18-20 May 2010 Budawang Odyssey - Around Quiltys (for aging menfolk)

Map: Endrick 1:25000

Getting There

This walk was organised and led by Max S as an ad-hoc FBI 'Tuesday' walk:

Day 1- Start at Entrance to Alum carpark FT – From carpark to Endrick River through private property (I have still to confirm this is still ok with owner when I know approximate numbers but I have had preliminary approval) Join Redgrounds Track to Endrick R crossing past Quiltys clearing Along Endrick River Trail to possibly somewhere around Piercy Clearing to camp. About 16 km Day 2 – With day pack climb to Endrick trig. Then along Styles Ck track to camp somewhere on Styles Ck. If time permits look for Hidden Valley (I have some markers from Philip to help find the best way) About 13 km Day 3 Return to cars via track to Sq Mountain FT, then cross country to Alum Ck FT About 19 km Hence a fair bit on track, but some off track and scrubby. Not expected to be too hard (Philip rated it “interesting”) but the 1st 2 days are exploratory for me.

3 of us left the Woden area at 7am and drove via Queanbeyan, Bungendore, Tarago, Oallen Ford and turning right into Meangora Road just shy of Nerriga. Around 5km down this road it ends at private property, but the maze of gates and fences at the start of the walking track seems to indicate that there is public right of way (this should be checked out with NSW P&WS). Around 2hrs for the trip, so this makes it a doable day walking area.

Further Information

Route description with locations to about 100 m Map – Endrick 2nd Ed Take Meangora Rd of Nerriga Rd Turn South onto track before locked gate Start at next locked gate - 38100/51900 Cross style into private property (owner confirmed ok last Sunday) Along track to ford on Endrick River. Follow Redgrounds track thru Quilty’s Clearing to Endrick River again and meet Endrick River Trail (Both Philip and Mike Smith think this track will be findable) Follow Endrick R Trail Sth to Piercy Clearing – ( I think this area is called The Vines pass or gorge) Camp where convenient Day 2 – Find track up Quiltys which is given as 457/006 by Philip. From, hopefully, getting up Quiltys (If Philip says scrubby then bet on it) look for track which is shown on the map to look for Hidden Valley Then along track to Styles Ck – pretty much as Philip did. Day 3 – Once across Styles follow unnamed track west from junction This track meets Square Top Mountain FT. I walked this bit with Philip last time – just need to be careful to keep on track at the start Nth along STMFT for about 0.3 km when we head West to Alum Ck FT Not sure why Philip took the route he did and do not know it exactly so it will be a bit of suck and see – the area is generally dry scrub, mostly open, with plenty of ups and downs thru creeks The general route will be – From FT to SH 685 Then to 385/035 Then to 375/044 Then best route to FT However in general the route will be line of least resistance Nth along ACFT to car. Wait to see what anomalies you find in proposed route!

There's some good stuff on the web eg. REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES FOR WALKING IN THE BUDAWANG WILDERNESS, MORTON NATIONAL PARK here.

NB. Zone 56 for UTM!

Photographs

Access all primary pics here. All thumbnails in the walk report are active - click for a larger picture.

Walk

Track overview Around Quiltys
Track a Around Quiltys Track b Around Quiltys Track c Around Quiltys Track d Around Quiltys
Track e Around Quiltys Track f Around Quiltys Track g Around Quiltys Track h Around Quiltys

Day 1

Walking by just after 9am, through the little wooden half-gate and through the maze of tracks and gates clearly marked with walking track symbols. 1.9km to the Endrick River ford, no wet feet. Another 3km generally E along the track, with ever increasing views to the surrounding cliffs. Lovely country that I've never walked in before. 2.2km generally S after turning the sharp corner in the track we found morning tea in the first of the cleared areas of Quiltys Clearing. The open areas changed to beautiful eucalypt forest between Piercy Creek and the second crossing of the Endrick River. An excellent looking camp site on the W of the track around 500m on from the ford.

Fording the Endrick River First views to the cliffs from the E-S bend in the track Cliff line views from morning tea on day 1
Walking through Quiltys Clearing Good camp site on W side of track

We tracked generally S paralleling Vines Creek, into the map-marked area The Vines. Lawyer vines there certainly were, as well as tree ferns and other lush temperate rain forest vegetation. The track trended E and passed through wonderful tall timber.

