BULLIO RTURN TRIP VIA THE MT EGAN TRAIL

[nattaihighlander]

Party of 5 left from Bullio Trig Station road near the locked gate approximately 9am September 2020. after 1.5 hours we were down on Scabby Flat an enjoying a morning tea at Goodfellos hut which is looking pretty shabby these days. The old Grape vine has died due to the severe drought of 2018 to early 2020. Some old fruit trees still there such as quince too. We then continued down river where the track was hard to follow due to the massive growth of grass from the good conditions this year. Signs of the recent fires in early 2020 and late 2019 were about although it didn't seem very bad here. Some pockets of burned land and some unburnt.
We headed up the valley of New yards creek approximately 1 km and then headed up the slope on the other side of the creek, the north side of New yards creek.It was very steep and with some patches of black thorn. Luckily the fire had cleared out much of the shrubbery and there were many bush flowers about such as orchids. Not much sign of Mammalian life though probably due to drought and fire. We hit the top of the ridge and unfortunately not the trail - New Yards Creek trail. We were a kilometre or so short - big mistake! We followed the ridge line until we hit the trail and found a BBQ spot set up with scraper and plate. Nice spot for a BBQ. Will remember for our next lunch time up these ways.
We continued up this trail until we passed a property. Along the way there was a turn off to the left which is worth checking out one day and we saw a termite mound which had been converted to a mud oven on the left before the property. We stopped in at the property as some members were needing a drink. The guy there offered us some information and a lift to the start of the Mt Egan trail. Considering the time we accepted and he drove us a few kilometres in his ute to the locked gate which heads east on to the Mt Egan trail and down to the Wollondilly. It was quite dark now about 5pm so we needed to move quickly. We ascended the track and took a quick detour to see the cairn. Lots of signs of deer up here eating moss on the ridge lines. Not much water around saving a small dam near the locked gate. The actual track is very hard to follow and appears to have been made decades ago and unused for decades. There are some signs of cut timber which shows it was cleared or made. essentially we followed a ridge line but when it descends to the Wollondilly it becomes a little tricky and we needed to check our compass and maps a few times. We descended via the Campbells creek track in the semi dark and by the time we hit the Wollondilly near the Flying fox it was very dark and we had been walking with our head lights. A quick swim and wash was in order before a quick dinner and needed sleep.
The next day we followed the river back to our initial crossing point near Scabby Flat. We crossed the river only tree times and found it easy enough to manage walking along the river banks. There are some properties along the way which we skirted - a farm with some Boer goats and the sheds by the river where MacBeth is, past the stone house. The trees near the stone house had actually made a recovery after looking dead a year before which was great to see. Some snakes about and major damage caused by flooding. Loads of burnt sections and drought affected sections in recovery but it appeared that the fires did very little major damage here. It seemed that the drought may have been so severe as to limit the amount of fuel to actually burn.
Back at our start and a tea, drink and feed before the party separated.
Another great walk!

[michael_p]

Thank you for the report. I really need to get organised and start investigating this area.

Michael.

[puredingo]

Hello, great report.

All the times I’ve tackled New Yards Hill I go from just South of the river-front of the spur. It is quite a climb and the few up and downs on top until you hit the road are rough but the views!

That left turn you bypassed links with the Millnigang FT with great camping at New Yards creek, although once passed the creek the track is all but gone.

My son and I did this loop in a day (down the hill south of New yards) last year. He’s a fit 20 year old but he got a serious appreciation for what his old man does on the weekends...he was rooted.

[nattaihighlander]

Yes I thought this may be a link track across the top of the new yards gorge. I'm going back in a week to check it out. I also want to check out new yards falls and find a shorter way to the wollondilly from the locked gate on the W4.

[melinda]

We came straight up that ridge immediately to the north of Pigeon Gully a few weeks ago. Regrowth wasn't too bad. There is also an old road running down there on the north side of the ridge that is negotiable. We camped just below the New Yards Creek junction. Relatively direct way to access this area, but crossing the river here might involve more than wet feet! (There had been a lot of recent rain when we were down there)

Junction of New Yards Creek & Wollondilly is hidden by the casuarinas on the right near the rock bar

[puredingo]

Hi Melinda,

I’ve been on track you refer to, if I remember correctly there is an ultra steep up and down somewhere around the top. I did it in rain and could barely get up the incline in the red mud.

