Mount Keira & Robertson Lookout - February 2023

There are superb views of Wollongong from Robertson Lookout, this lookout is on the eastern edge of the Illawarra Escarpment. I walked this with walking poles as a test to see how my knee was recovering after injuring it a few days ago. I suspect I injured the knee by overextending it. As the day wore on the sore knee seemed to improve and now it is almost fully recovered. The ginger plant flower pictured below is the Kahili Ginger (hedychium gardnerianum). A native of the Himalayas and one of the most invasive plants of the world. There are many of these along the track. Further along I brushed my forearm against some leaves of the Giant Stinging tree (Dendrocnide excelsa) similar pain to stinging nettles but worse and the pain persists for longer, maybe that's why my knee felt much better toward the end of the walk.

Wollongong

Mt Keira from Robertson Lookout

Native Violet (viola henderacea)

Kahili Ginger  (hedychium gardnerianum)

Stats, 

distance: 8.1Km  

moving time: 2hr, 44min  

elevation: 329metre 

Falconbridge Ridge - January 2023

Another excuse to go bush, just straight forward out and back along the fire trail, with a view at the turn around point. Too hot and humid for anything further.

Lesser Flannel Flower (Actinotus minor)

Looking down the Grose to the Cumberland Plan

The Grose River looking upstream

Stats, 

distance: 13.6Km  

moving time: 1hr, 40min  

elevation: 203metre 

Mill Creek - December 2022

I noticed this track in December 2020 when I camped here on the last night of this three day bike ride from Morisset to Windsor. Not so hard this time, just an excuse to get into the bush. I had the park to myself the whole time I was here. I did encounter a goanna and several lyrebirds. Little else to report.

Mill Creek Picnic Area

Grass Trigger Plant (Stylidium graminifolium)

 

Stats, 

distance: 8.3Km  

moving time: 1hr, 27min  

elevation: 326metre

 

Pindar Cave - November 2022

Pindar Cave is in the Brisbane Water National Park. As I was approaching the cave I could hear water dripping but not see the cave due to the dense bush, all of a sudden there it was in front of me, an immense cave formed from the overhanging sandstone. My photos don't convey the enormity of this cave.

After having a look around the cave I continued on to Pindar Falls. I couldn't find a way to the bottom of the falls. All I could see here was the stream disappearing over the top of a cliff.

I sighted some Glossy Black Cockatoos, these cockys are spectacular with the red bands on their wing and tail feathers, and they are not very common.

The path went through dense scrubby bush with many kilometres of brushing against the foliage. I was not surprised to find a tick trying extract blood from my leg later that evening.

Flannel Flowers (Actinotus helianthi)

Purple Flag (Patersonia sercea)

Kariong Brook Falls

Approaching Pindar Cave

The Cave

Native Bottlebrushes (callistemon)

A small pond near the cave

Spectacle Island in the Hawksbury

Joining the Great North Walk

Interesting erosion of the sandstone

Looking towards Gosford from Staples Lookout

Stats, 

distance: 20.8Km  

moving time: 3hr, 44min  

elevation: 560metre 

Mt William (Duwil) Summit from Kalymna Camp Ground - October 2022

Mt William Summit from the east. I was lucky to be able to do this trip, it was the first clear day after the torrential rains which resulted in flooding of South Eastern Australia. The track was very wet and slippery. Mt William, (Duwil) at 1167 metres, is the highest peak in the Grampians (Gariwed) and Western Victoria. Some of route I took was on part of the recently opened Grampians Peaks Trail, a 13 day 160Km trek.

Mt William from Kalymna Camp Site

Kalymna Falls

Joining the Grampians Peaks Trail

On the Grampians Peaks Trail

Serra Range, Victoria Range on the horizon

L to R Lake Muirhead, Sugarloaf & Major Mitchell Plateau

Approaching the Summit

To the East

Canary Worm  (Fletchamia sugdeni)

On The Summit

Mt William from near Moyston

Stats, 

distance: 14Km  

moving time: 2hr, 44min  

elevation: 956metre  

The Shoalhaven, Big Horseshoe Bend - September 2022

This time I set out to have a look at Big Horse Shoe Bend, and Wine Glass Tor. I got as far as Big Horse Shoe Bend and turned back. Wine Glass Tor is on the top of the cliffs on the eastern side of the Shoalhaven River. Getting to the Tor would have required crossing the river and the climbing Backbender Buttress, an additional five hundred metre climb. Too much water to cross this time. I was happy to turn back at the river and miss out on Backbender, maybe another day. 

From the top of Assay Buttress

Further down Assay Buttress, the Shoalhaven peeping through the gloom

Looking down stream

Fungi

Cross here to access Backbender Buttress

Big Horse Shoe Bend

Upstream towards Little Horse Shoe Bend

 

Stats, 

distance: 17.2Km  

moving time: 2hr, 44min  

Elevation: 552metre 

Taffys Rock - August 2022

Taffys Rock is named after Dorothy Townson who passed away on a bushwalk in Tasmania in 1948, after being bitten by a snake. More details here if you are interested. The first four kilometers from the Cowan station is along this section of the Great North Walk. The rest of the track is a spur heading East from the Great North Walk, terminating at Taffys Rock. The rock has great views in all directions, particularly of the Hawksbury River mouth and Lion Island.

.

Jerusalem Bay

Govett Lookout, trees now block the view

Hardenbergia

Moss on Taffys Rock

Lion Island from Taffys Rock

The Pacific Motorway

 

Stats,  

distance: 15.8Km   

moving time: 3hr, 9min  

Elevation: 718 metre