The gang at Wave Cave

Thursday 13 October: Wave Cave – S/R. A walk for Hobart Walking Club visitors, CBC members and other visitors. The Wave Cave is a dramatic overhang in a sandstone cliff in the northern Budawangs, with a level floor that could fit dozens of tents. From the Nerriga-Nowra road we will cross a plateau area of forest and flowering heath, then descend on a cairned route through a cliff line to cross Bainbrig Creek and climb to the creek’s southern cliff line. We will explore some of the cliff-base scenery before visiting the Wave Cave.  Seven to 10 km, depending on how much exploring we do, of which about 2 km is on fire trail and the rest is a very rough mixture of scrub, slab walking, cliff-base boulders and creek. Main descent/ascent 150 metres. Four to five hours actual walking, giving time for photography! About 2 hours drive from Queanbeyan, all on sealed road except for the last 50 metres into the parking spot. Map: Nerriga. Leader: John Evans, john@johnevans.id.au 0417436877. Meet at: Spotlight car park Queanbeyan – contact the leader if you need transport to the meeting place. Transport: ∼$14 per person. Limit: 12.

8 of us met.

Further Information

As for previous trips in this area, no track map or gpx file, just so the area doesn’t get loved to death.

Summary

Distance: 5.6km | Climb: 285m | Time: 9.45am – 2.25pm (4hrs 40mins), including 45 mins of breaks | Grading: S/R; M(9+)

Photographs

Photographs are available, where you can start a large sized slideshow.

Videos

Track Notes

The party was full of visiting living legends and, because this is not my territory, I was as nervous as a kitten; as much as when I led my first ever walk. Still, everyone seemed to enjoy it and I didn’t make too much of a fool of myself.

Under wise instruction from Miss Linda (whose territory this is), we wandered down a high tension power line service trail and then through the scrub and sandstone tops to the top of ‘Skinny Woman Pass’. I’ve no idea how one would find this without a GPSr – the top of the pass is an insignificant, narrow slot. I checked out the nearby ‘Fat Man Pass’, a whole lot wider slot, but it has a bit of a drop at the end. So it was down the former. Certainly easier than going up.

People and bags down (a line to lower packs would be handy), we rounded to the amphitheatre for morning tea. A great spot.

Then south to cross Bainbrig Creek (surprisingly not much water in it, just a step across) and up to the true left cliff line where there is a good gap (currently marked by a bit of purple tape as reported by the previous trip in the area) and easy access to the tops. A wonderful view point for lunch.

Back down the wide pass, we turned let and followed the base of the cliff around to Wave Cave. A suitably impressive and huge overhang. We spent some time enjoying it.

Down over the creek via the log, some faffing around on my part to pick up the line of cairns for the ascent back up and over the scrub to the power line and out another service trail.

Short and sweet, but natural feature rich. The photos and videos tell it better.

Thanks folks.

Party

8 walkers – Bob B, Janet E, Storm F, Terrylea R, Alison and John S, John T, me.