This walk was organised and led by me as an irregular CBC Tuesday walk:

Tuesday 9 June - Condor Creek and the Six Fords - S/R,WX. Explore Condor Creek upstream from the bridge at Thompsons Corner to Shannons Flat. Apparently several old fords there. Walk described in Beyond the Cotter by Allan J Mortlock and Klaus Hueneke ANU Press Canberra 1979, Condor Creek and the Six Fords. Around 8km + 150m climb. Map: Cotter Dam 1:25000. Limit of 8. Leader: John Evans – jevans@pcug.org.au, (h) 6288 7235. Transport: ~$10. Further details at http://jevans.pcug.org.au.

Further Information

Bring snippers and HEDGE SHEARS (last time the blackberries beat us). We'll meet at 8am. This little walk could very well be over quickly. We can always drive up to Picadilly Circus afterwards and have a look for border markers!

Walk track

A couple of regulars had better ideas - one was going to enjoy breakfast in bed and the other was gainfully employed. I suppose one shocker amongst all the reasonable ones is ok - this was the shocker. Not a very interesting area, but one doesn't know not to go there until one has been there.

Wandered up Condor Creek from the bridge at Thompsons Corner. Creek bed dry at first. The weather forecast was for showers and snow showers about the ranges with snow down to 1000m. The one redeeming feature of Condor Creek here was that it sheltered us from the wind which was absolutely roaring overhead.

At some stage the water began to appear and the creek was flowing. In fact, a couple of reviving tree ferns. Quite dense scrub and regrowth along the sides when long pools of water forced us out of the creek line. A couple of reasonable places (see pic 2).

The area near the weir contains the fords and we crossed the first couple to arrive at the weir (see pic 3). An old structure, with the measuring blade undermined. Morning tea was taken.

Options were offered and we decided to push on to join up with the extent of our walk down Coree Creek on 20 Jan 09 when the blackberries stopped us. Crossing several more fords, a convenient fire trail took us along up beside Coree Creek to a recognised point where we entered the creek bed and headed downstream. Prior to this point, Eric and his hedge shears had proved invaluable in a couple of places so we gladly accepted his offer to lead. We soon came to some major blackberry barriers which had to be hacked and cut through.

We arrived back at the fire trail and followed it on the S side of Condor Creek back through Shannons Flat. Up a bit of a rise towards the Brindabella Road, then E paralleling it to a fire trail which led out to the black top. 600m back to the car. With showers threatening, cold wind and things to do back home, we headed back to town.

Thanks Eric and Madeleine. I'll plan something better next time.

Distance: 7.7km  Climb: 150m.  Time: 8.30am - 12.30pm (4 hours), with 15mins of breaks.
Grading: S/R,WX; M(8)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Condor Creek and the Six Fords