This was a very interesting daywalk in the Narrow neck area of the Blue Mountains. Bob had suggested the trip – walk out along Narrow Neck to not far past the Second Neck – then descend part way down the Mitchells Ck Pass, and traverse the half way ledge to Black Billys Head.
The Rice Terrace
This half way ledge traverse was called the “Rice Terrace” by bushwalker Graeme Holbeach, after Don Rice and himself from Sutherland Bushwalking Club traversed it in September 1988. While they were on the traverse, the saw a possible pass to the north which they later checked out – this is now known as the “Rock Pile Pass”. There are quite a few other half way ledge traverses in the Blue Mountains. The half way ledge is the shale ledge (Mt York Claystone) that lies sandwiched between the two massive sandstone layers that together make up the Narrabeen Series of strata. Other places where it can be traversed are the well known National Pass at Wentworth Falls (currently closed due to unstable rock), The lower ledge on Mt Banks and also on Narrow neck – the walk under Diamond Spray Waterfall to the pass at the next headland. The longest of these traverses would be the one from the Three Brothers and Blacks Ladders between Medlow Bath and Katoomba.
When Bob and myself set out from the barrier on Narrow Neck it was very cold and very windy. So we walked briskly out along the fire road. On the way we checked out a small cave (Liam’s Cave) under a large boulder near the road.
For both of us, it was our first trip on Narrow neck since the bushfires. The damage was mixed – very bad in some places and not so bad in others. The Second Neck seemed particularly bad. Not far past here, we first turned off and followed a rock climbers track down to a crag near Mitchells Creek. However – we turned back at a very wet cliff that we would have to climb down. There was a rope and some staples in place – but it was too wet to descend safely.
So we climbed back up to the road and walked another kilometre or so, checking out a lookout on the eastern side on the way.
Then we followed a ridge and then down a creek, with a short scramble at the bottom to arrive at Mitchells Creek. This was the same entry route we had used when we had visited Rock Pile Pass.
Mitchells Creek was badly burnt out – but this made our passage much easier. We soon arrived at where you climb down to the tree with spikes – the key part of the Mitchells Ck Pass. Rather than descending to the tree – we traversed to the left – and were soon on the very distinct half way ledge. This was the Rice Terrace.
Looking towards Rock Pile Pass
The vegetation on the ledge was burnt out – but there were still dead blackened bushes to push through, and less in the way of half holds, and the ground was mush looser and unstable.
Most of the way the going was quite straightforward. But in a few places it was very dangerous. One place in particular was quite nasty. At the time, I was in front and thought it unwise to continue. The ledge more or less disappeared into a steep and very unstable slope. Treacherous to cross. Bob, however, pulled out a rope and placed it around a tree – and used it as an aid to cross the bad spot. He reported that the ledge continued OK on the far side. The only problem was, that if we pulled the rope with us – then it would be very dangerous to get back if we had to retrace our steps. And the exit route up Billys Head was uncertain. Bob talked me into continuing – so I used the rope, got around OK, and we carried on.
We soon arrived in some massive overhangs – a really impressive section. Looking up we could see white streaks made by roosting raptors.
Near Black Billys Head, we crossed two small gullies. I though one may provide an escape route. But no – there was a small overhanging section to stop us. So we continued on. There was another section where the ledge almost disappeared again – but it was not nearly as bad as the previous one. Then we were at Black Billys Head.
Many years before, I had been on a trip with Bob, from Megalong, where we had scrambled up Black Billys Head on to Narrow Neck then descended back down via Mitchells Creek Pass. But we had both forgotten the details of the pass. Now we had to do the top half of it. It turned out to be much easier than we expected. We went around the point a short way – then up an ramp that took us to the top of the cliffline.
It was now time for lunch – but it was far too cold and windy to stop on the head, so we started walking towards the road. We stopped briefly for lunch in a bit more sheltered place.
This part of Narrow Neck is called the Fools Paradise. An apt name – it is covered in very thick heath scrub – slow nasty walking. Would the bushfire have made things easier? Partly – some was easier, but the thickest part was black dead Banksia – hard to push through.
But we made good progress and soon reached the fire road. Then we walked back rapidly to the barrier and Bob’s car. This had been a challenging walk – the weather was quite nasty and the terrain not trivial.