The track N of The Vines Track-side tree ferns through The Vines Vines climb heaven-wards through The Vines Lush vegetation at the S end of The Vines The track passes through tall timber SW of Piercy Clearing

A halt when we came to the former Artillery Firing Range sign. It was only 1pm, but with Camp Rock a few tens of metres up a bush footpad on the opposite side of the track, we called it a day. A well used camp site, we set up tents, ate lunch and headed down NW for water. That done, we headed back W along the track and in to Red Johnnys Cave. A little stroll up a cut onto the cliffs above it. Here I snapped a jaunty little spider and, thanks to a new found bug expert, have:

'This spider has a wonderful name, Nicademus bicolor. It is related to the Red-back but considered harmless. I found it in one of Steve Parish's books "Amazing Facts about Australian Insects & Spiders". But there wasn't much said about this species unfortunately.' - from David R.

Back on the main track we continued W to the S end of The Vines, searching for the turn off to Quiltys Mountain which we'd missed on the way in. This we found, so returned to Camp Rock. Max and I then had a little wander further to the E along the track, just to see what we could see. The track crosses the top of Camping Rock Creek where there is water more easily accessible that at the place we went. An easy 22km for the day. We chose not to have a fire - we cook on fuel stoves - and there was not that much ready firewood around such a popular camp site. So to bed at sundown a 6pm for a good 12+hrs sleep!

Warning Banksia near Camp Rock Max the jungle water boy - near Camp Rock Camp Rock
Red Johnnys Cave Little spider wandering around near Red Johnnys Cave Near Red Johnnys Cave Looking down onto my tent from Camp Rock

Day 2

A lazy start and ready to walk by 8.40am. Retracing our steps W once more, we came to the turn off we'd checked out yesterday. A bit easier to spot coming from this direction with a small blaze on a tree (plus an arrow made with 3 branches on the ground). It's really not that obvious when approaching from the N, so no wonder we initially missed it. Still, 20/20 hindsight and a GR are foolproof. It's at UTM 56H 246337-6100992 (GDA94). Turning W-ish, 500m along the track is another junction, marked by a small cairn of stones in the forest litter. It's at UTM 56H 245917-6100746 (GDA94). Turning right (W), the footpad passes through open forest, vines and bracken fern, up then down to a small cliff line at the edge of Quiltys. This section of footpad is only 250m long and the end is marked by small stone cairns, both on the forest floor and on the lower mossy cliff face. At this point, UTM 56H 245726-6100820 (GDA94), we dropped our bags and shouldered (well, Max took my water and morning tea) day packs.

A well marked pad rises around 100m over 600m across the ground and it takes around 25mins to negotiate it. Plenty of small cairns (I marked one on the map) and hardly a scramble. Huge views across to Pigeon House and the coast from places during the climb. We arrived at the most fabulous borah ground (indigenous stone arrangements) - anything in Namadgi pales into insignificance! You'll just have to visit to see it for yourself (or get a password from me to visit here), as I'll not publish a generally available photo. Strangely, however, one seemingly significant stone arrangement hid a GIP (galvanised iron pipe) - easily recognised by border marker hunters. Who knows what it signifies, but it makes a handy marker at one end of the borah ground (UTM 56H 245434-6100926 (GDA94).

Turnoff to Quiltys from S end The Vines (view from S) Turnoff to Quiltys from S end The Vines (view from N) Cairn marks junction of track to Quiltys Mountain and bora ground Cairns mark start of climb to Quiltys - drop packs Pigeon House from the flank of Quiltys GIP marker at bora ground on Quiltys

Our next objective was Endrick Trig. We bashed through some horrendous scrub to the NW of the bora ground, then across a drainage line filled with bracken fern to the edge of a slightly easier belt of forest. This led W-wards to a neck with small cliffs N and S which defined a W path to the trig. Around 2km and over 1hr later we arrived at the trig. A little last minute searching amongst the scrub was required to find it. A substantial structure at UTM 56H 244078-6101236 (GDA94). Time for morning tea. The return leg was no easier. Great rock formations.

Negotiating small cliffs NE of Endrick trig Endrick Trig (photo courtesy of Max S) Scrub adjacent to Endrick Trig Elephant-toe rock formation E of Endrick Trig

Back at the bottom of the starting cliff with our packs at around 12.30pm we had lunch. The next leg saw us returning to the main footpad/track from The Vines to Styles Creek, where we turned right (SW). A beautiful section of 3km in 1hr through a moist creek line below the SE edge of Quiltys Mountain. Lush vegetation. At one point, the remaining longitudinal member of a wooden bridge over a side creek.

