This walk was organised and led by Mike S as an ad-hoc FBI Tuesday walk:
Tuesday 24 February – Corang Circuit – L/M. This walk is from the Wog-Wog entrance to Morton NP to Corang Peak, then via Corang Arch and a conglomerate slope down to Canowie Brook. It follows Canowie Brook to Corang River at the Rock-Ribs then downstream to Corang Lagoon and back to Wog-Wog via Goodsell Creek. Total distance is around 25-km with a gradual climb of about 220-m from Wog-Wog to Corang Peak. Mainly on track but I don’t know current conditions along Corang River. Weather likely to be hot but cooling off is possible at the Rock-Ribs and Corang Lagoon. Map: Corang 1:25,000. Leader: Mike S. Transport: $21. Note early 7:30am start at Canberra Railway Station due to long drive and long walk. As always, Min 4 needed to make it an FBI sanctioned walk. Please book with Mike.
5 of us met at the Canberra Railway Station and drove via Braidwood, then the Little River Road and Charleys Forest Road (collectively, the Mongarlowe Road) to the Wog Wog camping area, Morton National Park. Around 1hr40mins drive. Exceptional service from our leader to transport us all. We returned via turning N from the car park, then left onto the Nerriga Road back to Braidwood.
Further Information
The idea for this walk originated on 19 Aug 08, the first time Max and I had been into the area. Mike S kindly volunteered to bring us back. A return is guaranteed as Max could not come this time.
Walk track
Away at a no-nonsense pace, Mike sharing with me stories of his participation in working parties in the area to sink some of the vertical posts in the area of the Wog Wog Creek crossing and later in the damp patches of the track W of Korra Hill. Other excellent stories - the track up the spur after crossing Wog Wog Creek was originally made by eucalyptus oil distillers and the still was pointed out on the outward leg and photographed on the homeward leg (see here). Additional previous experience caused us to stop at the first conglomerate pile on the S side of the track for views to the S above the tree tops. We passed the Y-junction with our return track from Corang Lagoon heading left and pressed on to the second major conglomerate pile (which the track passes through) for morning tea. 4.8km in 1hr15mins to here. A 10min break.
The next leg took us to Corang Peak, 4.9km in 1hr30mins. A couple of places across rock ledges where the track is a little unclear. Disturbed a few red-tailed Black Cockatoos, similar in appearance to their yellow-tailed cousins (except for their wonderful underneath tail feathers and slightly different call). Passed the track turning off to the Green Hut, marked by a collection of white pebbles. The quickest way out in an emergency, but through private property. Thankful for Mike's rounded logs across the (in places) flowing track - more recent dressed timbers with chainsaw cut criss-cross patterns too. From W of Korra Hill, spectacular views to the 36r cliff and 'Chinese Garden' (rain forest patch) 500m SW of the track (see here). We had clear views to Corang Peak from further back but, from about here, the cloud and mist rolled up from the coast to lower the temperature and to also obscure the view. Through the junction with the Admiration Point track heading right, I trod new track for the first time towards a cloud-enveloped Corang Peak. A good pile of stones marks the top - the view today was non-existent.
A spur gently descends from Corang Peak to the NE. A track, but through the notorious Budawang's hakea and other low scrub. Not the place for ultra-lightweight gear, but for gaiters and packs of more robust material and construction. With mist and low cloud flying by, a Phantom skull-like cliff line impressed me. Again, some track selection across rock platforms, a 180° zig (without the zag) and, 1.4km and 20mins from Corang Peak, we were at the fabulous Corang Arch!
A wonderful structure, not positioned as I'd imagined (see pic 1 and here). Mike took me on a tour, via a smaller crawl-through collapsed cave, to the arch. Fantastic! Excellent caves under the cliff where the lads were lunching. The Phantom skull-like cliff was directly opposite Corang Arch.
Luncheon dispatched, my next thrill was the conglomerate slopes, which took us down the end of the spur. Fabulous Sydney basin conglomerate and cliff lines extending back round to the Arch (see pic 2 - did you see the eye sockets looking at you from the cliff line at the right rear of the photo?). A huge view back up from the bottom (see here). A mere 450m in 12mins.
With party knowledge, a right angled left turn took us from the main track which continues to Bibbenluke Mountain. Our scrubby little path paralleled Canowie Brook to its W and N-ish across the W side of Profile Rock Hill. One needs one's wits about one here, with several braids of tracks to choose from through very close heath scrub. We hit Canowie Brook at some pretty little cascades and followed it W then N, crossing once to the E side of the Brook then back to the W side. A sharp descent took us to overlook one of the rock ribs on the Corang River (see pic 3). This leg was 1.5km in 40mins.
Contouring high above the Corang River for a few hundred metres and carefully watching for little cairns indicating the track, further views of the rock ribs were available (see here). At last the going became a little easier and we arrived at the large camping area near Corang Lagoon. 1.8km in 45mins. We followed the river down a further couple of hundred metres to a large and deep pool with a waterfall dropping from its edge. The remains of a flume to take water to gold diggings further downstream were visible (see here).
Murray Dow, in a 20/12/1992 walk description published in the Canberra Times noted: 'On the left bank are the remains of a water race that was 40km long. It was built from 1886-90 for gold sluicing on the Shoalhaven River.'
About turn and we wandered back up the lovely cascades. Arvo tea replenished energy at Corang Lagoon (see pic 4).
The return leg to the initial track junction was more straight forward and through more open going. PW collected some worts at a little creek crossing. The cloud rolling up from the coast (which had cleared after Corang Peak) finally caught up with us and the walking temperature was perfect - perhaps 23°C with some mist droplets. 3.7km in 1hr5mins back to the junction.
4.1km in 1hr back to the car.
A wonderful round, thank you Mike. Some tricky track selection in places and you and the others who had done the walk previously made excellent selections! Great company from Barrie R, Henry H and Peter W. I think we agreed that someone in our party will put it on again in Spring daylight saving - before the track completely disappears!
Distance: 22.9km Climb: 400m. Time: 9.20am - 5.05pm (7hrs45mins), with 50mins of stops.
Grading: L/M;H(12)
KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Corang Peak, Arch and Lagoon
