Barren Grounds NR - Drawing Room Rocks

[jrg]

I was interested in doing a longer walk in Barren Ground Nature Reserve out to Drawing Room Rocks, but starting from the picnic area rather than the usual starting point off Wattamolla Road. Is there a marked track all the way?

[johnw]

I was interested in doing a longer walk in Barren Ground Nature Reserve out to Drawing Room Rocks, but starting from the picnic area rather than the usual starting point off Wattamolla Road. Is there a marked track all the way?

Yes (assuming nothing has changed). I haven't done it for many years but I remember it's a long-ish, easy plod of about 18-20km, out and back, all on management trails. Not much scenery variation except the view from the turnaround point on the escarpment. Lots of bird life.

[Lizzy]

That's how I remember it too.....but it has been a few years

[kanangra]

Yes you can get through no problem. If you want to you can drop down into Brogers Ck in a couple of places.

K.

[johnw]

Yes you can get through no problem. If you want to you can drop down into Brogers Ck in a couple of places.

K.

Brogers Ck might be a bit out of the way K, unless also visiting Flying Fox Pass?

[jackhinde]

I seem to remember walking passed npws signage in the car park saying such a walk was not permitted...

[Grabeach]

From the NPWS web site:
"Kangaroo Ridge walk - 20km
Walking (medium difficulty, 8 hours)
This long return walk starts at the picnic area and wanders through open heathland to the edge of the Illawarra Escarpment. The views are fantastic. The trail does not go as far as Drawing Room Rocks - please don't continue past the end of the trail sign."

My 1986 2nd Ed. Kangaroo Valley 1:25000 shows the track stopping about 1/2 km short of DRR. Could have been the case about 1990 when I came up form the south as I don't remember the track proceding north of DRR, though I didn't look that hard. Seemed odd at the time that the tracks didn't meet up.

Would be interesting to know whether NPWS consider the 'missing section' environmentally sensitive or are they just worried about people getting lost.

[johnw]

From the NPWS web site:
"Kangaroo Ridge walk - 20km
Walking (medium difficulty, 8 hours)
This long return walk starts at the picnic area and wanders through open heathland to the edge of the Illawarra Escarpment. The views are fantastic. The trail does not go as far as Drawing Room Rocks - please don't continue past the end of the trail sign."

My 1986 2nd Ed. Kangaroo Valley 1:25000 shows the track stopping about 1/2 km short of DRR. Could have been the case about 1990 when I came up form the south as I don't remember the track proceding north of DRR, though I didn't look that hard. Seemed odd at the time that the tracks didn't meet up.

Would be interesting to know whether NPWS consider the 'missing section' environmentally sensitive or are they just worried about people getting lost.

Graeme, I also thought it odd that the Kangaroo Ridge walk stops short of Drawing Room Rocks. I haven't done the DRR walk from below but yes, I think there was an end of trail sign or something on Kangaroo Ridge.

Actually, my vague recollection is that they don't want people wandering off track anywhere in that area. It's been quite a few years since I was last there but that may be the signage that jackhinde is referring to; I can sort of remember something like that myself. Much of that area is an upland swamp with a number of sensitive plant species - I had a very quick look at the POM documents on the NPWS web site, which seem to confirm my thoughts. Although they do also discuss erosion issues.

[michael_p]

I have a very vague recollection that this area is one of the last places that Ground Parrots exist and that is why they don't want anyone wandering around there. Then again, I could be wrong.

[johnw]

I have a very vague recollection that this area is one of the last places that Ground Parrots exist and that is why they don't want anyone wandering around there. Then again, I could be wrong.

Yes I believe that's correct Michael, although I haven't seen one. I would think potential damage to their habitat is one of the reasons. I know there is (was?) a field studies/research facility with some sort of accommodation. Pretty sure it's used by bird watching groups etc.

[jackhinde]

The track is well trodden, so a lot of folk ignore the signage. I imagine the ground parrot hypothesis is correct for the closure. The ground parrots are quite an attraction for twitchers. I have flushed them by accident three times in budderoo np (but not at barren grounds), they wait till you almost step on them before taking wing. I daresay foxes, cats and lack of mosaic burning threaten them far more than the occasional walker.

[Scottie]

I love Drawing Room Rocks this is a shot of me there earlier this year.

[Hughmac]

If access is limited because of the ground parrot it is badly misguided, as they prefer low open heath and grassland, which is definitely not the vegetation you cross. The biggest threat to them at present, and the reason they have become so much rarer at Barren Grounds is a lack of mosaic burning - being a ground dwelling bird they actually thrive best in areas recovering from burning. The mature heath vegetation becomes too tall and thick for them. I actually raised this issue with a local NPWS ranger, who agreed with me, but said no-one in authority was willing to risk undertaking a controlled burn in the reserve.

[iandsmith]

Nice shot, someone knows how to shoot a camera