The track to Styles Creek Tree ferns on the track to Styles Creek Remains of timber bridge on the track to Styles Creek at UTM 56H 245011-6100320 (GDA94) Close vegetation on the track from The Vines to Styles Creek Close vegetation on the track from The Vines to Styles Creek

We were looking for the turnoff to Hidden Valley, which Philip G had described to Max. Exactly as. A beautiful area of tall eucalypt forest, with the stumps of some giants still sporting the timber fellers' slots where they inserted plants to stand on whilst at work. Dropped packs. A little detour as we worked out the track markings (as you can see from our track on the map segment), then an uneventful trip along the footpad to the Hidden Valley camp site. Around 750m from the carved tree marker to the camp site. However, here the track petered out and there was no view to any hidden valley. We back tracked a little and climbed to the N amongst great rock formations. Wonderful gnarly old banksia trees. The view opened up to the NW and, although it was huge, it wasn't to the SE and Hidden Valley. Maybe a return trip is warranted when we have a little more local knowledge. Returned to our bags.

Hidden Valley turnoff Timber feller's slots at Hidden Valley turnoff Camp site at end of track above Hidden Valley Rock formations near Hidden Valley camp site View NW from above Hidden Valley camp site

1.3km further to the SW we crossed Styles Creek and arrived at the camp site. A magnificent location, with the S flank of Quiltys towering above us and, to the SW, the magnificent Hoddles Castle ablaze in the afternoon sun. Other plateaued tops filled the horizon too. The usual drill, with water right by the doorstep, except this night I was in bed by a quarter to 6 - ironic that my wife was still at work, then had to bolt her tea and run the usual Wednesday night meeting!

S flank of Quiltys Mountain above Styles Creek Hoddles Castle Styles Creek camp site

Day 3

Our last day dawned misty and, unfortunately, the low cloud did not break all day. So we missed the fabulous views to the surrounding cliffs and plateaus. Away by 8.30am along a footpad to the W. After a short while Max was not comfortable and we returned to the camp site. We now realised the significance of the small stone cairn at the end of Eric's tent clearing and left the site correctly via the NE. The footpad soon curved round through SE and back to the W.

S flank of Quiltys Mountain in the morning mist above the camp site

With the greater view unavailable, it focussed one on the micro life always going on close at hand. At one point, immediately after crossing a creek draining N off Hoddles Castle, we came to a junction in the track - a broad old vehicle track going generally S-ish and a possible footpad heading N-ish. Any sane party (without local knowledge) would choose the former, so we did. This took us in a loop to the S, W and NW. Max was (navigationally) most uncomfortable. We arrived at the edge of Sallee Creek and the track petered out. We spent a little time searching downstream for a track (which we eventually found), which took us across Sallee Creek. What I think the situation is, is that (as shown on my first edition digital map segments) we exactly followed the old vehicle track. MAx had a paper second edition map which I think shows a new track which cuts off the loop we took and goes more directly to Sallee Creek.

Flower Spider web Morning damp Spider web

Our next leg took us N up along the E flank of Fosters Mountain. No view unfortunately. The heathlands gave way to timber and at one stage we crossed the remains of a logging bridge. Morning tea at some stage then, eventually out onto the Square Top Mountain fire trail. We'd covered 8.1km from the Styles Creek camp site and it was 11am. Around 300m N along the fire trail we struck off NW through the bush and headed 4.8km generally NW through the bush to hit the Alum Creek fire trail. A few ups and downs (as our trusty leader expected) and, at times, the bush was probably a little closer than expected. The last little surprise was a splash through Running Creek - which it was.

Tromping the track after crossing Sallee Creek Old timber bridge on the track E of Fosters Mountain Fungus on the track NE of Fosters Mountain Cross country exit overlooking Running Creek

A 3.2km tromp back to the car, arriving at 2.45pm. A well deserved beer at The Loaded Dog pub at Tarago on the way home.

Thanks Max and for your company Eric. May there be many more.

Distance: 51.6km Climb: 800m. Time: 3 days
Grading: M/M; M(10)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Around Quiltys

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This page last updated 19Aug22