Canyon Colliery Upper Grose Valley

[Paul+]

Can some kind, crazy bushwalker please update me on the old access rd. into Canyon Colliery? I am hoping to visit the lower section of Koombanda Brook, and this appears to be the easiest way to access,
thanks heaps, regards Paul

[keithj]

There's plenty of parking before the locked gate over the railway line. It's an easy walk/cycle down Canyon Colliery Trail until the bends where there's a barrier blocking vehicle access to a significant landslip (which is marked on OSM). It is/was navigable with care low on the RHS.
Shortly afterwards there's a bit of mining infrastructure down in the thick bush on the right, and the bush/creek bash up to Koombanda Brook is North then West & upstream. It starts off fairly pleasant & easy going, then isn't.

The alternative is to do the canyon from the N - some deep wades, but no abseils or swims... and exit up the Trail.

[marron]

I have accessed the junction of Koombanda, that other brook, and the Grose, by coming down essentially off Ikara. And also by walking up from Burra Korain. Oh.. and yes also coming straight down the Grose too.haha.

Not having gone in off the colliers bit or from the north though i can't make comparisons.... but off Ikara (the unnamed creek gully to the east of it) isn't totally ridiculous.

Reading Keith's description it might - stress heavily, might - even be the easier way in, although requires more of a hoof first from vic falls rd (not unpleasant though).

[Paul+]

Thanks heaps lads, I think I might go back to my favourite area (Vic. Falls Rd.) and do Fenris & Odin Gully, walk 30," The Upper Grose Valley, Bushwalkers Business" Keats & Fox, maybe look at the option offered by marron another time, thanks again.

[marron]

Enjoy!

I have a memory of keats et al reporting on a walk going down to the Grose from Asgard swamp near the mine shaft and then coming up out the gully I use. From memory their route showed them just following the unnamed creek out, but I found it relative easy starting directly opposite the koombanda brook junction about 50 metres west of that creek and heading up the small spur instead, keeping the creek line to my left up the talus. A bit scrubby but nothing compared to the insane amount of lawyer vine just a bit further around the corner, the like of which I am imagining Keith is hinting at as well.

[jonnosan]

I have accessed the junction of Koombanda, that other brook, and the Grose, by coming down essentially off Ikara.

Can I clarify, do you mean descending Ikara head itself? or the gully just to the east of the head (i.e. following the creek down from Girraween cave)?

I know of the climbers tracks down the gully and on to the grose (some off them are in openstreetmaps) but hadnt heard of any pass down from the actual head so would be interested to check that out.

[tom_brennan]

Can some kind, crazy bushwalker please update me on the old access rd. into Canyon Colliery? I am hoping to visit the lower section of Koombanda Brook, and this appears to be the easiest way to access

There are several landslips, but only one that has taken out the entire width of the road. It is not that difficult to cross - but involves a little scrambling.

It will certainly be the easiest way into the lower section of Koombanda Brook. You'd be at the bottom of Koombanda Brook in around 40 minutes!

[marron]

I have accessed the junction of Koombanda, that other brook, and the Grose, by coming down essentially off Ikara.

Can I clarify, do you mean descending Ikara head itself? or the gully just to the east of the head (i.e. following the creek down from Girraween cave)?

I know of the climbers tracks down the gully and on to the grose (some off them are in openstreetmaps) but hadnt heard of any pass down from the actual head so would be interested to check that out.

Yeah sorry, should have been clearer, not the head itself, and yes, just the gully. I have had a little poke around - very little - and not found anything likely on the western side of Ikara ridge, from above or below.

The gully itself is much more easily accessed from the ridge on the eastern side of it though, rather than direct from Giraween. There's a track running from the gate at Mt Vic Rd (clearly visible on satelite view on google maps). It's a little bit steep/slippery/muddy to get to the creek where you then pick up the climbers track under the cliff line, but apart from that very clear. I have walked the section from Girraween to the lower part and it's rough going in parts, so I just use that eastern side track whenever I go down.

I haven't found a path or anything down to the Grose itself (save meandering animal pads), but there are some approaches that are certainly clearer than others.

There's the explorers track of course as well, but it seems to be pretty much covered over/gone on that north west side of Ikara. I've only ever found very minimal stretches of it. It's now 20 years since some of the trip reports of Keats et al finding bits of it under Ikara/Valhalla/Asgard - I think landslips and lawyer vine have any remnants very well hidden.