List of Epic Walks in NSW

[Allchin09]

Hey,

Having read many stories of past bushwalkers with awe and amazement, I have become quite fascinated with the types that involved qualities such as long distances, difficulty terrain, fast paces and/or unexplored routes.

This topic is a place where I would like to list some of the 'Epics' that I have read about, and hopefully a place for others to post ones that they have undertaken / know about. My aim is to revive the art to "Tiger Walking"

The Tigers.pdf

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I do realise that it will never be the same as days gone by as the unexplored element almost all places has disappeared, but long distances, difficult terrain and a fast pace can still be achieved.

The ones I know of in NSW are as follows:

1. Three Peaks - 90km - 18:22h in 1966
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~aburke/3Peaks/index.htm
http://www.david-noble.net/BlueMts/Coxs/The_Three_Peaks.html
By Warwick Daniels and John Fantini

2. The Southern Blue Mountains Traverse - 188km - 82:52h in 2011
http://www.coolrunning.com.au/fatass/hq/index.php?title=Southern_Blue_Mountains_Traverse
By Clare Holland and Karl Miller

3. Blackheath to Richmond via Grose River - ??km - 1 day in ??

Obligatory - Max Gentle.pdf

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By Max Gentle

4. Wentworth Falls to Jenolan Caves via Gangerang Ranges - ??km - 2.5 days in 1929

The First Gangerang Walk.pdf

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By Max Gentle and Gordon Smith

5. Sydney to Parramatta via Nowra, Mossvale, Thirelmere, Burragorang, Jenolan, Bell and Richmond - 500miles - 16 days in ??

The Pharlap of the Bushwalker - Gordon Smith.pdf

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By Gordon Smith

6. Katoomba to Picton - 130miles - 2.75days in 1983?

Katoomba to Picton the Hard Way - 130 Miles.pdf

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By Dot Butler

7. Kanangra to Katoomba Return - 90km - 24h in 1965
http://www.subw.org.au/archives/POR/Kanangra_Return.html
By Athol Abrahams and Dave Dash

8. Kowmung Traverse - ??miles - 20days in 1914
Route: Katoomba - Jenolan Caves via 6FT track - Hollander's River - Box Falls - Upper Kowmung River - Misery Ridge - South Boyd - Kowmung River - Lannigan's Creek - Yerranderie - Picton. Most of the route had not been explored by bushwalkers previously.
See "Kowmung River - Discovery, History & Development" By Jim Barrett - Chapter 10
http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/11419202?q&versionId=13398029
By Myles Dunphy and Bert Gallop

I'm sure that there are many others, and this list is restricted to my available resources (Bushwalking history books - mainly Jim Barrett's, the entire SBW Club Magazine collection - many thanks to Tom Brennan for putting it online at http://sbw.ozultimate.com/wiki/, and the interenet in general)

I know that there are one or two noteworthy trips detailed in "The Barefoot Bushwalker" - By Dot Butler, but I don't have a copy on hand.

So, can anyone add to the list?

[kanangra]

Ah a man after my own heart. Very thought provoking. so many ideas come to mind.

K.

[Allchin09]

Care to share Kanangra?

[kanangra]

Just a few random ideas. What about walking the length of KNP from its northern most point to its southern most point. I have figured out a plausible route which just awaits the right time. And the same goes for all the big parks. What about BM NP from the Wollangambe in the north to wombeyan Caves in the south. Or start at Singleton and throw in Wollemi for good measure? Don't get me started.

K.

[kanangra]

My brother backs onto the bush at Woodford. I have often thought it would be neat to just walk out his back door and not stop till I reached Hilltop or Mittagong. As I said, don't get me started.

K.

[KANANGRABOYD]

Alchin,
Like K I am in the same idea.
However even though I have read extensively all you have posted ( years ago) - I honestly doubt that the record on the 3 peaks is what you posted. I met John Fantini years ago, and although he is a "machine" I am still very dubious of that time - don't know if you have done it.?
I lived for many years with an adventure racer - Toby Cogley, and also another guy ( mountaineer) Andrew Lock, and we talked about that record and even they doubt that time. ( C'mon Dave Noble prove me wrong!).
I grew up next door to Dot Butler ( nee English) and spent many afternoons drinking tea with her, and helping her feed her chooks. For those that doubt - she lived at 28 Boundary, Rd, Wahroonga on the North Shore.
I'd be super interested to hook up with some other members and do some long walks.
Next year I am hopefully gonna thru hike the AAWT with my wife. Would love to hear from others that have thru-hiked it.
Great post mate, I like the ideas.
KB

[DaveNoble]

Alchin,
Like K I am in the same idea.
However even though I have read extensively all you have posted ( years ago) - I honestly doubt that the record on the 3 peaks is what you posted. I met John Fantini years ago, and although he is a "machine" I am still very dubious of that time - don't know if you have done it.?
I lived for many years with an adventure racer - Toby Cogley, and also another guy ( mountaineer) Andrew Lock, and we talked about that record and even they doubt that time. ( C'mon Dave Noble prove me wrong!).

KB

I've know John Fantini for a number of years (about 10?), and he is still very active in outdoor pursuits. His main pursuits are climbing and also now, bike riding (road riding). He mainly lives in Canada, but regularly visits Australia - to see his mum. John recently turned 70 - and on his birthday, completed a number of quite hard rock climbs, and then had a beer (which is a change from his usual diet - bananas). I've no doubt he completed the 3 peaks in the claimed time. His partner on the walk was Warwick Daniels, who has been and remains a highly respected bushwalker, and holds a number of long distance bushwalking records still (such as Federation Peak in a day). Other parties have completed sub 24 hour three peaks trips - but as far as I know - none have competed the trip in a shorter time than that of Daniels/Fantini.

However, I think if you associate a name or party with the Blue Mts Three Peaks - then it should be those of the first party to complete the trip in a weekend - Barry Higgins et al.

Dave

[Rob Gosford]

have the book here, The Great North Walk - Garry McDougall & Leigh Shearer-Heriot (1988 Kangaroo Press) - and on page 122 they refer back to 1984 when they were mapping out their epic route for the GNW, they arrived at Yarramalong at night without matches......

QUOTE: P122
".......the attraction of this Store (ED: Yarramalong Store) was evident during our 1984 sojourn. On that trip we reached some 2 klms short of the Store and pitched tent at dusk. However, after a hard day's walking we discovered that there were no matches and therefore no possibility of hot food. One of us, possessed of a fever for a hot meal, found the extra energy to stumble the 2 klms to the Store. It was closed, though this did not daunt him. After some desperate knocking the owners were good enough to provide the matches.

HOWEVER the return journey through almost trackless terrain was terrifying. The bush was alive with animals and, even worse, strange, unidentifiable sounds The imagination ran wild. Without a torch visibility was so bad that our intrepid night walker lost the track, and ended up 25 metres above the camp. Contact was only made by many blood-curling coo-ees. A hard day's night, you might say..." UNQUOTE


"The bush was alive with animals and, even worse, strange, unidentifiable sounds. The imagination ran wild."....... you can just imagine the scene LOL. Hillarious !