Ettrema - What am I Missing?

[kanangra]

Last night I was looking at the maps, as you do? And it occurred to me that I have completely neglected the Ettrema area! Not sure why. I aim to put this right and was considering a few possible trips including a traverse starting near the junction with the Shoal haven and then going up on the Drovers Ridge Trail to Tolwong and down via the old mines to the Shoalhaven River and out via Bungonia. Then I thought of a grand circuit, as above but returning to the car by dropping back into Ettrema Ck somewhere and walking down stream. What do people reckon?

K.

[jackhinde]

invite me along, that's what i reckon

[ferozious]

I was going to do this as part of a grand Katoomba to Ulladulla hike last summer - bush fires ended up preventing me from getting my food drops placed on time so I had to cancel.

My plan was to enter Ettrema via Dungeon Canyon (Tullyangela Creek). This would allow you to enter/exit Ettrema down low and maximize your distance traveled in the gorge.
I never ended up doing this hike so can't make any comment on what the place is like. From what I've seen and heard, its awesome!

[kanangra]

Yes now you mention it I do remember that. Sorry to hear that you didn't get out. I was hiping that the lower reaches of the creek might be quicker and easier going than higher up?

K.

[Grabeach]

Try and get hold of a copy of "Fitzroy Falls and Beyond" by the Budawang Committee (1988) - 350 pages. All will be revealed.

[Nuts]

Your missing a pretty spectacular walk. It's been over 20yrs since we did it so I can't help much with details but it sticks in the mind. I do recall choosing the wrong spur to exit (we did a circuit) and ending up almost needing ropes, a bit of an epic! Brilliant down in the gorge, nice pools when we went through and I recall some nice shingle campsites

[melinda]

Hi kanangra,
I've done a number of Ettrema trips. Have done some of the lesser known passes.
If you want to explore, I'm in!

[melinda]

Hi kanangra,
I've done a number of Ettrema trips. Have done some of the lesser known passes.
If you want to explore, I'm in!

Ettrema 1

P4070015 (728x546).JPG (95.49 KiB) Viewed 27458 times

Clear Water of Ettrema Creek

clear water (728x546).JPG (89.39 KiB) Viewed 27458 times

[melinda]

Ettrema is awesome!

[kanangra]

I actually have that book and looked it out last night. Gave me some good ideas. The photos look great too. I will see what I come up with and then post the details here and see who would like to join me.

K.

[kanangra]

OK. I have decided on a trip into this area. It is an initial foray only designed to give me an overview. I have decided to go next Wed. and Thursday. I will catch the early train down to Berry where my brother will meet me at the station and has kindly agreed to drive me around to Coolandel. From there I will walk down to Yalwal Ck and up onto the ridge opposite where I hope to pick up and follow the Drovers Ridge trail. I will camp out on this trail somewhere on Wed. night. I have identified a possible water source about 35km in but will carry water just in case.

On Thursday I will continue on to Tollwong and then Iron Pot clearing on my way out to Sparkes Buttress. Here I hope to pick up the old Badgery's stock trail and follow it down to the river where I will have to cross to walk up Badgery's track on the northern side. Once at the road end it is about 7km into Tallong where I need to arrive in time for the 7:50PM train back to Sydney.

Depending on the weather forcast I aim to travel fairly light and fast on this trip as I will only be out one night.

I realise that this route misses most of the good bits and doesn't touch the Ettrema Wilderness but it is a start.

K.

[clarence]

The NPWS closed the Drovers Ridge trail many years ago to the best of my knowledge, so don't count on it being there. Several of the fire trails in the lower Ettrema/Danjera area were also closed at the same time.
Generally the forest isn't too thick on the tops, so even if the trail isn't there it shouldn't be horrible.
There are a few passes down to the Shoalhaven between Split Rock Point and Billy Bulloos Crown, which avoid going through the Tolwong property. It is a bit over a day of walking from Fossickers Flat out to Badgerys Lookout. Stunning terrain.
Clarence

[GPSGuided]

So what does it mean when NPWS closes a trail? Given we are allowed to go off-trail at most places, what's stopping us from going, even if it's a few metres to one side?

[kanangra]

Clarence,

Do you think the owner of Tollwong might have a few issues with me going through?

K

[jackhinde]

you want company?

[clarence]

So what does it mean when NPWS closes a trail? Given we are allowed to go off-trail at most places, what's stopping us from going, even if it's a few metres to one side?

It used to be a major fire trail which was used illegally by 4wd/motorbikes as far as I am aware. About 10 years ago the NPWS closed off this and several other trails in the lower Ettrema area to minimise illegal vehicle access. In the past it would have been a very easy to follow route for walking (and motorbikes, 4wd etc). What I am getting at is that when NPWS closes some trails they rip them with a dozer, pull logs and rocks over the path and cover them with scrub to increase regeneration- hence what was once easy to follow may now be well covered in vegetation. It would be completely legal to walk along it, but may be a right PITA if one is expecting a nice easy stroll along a fire trail. I may stand corrected and would be interested if anyone has more information.

Clarence,

Do you think the owner of Tollwong might have a few issues with me going through?

K

I was there in 2006 when the long term owners (the Crisps I think) had moved out and a new caretaker had moved in. We were made to park our car outside the property and walk around the fenceline to reach the Shoalhaven Gorge. I do not know what the current situation is with access and occupation of the Tolwong property. Back in the day the owners were liable to do all sorts of crazy things like start bushfires, push large items of rubbish over the cliff edge etc, real hillbilly material. There are some almighty piles of abandoned rubbish on the property. That being said out to the top of Tumbledown Point from the farm is pleasant walking. If you go between the buildings and the cliff edge you'd only be visible from the farm for a few hundred metres of it, not that I'm recommending you should or shouldn't go onto their property. I simply think the Shoalhaven Gorge is far more attractive. I have some notes on the passes into the gorge around Billy Bulloos crown and the route up tot he base of Badgerys if you want them.

