Gungarlin river/ Botherum plain

[Size 11]

Since i was a child, the family have been going to the Snowies, fishing and camping at Lake Jindabyne and to a lesser extent Lake Eucumbene.
It was during these early years, whilst camped near Kalkite creek at Lake Jindabyne, that a family friend took my brother and i for a walk (a long walk for a kid) to place called Botherum Plain.
I have memories of seeing horses, pigs and a dog (all feral) and most of all, huge trout in the river, ( well looked huge, back then) that i now know to be Gungarlin river.
It would be great to revisit this place (this time with a flyrod) but access from Kalkite creek is made difficult, due to the fact that a boat is needed to get to the otherside of lake Jindabyne, and then it is probably 4hrs walk there and 4 back, which dos'nt leave a lot of flytime.
I was wondering if any members have heard of, or been to this place, and know of another way in, possibly from Island bend, or by vehicle from the northern side.

Cheers Jez

[johnw]

Hi Jez,
Yes I''ve been there. There is a fly fishing camp on the Gungarlin River and I've walked from there across the Botherum Plain to climb Kalkite Mountain.
Access is pretty much by 4WD only (high clearance needed) otherwise it would be a long-ish walk from the nearest 2WD access point.
I have a bit more info and some photos but have to go out for a medical appointment and a few other things. I'll post more later.

[Size 11]

Cheers John
Wow, a flyfishing school! When i went to Botherum it was the late 70's early 80's i suspect, and i dont think there would have been anything back then.

My brother has a fourby, but only a stock Pathfinder with not much ground clearance, so it might be difficult to gain access.

I have climbed a small mountain near Kalkite which has a survey marker up top, but have never climbed Kalkite. Everytime i go fishing on the dam i sit and stare in awe at that mountain, saying too myself one day.
What are the views like from Kalkite? Is it a hard walk? and how long did it take to get up there?

Cheers again. Jez

[johnw]

Hi Jez,
Not sure if the camp site is actually a flyfishing school. It's a public camp site managed by the NPWS and has a pit toilet, which is handy. I guess what I meant was that all the people car camping there appeared to be fly fishing. Or is that what you mean by "school"? Sorry, as a "silver bait" fisherman my actual fishing knowledge is really limited .

We did this trip back in 2006. To get to the start I used the instructions below (from http://www.pbase.com/bookster/kalkmtn) which has some good info and photos. We drove there in an XJ series Jeep Cherokee Sport/Classic that I used to own. It had heavier duty front coil springs fitted and an extra leaf spring at the rear so was about 25mm higher than standard. That said I think a Pathfinder would be fine, driven carefully. I saw one or two Suzuki Vitaras there so you should be OK.

"For navigation, use the 1:25000 LPI sheets NIMMO PLAIN and KALKITE MOUNTAIN. To reach the start of the walk, turn onto Nimmo road (where powerlines cross the road) just north of Rocky Plains on the Jindabyne- Eucumbene road. Cross Nimmo bridge, then drive past Nimmo Nature reserve on the left, climbing to the top of Nimmo hill (so many Nimmos!), where the road turns right, away from the powerlines. Island Bend fire trail continues straight ahead with the overhead lines. Drive through 4 sets of gates (leaving them as you find them) until you reach a locked gate on a bridge across the Gungarlin river. This is a very nice camping spot, and the starting point for the walk. The road is pretty rough, cars with low clearance are best left at the top of Nimmo Hill..."

So, basically just take the Eucumbene Rd north of Jindabyne, left onto Nimmo Rd, which eventually joins the Island Bend Fire Trail. Follow this to the camp site at the Gungarlin River.

While it would possibly seem easier to approach from Island Bend, I don't think it can be done. From memory, unless things have since changed, a permanently locked gate blocks vehicle access somewhere along that side. I remember telephoning the ranger for the area when planning that trip and his advice was essentially the same as the notes above, emphasising the need for 4WD with good clearance.

