Northangera Creek | tree ferns in the Eucryphia forest
Tuesday 7 January: Northangera Creek & Monga forest – M/R,X. An exploratory circuit north in the Monga NP north of Monga Mountain Road. Eucryphia forest in the morning – pleasantly shady if the weather is hot – then by ridge, with scrub likely, down to Northangera Creek. Back via approx 4 km of the Northern Fire Trial. 9 to 12 km; a W route (as in shape of the letter, not wetness) – down and then up 200 to 250 metres, twice. Some steep slopes with loose soil, patches of viney scrub, and some beautiful open rain forest. Map: Monga. Leader: Linda G. Transport: $72 per car. Limit: 8.
11 of us drove from Canberra on the Kings Highway through Braidwood, onto River Forest Rd, McRaes Rd and the so-called Monga Mountain Rd in 3 vehicles. Around 1hr 45mins.
Summary
Distance: 9.4km | Climb: 470m | Time: 9.30am-2.30pm + 2.55-3.45pm = 5hrs 50mins, with 65mins of breaks | Grading: M/R; M(10)
Track Map
Photographs
Photographs are available, where you can start a large sized slide show.
Google Earth
Download the Google Earth .kmz file here.
Track Notes
Hats off to our drivers – there was a track around a fallen tree on the Monga Mountain “Road” that I would not have attempted.
A pleasant leg to get us to morning tea, generally NE down into an unnamed feeder creek of the Mongarlo River. Plenty of leeches on the descent. Immediately into the lovely tree ferns. Once into the creek line, slow going at 15mins for 300m to morning tea at 10.20am.
We continued down the creek line for a while after our break, then came up and headed N, then W, over the high point of the ‘W’-shaped walk (down, up, down, up). See the height profile:
Then down to a drainage line which feeds into Northangera Creek for lunch. Morning tea to lunch was 2.7km taking 1hr 30mins. Our living legend leader spent some time recce-ing ahead whilst we mere party members enjoyed a long lunch.
After Linda had a quick bite, she led us across and down to Northangera Creek. Another beautiful tree fern lined creek. A bower bird bower at one spot – let’s hope he attracts a girlfriend, as some of the blue bits and pieces would have been brought a long way. 0.5km in the creek taking 25mins.
We then climbed up out of the creek to gain the Northern Fire Trail. A 3km trudge back to the cars in 45mins.
We then drove back to near the Kings Highway and along River Forest Road to a spot where Linda knew there was Plumwood in a short distance along a creek line. We skirted the stinging nettles, slopped through the bog holes, splashed up the creek to the most wonderful stand of Eucryphia with accompanying understory of tree ferns. Well worth the 1.2km 50min round trip.
A lovely day with great friends.
Party
11 walkers – Rupert B, Anne C, Eric G, Linda G (leader), Ian H, Jenny H, Stewart J, Chris L, Phillip S, Ian W, me.