Mittagong to Katoomba: some notes to help planning

[Summitview]

1. Overview
Mittagong to Katoomba is a classic NSW walk, traversing a wide expanse of popular sandstone bushwalking areas. NSW NPWS interpretative material at Narrow Neck mentions the walk and the birdlife along the route is excellent. The route, however, is now rarely walked, probably in part due to the increased thickness of native and weedy vegetation, particularly after the 2020-21 fires.

Others have much more knowledge of these areas, but I have compiled these notes because up-to-date and reliable information is difficult to find. I have spent some time researching the route over the last few years and I hope these notes are helpful. We walked a version of the route in November 2024.

2. Planning considerations

2.1 Standard of walk
This is a walk for strong and experienced parties. While much is on fire trails, it includes rough off-track sections, such as between Mt Cookem and the Coxs river, and the ascent up to Beloon Pass. Parties should have good navigational, route-finding and river-crossing skills.

The standard route also includes Tarros ladder, which uses spikes to climb a steep section. This section could be difficult for anyone of smaller stature or uncomfortable with exposure. Most will want to packhaul this section. While I have not walked it, there is an alternative less exposed ascent which can be accessed by heading right rather than left around the cliffs at Duncans Pass (if walking northbound). Red and white tape at the top of Tarros ladder presumably marked the turnoff for the descent using that easier route.

2.2 Direction of travel
The walk can be undertaken in either direction, the northern end being 200 – 400 metres higher than the southern end. A beauty of the walk is that it can be accessed readily by public transport, using trains to Mittagong and Katoomba, and then taxis. Packhauling aside, Tarros ladder is probably easier going up (northbound) than down, bearing in mind the option of the alternative nearby descent route. The Medlow Gap to Clear Hill section provides an interesting finale to the route if walking north.

2.3 The exclusion zone
A key factor is the Warragamba Special Area, which has two zones. The broader zone does not appear to have ongoing restrictions for bushwalkers. Entry into the more limited No Access zone encompassing areas within three kilometres of Lake Burragorang is prohibited, except through the Bushwalking Corridor. The potential fines are severe – up to $44 000.

Finding accurate readable maps of the prohibited zone is surprisingly difficult, although some editions of the 1:25 000 maps do include it. The best readily available map I could find is at:
https://www.waternsw.com.au/water-servi ... cial-areas

Even this map is not easy to interpret against 1:25 000 level features.

I am not advocating deliberate entry into this zone, but I understand from a reliable source that Water NSW inspectors do not routinely patrol the area. Surveillance of the area is now apparently delegated to the NSW NPWS, which has such thinly spread staff that you are very likely to encounter them. We did not see any government employees on the whole walk (other than the caretaker at Yerranderie). There are numerous fixed cameras in the area; it is possible some of these are for government surveillance, but we understand that they are mostly for wildlife research.

Even so, I have heard of rangers finding bushwalkers in the area, who either received warnings or fines of (only) several hundred dollars.

2.4 Temporary closures
Both zones of Warragamba Special Area (i.e. including the bushwalking corridor) are subject to closure during periods of high fire danger and when heavy rainfall is expected. The Special Area and crossings may remain closed after heavy rains – this sometimes includes the Wollondilly crossing. Strangely, such closures are not published on the Water NSW website. Ringing Water NSW to find out about closures is likely to take a while to get the right person. The only reliable way to find out about such closures is to subscribe to notifications at:
https://comms.waternsw.com.au/link/id/z ... parent_id=

The notifications also include planned future closures for feral animal control, often weeks before they are placed on the NSW NPWS website. Even so, I would strongly encourage also checking the alerts on the NSW NPWS websites for Blue Mountains and Nattai National Parks, and Kanangra-Boyd if you venture west of Scotts Main Range. Beware of the ban on campfires and solid fuel stoves from 1 October to 31 March.

2.5 River crossings
The walk crosses two or three major rivers, which are subject to flooding, making them dangerous to cross. The Wollondilly can remain unsafe to cross for two to three weeks and I had to delay my walk twice due to high rainfall events. The Wollondilly is the most significant concern, but the Coxs river should also be monitored; while heavy rains are the major risk, I have wondered if releases from the dam at Lithgow could cause a spike in river levels. The Nattai could also be dangerous, but I get the impression it is likely to drop quickly after a flood peak.

Fortunately, there are real-time river level measurements online:
Water NSW https://waterinsights.waternsw.com.au/
BoM: http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo. ... Coxs_River

Rules of thumb appear to be that dangerous levels are when the Wollondilly at Jooriland reading is above 1 metre and when the Coxs River at Kelpie Point is above 0.5 metres.

Most people recommend not crossing barefoot, possibly carrying something light for these purposes. I got away with using thongs. The Wollondilly was slimy/mossy and therefore a bit slippery.