The best crossing in that stretch of the river is about 15 minutes up stream from pigeon gully. The river hits a pinch point and in usual flow it’s thigh deep for about 10 meters.

[melinda]

Heh puredingo,
(Long time no talk, haven't been on this forum much recently)
The old fire trail was pretty miserable walking!
Much better to walk out to the end of the ridge, where there are remnants of an old hut and just mosey on down.
I'll mark your approx crossing point on my map.
I really like that hill up behind New Yards and want to camp on top of it one day.
This just may be the easiest way to get there!

[Bushy Mick]

Party of 5 left from Bullio Trig Station road near the locked gate approximately 9am September 2020. after 1.5 hours we were down on Scabby Flat an enjoying a morning tea at Goodfellos hut which is looking pretty shabby these days. The old Grape vine has died due to the severe drought of 2018 to early 2020. Some old fruit trees still there such as quince too. We then continued down river where the track was hard to follow due to the massive growth of grass from the good conditions this year. Signs of the recent fires in early 2020 and late 2019 were about although it didn't seem very bad here. Some pockets of burned land and some unburnt.
We headed up the valley of New yards creek approximately 1 km and then headed up the slope on the other side of the creek, the north side of New yards creek.It was very steep and with some patches of black thorn. Luckily the fire had cleared out much of the shrubbery and there were many bush flowers about such as orchids. Not much sign of Mammalian life though probably due to drought and fire. We hit the top of the ridge and unfortunately not the trail - New Yards Creek trail. We were a kilometre or so short - big mistake! We followed the ridge line until we hit the trail and found a BBQ spot set up with scraper and plate. Nice spot for a BBQ. Will remember for our next lunch time up these ways.
We continued up this trail until we passed a property. Along the way there was a turn off to the left which is worth checking out one day and we saw a termite mound which had been converted to a mud oven on the left before the property. We stopped in at the property as some members were needing a drink. The guy there offered us some information and a lift to the start of the Mt Egan trail. Considering the time we accepted and he drove us a few kilometres in his ute to the locked gate which heads east on to the Mt Egan trail and down to the Wollondilly. It was quite dark now about 5pm so we needed to move quickly. We ascended the track and took a quick detour to see the cairn. Lots of signs of deer up here eating moss on the ridge lines. Not much water around saving a small dam near the locked gate. The actual track is very hard to follow and appears to have been made decades ago and unused for decades. There are some signs of cut timber which shows it was cleared or made. essentially we followed a ridge line but when it descends to the Wollondilly it becomes a little tricky and we needed to check our compass and maps a few times. We descended via the Campbells creek track in the semi dark and by the time we hit the Wollondilly near the Flying fox it was very dark and we had been walking with our head lights. A quick swim and wash was in order before a quick dinner and needed sleep.
The next day we followed the river back to our initial crossing point near Scabby Flat. We crossed the river only tree times and found it easy enough to manage walking along the river banks. There are some properties along the way which we skirted - a farm with some Boer goats and the sheds by the river where MacBeth is, past the stone house. The trees near the stone house had actually made a recovery after looking dead a year before which was great to see. Some snakes about and major damage caused by flooding. Loads of burnt sections and drought affected sections in recovery but it appeared that the fires did very little major damage here. It seemed that the drought may have been so severe as to limit the amount of fuel to actually burn.
Back at our start and a tea, drink and feed before the party separated.
Another great walk!

I Am glad you like our BBQ area and view. I also recently found out from my nephew that the termite oven was something he and a couple of mates had made while mucking about one school holidays quite a few years back. You guys looked buggerd after the climb up newyards the least i could do is give you a lift and top up your water. Sounds like you had a good walk.

Cheers Mick,

[nattaihighlander]

Yeah it is a great little spot!
We had a tough time getting up that ridge alright! I remember the water never tasted sweeter. That lift really helped us make it to the river. It got dark soon after you dropped us off. I hope to get back up and check out the water fall up there and the wetlands.