Yalwal Weekend
Sat 23rd – Sun 24th Jan 2010
Trip Leaders: Charles & Jenny
Members:
Brett & Cindy
Adrian, Nikki & kids
Mark & Brad
Luke & Heather
Kevin
Andrea
John John
Scuba Steve
Visitors:
George (Kev’s mate)
Carolyn (Andrea’s friend)
Nick Finch
Steve Brennan (John John’s mate)
Saturday
9:00am saw the majority of us meeting up at Bomaderry Macca’s. We then headed off through Nowra and out towards Yalwal Rd, taking a slight scenic tour of the back streets Nowra as Charles mistakenly missed the turn.
We setup camp at Wombat Flats camp ground, with plenty of room for us all to spread out. The weather was very hot and we all couldn’t wait for the forecasted cool change to arrive later in the day.
We met up with John John and his mate Steve just as we all started airing down. John John and Steve, with their wealth of knowledge of the area, were happy to lead us around some of tracks.
Heading off down amongst the Rock Garden, dropping into the waterless Yarramunmun Creek and up the other side had us all through with no dramas. 5 min later we arrive at Dusty’s Hill – and yep, it’s dusty and hot! With heaps of dry rock for traction all 9 trucks are up with a minimum of fuss. The days temperature is steadily climbing and with my engine temp nudging the red zone and Charles & Jen’s A/C not working, it was turning out to be a very hot & sweaty trip!
Moving further along we bypass the top section of the Tree Root track and head down towards the infamous Rangie Steps. The 4 utes leading our convoy (John John, Steve, Charles & Jen and Mark & Brad) have no real issues climbing the steps, however the full bodied cars didn’t seem to have as much luck.
Andrea safely chose to drive the chicken track. Kev had a few lashes at the step then managed to break a CV whilst negotiating the chicken track. Adrian & Nikki had a red hot go at the step – now that they had 35’s on the truck – but all they managed to do was get the truck on some really good angles and dent the chassis with some hard landing on the unforgiving rock. Myself, with Cindy in the passenger seat, once again tried to roll my truck over onto the passenger side, fortunately not succeeding, (snatch strap out for peace of mind) but eventually drove the step after a few different lines. Luke & Heather drove straight up as though there was no obstacle there at all!
Next up was Tree Root. Kev’s CV was making heaps of noise so at this point he wisely heads back to camp to remove it before his drive home later in the afternoon. The rest of us continue on approaching the steep track from the bottom of the hill and working our way to the top with a handful of us getting some decent air under our front left wheel. Once at the top John John led us on a 15min drive along the Yarramunmun Top Fire Trail which ends up on top of the Yalwal plateau providing a 180 degree view of Danjera Dam (which flooded the original township of Yalwal) and Danjera Creek, the old Yalwal cemetery and Yalwal Road as it winds it’s way up along the Turpentine Range and back past Deans Gap Rd.
With a locked gate stopping access to John John’s planned drive down the hill to the Dam itself and surrounding camp areas, we turn around and head back the way we came. Passing by the Tree Root track on our way back to camp saw us all head down the hill this time as we slip and slid under brakes to the bottom of the hill once more.
Back at camp we agree to meet John John and Steve at 9am tomorrow morn for our drive up Six Stage, as the two of them head off to Steve’s beach house. Kev’s CV has been removed, checks for any other damage are made, and it’s goodbye to Kev & George as they head back to Sydney. A few of us decided a swim in the Dam would be good to wash of the sweat and dirt. The water was refreshing and the breeze nice and cool.
Dusk is starting to approach and Nick & Scuba are due to join us very soon. Over the UHF we all hear Scuba’s precise answer to Charles’ question of “Where exactly are you?”, being “On a dirt road”. With these questions and answers going on for another 10min, Charles finally succumbs to the comical direction giving and drives off to actually find the guys. 10min later he returns with the lost pair!
Sunday
With as all up bright an early, some earlier than others, we wait for John John and Steve to arrive. While most have had a pleasant morning, I have the unfortunate luck of 4 separate trips into the bush with shovel in hand as nature called more than once to often – Coles pasta salad didn’t agree entirely with me!
With John John & Steve not showing by 915am we decide to head around to Six Stage to hopefully meet them there. And we do, as Charles approaches the base of the track John John and Steve are dropping down the final sections after starting at the top and working their way down only now to turn around and go back up with us!
A few of us are a little confused as to why Andrea’s twin locked GQ on brand new KM2 33” tyres cannot negotiate a few large rocks and has no front drive. Hubs are checked, tail shaft inspected to ensure it’s still intact…. “Andrea, are you in 4wd?”... “Um, no I’m not, sorry!” was the answer to the problem!
With a very light mist falling and the temp nice and cool we all proceed up first half of Six Stage with no real dramas. A few of us help guide others with wheel placement and the like but we all drove very well. A few little dents and bumps seemed to be the order of the day.
Andrea had the winch out for the V rock section, Adrian and Nikki broke something in the front end causing only 3 wheels to work instead of 4 and Mark busted a drive hub nearing the top of the track.
The final rock wall had us taking some interesting lines and angles. A winch for a couple of us and some rock packing for others saw us all up safe and sound, although Andrea did pop a tyre off the bead whilst being winched. At the top John John, Steve, Nick & Scuba head off to do a final secret track of Steve’s while the rest of us head back to camp, finish packing up and head on back home.
Thanks to all who came along. This ‘traditional trip’ will be on the calendar again next year!
Brett.