This was an interesting day spent canyoning in the Wollangambe Wilderness with Bob. Many years ago (about 20?) I had been on a canyoning trip where we had started down a very good looking canyon and then been hit with a sudden thunderstorm. None of the party had been down this canyon before, and even though we thought the constricted section would be short, we thought it wise to retreat and try and climb out of the canyon and get away from the creek. This we had done with some difficulty, and after spending some time sheltering in an overhang we then walked back the way we had come.
A few months later, I had returned to that creek with a different party, and this time we ventured through the canyon successfully. I remember the constricted section as being very impressive, but it was unfortunately also quite short. I had talked about returning to that creek with Bob, and he told me that he recalled visiting the same creek back many years before my trips (early 1980’s) – but he didn’t seem to remember any spectacular sections of canyon.
So we returned to the creek. The start of our walk to the creek involved walking out along a very misty ridge in lush vegetation. Very atmospheric!
When we arrived at our creek, we fond it started with a few short swims enclosed between canyon walls. Not true canyon – but tempting us on.
Not far below, the true canyon indeed started. And as I had recalled from my first trip – it is a very impressive start. Bob thought that if he had been down this creek previously, then he would have remembered this quite striking canyon. So perhaps he had been down another creek nearby?
To get down into the canyon, we didn’t need to abseil, but we did use a handline for assistance. Below this was another awkward short drop leading to a swim -and again we deployed the handline.
The canyon was really very impressive here. I stopped for a few photos – taking my time, knowing the canyon was short.
And indeed the canyon section ended all too soon. Below the canyon was a rainforest gully. But first another drop had to be negotiated. This looked tricky – but turned out to be a very easy scramble. Then some slow walking – through boulders and fallen logs. Hard going. Slowly the creek walking improved to fairly open rainforest banks.
Lower down, the creek joined a larger stream. We followed this for a short distance, but it was tricky and tiring due to scrub and boulders. It had also started lightly raining. At a bend, we found a nice overhang to stop for our somewhat late lunch break.
Nearby was a pass out of the cliffs and relatively easy walking after that to reach Bob’s car. Some more light rain and misty tops – but this did not dampen our spirits.
Larger photos of the canyon are online here.