The walk from the camp site to Kalkite Mountain summit is not too difficult for experienced walkers. Across the Botherum Plain it's old fire trail, with a shallow crossing of the Gungarlin on the way. Distance is about 14km return, but includes roughly 3 km off track (each way) from Kalkite Gap. Elevation gain is around 250m. KG is designated by a lone large round rock, aka "Kalkite Rock". It's not difficult off track (steep-ish, of course) but there's a bit of navigation and you need to avoid being confused by all the brumby tracks. Nearing 1550m ASL, the views from the top over Lake Jindabyne etc are breathtaking. These views are actually from the trig, a short distance past the true summit. I've read descriptions of the Botherum Plain area that say things like "beautiful, remote lonely place" and I'd have to agree. We had a very up close encounter with brumbies on the return walk, getting a little too close and received some unsettling attention from a stallion before they all turned in unison and stampeded in the opposite direction. I know they're feral and cause a lot of damage, particularly if they get up into the alpine zones, but this was quite a spectacle and experience. The Botherum Plain hut is about 1 km from the start, and is worth a visit in either direction but is well off track and not easily seen on the outward leg, so better done on the way back. I think the walk took around 5 hours, possibly slightly more, as I decided to take a "short cut" directly west down Kalkite Mtn rather than simply reverse the route. It worked but was not a great choice due to scrub, fallen timber and a much steeper gradient.

I'll post a few photos separately.

[Size 11]

Great info John, Thanks. I'll take a spare pair of undies incase I get cornered by the stallion! I would have thought that NPWS would have eradicated the brumbies by now. A couple of years ago I walked about 5km up the firetrail from the Lake Jindabyne side, and saw pig traps, and pig carcasses that looked like they had been dead for a while, but pigs would be a lot harder to dispose of than brumbies. I know dogs are still around the area, because we heard them at night on a recent flyfishing trip we did to Sawyers hill, Eucumbene river, a week after Easter.

Cheers Jez
.

[Tony]

Hi Size 11,

My Suby Forester easlily made it in to the Gungarlin river via Nimmo Plain, very nice area. If dry some 2WD's might make it, my old Datto 1600 would have made it.

I have also twice walked up the Gungarlin via Island Bend, it is possible to drive to the locked gate near where the Gungarlin River flows into the concrete hole, I fly fished up to the open plains both times, lots of boulder hopping.

Tony

[Size 11]

Hi Tony
The news is just getting better, if I was still on my P plates and saw you go in with a Datto 1600, I would have been right behind you in my HQ Belmont yelling abuse at you for driving a Datto, whilst sinking down to the axles in the process, like I used to do everywhere i went in that beast.
These days I drive a Hilux, but it's not a fourby and it is very light in the rear and gets stuck on wet grass.

Cheers Jez
P.S I want a Suby Forester too!

[johnw]

My Suby Forester easlily made it in to the Gungarlin river via Nimmo Plain

P.S I want a Suby Forester too!

I also have one these days. I was wondering last night whether I would still be able to get in there with it. Answered courtesy of Tony, thank you.

I'll take a spare pair of undies incase I get cornered by the stallion! I would have thought that NPWS would have eradicated the brumbies by now.

Jez, the brumby encounter was defintely unnerving. We got quite close while taking photos of them and my son insisted on trying to get even closer.
The stallion left the others and faced us, snorting, in what I assumed to be some type of aggressive threat display. I suggested we back away (like right now), so we did. That's when they all about turned and charged off flat chat. I believe that they're an ongoing problem. I've occasionally read that eradication programs have been less successful than anticipated.

[Size 11]

I dont hate horse's, but i do prefer a fence in between me and the horse. A friend years ago, offered me a ride on they're horse and I accepted. No sooner did I get on the horse, than it turned it's head and looked at me and snorted in the way you mention, as well as giving a small buck as if to say "Get off now" which I promtly did. Never again. I'll walk thanks.

Cheers Jez

[climberman]

You can easily get to the Gungarlin off the Nimmo Road in a 2WD in the dry. In the wet I leave the car at the top of the hill above the River. Or you can go left at the Island Bend FT to the red cliffs / red rocks camping area. Have a look on the 1:25K for the area, it's [retty straighforward when you check it out.

Waling up from Snowy Adit can be done but there is a distinct lack of track along the river. I have walked from the Nimmo Rd crossing, down the river to the Gungarlin Hydro inlet, up to Burrungabuggee and over the hill again to Nimmo over four days (three nights) flyfishing. Nice area.

