Trip Leaders:
Mark, Julie, Ryan & Brooke – 100 series + camper trailer
The Others:
Ant & Monika – 100 series
Max & Rose - GQ wagon
Brett – GQ wagon
Visitor:
Anton (work colleague of Julie’s) – Disco 3
Sat 20th
9:00am was the time to meet at Sth Nowra Maccas. The weather was looking good despite the forecast of showers over the weekend.
After fuelling up we headed out of Nowra toward Yalwal. After turning off the tar onto Yalwal road we headed further along and turned into Deans Gap Rd. From here we meandered our way down the Mintbush trail and down to Wombat Flats camp ground where we set up camp.
Kenno then lead us out onto Wombat Flats Rd and we headed towards Monkey Gum Fire Trail. An easy drive along this track gave Ant the opportunity to pick the hardest line possible over some rutted sections as he flexed up Monika’s 100 series as best he could.
With our visitor Anton only having done some minor 4wding in the past, he was quite excited and anxious as we negotiated some sections of track that required Kenno to guide him with some wheel placement and minor rock packing. So with this, combined with the traction control on the disco 3, gave us some ok wheels up action.
After climbing the wooden ladder to the lookout at the end of the track, we headed further down the dirt then onto the tar and off towards Tianjara Falls. After a photo opportunity it was time for lunch. That’s when we notice Anton’s disco hand dropped onto it belly. The airbag suspension wouldn’t keep the vehicle at the proper high to drive. With all us looking at each other and shrugging our shoulders in unison not knowing how to fix this problem, Anton fortunately knows where the problem might lie.
He had fitted some adjustable rods that allow the vehicle to sit higher than normal but they confuse the car’s computer into thinking all is standard. After much difficulty in getting underneath each corner of the car to adjust the settings on the rods the disco returned to it normal ride height.
Back onto the tar again we head back to camp. After driving for what seems like a good 30min on the tar Kenno announces that he thinks he’s missed the turnoff. A quick look at the maps shows us that we have well and truly gone past Dean’s Gap Rd so with a quick U turn we’re all heading the right way. Finding the turnoff this time we make our way back down the hill to camp, collecting some essential fire wood along the way. That evening, after a good drinking session around the campfire which consisted of much heckling of Anton about the short comings of his disco 3, our wood pile ran out and fire died down so we all headed off to bed.
Sun 21st
With us all up rather early for a Sunday, we packed up camp and headed off to Yalwal Rd at around 9am. Anton was leaving us at this point to head back home to Sydney which left the 4 remaining trucks to continue on down to Yalwal itself to check out some old underground mines and lookouts.
Some exploring around the old Pioneer and Homeward Bound mines in old Yalwal had us find some great examples. With Ant catching the mining ‘bug’, it’s not long before Ant and I are combing the hillside in search of bigger and deeper mine shafts in the ground and surrounding hillsides.
It was Max who made the great discovery of a long tunnel that required us to head back to trucks for touches as the flash from our cameras would only light up a small distance into the tunnel. Finding the tunnel ended approx 60 metres in from the entrance had us all taking photos and clambering through the narrow passageway. A small bat sleeping from the roof has us all freaked after Rose took its photo and it decided to fly at us through the tunnel. So funny!
With the remainder of the group heading back to the trucks, Ant and I do some more exploring. We’re getting good at this now. At the last section of track to check I spot a large gap in some rocks. Further investigation reveals an absolutely enormous mine shaft and cave structure that goes way down into the ground. This is by far the biggest one we have seen so far and Ant & I scurry down into the hole. We find that a rusty steel pipe has been bent over the ledge that drops down into the shaft. The light from our torch doesn’t even make it halfway into the darkness!
Ant and I are super keen to explore further but as Ant climbs down the steel pipe we realise that we need some abseiling gear to do this properly as Ant can’t reach the ground without letting go of the pipe and then would struggle to jump back up to reach it and climb back out. We disappointingly give it a miss and vow to return to with all the gear to explore further.
Back at the trucks Ant, Monika & I head up the hill to the top of the Yarramunmun Top Fire Trail for some photo opportunities of the scenic view of Yalwal, Danjera Dam and surrounding country side whilst the others make their way around to a nice picnic area for some lunch.
After a nice long lunch we aired up and started making our way home. Heading back home through the picturesque Kangaroo Valley we had out last stop for the trip at Fitzroy Falls. A magnificent view from the lookout shows the water cascading over the escarpment and crashing down onto the rocks in the valley far, far below.
A very well laid out boardwalk allows you to wander around to a few different vantage points to view the falls at different angles together with the well labeled native fauna and the options of longer walks did exist if we had more time.
Thanks to Mark & Julie for a nice, relaxing club trip.