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-F.eqbiva,ry 1 96 9	The Sydney Bushvralker
+=====Bushies In Barrington.=====
-BUSIII-3	BA3RIrCITON
-Mar:-.riet -yborn
+Margriet Wyborn
+Who has been down Barrington River before? What a new and exciting trip for a long weekend! On our way home, walking to the car along the road, a farmer picked us up and told us of 2 young chaps who had been down the river 20 years previosuly. He knew of no one since.
+The river falls 3,600 ft. in 7 miles. There must be some waterfalls around. At the last minute abseiling ropes were not taken. There were only 5 on our trip - Dot Butler, Gerry Sinzig, Norman Butler, Ross Wyborn, and myself. We picked a beaut camp spot very early on Saturday morning. It was next to a babbling creek and under some scribbly gums on some private property, as we later found out. Early next morning we were rudely awakened by an irate farmer, except for myself who only saw him disappearing into the gathering light, who remondtrated with us for putting a car in front of a gate which was next to a grid. We apologised as we did not realise that it was a gate at 2.00 a.m.
+Breakfast was, munched 10 miles further along the road on Kerripit River where our trip was due to start. It looked like very wealthy grazing country there, even in the drought, but gum trees were scarce.
+The actual trip started off by a most refreshing swim in an eel-infestod pool in Kerripit River - a good beginning. For a mile we walked through grazing paddocks in the hot midday sun until they merged into dense rain forest vegetation which one would find along all creeks and rivers in this area. We plodded after Dot who was following a cow pad through thick vegetation which sidled high above the river.
+Ross: "This is silly! We should be on the creek, not 500 ft. above it."
+"Maybe the cows know where they are going", someone assisted.
+We came down into the creek (cutting off a bend) and immediately came upon a 4 ft. deep pool. We dropped our packs and jumped in. The water was surprisingly warm.
+Here the Kerripit River is like the lower Kanangra River, but overhung with vines, mosses and orchids hanging from trees. As we rock-hopped onwards tho river began to steepen slightly with cascades on every bend. The swimming was tremendous. Ross had another try at dam building at one of the cascades but he was quite unsuccessful in coercing a small slippery dip with water.
+Single clouds started drifting overhead, making us wonder what we were going to do without a tent. "Be prepared" is the Boy Scouts' motto - groundsheets can easily be erected into a shelter and overhanging rocks (or bivvy rocks) can also be camped under.
+For lunch we stopped above a 15 ft. drop in the river below which was a swimming pool. Norm, our tree-climber, rushed up to the scrubby tree tops traversing from one tree top to another, using thick vines as ropes. Ross also felt energetic. He followed Norm onto the first tree. CRASH! It was too much. The second tree also gave way.
+Clouds changed from milky white to grey. Mist appeared and slowly but surely it stated drizzling. Waterfalls 20-40 ft. loomed ahead making way for an interesting scramble.
+We couldn't get much wetter as our swimming togss were still wet from the last swim. It was pleasant to feel the rain splashing in our faces after the hot weeks in the city. Rocks - slippery and wet, slowed our progress considerably. We clambered up and around 3 or 4 waterfalls about 30 ft. high and camped where the creek leveled out. At 3600 ft. it as rather cold for a summer's afternoon. A huge fire was lit, a feed cooked, and off to our flea bags.
+Ross built a shelter under some trees using long dead branches criss-crossing each other and covering the structure with a plastic ground sheet. It was a good substitute for a sutffy old tent.
+The next clay was clear and we walked up the river until it was feasible to climb a ridge to reach the fire trail leading to Carey's Peak. Small trees and lawyer vines made way to a tall forest of eucalypts at least 100 ft. high and up to 8 ft. in diameter. Scratchings of lyrebirds or brush turkeys were seen. This area should be in the proposed Barrington National Park. Lawyer vines may have tripped us up, but it was little noticed as we felt so small among such giants.
+The change in vegetation was interesting, from tall eucalypt forest the tress gradually became smaller as we climbed until at about. 4500 ft. stunted blue gums and "snow grass" remained.
+After 5 miles of road bashing and lots of sweat we stopped for a snack in the middle of the fire trail at a junction. Five minutes later a Landrover nearly ran over us, carrying campers who had driven up from Barrington House. Some minutes later we met two other jeeps full of housewifely tourists - a real highway! We trotted off to Carey's Peak (5 minutes from the road) and were rewarded with a hazy view of creeks and ridges from the top. Other creeks from Carey's Peak looked most interesting and jungley and the ridges looked reasonable going. Meeting another handful of tourists, we immediatey left for the peace and quiet of Barrington River.
+Encircling a large swamp after walking along another fire trail for a mile, we started scrub bashing down a tiny creek. Prickly undergrowth and lawyer vines were abundant until we reached the Barrington River which was quite large even high in its headwaters. On our way we saved a trout (8" long) from certain dehydration in a tiny pool. Half an hour after a hot lunch we reached a swiming pool - the ideal lunch spot. What mismanagement!