2.6 Track notes and maps
Robert Sloss publishes a number of guides, including ‘The Ensign Barrallier Trek: Mittagong to Katoomba’. It is a 44-page, soft cover, A5 brochure. It is very much a backyard publication, which could use a good proof-read and subedit for spelling mistakes, typos and errors. Some of the distances on the maps are hard to interpret and there are some outright errors (e.g. Kiaramba Springs to Bran Jan Hill is 11.3 km, not 1.8 km as stated). A lot of the text is significantly out-of-date. While in 2022 he placed a note at the front of the current edition mentioning the effects of fires and floods, this is not reflected in the main text. Sloss has apparently not walked the route since 2000.

For all these qualifications, I think this guide is worth buying (about $20 online) for the overview and information it provides. I would just advise bringing a critical eye to the information in the light of the matters I have raised above.

I cut out the 1: 25 000 maps in Sloss’s guide which were relevant for the route I walked and had these ready to hand (note, however, they only have 100 metre contours). I also carried parts of the Nattai and Bindook maps because some of our route was not covered by Sloss. When combined with 1:25 000 map coverage on my phone, this saved me carrying about 500 grams relative to the weight of the original topographic maps. I recommend, however, looking over the full 1: 25 000 maps before heading off. The topographic maps covered by our route were:
Hilltop, Barralier, Nattai, Bindook, Yerranderie, Kanangra, Bimlow, Jamison, Jenolan and Katoomba.

2.7 Water quality and availability
The consensus is to avoid drinking water from the Nattai and Coxs, although some seem to get away with it. The Wollondilly is considered less of a risk, but water from any of these sources should be treated. I use Micropur tablets with all bush water sources and have never had any problems.

That said, good water can at times be difficult to find. Many side streams we passed were completely dry.
We planned our route around camping at reliable water sources, which in turn dictated some longer days (see section 3 below).

2.8 Which route to take
Historically, the walk started on the edge of Mittagong and followed the Nattai for several days, before crossing into the Wollondilly valley via Beloon Pass. Few follow this route now due to reports of the Upper Nattai being clogged with vegetation.

More common is to start at Wattle Ridge. The standard route now is to descend via Starlights track before following the Nattai north. I understand the track is followable but overgrown and marred by landslips. Reports suggest that while the former foot-track and road down the Nattai are now unfollowable, the walking is pleasant. An alternative more direct route is via the old Nattai Road, which while revegetating, appears also to still be followable. The following blogs give relatively recent reports of conditions:
https://grindlay.org/?s=nattai
https://www.kelvinism.com/2021/01/katoo ... 131km.html
We took a different, faster route. I had walked Wattle Ridge- Startlights- Nattai River – Beloon Pass- Nattai Road – Wattle Ridge in 2002. I was happy to avoid the now slow route up Travis Gully to Beloon Pass.

Instead, we started at the end of the Wanganderry Road, near the start of the Bonnum Pic walking track. Our thinking was to walk around the western side of the Warragamba prohibited area before joining the normal route along the Central Ridge management trail and along Scotts Main Range.

Many revile the Scotts Main range route for its road walking and seek alternatives, including via the Kowmung. I won’t canvass these options here, which are well covered in Sloss’s notes and elsewhere. We stuck to the Scotts Main Range, however, because it was faster and avoided the uncertainties of thick post-fire regrowth. For all its faults, it does provide (tree-impinged) views of prized walking areas to the east and west.

3. Notes from our walk
This information, of course, reflects a snapshot in time. We walked in November 2024. Temperatures reached about 30 degrees, which was at times draining. I wouldn’t want to walk the route any later in the year.

3.1 Access:
The Wanganderry Road was a two-wheel drive gravel road with one gate.

3.2 Day-by-day details

Day 1: 24.3 km and 746 m climb
The W4 and W4C tracks allowed fast walking with excellent views of Bonnum Pic and diverse birdlife. We crossed the Wollondilly River at the Jooriland river gauge which did not get over knee deep, although it was a bit slippery. The gauge was at 0.49 metres, which is quite low.
The flying fox marked on the map just downstream of the river gauge is a substantial piece of infrastructure and probably not a viable means of crossing. The buildings on the eastern end of the flying fox appeared to be in use.

We walked up the Campbell Creek fire trail and then followed the Jooriland range fire trail loop to the west. While this was longer, it only took us a bit over an hour to get to a point north of the junction with Campbell Creek fire trail. It is probably okay to take a more direct route between the two points, but you would want to be careful to avoid thick regrowth. A lot of the previously cleared land in the area is now covered by high, rank grasses or other weeds.
We camped next to the Jooriland River, which had good flowing water, but it was a very narrow line of water in an otherwise wide, dry, rocky riverbed.

Day 2 20.6km and 922 m climb
Joined the Centre Ridge Management Trail.

If picking up water from Yerranderie, best to do so from a tank at a visitors’ station on the left just after arrival. There were no obvious water sources at the Private Town.

We found the caretaker very helpful. His house is the last before you leave Yerranderie, but he is not always there.

Do not drink water from the Tonalli river due to mineral poisoning.

The tap at Byrnes Gap/Pippins Hut was not working, so water was not accessible there.

We camped at the north-western branch of Butchers Creek where it crossed the road. There was quality, flowing water. There were adequate campsites next to the road on the grassy verge.

