This walk was organised and led by me as a private walk:

(Thursday-Friday 14-15 February - Hume and Hovell Walking Track - M-L/E-M,X. Walk the Hume and Hovell Track from near the Bossawa Campsite (Micalong Creek/Brindabella Road) to the Fitzpatrick Trackhead (Wee Jasper rodeo ground). Overnight camp near Pompey Pillar. Day 1 14.4km, 150m climb. Day 2 15.5km, 750m climb.).

2 of us left Canberra at 7am and drove to Wee Jasper. We met our lovely driver at the Fitzpatrick Trackhead at 8.30am, Ruth turning up exactly on time. She is a long time friend of my family and a wonderful woman. She shared with us stories of her family's busy life and service to others such that we were exhausted by the time we got to our drop off point. See Mountain Trails Adventure School. The roads, apart from the first kilometre or so, are excellent. The Wee Jasper Forest Road is in better condition than the Wee Jasper Road and I was amazed when we hit good blacktop (as good as the Kings Highway, if not better) around 5km before the intersection with the Brindabella Road. This excellent surface took us to the Micalong Creek bridge on the Brindabella Road (I wonder how far the tar extends back towards Picadilly Circus?).

Leave Canberra at 6am. Drive to Wee Jasper. Pick up a driver from Mountain Trails Adventure School. Drive 36km via Wee Jasper Road, Wee Jasper Forest Road and Brindabella Road to Micalong Creek. The car would then be driven back to the finish.

References: NSW Department of Lands Hume and Hovell Walking Track Brochures; The Hume & Hovell walking track guidebook by Harry Hill, Crawford House Bathurst, 1993

Walk 

Day 1

We hit the track (well, the wrong side of Micalong Creek) at 9.15am, setting off along the E side of the creek, as I'd previously done. Not long to the first new marker (see pic 1). Then gates barring the way, but we pushed on past the picnic area and past the quarry. Finally across another locked gate and I had a clear conscience. Huge infestations of blackberries (not only here, but in many places along the track). So to the bridge crossing Micalong Creek, which reminded me that the track to this point, and the Bossawa campsite, is on the other side of the creek.

By just after 10am we were down off the forestry road, passed a lovely old lichen-encrusted H&H sign, and caught our first view of the Micalong Creek cascades. Lovely walking on a blue-sky day, probably around 26°C and with a little breeze at times. The creek was gurgling down the cascades after the recent rain, the track was moist and soft and the little birds were singing.

Just before 10.30am we reached the little bridge over Micalong Creek which has a logbook in a PVC tube. Morning tea was enjoyed as I signed us in and looked through the sheets for the record of my 7 Aug 2004 visit with Michael G - not there, must have been collected.

Continuing on, we crossed the bridge over Yankee Ned Creek coming in from the side, past the point of my previous extent on the track, and reached Micalong Creek campsite. Not quite where the map marks it. A beautiful campsite with sheltered eating area, enclosed pit toilet and fireplace. Excellent signage. Just a few metres from a gentle rock slope into the creek. 7.6km and 2:10 to reach here.

Next it was soon back onto forestry roads. A large lizard was languidly enjoyed, but the red-bellied black snake a few minutes later made us jump. On across 4 Tree Road and past the entrance to Micalong Station (all private property clearly marked). Blackberries a menace in lots of places - we joked that they'd bar the forestry roads, until it actually happened once. Into the forest at the top of Pompey Pillar Creek.

I reckon the H&H Track in these parts is a bit like life - you get good bits and bad bits. The creek areas are absolutely beautiful. The bad bits, the forestry roads, are to be endured, but they put a few kilometres behind you.

I'd initially planned to camp at Pompey Pillar, but then someone pointed out that the terrain ain't too flat. So we headed there for lunch, the track again passing along the beautiful Pompey Pillar Creek (see pic 2). Pompey Pillar (see pic 3) duly appeared (you can't miss it! although I don't think it's where the map puts it) and we settled down for a well-deserved 15min lunch. 6.8km and 1:55 for this leg.

The track continued down Pompey Pillar Creek for a bit more, then turned up the side of Miller Creek. Quite a little climb, 180m up in 1.4km, with a great gorge at one point before we crossed the creek via a little bridge. Disturbed a cat near the bridge.

Soon out onto forestry track, with native forest on the right and newly harvested pine forest looking a bit sad on the left. 2.5km of straight took us to Log Bridge Creek, again with a sensible belt of native forest on each side. We crossed Log Bridge Creek bridge, next to the log bridge and wandered a few hundred metres down the creek to a very welcome Log Bridge Creek campsite. 5.5km and 1:45 for this leg.

In by 3.30pm gave us a relaxing time. As Max said, we rarely seem to stop and just laze about. The usual routine - tents up, get water, gather wood, then time for a cuppa. The sun got over the yard arm at 5pm, so we enjoyed a (plastic) glass of red and cooked tea. We'd each brought the makings of damper, so I lit the fire and tried mine as a twist. A comic disaster - a piece of paper was all I had to roll it out on and the mixture would not stick to the stick, so a lot of it oozed off into the fire. The few morsels that we had tasted good with blackberry jam, but I think this cook needs a little backyard practice. A drop of port aided sleep in the cot for 11 hours.

Day 2

A little atmospheric mist in the morning (see pic 4) and an excellent scone/damper/thick pancake thingy made by Max. Although no risk taken - in a frying pan over the gas. Packed up and away just after 8am.

Another lovely stroll up an arm of Pheasant Creek, followed by a little forestry track, then a lovely walk up to the top of Mt Wee Jasper. We reached the top at 10.10am. This leg 4.6km in 2hrs. Another blue-sky day gave us extensive views S to Mt Coree and the Brindabellas, with Tidbinbilla Mountain recognisable over the back. Closer at hand was High Cone and the Nottingham Station open plateau (see pic 5).

Then the final leg, first a little pine forest, then a nice open forest track, the waterfall (sadly choked with blackberries) (see pic 6) and finally the steep track down the dryer, N side of Mt Wee Jasper. We wandered into the Fitzpatrick Trackhead at 12.10pm. This leg 7km in 2hrs.

A cuppa, change of clothes, ice-cream at the Wee Jasper General Store and home.

A lovely little wander, thanks Max for your company. Thanks family for allowing me to get away overnight.

Distance: 31.5km  Climb: 700m.  Time: 2 days
Grading: M-L/E-M; M(9)