This walk was organised and led by Philip G as an ad-hoc FBI Tuesday walk:

Tuesday 3 November: Wyanbene Trig and Appletree Mountain - H. A mostly exploratory walk in the Minuma Range to the west of the Deua River. We’ll start from the Wyanbene Caves picnic area, head west for about a kilometre before climbing to Wyanbene Trig and heading east to the Minuma Range. Then it’s north-east along the range, up and down, to the Appletree Mountain area. Return via a more westerly, flatter-looking, route. Steep climbs, scrub and rock scrambling will be involved. About 18 kilometres (depending on the thickness of the scrub). Contact leader by Sunday 1 November so transport can be organised. Drive about 210 km ($25). Map: Krawarree 1:25 000 Leader: Philip G Contact: jandp.gatenby@optusnet.com.au.

8 of us met at 7.15am at the Queanbeyan swimming pool and drove via the Kings Highway, Captains Flat Road, Krawarree Road and Wyanbene Road to the Wyanbene Caves camping area. A 1.5hr drive each way.

Walk track

We began with a 1km leg to the WNW from the 800m contour sidling up to 900m. At a saddle we turned SSE onto a spur which took us towards Wyanbene Trig. Just for a little interest Philip took us on a treasure hunt for his sun glasses (wonderfully affirming that I'm not the only one who loses things). No joy, so we headed back up towards the trig, pausing mid spur for morning tea.

Away again to top Wyanbene Caves Mountain with Wyanbene Trig (see pic 1). Quite a grand affair, more in Karen's Black-Allan Line class than my ACT-NSW border markers.

From here we tracked 250m E to the end of the Minuma Range fire trail. Great views from here to the hills and dales beyond, particularly to Curmulee Creek and Mongamula fire trail. Up a small knoll to a grand, sharp spur falling away to the NE containing a wonderful limestone outcrop (see pic 2). We drank in the view - to the NW we could see the car park and to the W the ridges we'd walked; farmland to the N, the Minuma Range to the NE, a steep drop away to the E to Curmulee Creek (containing some vivid green rain forest) dropping down to the valley of the Deua River and the Mongamula fire trail atop a nearby ridge.

Descending the limestone outcrop we passed a lovely patch of tiny ferns growing on the damp wall. At the bottom was a disused mine shaft and its tailings. Rocks tossed down took a while to respond with a bottom hitting clunk. The next leg took us along the top of the Minuma Range, over a bump or two, but through dry, open forest. The treasure hunt improved as we came across the first of 3 echidnas for the day. This one was furiously burying itself from our sensed threat and view (see pic 3). We passed stands of tree ferns, surprisingly thriving in the dry conditions only just off the SH1024 ridge top. A halt was called for lunch soon after.

There was not really the time to get to Appletree Mountain and we were in no hurry to stress ourselves. The day was warmish, but a breeze on the ridgetops kept us cooled. All this part of the walk was eXploratory and we were all enjoying it. So we continued in the same direction for another 1km, then began a loop N and NW on another ridge system and, as Philip had planned, began to descend to the more open flanks of the range to the W and the NP boundary. On a number of occasions we'd stopped to photograph orchids - most likely most likely Diuris sulphurea Tiger or Hornet Orchid an an as yet not identified by the botanists in the party different one. At one stage a wombat galloped by. By 3.30pm we were back at the cars.

The next 'treasure' to be hunted was the Wyanbene Caves and we wandered the 250m up the signposted track to the gated entrance. Not positioned as marked on the 1:25000 Krawarree map, but at UTM 55H 742291-6035329 (GDA94). Pretty violets on the steps, as in many areas of the days walk. Cave signage. We all climbed down the ladder to examine the dark hole leading further on, to stand whilst the occasional bat swooped by and to check out the nearby dry formations. The adventurous lady with the lamp explored further.

Back at the cars, some of us began the circuit again, retracing our steps of the morning in for 800m to try to win the treasure hunt (Philip's glasses), but no joy.

Great walk in an area new to me, thanks very much Philip, and to Eric, Eric G, Karen C, Ken W, Max S and Steve R.

Distance: 14.9km  Climb: 550m.  Time: 8.55am - 4.50pm (call it 8hrs - this includes two treasure hunts), with 40mins of stops.
Grading: L/M-R; M(11)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Wyanbene Trig and the Minuma Range