Endrick River

[Lizzy]

Just wondering if anyone has walked,paddled, swum the Endrick River from above the falls to the Shoalhaven River?
The only info I could find was this historic trip where they lugged a Canadian canoe!!!
http://stgeorgesbasin.info/level3/canoe%20trip.html
Cheers
Lizzy

[DarrenM]

Hi Lizzy,

I researched this one a few years ago and never got around to doing the trip. I had planned a complete trip from the absolute headwaters which is conveniently near the car park at Sassafras. It looks like a cracking trip with all sorts of unknowns in terms of some off track bashing in the upper sections.

I'd imagine you weren't looking at the extreme upper end anyway and I also stumbled upon the link. Really keen to see how you go if you spend any time on the river. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Lizzy]

Thanks Darren!
Will certainly report back if I manage it....

[clarence]

I was planning the same trip myself.

Gandolph did it many years ago and shared the story with me.

He told me it was all do-able.

Maybe PM him about it.

Clarence

[Lizzy]

Well hurry up & do it Clarence & tell me what it's like

[jeremy089786]

Great idea. This seems like a much better way of getting into the Shoalhaven, rather than copping one of the other big slogs around there.

I wonder whether you could get out at Sparkes Buttress?

Edit: After reading the report, it seems like accessing the Shoalhaven via the Endrick is quite a feat!

[clarence]

I have done several trips in this general area, and it is one of those hidden gems.

Some years ago I did a trip from Oallen Ford down to Skull Island (near Sewells Point). Absolutely incredible country. 4 days of lilo/walk "wilderness perfection" with hardly a sign of human impact.

Likewise Tims Gully and Touga Creek are some of the best off-trail walking country I have seen anywhere.

I am in exile in Tasmania for some years now and wait for every opportunity to revisit what really is the best bushwalking terrain I have ever seen (ie NSW). Endrick River is next on the list.

Why not PM Gandolph? His stories of epic walks from 60 years of walking are worth it. Even if you don't get on to the Endrick River topic you'll get an entertaining tale or three.

Clarence

[Leugocaster]

I did this as a whitewater kayak trip 20 years ago. Shoalhaven was at 3m at Oakland ford. Portage to pool at foot of endrick falls - ugh! Fabulous 25 km of relatively continuous grade 3/4 one drop of 2-3m with rocks the bottom. Then 20km of shoalhaven to the chimneys exit - exhilarating - arrived at trestle track at 7pm. Carried boats uphill 4 paddlers all bar one headtorches died before reaching the car at 10pm. Amazing trip.

[Leugocaster]

Oallens not oaklands -autocorrect

[Lizzy]

Wow sounds like an adventure! I’m more a slow and low kind of paddler...
Haven’t got there but great hearing About others who have!