[Size 11]

Thanks Climberman
I'll try the Nimmo rd way. First, I have to con the brother into going, (dont trust my ute not getting bogged) should'nt be too hard, he love's his fishing too.

Cheers Jez

[north-north-west]

Thanks for all the info, I've been thinking about Kalkite and have just added this to the list for the next time I'm up that way. Maybe a good place to go for Cup Day.

[climberman]

n-n-w - the Burrungubugge R valley is also lovely, with a nice track in and out of each end.

There is a wild horse management plan for KNP, which is somewhat befuddled by the love some people have for horses. Very effective publicisation of a cull by helicopted in Guy Fawkes NP many years ago impacted helicopter cull use. There are some somewhat passive relocation schemes. At a personal level I'd be happy to see em shot, but as I also like to fish for trout and undertake a whole lot of activities (MTB, climb, DH skiing, etc, etc) that many people would seek to regulate in the name of 'nature' I can see where people are coming from with the 'pretty ponies'.

[north-north-west]

*scratches head*
I thought the Burrungubuggee was the river that drains the other side of Disappointment Spur? Or is it the other side of the Porcupine . . . ?
Or am I just totally lost? There's always a down side to keeping all the maps out in the car.

Oh, and I think Parks has been doing a roundup in some parts of the park. The horse yards on Dead Horse Ridge and near the Tin Mine track junction have had some heavy use over the summer and as horseriding is not permitted in the area I'm assuming it's from a muster. There were far fewer brumbies to be seen in that part of the Pilot Wilderness over Easter than is normally the case.

[SteveJ]

There is a wild horse management plan for KNP.......At a personal level I'd be happy to see em shot

You need a bigger roll of foil if your going to wrap one of those suckers and throw it on the coals like a trout!!

[north-north-west]

Nah, just a good sharp knife. A few fresh steaks would be grouse after a week on dehydrated food.

[SteveJ]

turning a negative into a positive - dehy horse meat!! (OK almost a positive)

[Size 11]

Ok, maybe you hav'nt got a European background, but the best Salami is made from horse meat. Shoot, and fish ferals to an extent, but leave natives alone! Not too sure about the banjo players being allowed to shoot in national parks but.
These hicks give flanalette shirts and 4wd's a bad name. I love cheap clothes, and I hav'nt got to own a fourby yet. But I want one!

Cheers Jez

[climberman]

n-n-w - good to hear on the pony front.

You guys are making me hungry.

[north-north-west]

Mmmmmm, look! Fresh venison . . .

[SteveJ]

Shoot, and fish ferals to an extent, but leave natives alone! Not too sure about the banjo players being allowed to shoot in national parks but.
These hicks give flanalette shirts and 4wd's a bad name. I love cheap clothes, and I hav'nt got to own a fourby yet. But I want one!

Cheers Jez

I can play a banjo, I wear flannies, I have a 4wd, I eat native animals.........

[Singe]

Shoot, and fish ferals to an extent, but leave natives alone! Not too sure about the banjo players being allowed to shoot in national parks but.
These hicks give flanalette shirts and 4wd's a bad name. I love cheap clothes, and I hav'nt got to own a fourby yet. But I want one!

Cheers Jez

I can play a banjo, I wear flannies, I have a 4wd, I eat native animals.........

...and I vote?

[Size 11]

Shoot, and fish ferals to an extent, but leave natives alone! Not too sure about the banjo players being allowed to shoot in national parks but.
These hicks give flanalette shirts and 4wd's a bad name. I love cheap clothes, and I hav'nt got to own a fourby yet. But I want one!

Cheers Jez

I can play a banjo, I wear flannies, I have a 4wd, I eat native animals.........

I've always wanted to learn the banjo,(but not a priority), the dog likes road kill roo tails, but as for me, even roasted in the camp oven it still has a game food flavour that dos'nt do it for me.

[north-north-west]

Kangagroo tail soup is absolutely exquisite. Although not the easiest item to prepare with a camp stove or a fire.

[Size 11]

Wombat haggis is just the right size for a 9 qrt camp oven, and it is divine.