Chaelundi Rest Area to Guy Fawkes River
Posted: Fri 21 Sep, 2012 12:59 pmI visited the guy Fawkes River with my 2 sons last April. Impressed by the view from Lucifer's Thumb and spurred on by my son's attempted visit a few months before, we were sure it would be a place worth the visit.
We went down to the river via the Combalo Trail, at Warrung Lookout, just south of Lucifer's Thumb off the Escarpment Track after parking at Chaelundi Camping Ground. The track is a steep goat track hard on the toes but easy to navigate until the bottom of the ridge where the track is lost so it's 'follow your nose' to the river. It's more difficult to find the way out as I have read since. We stayed the night by the river as intended.
We weren't impressed with the river, farmland has made it murky and weedy, blackberry and other nasties scratched us to buggery and I threw away my shoes (older than my son's below) on return as it wasn't worth trying to de-burr them.
The view is better from the top...
Next morning we found a better trail out but realized, as the view improved, it was taking us up Lucifer's Thumb and we were unsure of this ascent. Going back to another night at the river would make us late (people would worry) and one of us had knee trouble going downhill. We starting making our way across to the Combalo Trail (3 smaller ridges away) and made it to the one adjacent. We spent a rough night on the steep ridge, thankfully, in good weather and made it up to the track the next morning.
I have seen nicer rivers but the near lost experience was one not to be missed. I can sleep anywhere!
- The view is better from the top
- sam view.jpg (101.94 KiB) Viewed 4272 times
We went down to the river via the Combalo Trail, at Warrung Lookout, just south of Lucifer's Thumb off the Escarpment Track after parking at Chaelundi Camping Ground. The track is a steep goat track hard on the toes but easy to navigate until the bottom of the ridge where the track is lost so it's 'follow your nose' to the river. It's more difficult to find the way out as I have read since. We stayed the night by the river as intended.
- Easy walking in spots
- Track.jpg (109.96 KiB) Viewed 4272 times
- The river rocks were pretty scummy from farmland up stream
- GFR Dylan.jpg (108.32 KiB) Viewed 4272 times
We weren't impressed with the river, farmland has made it murky and weedy, blackberry and other nasties scratched us to buggery and I threw away my shoes (older than my son's below) on return as it wasn't worth trying to de-burr them.
- Burrs stuck to everything!
- Burrs sam.jpg (118.24 KiB) Viewed 4272 times
The view is better from the top...
Next morning we found a better trail out but realized, as the view improved, it was taking us up Lucifer's Thumb and we were unsure of this ascent. Going back to another night at the river would make us late (people would worry) and one of us had knee trouble going downhill. We starting making our way across to the Combalo Trail (3 smaller ridges away) and made it to the one adjacent. We spent a rough night on the steep ridge, thankfully, in good weather and made it up to the track the next morning.
- On the way out, morning glory
- lucifer clouds.jpg (68.02 KiB) Viewed 4272 times
I have seen nicer rivers but the near lost experience was one not to be missed. I can sleep anywhere!
