engineers track & grose river campsites
jbev...@mail.usyd.edu.au
We're thinking of walking from vic falls to richmond soon.
I was wondering if anyone has any recent experience with any sections
of the old engineers track along the grose river? The only section I
think may be viable is upper most section thats marked on the mt wilson
topo.
Also, I know there are camp caves near carmarthen brook and wentworth
creek, but was wondering if anyone has any knowledge of other half
decent sites downstream from blue gum forest? Andy Macqueen's book
indicates a campsite was made at zobel gully in the early days, but I
doubt if these are still scrub free now?
cheers
James
Peter McGonigal
possibility in the back of Alan Paton's book
"Walks in the Blue Mountains" - he suggested at least a week and heavy
going. I thought that I could recall reading something else about the trip
which suggested that the track is almost completely overgrown after the
junction with the Govetts Creek and the Lockley track and is now just a
bush-bash. However, I haven't been able to find that passage. I also
think that there might have been a thread on the subject in this newsgroup
several years ago, but I haven't located that either.
If you go, it would be interesting for others and a trip report should be
sent to Roger Caffin for inclusion in the FAQ. Good luck.
Peter
<jbev...@mail.usyd.edu.au> wrote in message
news:1128642614.9...@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Roger Caffin
> > I was wondering if anyone has any recent experience with any sections
> > of the old engineers track along the grose river? The only section I
> > think may be viable is upper most section thats marked on the mt wilson
> > topo.
There is a project afoot to restore the entire Engineers Track. This is
being driven by a group called the Engineers Track Heritage Infrastructure
Committee (with the intials ETHIC) has been formed, with the participation
of the NPWS. They plan on clearing the way and restoring some of the stone
work. You can probably contact them through the Blackheath office. You can
read about ETHIC in the magazine of the Confederation of Bushalking Clubs
NSW at http://www.bushwalking.org.au/bushwalking/BWAutumn05.pdf on page 6.
I have walked some parts, and it is quite good in places. Once you find it,
the going can be quite fast. It runs on the true right bank the whole way:
it does not cross. There are some old tapes along it in places, but you
might be better advised to look for the track rather than the tapes.
However, there are a few places where the other bank is a bit easier.
That said, the section upriver from Victoria Falls towards the bit coming
down from Darling Causeway remains a serious cause for concern. The scrub
there is a trifle thick, and the track seems to be washed away for some
distance. You might be able to walk in the Grose for some bits - maybe.
At this stage, going from Victoria Falls to Yarramundi should certainly be
possible.
Camping? Well, limited opportunities for sure, but equally there are places.
A few caves, some sand banks, one or two fabricated sites, and so on. Be
prepared to 'make do', and use the topo to look for likely sites.
It would be good to hear from someone doing the whole thing, for the FAQ.
Cheers
Roger Caffin
David Springthorpe
>
>There is a project afoot to restore the entire Engineers Track. This is
>being driven by a group called the Engineers Track Heritage Infrastructure
>Committee (with the intials ETHIC) has been formed, with the participation
>of the NPWS. They plan on clearing the way and restoring some of the stone
>work. You can probably contact them through the Blackheath office. You can
>read about ETHIC in the magazine of the Confederation of Bushalking Clubs
>NSW at http://www.bushwalking.org.au/bushwalking/BWAutumn05.pdf on page 6.
And their website is : http://www.ethic.org.au/ (plus they have a walks report
book available).
DS
Roger Caffin
> >being driven by a group called the Engineers Track Heritage
Infrastructure
> >Committee (with the intials ETHIC) has been formed, with the
participation
> >of the NPWS. They plan on clearing the way and restoring some of the
stone
> >work. You can probably contact them through the Blackheath office. You
can
> >read about ETHIC in the magazine of the Confederation of Bushalking
Clubs
> >NSW at http://www.bushwalking.org.au/bushwalking/BWAutumn05.pdf on page
6.
>
> And their website is : http://www.ethic.org.au/ (plus they have a walks
report
> book available).
And there is a review of the book in one of the recent issues of the
magazine too. OK, I wrote the review.
Cheers
Roger Caffin
Peter McGonigal
upper at http://www.wildhorizons.com.au/city2city/city4.html
It matches what I had read elsewhere about the trip. Interestingly, it
only took them 4 days - I would have expected longer.
Peter
<jbev...@mail.usyd.edu.au> wrote in message
news:1128642614.9...@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Anthony
practice of making areas more inaccessible to bushwalkers by road
closures etc. It looks like it has the potential to turn into one of
the "classic" Blue Mountains walks with a bit more work. The history
aspect makes these sort of walks more interesting in my opinion, and
I'm glad they're doing the work in an environmentally sensitive,
low-impact way.
Cheers,
Anthony.
http://adunk.ozehosting.com
Adam Bryce
Thanks for that info as well. i have been interested in the track since we
did an assignment on the reopening for it as part of a uni assignment.
unfortunatly that was a group assignment and i dont have a copy of the
final document. i am going to join the group to see what i can do as the
eastern end is less than 10 minutes from my house
Adam
Adam Bryce
jbev...@mail.usyd.edu.au
now. I'll be sure to let you know how things go when we eventually get
there.
James
John Newman
If anyone has such a recording, or any ideas where I might find it, please email me! Thanks.