I travelled up the mountains with friends John and Chuin Nee and their two young boys, Jasper and Sebastian. At Blackheath, Chuin Nee head off to Heathcliff to join Enmoore and Stu for a day of climbing. John and myself took Jasper and Sebastian on a nice bushwalk nearby at Porters Pass.
Jasper ready for some canyoning
We walked down the track to Porters Pass, where Jasper and a great time playing in the creek. Then we continued on to Colliers Causeway – the track that goes under the cliffs to Centennial Glen. We then headed up into the Glen and had lunch at the end of the small canyon.
Porters Pass, Colliers Causeway and Centennial Glen are included in the proposed extensions to Gardens of Stone National Park.
After visiting the canyon, we headed up to the top part of Centennial Glen and then to Fort Rock and back to the car where we met Chuin Nee, Enmoore and Stu.
We then headed to to Barcoo Swamp to camp. The next day we were planning to visit Rocky Creek Canyon. We were joined at the campsite by Steve, Chico, Danny, Rob and Keith. We had a pleasant evening around the fire enjoying fine food and wines.
On Sunday, Enmoore and Stu headed off for some more climbing and the rest of us set off for Rocky Creek Canyon.
Some of the party visited via Twister Canyon, while I accompanied Chuin Nee and Keith with the two young boys straight to the main canyon. The others joined us soon after we arrived.
Sebastian, not yet one, was too young for the canyon so he stayed at the top with Chuin Nee. The rest of us set off through the canyon. Jasper (3) was in his small boat for the pools.
The canyon was lovely, as it always is. But the lighting was quite subdued which made photography quite difficult. Everything was a bit gloomy. I think April is a bit late in the season for good canyon photos. Perhaps it is due to the Sun being a lot lower in the sky?
The original plan was to take Jasper through the canyon, and then reverse it. But John thought it may be better to use the lower exit. This we did (John, Jasper and me), and to do this I headed back up the canyon to the start, picked up some extra gear and then back down, meeting them at the pass lower down Rocky Creek.
Jasper went very well on the pass out – climbing up the steep rock slab near the top almost by himself. After that, and a lunch break, he felt tired and fell asleep on John’s shoulders. He had had a big day out!
More photos of the Porters Pass Walk and the Rocky Creek Canyon can be found on my website.
Hi David, as always admiring your adventures and photos. I have a technical question – how do you protect your camera when you go canyoning? Do you have a dry backpack? What would your recommendation be?
Thanks,
Magda
Have a look at my post on Photographing Claustral Canyon. I talk about what I use there – http://www.david-noble.net/blog/?p=10270
Thank you David:-) must have missed that post in March.