The old Jack Evans Track south of Erskine Creek

[wombeyan]

I plan to walk from Glenbrook to the Silverdale road via Euroka and the NPWS section of Jack Evans. Then I plan to go up the old southern part of Jack Evans before turning east on the Watershed fire trail for 2 ks and then on a fire trail that goes to the Warragamba/Nepean Junction where I will swim across to then gain access to Silverdale Road. So has anyone been up on the old Jack Evans recently? Is it still there?

[Wollemi]

Just walk across the Dam Wall?

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/warragamba-da ... 2btjt.html = December 23, 2012

Visitors will once again be able to walk along the wall of Warragamba Dam, Sydney's main water source. A section of the wall will be reopened on weekends and public holidays until the end of January as part of a trial... The dam wall was closed in 1998 during an upgrade and never reopened.
"Warragamba Dam is a magnificent piece of infrastructure and we want to give the people of Sydney and visitors to our city the chance to see it up close," Mr O'Farrell said. "People have told us they are disappointed they are unable to walk on the dam wall. It's fantastic that we can now give people the chance to once again walk along a section of the dam wall and enjoy the sweeping views upstream.''

The north-westish side of the energy-dissipation pondage thing has a track up in the bush. Have kayaked 2km up the Warragamba from the Nepean confluence to the gravelly 'head' of the Warragamba River.

*It is 34km return from Tench Reserve (boatramp kinda under the M4), Penrith.

[kanangra]

Yes it is sort of. Very overgrown. Particularly once you cross the river but capable of being followed if you take care. I took my pushbike through a while back so how hard can it really be?

K.

[Bron]

Also be aware that the water coming down from the Warragamba R is COLD! Noticeably colder than the Nepean. I have often thought this was because of where they draw the water to go down the spillway. The River is also quite deep and wide at the confluence.

regards
Bron

[wombeyan]

Thanks for al the info. Pity the damn wall isn't open during the week. Then I wouldn't have to swim across the Warragamba. If no water is being released from the dam (and being drinking water that would be a waste then the water in the lower Warragamba should warm up

[wombeyan]

It's amazing how little interest this route has inspired. It's in Sydney but never walked and never discussed it seems. I'm planning a reccy in August to check out whether the track is now at the point of no return regarding regrowth. This time I'll approach it from Silverdale rather than Nepean Lookout in the National Park. I'll see how far I get. You can see the suburbs from the ridges but I bet no one has been this way in years. Does this raise anyone's interest? At all?

[LachlanB]

I for one am very interested to hear how your recce goes. I've considered walking out this way quite a lot, but I don't like getting wet, so the idea of swimming the river was somewhat unattractive.

[rcaffin]

That was a long time ago!
My notes from the time say:
"Drive across Glenbrook Causeway and S to the Erskine Creek or Jack Evans car park. Walk down Jack Evans Track to Erskine Creek. Do not worry about the route shown on the topo map: it is only roughly "indicative". The beach at the bottom is the start of the Oxbow: a popular and simple Lilo trip around to 761520 and back up to the saddle. Cross the creek and go S downstream to Big Crater Ck. Pick up the track at the creek junction and follow it about 100m downstream until the track starts to climb the extremely steep spur. There are copious white paint arrow marks on the rock: make sure you find these. The track requires considerable rock scrambling, a minimum height or reach and a careful watch for marks. The zigzags shown on the topo map are amusing but irrelevant. Finally, from the top, follow the good track S to the Erskine Knoll Rd. From here follow the broad dirt road to Warragamba Dam, and then back the way you came."

I do remember going up the rocks: much zigzag. Perhaps not too many LiLo trips running in mid-winter.

Cheers
Roger

[wombeyan]

Still havent made it to the south end of Jack Evans at watershed FT. Still on my bucket list including the rock scramble down to the Erskine. And yes the mouth of the Warragamba River is cold

[Wollemi]

I wish to do an overnight walk from Norton's Basin Rd - swim across Warragamba River - camp on Erskine Ck - Euroka Clearing - Glenbrook Causeway - Glenbrook rail station.

I will carry secateurs to get past potential blackberry. I suppose I will carry 30m of climbers tape. This trip will be done at a lazy pace before the end of November if you wish to join me.

This trip will be done on a weekday, due to the first bus of the day leaving Penrith station at 0626hrs. If I go on Saturday, the first bus of the day leaves Penrith at 0947hrs, unfortunately.

----

Anyway, Roger said earlier in this discussion; From Glenbrook TO Warragamba... (this needs to be read in reverse when bushwalking Warragamba River to Erskine Creek...

Walk down Jack Evans Track to Erskine Creek. Do not worry about the route shown on the topo map: it is only roughly "indicative".
The beach at the bottom is the start of the Oxbow: a popular and simple Lilo trip around to 761520 and back up to the saddle.
Cross the creek and go S downstream to Big Crater Ck.
Pick up the track at the creek junction and follow it about 100m downstream until the track starts to climb the extremely steep spur.
There are copious white paint arrow marks on the rock: make sure you find these.
The track requires considerable rock scrambling, a minimum height or reach and a careful watch for marks.
The zigzags shown on the topo map are amusing but irrelevant.
Finally, from the top, follow the good track S to the Erskine Knoll Rd.

Anyone got a link to a map showing precisely one leaves the small plateau above Erskine Ck to find the overgrown and/or eroded Jack Evans Track, to scramble down to the south side of Erskine Ck ?

Although I did carry a MTB once along all of JET, that was 30 years ago. We cycled out across the dam wall and back to Penrith rail station.

A day trip in the region - Winter 2023 at my public facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... =680679306

[Bron]

I wish to do an overnight walk from Norton's Basin Rd - swim across Warragamba River - camp on Erskine Ck - Euroka Clearing - Glenbrook Causeway - Glenbrook rail station.

Where do you plan to cross the Nepean River, Gary?
As I know that crossing the river about Nortons Basin is a rockhop. Below the Warragamba confluence you better take that lilo. The weir at Penrith backs the water up all the way to the confluence and its deep water though there until the weir.
I always think a machete would be more useful in the blackberry than sectateurs. or failing that a cane knife.

Bron