Bloody tight going

Sunday 23 November 2025 ! – S/R,X. A look-see at the start of a planned trip from near the Cotter along the Murrumbidgee to Uriarra Crossing West.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (recorded on Epix Gen 2 watch) – Distance: 4.05km | Climb: 235vm | Time: 0:48 moving + 1:43 of stops = 2:31 | Grading: S/R,X; M(8). At times we were shrub bashing so slowly that my watch recorded us as stationary 😒.

Photographs

View photographs here.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Map

Here’s where we went:

Track Below Brindabella Road. Blue – actual, Pink – planned

Trip Report

I have never been here before. I will never go back – even to find my lost walking pole wrenched from my pack by the unforgiving shrubbery. Except an hour before I left home I discovered a few geocaches in the area. So I will have to go back 🙁.

We met at Casuarina Sands, where Sandra and Mel were waiting for walkers on the Conservation Council ‘western edge’ trip put on by CBC. Everyone braved the forecast thunderstorms (which didn’t eventuate).

We then drove up Brindabella Road and left a car at the 530 letterbox. Drove back to start from the verge entrance to Stony Creek Nature Reserve, just below the Mt McDonald car park.

The first leg, down to near Cross creek 1, was relatively benign open woodland.

Crossing creek 1

But from there to just before smoko was absolutely dreadful. Wet, over head-high shrubs to force our way through. At one time we were crawling along on our hands and knees. Creek 3 crossing was choked with blackberries.

Crossing creek 3 – blackberries on both sides

We managed to find a break.

Crossing creek 3 – but a place to cross

The leg from Cross Creek 1 to Smoko was 1.2km and took 1 hour 20 minutes.

Plenty of Tea Tree about.

Tea tree

We were extra glad to stay uphill of the planned track for our smoko stop.

Smoko views to the Murrumbidgee River

It was definitely not worth heading down towards the planned route, so we stayed up More open going.  The highlight of the morning was a patch of grass trees.

Grass tree

A bit younger than the ones at TNR.

Grass trees

I’m a bit of a wimp with thunderstorms and lightning. A storm (which didn’t originate) was rolling in from the SE, so I cut for home. Sorry for the little bit on private property!

Thanks Andrew for encouraging me to do something this morning.

I’d actually had the full trip on the CBC pragram, but cancelled it based on the weather forecast. Perhaps the others should thank me! When I reprogram it in March next year, we’ll certainly not do today’s start.

The AllTrails map is here, where you can pan and zoom.

Party

2 walkers – Andrew S, me.

Not having my daily 10,000 steps up, I drove back to Casuarina Sands and wandered in along the Murrumbidgee Discovery Trail to meet Sandra, Mel and their 6 walkers.

View photographs here.