This walk was organised and led by me as a CBC Tuesday walk:
Tuesday 28 April – Gorilla Rock and Booroomba Rocks – M/M. From the Honeysuckle Camping Ground follow the AAWT N. Strike through the bush to Gorilla Rock, then E and N to the granite slabs of SH1396 and SH1372. Walk the cliff-top above Middle Rocks and North Butress to SH1353. Return via the Booroomba Rocks Walk and AAWT. Around 10.5km and 400m climb. Map: Corin Dam. Limit of 8. Leader: John Evans – jevans@pcug.org.au, (h) 6288 7235. Transport: ~$8. Further details at http://jevans.pcug.org.au.
8 of us met and drove in 2 cars to the Honeysuckle Creek camping ground. About a 50 minute drive.
Brian apologises for having to postpone the advertised Minuma Range walk. He drives 10 hours from the NSW Central Coast to entertain us and on this occasion a back-to-back Monday walk has not worked out. In May I’m taking a group of young guys from church on a walk, so I thought I’d best recce it to see if I can make it. This will be a bit dull for Tuesday tigers.
This is an approved CBC walk. Pretty much the same as 1 Jan 08, except for the exit. See 16 May 09 for a map segment of the planned route.
Walk
A cool and showery day to start with, needing coats out a couple of times in the morning. Nice jaunt along the AAWT, going bush at the 6th bridge. An easy wander to Gorilla Rock with just a little belt of scrub below the knoll. Marvellous what new eyes see - a pic from a little further away reveals the gorilla's shoulder and arm (see pic 1). E-ish off the knoll, down through a slight saddle, up over another knoll and down to skirt the top of the next drainage line. Morning tea here - no view, but a little less chilly than up on the exposed slabs where we knew the wind would be a mite cool. The next leg up towards SH1396 might test the lads a little on 16 May 09 - no doubt they will be fit and strong, but a little endurance needs to be mixed in, too. As on previous trips, lovely views from the open slabs (see pic 2). A good amount of snow on Mt Gingera and other visible Brindabella Range tops. We then trundled down and up to SH1372 and, via a pad with a cairned start, out onto the Booroomba Rocks Walk at the rescue stretcher. A cliff top snap was taken, just in case my lads next time need proof that 'oldies' can make it! Via the cliff top (see pic 3) we went to SH1353, sheltering in the lee on its N side in a positively balmy spot for lunch. We were gloriously surprised by a wedge-tailed eagle soaring past within 20 metres. Returned to the Walk via the lower pad, down to the BR car park (Karen pointed out a bolted practise rock on the way), then via the AAWT and short link back to the cars. We enjoyed arvo tea and a party member's day after birthday in FBI-like style.
| Leg | From | To | Distance (km) | Climb (m) | Time (hr:min) | Going |
| 1 | Honeysuckle Creek camp ground | Leave AAWT | 1.75 | 20 | 0:25 | Link track and AAWT - gentle undulations, benched track |
| 2 | Leave AAWT | Gorilla Rock | 0.86 | 100 | 0:30 | Light scrub, with a medium belt below the GR knoll |
| 3 | Gorilla Rock | SH1396 | 1.88 | 290 | 1:40 (incl 10min MT) |
Medium scrub, a couple of minor rock scrambles. This is the most testing leg |
| 4 | SH1396 | End of Booroomba Rocks Walk | 0.76 | 40 | 0:33 | Rock slabs, low herby stuff and a bit of dead ti-tree |
| 5 | BR Walk | SH1353 | 0.25 | 20 | 0:12 | Easy footpad through rocks along the cliff top |
|
Lunch |
0:30 | |||||
| 6 | SH1353 | End BR Walk | 0.25 | 0:05 | Easy footpad through low scrub off back of cliff top | |
| 7 | End BR Walk | BR car park | 1.13 | 0:25 | Booroomba Rocks Walk - benched walking track, down | |
| 8 | BR car park | Honeysuckle Creek camp ground | 3.50 | 1:00 | AAWT - benched walking track, gentle undulations | |
Thanks for assisting me do this recce Barrie, Eric, Henry, Janet, Karen, Mark and Terence. Trust you enjoyed the day. I do hope my reputation has not been destroyed by morning tea at 10.30am, lunch at 12noon and a finish before 2.30pm.
Distance: 10.4km Climb: 500m. Time: 8.50am - 2.20pm (5hrs 30mins), with 40mins of stops.
Grading: M/M; M(9)
KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Gorilla Rock and Booroomba Rocks