Clarence

[jackhinde]

There was a bit of fuss down here last summer regarding the drovers ridge trail, the local member was on the radio deploring the fact that trails once open to fire fighters had been closed and that bulldozers had been needed to open some again. When the local paper followed up with an interview with the regional head of the rfs he hadn't even heard of the drovers ridge trail!

[Swampy460]

The owners of Tolwong station are not keen on letting anyone on there property after some vandalism at their hut at Iron Pot clearing by bushwalkers. And Drovers Ridge trail has been closed off at Tolwong end for years and is extremely overgrown from just a few K's east of Tolwong and would be hard going. I wouldn't recomend "sneaking past the house" cause if the dogs see or hear or smell you then ,,,,,,,,,,
Best to call into the house and ask, BTW the caretaker drinks VB.

Swampy

[kanangra]

Perhaps I could bypass the property all together by going down via the old Tolwong Mines and walking up the river to Long Point? That would take a bit longer though and I don't have a lot of time as it is?

K.

[Swampy460]

The trouble is to get onto the old mines road you also have to go through the property, and again NPS have closed this road off years ago, but it is nearly followable (is that a word) with a gps and a keen eye. And I guess you could skirt the property boundry.

Swampy

[kanangra]

Mmmmmm I might just bowl up and knock on the door.

K.

[puredingo]

Mate, just take the most direct, non-intrusive route like the one Clarence suggested. NSW is getting way too small for people owning large tracts of land right on popular bushwalking grounds to get aggressive when people innocently are only looking at gaing access to a region.

Take a couple of minute steaks for the dogs and if they don't show up that's dinner sorted.

[kanangra]

I knew you'd have a strategy PD. I'll take your approach and see. If I get the *&%$#! bitten out of my dacks i'll know who to blame.

K.

[Swampy460]

Well you have been warned, its up to you. (its only manners to ask)
PD its the same old story that the majority has to pay for the recklless acts of a few. And I'm sure that if it were your back yard you would be none too happy either.

Swampy

[clarence]

For the record, my suggestion is to take the pass down Needles Buttress or near Billy Bulloos Crown (I'll give you the notes for the latter). Irrespective of access to the property the route via the Shoalhaven Gorge presents a far more interesting route for walking.

Clarence

[kanangra]

Clarence I'll take a look at that on the map tonight.

K.

[puredingo]

Swampy, I get weirdo's knocking on my door trying to sell me Austar/energy service/phone service, I get inconsiderate jerk offs hanging U ee's in my driveway at 2 pm with their high beam on, I get punk kids jumping my fence retrieving balls etc, I get tools jamming junk in my letter box I get...You get the picture. BUT none of those people deserve having the hounds released upon them UNLESS there is a sinister motive . I live on planet earth there are too many people.

My point is when I'm in this situation I take the course I think is appropriate and If I happen to see the owner, even if off in the distance, I approach him and explain my harmless intentions and if after that he wants to carry on, well, I can get my hillbilly on with the best of them YEEHAW!

[WarrenH]

Ettrema Creek has the clearest water in SE NSW ... some say. I do.

You will see Goannas fighting Black Snakes ... often.

Some of the side creeks are worth exploring. At Jones Creek just below the waterfall ... I tried to swim to touch the bottom and I couldn't. It is deep.

Some black-n-white shots from Ettrema. The first shot is of Jones Creek.

http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/The ... -119583635

http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/Ett ... -119317193

http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/Up- ... -119185694


Have a good trip.

Warren.

[kanangra]

Well I am back safely. All went according to plan. I was dropped at Coolandel at 10 on Wednesday and walked out to Tallong RS at 3:00 PM yesterday. The only problem was that my train wasn't due till 8:00PM and there were none in between! So for good measure I walked the 10km into Marulan to try hitching. A total of just under 80ks all up.

An excellent trip. I will post more details when I get a chance. As suspected the track along Drovers Ridge is very overgrwon now. Found it very difficult to locate near the beginning but once on it I was able to follow it sort of. If I feared I had lost it every now and again I would happen upon a sign, like an old mud flap or a piece of blinker or a stubby bottle.

As hoped Rorari Ck was running but no place to camp nearby so I topped up and continued on to the next suitable spot. Cool night on the tops.

Next morning I passed the ponds at Lizard flat which were holding water and looked very pleasant.

Crossed Tolwong without any issue and the hut at Iron Pot clearing was empty and locked. Arrived at the southern rim to the gorge just as the wind was blowing up.

The descent into the Sholhaven Gorge was very steep and loose near the bottom. I suspect I took the wrong spur lower down. At the bottom the river was running well and I found it very difficult to cross, being swept off my feet and carried a short distance before regaining my footing.

I took the pull up Badgerys in one go and arrived at the lookout, though not at the point where the track is signposted? I must have missed a turn near the top? From there it was a 7km road bash into Tallong and then another 10km into Marulan.

In the end I couldn't hitch a lift so I ended up on the 8:00PM train after all.

A great trip. I know I only scratched the surface but at least my appetite has been whetted.

K.

[kanangra]

Also I forgot to mention that I found an interesting gadget on a star picket along the trail. It looked like a camera to me? Perhaps for observing wild life? Never seen one before. I took a photo of it and will post when I get a chance.

K.