Ettrema gorge way out

[mys]

Hi,

I'm planning for two day walk at Ettrema gorge.

The plan so far looks like:

Friday: Drive from Sydney and camp around Quiera clearing. My understanding is that this is private property so I need to figure out good camping with "easy" walk to Myall creek. Any suggestions for a reasonable camping spot and easy access to Myall creek?

Saturday: Follow Myall creek down to the gorge and then follow Ettrema creek until Barrows Crown and setup camp. This might be impossible to achieve within one day.

Sunday: Walk up Barrows Crown; Howards pass; avoid swamp and somehow join the road above Quiera clearing.

This is the game plan but I need backup plan if gorge will be too hard to negotiate i.e we wound't be able to reach Barrows Crown until late afternoon.

Based on the map I see the following exit points: Naked pass; creek below Pardon point; creek(s) under Back pack hill; creek above Reprieve point; and Broad arrow gully. Pardon point seems to be the best option so far.

I've found couple of references to Naked pass and Pardon point but nothing detailed. I'm not looking to step-by-step instructions but at least vague path description would be great. Would be somebody keen to share more details? (including other "passes")

[tom_brennan]

I assume you've seen this, in relation to Transportation Spur/Pardon Point:
https://bushwalkingnsw.com/walk.php?nid=203

If you haven't been to Ettrema before, for a 2-day trip, I would suggest you start with entering via Myall Creek and exiting via Transportation Spur. If you're ahead of schedule, you can use the extra time to explore Sentry Box Canyon or Jones Creek.

[mys]

Yes, I've seen that one and meanwhile I've decided to exit via Transportation Spur.

What would be the best point to enter Myall Creek?
- going from height "764" around "Churinga Head" and enter the creek at 432243 which looks really steep
- or walk around private property and then enter at 422261
- or my favourite 421250?

As exist path I'm thinking to take "Inquisition hill" -> "Back Pack hill" -> Height 778 -> Height 765 -> Road back to Quiera clearing. Any opinion about this route instead of "traditional" 280 bearing and then following Tullyangela creek?

Thanks!

[clarence]

Last few times I've been there we've parked on the rocky flat area about 1km south of Daramoulin Hill.

From there a few passes go down into Ettrema. One of these is on the NE corner of Churinga Head, where the cliffline peters out to the N (424239 on the OLD map). From below the cliffline you need to traverse back to the SE above a steep slope to pick up the head of Myall Ridge. It is fairly straightforward- no ropes etc, just a few steep side slopes to traverse. Then head straight down Myall Ridge to the N/NE to the junction of Myall / Ettrema.

If you see Scratchy at Bushcraft Equipment in Wollongong, he probably has some of the few remaining copies of Fitzroy Falls and beyond, which have details on several of the passes.

Clarence

[mys]

Thanks for the book tip, Clarence!

It looks that my trip will postponed Here is the list of resources which I used for planning:

https://www.adventureswithm.com/2013/04 ... k-isnt-it/
http://www.baybushwalkers.org.au/ettrema.html
https://bushwalkingnsw.com/walk.php?nid=203

[clarence]

There is also a route up Myall Creek (as your sources suggest). Quite spectacular. I've never done it though.

Another pass further S of Churinga Head, but a bit rough and sketchy.

Lots of the upland areas are very easy going- as the google photos show- big long rock slabs with narrow strips of scrub in between. You can often pick these rock slabs and join them up with minimal or little scrub bashing.

Make sure your trip is only postponsed, not cancelled.

I recently spoke to a mate of mine who did the second known crossing by white fella from E-W (Yalwal to Tallong) after Paddy Pallin and Paul Howard in 1954 (?). Great story- they did it before proper maps and any of this info about passes. They had to make the detour to Possibility Point so they could visually work out their way through the valley and out the other side. Hard core.

Clarence

[mys]

I have several more links which I forgot to include:

https://sbw.ozultimate.com/wiki/195909#ettrema
https://sbw.ozultimate.com/wiki/195907#ettrema_gorge
http://sbw.ozultimate.com/wiki/196806#t ... page_again

There are some references to mentioned E-W trip in the links. Not my taste One day, I would love to walk Ettrema from "The Jumps" down to "Shoalhaven River". Totalling almost 50km without any side trips but it should be doable in 5-7 days...

[mbatch]

'G'day mys

I'm guessing the walk is off as fires look like they've been through , tragic

Anyway I don't have the map with me etc but I did a walk into Myall Creek and we heading in pretty much due east from Daramoulin hill and headed down the spur that comes out just above the first major waterfall, think an hour or so from the road. I knew about it as I'd fallen on the wet rocks the year prior at this spot while walking down from Queira clearing and broke my shoulder, it made for an easy out to the car (thank whatever god you believe in) , no cliffs or anything but going down Myall creek was steep with the waterfalls etc to be bypassed although we didn't use ropes (this is the known route anyway). This was part of an easy three day trip coming out by Transportation spur, maybe doable in two but I wouldn't want to hurry

I did an overnighter walking in from Bullfrog Creek and up to Jingles, from Jingles we headed west and used this 'new ' way out and made for two longish days in October, you could do that going up Myall creek as well I'm guessing. I have some pics from that trip here

https://mildadventureswithmickb.blogspo ... -2013.html

As mentioned probably a moot point for a few years now

Cheers Mick

[wallwombat]

One day, I would love to walk Ettrema from "The Jumps" down to "Shoalhaven River". Totalling almost 50km without any side trips but it should be doable in 5-7 days...

I've walked down Tullyangela Creek to the junction of Ettrema Creek and then followed that to the Shoalhaven. Another time we walked down Tullyangela Creek to Ettrema Creek and then followed that to Yalwal Creek which we followed to Yalwal and a pickup. Believe me, you get *&%$#! sick of walking on river rocks. I wouldn't do it again.

Dungeon Canyon on Tullyangela Creek is awesome. Really awesome.