Heading towards the Groses Fire Trail through open Eucalypt woodland
Tuesday 1st July: Yanununbeyan National Park – L/M,X. An exploratory trip, mainly off-track, in the woodlands and open forests of the Yanununbeyan National Park, We start from the main road 8 km north of Captains Flat and spend the day walking the ridges and creeks in the northern part of the reserve. Minimum distance: 22 km with ~ 860 metres of ascent. Map: Captains Flat, Hoskinstown. Leader: Ian W. Transport: 112 km return. Limit: 8.
4 us us drove in one vehicle along the Captains Flat Road to the access track just before a bridge over a creek.
Summary
Distance: 20.4km | Climb: 840m | Time: 8.05am-4.05pm (8hrs), with 35 mins of breaks | Grading: L/M-R; H(12)
Track Maps
Track overview
Track 1
Track 2
Photographs
Photographs are available, where you can start a large sized slide show.
Google Earth
Download the Google Earth .kmz file here.
Track Notes
For future visits, the access track is guarded by a couple of severe potholes. You only save a few tens of metres of walking, so park on the side of the Captains Flat Rd by the bridge.
We wandered up the access track to the Yanununbeyan Nature Reserve signage. Looks like the access track is the realigned Groses South FT. Ian had other ideas for us and we struck off into the bush, generally a little N of W. Open dry sclerophyll woodland. We headed up to SH924, then to join the Groses Fire Trail. We followed it down to the open Foxlow Creek valley and stepped across the creek.
Up the other side we found a vehicle track heading N along the boundary of the National Park. That was the direction we wanted, so we used it, apart from a small section we we had to cross a badly eroded creek line.
At the next major corner of the NP boundary we left the track to continue N, stopping for morning tea after 100 metres. 6km in 1hr 55mins.
After our break we continued N, then NW to SH906 on the Rutledge Ridge. Half way through the NW leg we crossed a little rocky knoll covered with quite a forest of She-Oaks. Morning tea to the Rutledge Ridge was 3km in 1hr 15mins.
Nice views W from the Ridge to the open farmland below. We followed the Ridge for a while, then turned down to the S. A leg to the S to just over a little knoll at 940+m for lunch. 2km in 55mins.
After lunch, we continued SE, then SW following the open ridges and spurs, then a gentle climb to cross the Sugarloaf Fire Trail. Then gently down to join Antills Creek. Lunch to the creek was 3.2km in 1hr 5mins.
Antills Creek was pretty brown and uninteresting. But a wombat galloped past to give us a bit of a thrill. Another climb to recross the Sugarloaf Fire Trail at SH999. This leg 1.6km in 35mins.
A leg again following the spurs and ridges to the E, back to the car. 4.6km in 1hr 40mins.
Another nice walk through the open woodlands of the Yanununbeyan National Park.
Party
4 walkers – Eric G, Jenny H, Ian W (leader), me.
Next Tuesday Walk
An opportunity to walk with preeminent local historian Matthew Higgins
Tuesday 8 July: Grassy Creek and beyond – M/M. Starting at Brayshaws Hut we’ll walk the first section of the Settlers Track to Waterhole Hut, then leave the track and make our way up Grassy Creek past two vestigial sites. We’ll get onto the Bobeyan Divide and see several of Harry Mouat’s border survey marks dating from 1915, then make our way back down the valley to Westermans Homestead, and back to Brayshaws. About 15 kilometres, on and off track, including untracked forest. Maps: Yaouk and Shannons Flat. Leaders: Matthew Higgins (guest leader) and John Evans – john@johnevans.id.au, 0417 436 877. Limit: 16. Transport: ~$15 per person. Emergency contact details must be registered/provided to book.