Access to Broughton Head (near Kangaroo Valley)

[FatCanyoner]

Two weekends ago a few of us spent a lazy day-and-a-half in the Kangaroo Valley area (trip report here: http://fatcanyoners.org/2012/03/31/drawing-room-rocks/). We did the popular day walk up to Drawing Room Rocks, as well as exploring a bit further into Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, but what struck me most was the impressive site of Broughton Head. It is one of those long, thin, cliff-lined sandstone mesas (basically a smaller version of Mt Solitary or Pantoney's Crown) but on the western end it has an amazing knife-edge tail that runs for some distance and looks like it would be amazing to explore.
Looking at the map this island of rock is almost completely contained by the Rodway Nature Reserve, so is public land, but that reserve is completely surrounded by private properties with no obvious access routes. Even a search online didn't give much, with the plan of management for the reserve saying it is occasionally visited by bushwalkers, but only with the permission of private landholders.
I'm really keen to get back down there and explore this amazing formation. Has anyone on here been up there and done a full traverse? Which landholders are the friendliest to bushwalkers? Do you have a phone number / email address / any other form of communication to talk to them and line up a visit?
Thanks in advance.

[tom_brennan]

A quick call or email to the local/regional NPWS office is usually the best way of getting in touch with local landholders. Understandably, they usually don't want their details publicised.

[Grabeach]

I've sent you an email, but for anyone else interested, here is the content.
Broughton Head is also known as Rodway Nature Reserve. Google it, there are plenty of listings. It is one of about half a dozen isolated NPWS reserves in the area. To quote, “Visitation is permissible, but not encouraged”. Would also require permission from surrounding property owner(s).
After visiting Drawing Room Rocks, girlfriend (now wife) and I went up there sometime around 1990. Easy, and possibly only, route up is the north eastern end. Logical access is from the private road that ascends the ridge from near the main junction. Nobody at home when we tried to ask permission, so just kept going up.
Note that there is a break in the plateau where it necks down. You cannot reach Wildfire Trig this way.
I took property details from the sign on the gate on the way out. Property name was Cortona and owner was B Bailey. The intention was to go back with my club and follow the base of the cliffs and see if it was possible to reach the trig from the unseen western end. Never got round to it.

Cheers,
Graeme

[FatCanyoner]

Thanks Graeme, very helpful as usual. I'll try looking up that property. I've found reference to passes on both ends (which I'd assumed was the case given there are trigs at both ends) but I am keen to take ropes and do a full traverse, including of that very distinctive break.

[jackhinde]

did it today. daft and decidely dangerous in the wet. rope and fair to middling climbing skills required. not a bushwalk.

[FatCanyoner]

Jack, thanks for that. You only make it sound more appealing now!
It probably was daft to do it in the wet, although given I spent my weekend scrambling on slippery wet rocks too I won't be casting the first stone!

[Grabeach]

Jack, what part was the problem? The route we took up the eastrern end was easy. Even if my memory failed me, my wife would have freaked if I'd even mentioned using rope!
Graeme

[jackhinde]

the gaps in the tadpole tail were the problem.