Save the Greenway Rally

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Dave Noble

A rally is being held on Saturday October 29 – between 12pm and 1pm at Johnson Park, Dulwich Hill to try and save the Greenway. More information at the Friends of the Greenway Website.

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Empress Canyon – New Logbook

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Dave Noble

This is a news report – passing on a message from the National Parks and Wildlife Service. It is in regard to Empress Canyon at the Valley of the Waters, Wentworth Falls. This is a short sandstone canyon popular with beginner canyon groups as well as being very convenient for commercial canyoning parties. Anyway the news –

NPWS has installed a log book at the start of Empress Canyon. All users are encouraged to complete the log book and consider delaying their entry to avoid crowding in cold, wet conditions at the exit abseils.

WARNING: Commercial tour groups usually operate from 12 to 2:30pm daily October-March. Therefore this canyon can get crowded and delays of 1-2 hours have been experienced at the exit abseils. Recreational canyoners are requested to avoid these times.


Also –

In terms of trying to maintain some semblance of separation of groups (and consequent crowding at the top of the falls) it will only work if all groups – commercial and recreational, complete the Log Book.  Commercial companies have to do it – a condition of their licence, but for everyone else we are relying on their cooperation.

Seems like a good idea to me.

Photos and information courtesy of Aine Gliddon

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Bowens Creek Canyon

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Dave Noble

Bowens Creek lies between Mt Wilson and Mt Tomah so it is not surprising that it has long sections of canyon. The best canyon sections are to be found in the long south branch.

On this trip, being early in the season, we visited the upper section of the south branch. This section is long and spectacular and is good to visit in cooler times such as early or late in the canyon season as it has no major swims. This contrasts to the middle and lower parts of the creek which both have many swims. Continue reading →

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Climbing – Bunny Bucket Buttress

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Dave Noble

Bunny Bucket Buttress is a multi pitch sports climb in the Pierces Pass area of the Grose Valley in the Blue Mountains. It’s a climb I had wanted to do for a long time – but had not had the opportunity. It’s a long route – 9 pitches and 270m high.

With a good weather forecast and the longer days of Spring it was a good time to have a go. There were four of us on the climb. Chuin Nee and John had been up the route twice before and would show us the way. I was climbing with Su Li. She  led the first pitch and then all the odd pitches and I led the even pitches.  Continue reading →

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A Spring Kurnell Bike Ride

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Dave Noble

Another ride to Kurnell. Su Li hadn’t been there by bike – and a nice day was forecast – so on the bikes and another nice ride. From Dulwich Hill to Kurnell via Cooks River and Botany Bay Cycleways is 35km or if you like 70km return.


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The Birthday – Canyoning Weekend

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Dave Noble

About this time of the year a group of friends have birthdays. The custom has been to do a walk to the Red Rocks near Newnes. This year, some of those celebrating could not make it along for one reason or another, and bad weather was forecast for the start of the weekend. So we chose to head to a nice dry camp cave and explore some small canyons nearby.


 Continue reading →

Posted in Blue Mountains, Bushwalking, Canyoning, Wilderness Photography, Wollemi National Parks | 1 Comment

Pink Flannel Flowers

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Dave Noble

On the long weekend walk I was talking to some of the other walkers about the spectacular site at Kanangra Walls during March last year (2010) of a multitude of pink flannel flowers. The pink flannel flower (Actinotus forsythii) it seems only flowers after two events – fire and then a lot of rain.

Before March 2010 there had been a bushfire on part of the Kanangra Plateau (I think it was due to a hazard reduction burn). After that was a wet period and the result was quite amazing. Under the burnt bankias and isopogons was a profusion of these beautiful flowers. It seems a mass blooming like this is a rare event.

Continue reading →

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Brocken Spectres, Glories and Fogbows

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Dave Noble

Visiting mountain regions a fair bit has allowed me to observe an array of beautiful atmospheric optical phenomena. These can be present when you get sunlight and mist or clouds. You need to be lucky and observant to see them.

Brocken spectre and glory on Mt Geryon, Tasmania

Continue reading →

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2011 PBT

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Dave Noble

The “PBT” is the SUBW President’s Bludge Trip to the Kowmung River on the October long weekend. The first PBT was in 1974 and they have been held every October long weekend since.

This year there were a number of challenges. Firstly the president, Helen had been injured on a cross country ski trip not long before and this meant she could only walk short distances. This problem was solved buy the trip this year going to that part of the river near Tuglow Caves. This meant she could get in by 4WD. Most of there rest of the party walked to the river via a variety of routes. A nice campsite was chosen not far downstream of the ford. Continue reading →

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Blue Breaks Walk

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Dave Noble

The Blue Breaks is part of the Southern Blue Mountains wilderness contained between the Coxs and Wollondilly arms of lake Burragorang. It is a great area for bushwalking. It offers a sense of remoteness and it is rugged. To walk there requires careful navigation and route finding.  It is also a very spectacular place.

On the Mittagong to Katoomba walk back in July, I had been hoping to go via the Blue Breaks – but we encountered very windy weather. Not a good time to be scrambling on the tops! This past week was my next opportunity – and together with Tim and Peter from SUBW, we completed a very nice walk. We had hoped to traverse both Bimlow Tableland and Broken Rock Range – but bad weather limited us to a visit of the latter. But this allowed us to spend a longer time on the beautiful Kowmung River. Continue reading →

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