This walk was organised and led by Max S as an FBI ad-hoc Tuesday walk:

This walk will try to avoid thick wet scrub and finish earlier enough to avoid too much walking in the afternoon showers predicted. From Shanahans mountain carpark, along the walking track to then head south along the ridge line. From a convenient point head east to join the ridge between Naas Creek and Shanahans Falls Creek. Down into Shanahans Falls ck to return upstream to a convenient point to climb back up Shanahans Mountain and thence back to cars, all subject to variation based on terrain and weather. About 10-12 km 600 m approx. Weather – Afternoon showers – 5-19 Cars – about $20 shared Meet at Kambah carpark 7.30 am Usual condition – 4 required to be a sanctioned FBI walk.

4 of us met and drove to the Shanahans Mountain car park. The Boboyan Road was closed at the end of the black top to all but 4WDs. (The Old Boboyan Road was closed to all traffic.)

Walk

Sago snow/hail picked out the Shanahans Mountain Walking Track as we followed the S leg of it up to the ridge. From there we headed S, then a little E of S, down to a saddle then along the ridge, another saddle and to the 1260m knoll. From here we turned NE around the top of the drainange lines to Shanahans Falls Creek (has anyone ever seen the falls on this creek?) and so towards SH1212. Morning tea was taken. The walk to here through scrubby regrowth, with 'greatcoats on and off' as the storms and showers rolled over (see pic 1).

The route continued NE along the ridge paralleling Shanahans Falls Creek, down and up to SH1186, down and up to another little knoll and finally down to where Shanahans Falls Creek joins Naas Creek (see pic 2) to become the Naas River. The section of the ridge between SH1186 and the confluence was quite pleasant - more open and easy walking, with views W to the sometimes clouded tops of Shanahans Mountain and the Booth Range and E to Mt Clear and the Clear Range. Lunch was eaten down by Naas Creek, which was flowing strongly.

The return leg took us 1.4km back up Shanahans Falls Creek to where (at the 100m contour) we struck up a drainage line to 1140m, then sidled up a bit of a spur to SH1426. Peter pointed out tiny orchids in leaf. From here it was S along the ridge back through Shanahans Mountain to the walking track. Views from here to a lot of the morning's NE leg (see pic 3). Back down the walking track to the car.

Max indeed kept his promise of no rain on the homeward leg - it just hailed.

Good walk, thanks Max, and Peter and Kaz.

Distance: 14km  Climb: 600m.  Time: 8.30am - 2.30pm (6hrs), with 40mins of breaks.
Grading: L/M; M(11)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Shanahans Falls Creek