Dance Floor to Coal Seam

[Rodsports]

G,Day,

Can anyone provide advice on walking from the Dance Floor, around Headless Rider Point and around to Coal Seam Cave? This was the original walking/stock route.

Thanks...Rodsports.

[DaveNoble]

The track is still there, and I have walked parts of it quite a few years ago - and back then it was quite overgrown, and I think we gave up and climbed up onto the tops (into more scrub - but only heath). I seem to recall that the track was benched a fair bit with rocks.

In WWII the new route was blasted up onto the Plateau, and since then - that was the way that stock was taken from the Walls to Gingra Range.

Dave

[tom_brennan]

From an old and now defunct website... (not my info)

First Ascent Creek and Cottage Rock

MAPS: 8930-III-S KANANGRA, 8929-IV-N YERRANDERIE

DATE: 24th June, 1984

Vehicle access is via Kanangra Road to the car park at Mt Kanangra (GR328352). Follow the walking trail 650m to the top of Murdering Gully (the pass from Mt Kanangra to Seymour Top: GR332352). Here two minor branches leave the trail, one to the NE down Murdering Gully, the other south to the "Dance Floor". The main trail continues east to Seymour Top.

Follow the south trail past the Dance Floor and continue following the base of the cliff line to the most southerly point of Seymour Top (GR333345). Continue following the base of the cliff line to the tip of First Ascent Creek (GR339355).

Much of the cliff line thus far is easy to follow either right at the cliff base or along the drip line. A few diversions are necessary into the surrounding scrub to by-pass some difficult rocky sections. The vegetation away from the cliff line can be very difficult to get through in places: sometimes crawling underneath being most practical. Obviously a small pack helps.

At the tip of First Ascent Creek is a small, picturesque waterhole surrounded by ferns - typical of many slopes with a southerly aspect. At the very tip of the valley, the two cliff lines meet at a fault line in the rock. Water seeping down the fault line has eroded a small cave, which now has a large fern and an adolescent tree growing inside it. Neither the tree or the fern would ever see direct sunlight. It seems likely that First Ascent Creek began just as a fault line in the rock which progressively eroded to its present state.

Continuing along the base of the cliff line on the western side of Maxwell Top, the vegetation grows closer to the actual cliff line as a result of more direct sunlight over the year. This makes progress slightly more difficult and slower. There are numerous overhangs in the cliff face. Some contain deposits of magnesia which the old timers used to use for medicinal purposes. The magnesia appears as a white, fluffy powder produced by oxidation of the parent mineral.

Similar conditions continue down the west and south sides of Murrarang Top to the Coal Seam (GR345338). Here the Gingra Range Trail returns over the Tops to Mt Kanangra. The Coal Seam varies in thickness up to approximately 1m thick. It is naturally exposed on the south face of Murrarang Head. The walking trail follows the overhang containing the seam. Again the old timers made use of the coal and the seam contains two or three small drifts as evidence of their activity. It is now a popular resting, camping, cooking spot with bushwalkers.

From the Coal Seam, a 300-400m walk SE to Cottage Rock (GR348334) is well worth the effort if time permits. Spectacular 360 degree views are available from the top of Cottage Rock.There are two passes from the Coal Seam to Murrarang Top. One is marked on the map at GR342338 the other is at GR343336. The return trip following the trail over the Tops is relatively easy.

[Rodsports]

Thanks Dave,

Appreciate the reply...Sportsy.

[Rodsports]

And Tom, fantastic, thankyou.

[jonnosan]

I did the section from Dance Floor Cave to First Ascent Pass in late december.As the article Tom pasted says, on the west side, it was occasionally a bit scrubby (nowhere near as bad as on the tops though), once you get round the nose it becomes more open forest. If you look at the 4th photo ("The bottom of First Ascent Pass") on http://www.dingogap.net.au/navigation/s ... tpass.html you will get an idea of the open forest bits.

[kanangra]

Fascinating article Jonnosan. I have never seen that plaque and didn't know it was there. It seems to have withstood the passage of the years quite well. Must check it out.

K.

[Allchin09]

I made a visit to the plaque last time I was out that way. Well worth the visit, but the scrub on the top is very thick and slow going.

Here's some photos and commentary of the trip - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... ac60619943

[jonnosan]

If you go the route outlined on Dingo Gap (follow the base of the cliff round from Dance Floor Cave to the gully of First Ascent Pass, go up the gully only as far as the first ledge, follow that around, then a final short hop up to the plaque) it's not too bad. If you take the gully all the way up to the tops and headless rider point, then bush bash through the scrub to the plaque, it's not much fun. The trick of knowing how far to go up the first gully, and when to go from the ledge up to the tops, is remembering the first ascent was with a horse, so don't be tempted to scramble up something a horse couldn't go up.

I did actually try to bush bash from the plaque back to the main track on the plateau - took 45 minutes to go 500m and is definitely not recommended.