+Strangers in the camp - 2 trout fishermen were sighted. They had caught 3 but they were only 8" long. We couldn't quite make out how they reached the rivor apparently only walking a short distance. Before we reached a third fisherman, Gerry, Norm, and I bombed another two pools from 40 ft and 20 ft. up. I hope we scared the trout as they looked a bit undersized to me.
+We camped a couple of miles downstream where the river seemed to disappear into a gorge between gigantic boulders. It was very misty that night. Luckily Dot discovered some overhanging roots quite big enough for 5 but some may have got wet if it rained too hard. A second overhanging rock was found.
+After our monstrous meals we took leave of the hot fire and cold rain for our warm sleeping bags. The roar from an 80 ft. waterfall 50 yards away drowsed us off into deep slee. Dot told us next morning that Gerry had suddenly sat up in his flea bag during the night and shoutede "Who's that?" looking at lights across the river - no reply. Dot tried to look out of her sleepy eyes and saw only gloworms between the rocks.
+"Look at that!" Gerry exclaimed, "What is it?"
+Dot explained to us that the whole river valley was mistily lit up by the moon trying to pierce through a bank of clouds. It looked quite eerie.
+The next morning the two corners of my sleeping bag were soaked but none the worse for it. After breaky, we clambered around the side of a tree covered cliff-face to get down and around the waterfall. In actual fact it was a a long slippery dip, 60 ft. long, 60°	angle and a boulder at the bottom to stop you, just in case you went too fast. For the next 2 miles the going as slow. Large boulders (house type) and small waterfalls which had to be scrambled around. Very similar to Bungonia block-up except that it was very slippery in the drizzling rain - logs were just not to be trusted.	"Will I slip, or won't I?" "Is tht green slippery growth on the rock or is that a green-coloured rock?" Three of the partv took off their sandshoes and claimed a better grip on the rocks.
-Mc has b7;3n do7n Barrinton River before? 7hat a new and excitin trip for a 1011f weekend! On OUT way home, --rallrlinE: to the car along the road, el farmr 7)j:eked us u7) and toldus of 2 young chaps 17--o had been down-the rivor 20 Years'previosuly _Fe ne7 of no one. since.
-The river falls 3,600 ft. in 7 miles. T:-ere :..lust be some waterfalls around. At t:le last minute .abseilinc ropes -.'ere not . taken. There were only 5 on our trip - Dot fut 1 er Gerry Sinzi:. 9 Norman, Butler, Ross "yborn 9 and vs el f. -e =21 cke a a beaut comp spot v,--ry e rly . on rs4u.ta.	s 2t to- 'a7-loat'ff:rj..).Te r6j".,c,	arY1	or -'s'el."ealy
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-Breakfast, -T.as, munched 10	furth(?,r along the road on nrripit River ,',1aere our trip as due to start. It looked like very wealthy grazing country there, even in the drouEht, but gum trees were scarce.
-The actual =;rip started off by a most rsfres' suim in an eeel-infestod pool in 7:.-=ipit River - a good beginning,. For a mile we walked thLough azing paddocks in the hot mic',.day sun until te merged into dense rain ..[.ore.:,t vostation which one would find along all crooks and rivers in this area	e ,lodded after Dot viJ.o as following a cow
-pad.through thick vegetation which sidled ] i,7,12 above the river.
-Ross	"This is silly	e sould be on the creeir., not 500 ft. o.bove it."
-"1:vbe the cows know whre they are going", someone ass is ed.
-e came down into- the	(cutting off a bend) and
-immediately came upon,a 4 ft. deep Tool. 7e dropped our -. a,c!.:s and junDed in. The water as sur7,-)risinly 7%rm.
-Here the Kerripit River is like the lo--,-.r 7.anan ra River, but overhung with. vino, mosses and orchids hanging frcx: tr.es. ), s -Te ro&L-lippy,ed onwards tho river began to ste'Ten sli:,htly rith cascades on every bend._ Th9 szli,4:2:ing ,,,Tra.,,,s -b;,:.err,:ndaus,.. _ -.ZDS S 42f, another t.f2y. a. dam: buliaing-,t one of	,9 cascarie 1.)12:.ti- ile es quite 1-ms uc a s s Ai I in	1 '
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-SinEle ci_ouds started drifting overhead, na'-in7 us -wonder - - 7111at we we:,,e going to ab,-.1-i-tit,, ,;, tent-ac- "1"4,e_i2:::e1.7a:.,oa:" 'is t14: Boy Scouts' ,cnotto - ,'-,r'r51:111.d3s1eets can 'zsily be ,rected into a s:-Islt-r and over-
-s.	The S-dney Bushwalker	Ireebruary 1969
-hanging rocks (or bivv7 20017.S) cm also	oaffiped under.
-OT lunch efe stopped above a 15 ft. drop in the river below which 77r,S a swileming .00l. Form, our tree-climbr, rushed up to	scrubby tree tops travers:nc from one tree top to another, using thic vines as ropes. Ross also fel energetic. Fe followed Norm onto the first tree. CRASH: It was too much. The ,2econd tree also L.;ave
-Clouds changed from milky white to grey.. it a:Tea ed and slowly but surely it stated drizzling. Waterfalls 20-40 ft. loomed ahead malein way for an interesting scramble.
