Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Tuesday 16 April: Impromptu Caching on the flanks of Mt Tennent  – S/R. A morning’s outing on the lower flanks of Mt Tennent and the lower scar.

Further Information

At last a couple of caches that both Marmaduke Rothschild and I want.

I’ve been up and down the Mt Tennent scar a number of times, including 1 May 12, 19 May 12, 17 May 16, 24 May 16, 10 Oct 16, 21 June 17. Today’s little trip provides a great introduction to the bottom of the scar. Our track took up the approach then perhaps to a third of the way up the scar (our descent is the best way to appreciate the bottom of the scar).

Summary

Distance: 6.3km | Climb: 320m | Time: 8.00am – 11.45am (3hrs 45mins), including caching time and a drive | Grading: S/R; M(10)

Photographs

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

Waypoint and Track Files

Download the gpx file for this trip (if your browser does not automatically download the file, it will open the gpx file in a new window and you can then save it). To use in Google Earth, do File, Open… and select Gps or All files as the File Type.

Track Notes

Parked in the Namadgi Visitors Centre outer car park, walked up through the woodlands and across Naas Rd. Instead of taking the Mt Tennent/AAWT track, we entered a few tens of metres south down the road via a gate and nearby sign ‘Namadgi National Park Authorised Vehicle Only’. The track took us up along the way we wanted to go. A fence or two and a gate. I wondered whether we might be on private property.

Our first objective was GC7QR4C Tennent Teeth, a Difficulty/Terrain = 2/3 geocache. Now Difficulty 2 is about the top of the range for me to find and today Roger and I spent too much time searching among the rocks which did, remarkably, look like teeth. Frustrated and about to leave (because I have the search attention span of a meerkat), I sent an email to TankEngine, the cache owner, for a clue. But then we remembered a telltale piece of equipment which is often associated with TE caches and, removing a strategically placed flake of rock, there it was. Emailed the CO again – before receiving his helpful reply. Good thing Roger has the caching patience of a bloodhound!

From here we continued to climb the south side of the scar towards our next cache, but well out from the scar. Continued bursaria (I was not well dressed to handle it), then a zone of sheoaks, then some eucalypts, then a little boulder scrambling. But pretty easy, if scratchy. We soon found and logged GC7QPA0 Tennant Tableau.

A final traverse across to the next cache, on the scar. A few more tors and boulders, then an easy slight descent to our objective, GC7QQFJ Tennant Terraform.

I do like Earthcaches – nothing there but a view and some geological type questions to answer. Waiting to hear back from the CO as to whether our answers passed the test.

A bite of morning tea and a shot of water, then a descent down the scar for a while.

Bent away near our first cache, as the going was easier (tho scratchy in places) than the last drop down the scar.

An ice cream at the NVC and an inquiry about the land management in the area. From the horse’s mouth (so as to speak), the lowest cache is “… on is public land that is leased. It is a special purpose reserve and not officially part of the Namadgi National Park. This land has been leased for grazing. Some maps show this and others don’t.” So the geocaching moderators have it exactly right.

Roger indulged me as we walked down for me to log GC7TWEP Vampire Series #88 – Elizabeth Bathory: The Blood, then drove to log GC7TWEN Vampire Series #86 – The Gorbals Vampire and GC7TWE0 Vampire Series #76 – Premature Obituary Letterbox.

A successful morning all round.

The purpose of this post (unless it interests you and you start geocaching) is to show that the bottom of the Mt Tennent scar is quite a doable walk. It’s worth a look.

Track Map

Track

Party

2 walkers – Roger E (Marmaduke Rothschild), me (JohnnyBoyACT).