Heath | GR 319 346 |
GPS Track of our route to & from Central Christys:
