Packrafting cox's river

[ninjapuppet]

I headed down to carlons farm and did a few short walks around this area and thought what an amazing area it was! just 2.5 hours from sydney.

would anyone think it would be possible to packraft down cox's river? I was thinking of the following trip:

- carlons farm to breakfast creek, to the cox's river.
- then pack raft down the cox's river, towards kanagra creek/cox's river junction
- camp, then walk back up yellow pup ridge and back to carlons farm?

Ive havent actually ever seen the cox's river myself, but was wondering if there is enough water to actually raft down the river, or if there are too many jagged rocks.

Another question is that according to the NPA bushwalking book, i'm supposed to pay for parking at carlon's shop? i didnt notice any shop on the way to carpark nor were there any boxes to pay at the carpark. perhaps i was there too early in the morning? i just saw a donation box at the gate and put $5 into it. Just hope i'm not seen as a trespasser or anything like that.

[johnw]

Ive havent actually ever seen the cox's river myself, but was wondering if there is enough water to actually raft down the river, or if there are too many jagged rocks.

I've camped at the junction of Coxs R. and Breakfast Ck. Walked maybe 1-2 km up and downstream and waded across Coxs at one point where it was about knee deep. I've never done any packrafting but I guess it might be OK, although there could be sections where you'd have to portage? Here are some photos near where we camped, including a couple of bits that wouldn't be suitable (I think). See what other replies you get as I'm only referring to one fairly short section.

Coxs R 1.jpg (302.1 KiB) Viewed 18763 times

CoxsR 2.jpg (296.16 KiB) Viewed 18763 times

Coxs R 3.jpg (315.08 KiB) Viewed 18763 times

Another question is that according to the NPA bushwalking book, i'm supposed to pay for parking at carlon's shop? i didnt notice any shop on the way to carpark nor were there any boxes to pay at the carpark. perhaps i was there too early in the morning? i just saw a donation box at the gate and put $5 into it. Just hope i'm not seen as a trespasser or anything like that.

That info would be out of date now, there is no shop. The Dunphy car park/campground is now a NPWS owned/managed location and has no entry fee. I think some of the Carlon descendents still live on adjacent property. I've never noticed a donation box, but I haven't been there for at least 18 months. I'd be curious to know who gets the proceeds.

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkFeesConditions.aspx?id=N0004
"Vehicle entry fees only apply in the Glenbrook area"

[SteveJ]

I have walked and fished that area on many occasions, it would require a fairly good dump of rain to make it worth lugging the packraft in as it is not a big river in terms of flow and it tends to dry up over summer nowdays. Having said that, given good rainfall it would make an intresting but easy paddle with its short drops (grade 1 and 2) and mostly sand bottom. The Colo and other streams to the north would provide a more reliable walk/packraft trip I would suggest but once again a bit of rain is required to increase the packraft potential.

What kind off packraft do you have? I have an Alpacka unrigged explorer, wonderful things, they have opened up a whole other world for me.

Steve

[DaveNoble]

Yes - only really possible after rain when the river is in flood. Years ago - we lilo'd the river several times. It was a wild trip - and perhaps quite dangerous. It may be better on a packraft. See -

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~dnoble/B ... oTrip.html

Dave

[climberman]

sheesh dave, some water in the system there compared to the few times I've been to different parts of the Coxs. Great pics.

[SteveJ]

Yes indeed great pics there. Looks pretty tame, would be an easy packraft in those conditions, a quick trip down

Steve

[ninjapuppet]

Steve,
from your recommendations, i also got an alpaca. Really cant believe its so light and packable. do you use it to sleep on aswell?

I really like this forum as there is just such a huge wealth of knowledge amongst members here.
Havnt had the chance to use it yet, but i'm really suprised why no one in Australia sells them.

I might wait for a huge dump of rain and head to colo river to test out the river there.

[DaveNoble]

Yes indeed great pics there. Looks pretty tame, would be an easy packraft in those conditions, a quick trip down

Steve

It was not tame - I think I was only able to take photos in easy sections, other sections were pretty wild. I've done the river twice in flood on lilo - and both were great trips. The first one (shown in the photos) was down to Breakfast Ck, the second one was all the way to White Dog. But the trips would probably been a lot easier on a packraft. One of the trickier rapids is just above Merrigal Ck. You do need to watch out for jammed logs - and getting caught under them. The upstream section, where the river flows through granite is probably much more dangerous - due to waterfalls, tunnels and more boulders.

Dave

[kanangra]

Dave,

Seeing those photos takes me back to that period. they are like a time capsule. even down to the hair and the clothes worn. That is just how we all looked in those days. As someone who has been visiting the same areas myself over more than 30 years I would be interested in your comments on something that has been puzzling me. I have a distinct recollection that back in the 70's the banks of the Coxs and for that matter the Kowmung were much grassier than they are today? Particularly at places like the B'fast Ck junction or at Gingra on the Kowmung? Or is my memory just playing tricks on me?

Also I was very disappointed in the water quality of the Jenolan River last Christmas. there had been recent heavy rain and so it was up, although nowhere near as much as in your photos, and yet unlike the clear water in your shots it was brown with suspended sediment?

Any thoughts?

Steve

[SteveJ]

Ninja, I am stoked that you got a raft (sorry for making you poorer...), let us know if your intrested in company on a Colo trip? We are starting to develop a bit of an Aussie packraft network via the Packraft forum and are looking at organising a few trips a year as a get together to exchange skills and further develop it if you are intrested. There are so few Packrafts here it is hard to find walking/paddling partners.

Dave, I guess it is all relative as to what tame is. I reckon any rapids on a lilo are frightening nowdays, I did some epic lilo trips as a kid, more flooded the better, how I was not drowned is beyond me. No PFD and helmets back then I am not sure if I am getting old and soft or wiser?

Have a look at this stuff for funky, not a lilo proposition though sadly It shows the extreme end of the potential of packrafts. Really intresting stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYcouzq7AlY
.
Steve

[Pterodactyl]

Can't speak for Cox's, but the Kowmung is great for a lilo trip.
Kanangra, what you say about the grass is true. Decline during the '90s in particular. I am sure a couple of good seasons will see a recovery - at least I hope so.
Cheers, Pterodactyl

[SteveJ]

I have a few theories about the reduced grass cover

1. the high numbers of feral cattle and pigs impacted on the grass
2. the increased leaf drop from the casuarinas and eucalypts during the drought years reduced it.
3. numerous consecutive years of drought prevented decent seed set and regeneration of the annual and perennial grasses
4. D-all of above

I used to walk in there only when there where good rains (minor floods) as the trout would run up from the dam in numbers. I since moved to the south coast and hence I have not been in there for probably 10 years but back then Harrys was very clear in minor floods. Do they log in the catchment, I know there is pine plantation up a bit higher?


Steve

[kanangra]

Apart from sewerage from Jenolan Caves the Harry's catchment is pretty undisturbed. Even Mumbedah which is the main tributary of the Harrys was carrying a lot of sediment at Christmas time. Kanangra Ck was running clear as crystal as always.

Tell me more about the packrafting forum because I have just landed an Yukon Yak from the states.

K.

[SteveJ]

K. welcome to the darkside They are a really fun little boat and will open up a heap of wild trip possabilities for you.

http://packrafting.org/forums/

Steve

[kanangra]

Onto it. Thank you for the tip.

K.

[ribuck]

I've never noticed a donation box ... I'd be curious to know who gets the proceeds.

The donation box is by the second gate. Here's a photo of the sign by the donation box.

I always put $5 in it when I come through. Back in the day we used to slip old man Carlon a fiver for looking after our carsallowing us to park on their land, and that was back when a fiver was actually worth something.

Nowadays taxpayers pay for Dunphys Camping Area and there's no obligation for taxpayers to put money in the donation box. But I'm sure the Carlon family do suffer from the heavy through traffic, so I don't mind donating.

[andrewa]

In contradistinction to the sign I found on a property on the Mitta Mitta last year .

I was so surprised that I asked the farmer what he meant. He said that anyone was welcome to drive down to the river, or camp there, but he didn't want people driving elsewhere on his property.

It was a beautiful camping spot, and even though it was Melb Cup weekend when I visited, there was no-one camped there - just a couple of day tripper fisher folk.

A