-e ceuldn't iet uch -letter as our swimming to,s's were still wet from the last swim. It 'as .eleasant to feel the rain slashing in our faces after the hot weeks in the city. flocks sli 'eery and wet,
-slowed our -rogrnss censiderebly. 'Te clambered up and around 3 or 4 waterfalls about 30 ft. high and camped 'The e the c-4eel'-. leveled out.
-Lt 3600 ft. it as rat:',er cold for a summer's afternoon. A :'-uffe fire
-was lit, a feed cooked, and off to OUT fl a bags.
-"iioss built a shelter under some trees using long dead branches criss-crossiree .ach other and coverin the structure witl) a plastic Ground sh et. It as a good substitute for a sutff7 old tent.
-The next clay was clear and we walked up the river until it
-was feasible to cliba lidge to reach the fire trail leading to Carey's Peak. Small tree:s and lawyer vines made 7a7 to a tall forest ef eucalypts at least 100 ft. high and up to 8 ft. 'la diameter. Scrate-ings of 1Trebirds. or brush turkeys were seen. This ez:.ea should be in the :proposed - Barrington National ?alt. Lawyer vines may have tri7-)od us ve.?, but it was little noticed as 70 felt so small among suc:A
-The change in vegetation was intc.irestinc:, from tall eucalypt forest the tress Gradu,elly became smaller as we climbed until at about. 4500 ft. stunted blue Ezums and "snow* grass" remained.
-Afte'5 5 uiles of road bashing and lots of swee,t we stopped for a snack in the middle of t'7,e fire trail at a junction. Five minutes later a Landrover nearly ran over us, carryinE camrors w7-o 7.ad driven up
-from Barrington House. S me minutes later we met two otber jeeps full of housewifely tourists - a real hieh-ay! -e trotted off to Carey's Peak
-(5 minutes from the road) and were rewarded with a hazy view of creeks
-and rid s from the ton. Other creeks from Cae'ey's Yeak looked most
-interesting and jeeegley and .ne, rid,e:es looked reasonab'e oing. :Meting
-anot:,er handful of tourists, :e immediatey left for to 7eace and
-Pobraury 1969.	The Sydney BushrTalker
-......
-quiet of Barrington
-:ncirclin:: a large s .amp after walking along anoth9r fire trail for a mile, -e started scrub bashing down a tiny creel:. 7riecly underErow-E2 and lawyer vines 7a e abund:mt until %:e reached the Barrington Riv,-,r which -as. qui e large even high in its head7;aters. On our -ay we saved a trout (8" lon,:,) from c-rtain d. .hydration in a tiny roo:. Half an hour aft ,r a hot lunch .e reached a swiming po-1  the ideal lunch spot. .70c.,t mismana-ementl
-Strangers in Tno; camp  2 trout fishermen Tere sighted. They had cauht 3 but they were only 8" long.	e couldn't qui'e make out how they :.:ached the rivor a-f-oarently only alking a short distance. Before tre reached a third fishe=an, Gerry, Norm, and I bombed another two pools from 40 Zt and 20 ft. up. I hope we scared ti:e trout as they Looked a bit undersized to Els.
-e campEA a courleof riJ.es dolmstroam -there the river seemed to diappear into a gorze between gigantic boulders. It was very misty that night. Luckily Dot discovered some Tverhanging TO01.-3 quite big on-ugh for 5 but soje	have got e.JG if it re,ined too hard.	second
-overhanEing rocl: was found.
-After our monstrous me.ls -e took leave of the hot fire ana cold rain for our warm sleepinc, bags. The roar from an 80 ft. T-Taterfall 50 yards away drowsed us off into deep slee. Dot told us next morning that Gerry had suddenly sat up in his flea bag during the night and soutede ''ho's that?" looking ot lights across the	 no reply.
-Dot tricd to look out of her sleepy eyes and saw only El-oworms between the rocks.
-"Look at -Vat!"	exclaimed, That is it?"
-Dot explained to us that the 717ole river valley as mistily lit up by the moon trying to tiieroe through a bahk of clouds. It looked quite eerie.
-The next morning the two corners of my sl=eping bag were soaked but none the worse for it. A.-ter beaky, we clambered around the side of a tree covered cliffface to get down and around the 8 waterfall. In actual fact i-, as a a long slip-c,ery	60 ft.	600	and a boulder at the bottom to stop you, just in case you -ent too fast. For the next 2 miles the going as slow. 'Izge boulders (house type) and small waterfalls which had to be scrambled around. Very similar to Bungonia block--up except that it as very slipl)er7 in the drizzling rain
-lodgs we_e just not to be trusted.	"'ill I slip, or won't I?" "Is tht green slippery growth on the reel: or is -that a ireencolourcd rock?" Three of the -oartv tool: of thir sandshoes and claiza_d a better grip on the ricks.
 .	The Sydney Bush7alker	February 1969
 At least you	you're slipiDinc", Gerry mentionde