19 January 2010 Ettrema

Maps: Nerriga and Touga 1:25000

Getting There

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

Tuesday 19 January: Ettrema - L/R. This trip will give the Tuesday walkers a chance to see why weekend walkers rave about Ettrema. After a steep and rough descent into Ettrema via a creek near the upstream end of Sentry Box Canyon, we bludge from pool to pool downstream to Myall Creek. We exit via Myall Creek with its magnificent waterfalls and pools. Maps: Nerriga and Touga 1:25000 Leader: Keith T kthomas@pcug.org.au. Transport: $120 per car, $30–$40 per person.Limit: 8.

11 of us met in Bungendore at 7.15am. We drove to Tarago and picked up another starter, then via Oallen Ford to Nerriga where we picked up the 13th party member. Continuing NE from Nerriga, we turned off onto the Tolwong Road for another 14km of dirt to park near Quiera. Excellent maps and directions provided to all drivers.

Photographs

Access all primary pics here. All thumbnails in the walk report are active - click for a larger picture.

Walk

Track Ettrema

	Away at 9am heading E through open, low scrub. Not a hint yet of things to come. In 1.3km we reached the edge of the escarpment - just baby 50r cliffs here. My heart beat a little faster as we turned N, Keith finding the entry point 400m N, SW of Churinga Head.
Churinga Head

			The next leg took us 1.1km down an unnamed creek to its confluence with Ettrema Creek. With the large party, it took some time to get us all down the rope assisted drop (and longer for my heart rate to calm!). In all, a drop of around 320m to Ettrema Creek at the 400m contour here. Morning tea.
1 Top of rope drop on unnamed creek S of Churinga Head	2 Some monkeying around on ropes (photo courtesy of Karen C)	Heading down unnamed creek S of Churinga Head

Walking Ettrema Gorge	A swim in Ettrema Gorge	3 Clear water pool in Ettrema Gorge	Clear water pools in Ettrema Gorge	Grass tree on the cliff face of Ettrema Gorge

Green pools near the upstream end of Sentry Box Canyon	Pool swimmers cast a shadow	Sentry Box Canyon

4 Negotiating a pool and waterfall in Myall Creek	Climbing a slab in Myall Creek	A pool in Myall Creek	Cliffs above Myall Creek	Climbing Myall Creek

Myall Creek after exiting	Cliffs on the other side of Myall Creek after exiting

...more to come.

A terrific day in a new area for me. Thanks very much Keith, and Keith B, Mike B, Mike B, Karen C, Eric G, Madeleine G, David and Meredith H, Cliff P, Ian S, Max S.

Distance: 10.5km Climb: 400m. Time: 9am - 5.30pm (8.5hrs), with 50mins of stops.
Grading: M/R,W; M(11)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Ettrema (adjusted - a lot of 2D fixes down in the gorge and canyon)

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This page last updated 11Aug22