This walk was organised and led by me as an irregular CBC Tuesday walk:
(Tuesday 20 November: Drystone walls at Glendale Crossing - M/M-R. I hear there are some drystone walls above Glendale Crossing. Let’s see if we can find them. And with the weather getting warmer, M/M will be enough. Around 10km and 400m total up. Map: Michelago 1:25000. Limit of 8. Leader: John Evans – jevans@pcug.org.au, (h) 6288 7235. Transport: ~$12. Further details at http://jevans.pcug.org.au.).
6 of us drove in 2 vehicles via Tharwa and the Boboyan Road to the road into Glendale Depot, just before Glendale Crossing. There's a car park on the right, just before the gate and sign saying 'No entry except for authorised vehicles'.
With a little more leisurely walk, we'll leave Duffy at 8am. The walk will probably consist of 2.5km along the Brandy Flat Walking Track, about 1km up Reedy Creek, then NE up onto the Billy Range to the first two knolls above 1300m. Then WSW down to the Namadgi National Park border corner near the top of Half Moon Creek and so to where I think the dry stone walls are. A final 2km leg and 300m down to Glendale Crossing. I am supremely confident of finding the site - someone who has been there before is coming!!
Extra info by email from Martin C on 20 Jul 09: "As you approach the area from the Boboyan Rd, the first set is at 682385E 6050134N. The next at 682565E 6050407N and the third at 682598E 6050447N (all coords in WGS84). I was unaware of the second set until yesterday when we literally walked into it. (John, this second set does not appear on you blog site.) The second and third sets are located along and old wire fence that runs parallel to the main ridges in the area. They are more easily seen walking north-to-south. I have spoken with Val J and Esmay C about the walls but neither can shed any light on them. Our group yesterday opined that the only reason you'd make an animal enclosure out of stone rather than timber and wire is that you either had no access to wire (pre 1850s) or you couldn't afford it (also possible given the marginal nature of the country)."
Walk
Geared up and away by 8.55am. Nice in the shady areas and a little damp underfoot where the sun hadn't yet reached, but the forecast was for 33°C and it had a hot day feel. I was carrying 4l of water and the kitchen sink. We followed the Brandy Flat Walking Track up and along through the kangaroos for 2.1km, where talk from Madeleine of a track up Reedy Creek caused me to haul in the leaders who were correctly heading for the big u-bend. This leg 2.1km in 30mins.
We then headed up Reedy Creek through easy walking territory, including a couple of open creek flats. Crossed a very obvious car(t) track. Sidling up onto the Billy Range we spied a large granite formation, so did a right turn up an old fence line. Reaching the crest of the range the granite disappeared, so we continued along the top to morning tea. This leg 1.9km in 1hr 5mins. A 20mins break.
It was tempting to head down to the saddle between Reedy and Half Moon Creeks, but we hadn't experienced enough pain, so we pushed on to the N along the range, through a bit of wattle regrowth alternating with granite stacks. Airless in the former; the slight breeze and view appreciated from the latter. The NW corner of the first 1300m feature gave us an excellent view down to the green flats at the top of Half Moon Creek (see pic 1) (as well as to another vehicle track which seemed to follow the W bank of Reedy Creek, sidle round the flank of SH1288 and head towards a building way up towards Fitz Hill). Views also in the distance from SW to NW to Mt Gudgenby, the Mavis Ridge with Mt Herlt and Mt Mavis obvious, Mts Burbidge, Kelly and Namadgi. This leg 0.9km in 40mins.
It might have been nice to go on to the second 1300m feature, but the grass is greener on the other side, so we left turned and plunged 200m down to the grassy flats of Half Moon Creek. Hit the corner of the NNP boundary and also a new fence no doubt defining it. I was looking for an over/under point when Max logically pointed out that we ought to follow the fence on our current side to see what was at the intersection with the track! There was, of course, a gate!! A nice shady tree looked inviting for lunch. This leg 0.9km in 45mins. 30mins for lunch.
Another left turn to the SW saw us heading up an open reentrant towards a saddle to the W of SH1288. We hit the new fence again and this time it was either over at the strainer post or under. Pulled out the GPS to hit the walls stored waypoint (much to the mirth of Barrie and Madeleine who had been to the walls before) and, behold, came to (stumbled across) a small dry stone wall a few metres just before the saddle! Surprise, surprise. Headed down the drainage line to the SW, the two experts obviously knowing where they were going. I took a detour to my walls waypoint to find nothing there. Of course B and M found them, a series of 4 or 5 dry stone walls linking natural granite formations to form, we suppose, an animal yarding place (see pics 2 and 3). Does anyone know their history and use? This leg 1.3km in 40mins. We had a poke about for 10mins.
We headed down the open drainage line and turned a little W onto a spur down to the car. Sadly, I'd pulled out my map for the first time and this caused me to fall off the crest of the spur. We battled down through regrowth just for practice and, to add insult to injury, the legends in the party took some time to gently point out to me that the actual creek line was open and easy walking. Turning down to it, it indeed was and the cars soon appeared. This leg 1.8km in 40mins.
A stop at the Tharwa store to prop up the local economy and to quiz Val J - he didn't know of the history and use of the walls.
Thanks to Barrie R, Cynthia B, Madeleine H, Rene L and Max S for company, the loan of a compass and excellent dry stone wall finding. A gentle wander, but certainly sufficient for the temperature of the day.
Distance: 9.1km Climb: 550m. Time:
Grading: M/M-R,X; M(9)
KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Dry Stone Walls above Glendale Crossing