Day 3 24.5km and 460 m climb
Walking along Scotts Main Range fire trail.

We did not notice a route or cairn to Kiaramba Spring, but we might have missed it.

New Yards provides an excellent overnight venue. It is owned and maintained by Guntawang Catholic Youth Centre. They are happy for walkers to stop there and stay in the Kowmung House bunkhouse. Tank water is available (beware – there are wrigglers) and there is even a clean, flushing toilet. Members from Guntawang were there when we stayed and were very welcoming. If staying here, please treat the facilities with respect.

Day 4 21.8 km and 972 m climb
The short sidetrip to the Kowmung Lookout was marked by a cairn on a track bend. We did not go to the lookout because it was foggy, but it is apparently followable, if heavily overgrown.

The major challenge on this section is the descent from Mt Cookem.

From the end of the fire trail, there was a reasonable foot track for about 50 metres to the top of the correct spur. From there to the bottom of the spur, we were able to follow a pad the whole way, although it was indistinct and ambiguous in many places, partly due to fallen vegetation and fire regrowth.
From the top to about 300 metres elevation, our pad stayed about 20-30 metres to the right/east of the spur ridgeline, apparently to avoid the rocky outcrop and thicker vegetation. From there, the pad was roughly along the spur proper, once the rock outcropping had ceased and the regrowth was thinner.
Then from about 200 metres elevation, there were a number of braided pads, possibly including animal pads, through thicker scrub.

Fortunately, the Coxs river was quite low (Kelpie Point gauge was reading 0.19 metres) and the water did not get quite to our knees.

On the other side, there was a pad up White Pup Ridge starting at the creek immediately to the north of the ridge (although the sign previously there had gone). Again, there were a few pads crossing each other up the ridge. The vegetation was not an impediment.

Other than the government signs at Mt Cookem and the Kelpie Point road, there were no tapes, cairns or other markers on either section.

We took about 75 minutes to descend from Mt Cookem fire trail to the river and then 25 minutes to ascend White Pup ridge from the river to the Kelpie Point Road.

We camped at Medlow Gap. We found good water at ‘Lake Birrell’, which is a glorified dam south of Medlow Gap and accessible by vehicle tracks. The water appeared better from the shallower arm of the dam along the swale. Beware of the guardian black snake(s). The old hut there has now collapsed.

Day 5 13.4 km and 617 m climb
The track over Mt Debert was in good condition and is an attractive sandstone-country walk.

The major challenge on this day was Tarros ladder, which we packhauled.

We were able to finish at the Narrow Neck locked gate, now that Glenraphael Drive has re-opened.

I would be happy to provide further information on this route.

Summitview
November 2024

[Allchin09]

Many thanks for the write up! Your notes will be particularly handy for others who also wish to walk the route.

[tom_brennan]

Great write up.

You can see the special areas in a bit more detail (best to view in conjunction with the download from Water NSW) at:
https://maps.ozultimate.com/?id=1731287688019
This doesn't include the bushwalker corridors.

The walk around descent at Tarros Ladder is easy in both directions.

[rcaffin]

Hi SummitView

The tap at Byrnes Gap/Pippins Hut was not working, so water was not accessible there.
Question: when you say the tap was not working, what do you mean? Has the handle been removed from the valve-stem, or has far more 'damage' been done?
Was the outer hut still open?

We camped at the north-western branch of Butchers Creek where it crossed the road. There was quality, flowing water. There were adequate campsites next to the road on the grassy verge.
At the gate then? The campsites there are nice - we stopped there once.
The 'flowing' water was not: it was a brown stagnant pool. Not drinkable. I went a short distance upstream to where there was still flowing water deep in an 'alpine creek' slot or groove. It was fine.

Cheers
Roger

[Summitview]

Roger

Hi there.

I recall that the tap head at the tank was attached but loose, and even when fully opened did not provide a flow. This was despite the fact that there was clearly water flowing between the two tanks. It was not obvious to me how to fix it. The outer hut was unlocked, but we honoured the ‘no trespassing signs’ by not entering. The Pippins had been there that day but had left before we arrived.

Regarding Butchers Creek, yes, we camped at the branch of the creek just before the locked gate. I am sure the condition and flow of the water there will vary with timing.

Cheers

[rcaffin]

I see.
The no trespassing sign must be new: when we were there the outer door was open.
It is a pity that the thoughtless actions of a few vandals have caused so much problem for the rest of us.

Cheers
Roger

[Allchin09]

Great write up.

You can see the special areas in a bit more detail (best to view in conjunction with the download from Water NSW) at:
https://maps.ozultimate.com/?id=1731287688019
This doesn't include the bushwalker corridors.

The walk around descent at Tarros Ladder is easy in both directions.

Re the bushwalking corridors - does anyone have a map of where they are? I thought I'd previously seen both PDFs and web maps which had them included but I couldn't find them when searching recently.

[tom_brennan]

Corridors are roughly marked:
https://www.waternsw.com.au/__data/asse ... 2016-2.pdf