Upper Nepean Gorge?

[LachlanB]

Hi all,
I'm a long time lurker here, there's some amazingly useful stuff available of these forums. Anyway, the recent discussion about the Nattai Valley has encouraged me to do some more exploring of my local area rather than sitting on public transport for hours to get up into the Blue Mountains. I wanted to ask, as there seems to be plenty of knowledge about the Wollondilly area, does anyone know much about bushwalking in the Upper Nepean gorge and lower Bargo Rivers? I've looked on the internet, but I can't find much beyond Mermaid's Pool and the odd liloing trip.
I take it the easiest points to access the gorge are at Mermaid's Pool, Maldon Bridge and Douglas Park? What about at Pheasant's Nest Weir? There is Pheasant's Nest Pass marked on SIX Maps, but would any exit at that point infringe on SCA prohibited land (or private property)? How overgrown is the river, and can you find places to camp? It doesn't look too bad from the freeway, but that doesn't really mean anything, I guess.
Thanks, and I hope it's not too much to ask for!

[juxtaposer]

Not a lot of people diving in here. Looks like you've got the field open to explore. Don't forget to post some pics for the rest of us to lap up. The wild white man, John Wilson, did some exploring here in the 1790's.

[jackhinde]

A public forum is not the best place to describe some of the information you seek.

[GPSGuided]

A public forum is not the best place to describe some of the information you seek.

How about some of the other information? Also, what would be the appropriate format to learn the information?

[michael_p]

Hi Lachlan and welcome.

I'm glad juxtaposer commented on this thread as I don't remember seeing it when it was created.

What about at Pheasant's Nest Weir? There is Pheasant's Nest Pass marked on SIX Maps, but would any exit at that point infringe on SCA prohibited land (or private property)? How overgrown is the river, and can you find places to camp? It doesn't look too bad from the freeway, but that doesn't really mean anything, I guess.

I wouldn't go anywhere near the weir at Pheasants Nest, as far as I can see the weir is within the SCA boundary. Basically all of the Nepean River that is to the east of the Hume Motorway and south of Picton Rd is a no-go zone. The SIX maps don't show the SCA boundary but there are plenty of signs along both roads.

You can rock hop to the junction of the Nepean and the Bargo via Tahmoor Canyon. Beyond that I don't have any information to share. No one owns the waterways so you could explore along the river but from my limited experience the gorge is quite steep and difficult to negotiate (head down to the old Maldon bridge to see what I mean). You could lilo sections but you would still have to rock-hop in a lot of spots. Most paddlers put in at Douglas Park as it is an easy access point and from there down is flat water.

Can't see any reason why you could not stealth camp in the Mermaids Pool/Tahmoor Canyon area. Don't remember seeing any signs that say it is prohibited. Only thing I would say is that the water in the Bargo doesn't look very nice to drink and I wouldn't leave a car parked overnight at the bridge parking area.

I hope this is of some help,
Michael.

[jackhinde]

A public forum is not the best place to describe some of the information you seek.

How about some of the other information? Also, what would be the appropriate format to learn the information?

publicly discussing illegal activities is not wise, the appropriate format is via pm or a phone call...
no need to stealth camp at mermaids and while you're there jump off diamond rock, at 22 metres it is the highest safe jump in the highlands (or you can just do the 10 metre one all the local kids do)

[jackhinde]

...

Last edited by jackhinde on Fri 20 Jun, 2014 9:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[GPSGuided]

Thanks Jack. Didn't realise the area is within the exclusion zone, in which case a simple comment to that effect would suffice. Otherwise it sounded like some are knowingly entering. Not good.

[jackhinde]

that sounds like wisdom

[LachlanB]

Thanks for the replies!
I thought the exclusion zone extended upstream from Pheasants Nest Weir, and that anything downstream from that was fair game? Sadly, this would seem to include Pheasant's Nest Pass by the map too.
Had another look at the Douglas Park bridge the other day, and I don't think it'd be easy to get up the river without a lilo or canoe- it was too wide without much in the way of banks. I guess the best option is to go have a look at Tahmoor Canyon and see how far down the river I can get from there? Never heard of John Wilson, juxtaposer- I'll have to look hime up. Sounds interesting!

[Allchin09]

Hi Lachlan,

Check out the SCA website - http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/water/supply/system - for a good map of where the exclusion zones lie. Everything in red is a no-go.

[GPSGuided]

Useful link there Allchin09! Looking at it, it's a bit odd how the no entry zone covered residential areas up on the Blue Mountains.

[jackhinde]

beat me to it, they don't know their own boundaries!

[DarrenM]

As others have said, its not worth the hassle upstream of Pheasants nest bridge. Downstream is well documented from a paddling perspective but less so in terms of walking.

I've paddled from Pheasants nest bridge through to Douglass Park but didn't take in much from a hike perspective. I know a couple of guys that didn't get the right water levels and said it was slow going off the water. Doable at least on the Nepean anyway....Might be fun to explore on foot. From the Pheasant bridge on the Sydney side there are some old stairs leading down to the water. Not a great place to leave a car though.

Anyway probably not much help but you may get a feel from the 2 links below.

Pheasants Nest to Maldon

Maldon to Douglass Park

[LachlanB]

Thanks for the links to your blog DarrenM, it was really useful (especially the video). I'll bet it's slow going, the growth on the sides on the river looked really thick! The water level is a bit lower now than on your trip, but I think this might be better stored for a really dry period so more of the rocks are exposed for rockhopping. Good to know there is legal access from around Pheasant's Nest Bridge though.

[DarrenM]

No worries mate. The water level is rarely at the height in the vid so I guess there would be a few more options. Have fun exploring.