Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- 197001 [2016/02/21 16:28] – lucym
+++ 197001 [2016/02/21 16:57] – lucym
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 ==== A Walk to Wallabadah ====
 Pat Harrison
 We all have our share of nostalgic yearnings. I think perhaps I have more than my share of the commodity. The hunger for well remembered places was strong upon me as I conceived the idea of traversing the Liverpool Range, a part of the Great Dividing Range, from Murrurundi to Crawney Mountain and then dropping down into the head-
-waters of Quirindi Creek and thereafter following that creek to Wallabadah and the road to Quirindi. The distance along the range to Quirindi would be about twenty miles then about eleven to Wallabadah and another ten to Quirindi. The general altitude of this section of the Liverpool Range is around 4,000'and the course of the imak would involve climbing 8,000'.
+waters of Quirindi Creek and thereafter following that creek to Wallabadah and the road to Quirindi. The distance along the range to Quirindi would be about twenty miles then about eleven to Wallabadah and another ten to Quirindi. The general altitude of this section of the Liverpool Range is around 4,000' and the course of the walk would involve climbing 8,000'.
 Being neither a complete misanthrope nor yet wholly gregarious I asked Bruce Vote at the coffee shop after a club meeting whether he would come. He didn't say yes nor yet a definite no so that I thought he would not be able to come. It was a very pleasant surprise when I received a telegram at Quirindi on Wednesday May 15, 1963, which read: "Arriving Thursday p.m." He really arrived Wednesday night and slept under the bridge across the Jacob and Joseph Creek because he was reluctant to disturb us late at night. He was duly rebuked.
-We left Quirindi at noon on Thursday 16th and had no trouble finding a lift to where the New England Highway crosses the Liverpool Range about three miles north of Murrurundi. Our altitude here was 2200' and the weather wasn't at all promising as we went through a locked gate and along a jeep track to Mt. Helen, distant to the east about four miles and involving a climb of 1800' to its crest at 40021.
+We left Quirindi at noon on Thursday 16th and had no trouble finding a lift to where the New England Highway crosses the Liverpool Range about three miles north of Murrurundi. Our altitude here was 2200' and the weather wasn't at all promising as we went through a locked gate and along a jeep track to Mt. Helen, distant to the east about four miles and involving a climb of 1800' to its crest at 4002'.
@@ Line 48: / Line 49: @@
-Camp was made immediately in the long grass nearby and by great good fortune we found enough wood for our needs. The mist swirled and boiled around the crest of the range and always seemed about to descend and close in on us. It never did. From our tent during the night we could see the winking lights of cars on the highway near Blandford. Our camp was on one of the headwaters of Neelahans Creek.
+Camp was made immediately in the long grass nearby and by great good fortune we found enough wood for our needs. The mist swirled and boiled around the crest of the range and always seemed about to descend and close in on us. It never did. From our tent during the night we could see the winking lights of cars on the highway near Blandford. Our camp was on one of the headwaters of Wheelahans Creek.
-We started at 8.45 on Friday and sidled round the unnamed feature (3894') to the saddle connecting it to Mt. Temi (41119'). Mt. Temi is shaped like a great flathead fish of which our saddle was the start of the tail. The 550' climb from the saddle was simple enough, a narrow rock ridge of basalt chunks with thorn bushes and nettle for stimulation. The crest of Temi is flat and clear.
+We started at 8.45 on Friday and sidled round the unnamed feature (3894') to the saddle connecting it to Mt. Temi (4111'). Mt. Temi is shaped like a great flathead fish of which our saddle was the start of the tail. The 550' climb from the saddle was simple enough, a narrow rock ridge of basalt chunks with thorn bushes and nettle for stimulation. The crest of Temi is flat and clear.
-In addition to the far ranging views of the previous day we could now see a very interesting formation, to the north-east, in the valley of Warlands Creek. This formation, Wallabadah Rocks, rises straight up from the floor of the valley for 1000' and more than half of this height is sheer. Wallabadah Rocks in appearance is a split rock very similar in appearance to Belougery Split Rock in the 'Bungles. It has the same reddish colour as Belougery.
+In addition to the far ranging views of the previous day we could now see a very interesting formation, to the north-east, in the valley of Warlands Creek. This formation, Wallabadah Rocks, rises straight up from the floor of the valley for 1000' and more than half of this height is sheer. Wallabadah Rocks in appearance is a split rock very similar in appearance to Belougery Split Rock in the 'Bungles. It has the same reddish colour as Belougery. It remained with us as an impressive sight for the rest of the day as we made a half circle around it along the range. There are trees at the base and there appear to be bushes on top.
-It remained with us as an impressive sight for the rest of the day as we made a half circle around it along the range. There are trees at the base and there appear to be bushes on top.
-There was a steep 850' descent off the northern end of Temi to a broad clear saddle and from the saddle a climb up to another unnamed feature (36909'), the southern side of which was dotted with several small tarns. In the swampy ground they appeared as pools among the reeds. We now knew that our main worry, water, had been unnecessary and this was further confirmed at lunchtime on Lagoon Mountain (3432') where there is another of these natural tarns. Directly west of Lagoon Mountain through another 450' saddle was another scenic formation, Loder's Peak (34509') which dropped away very steeply on its southern side.
+There was a steep 850' descent off the northern end of Temi to a broad clear saddle and from the saddle a climb up to another unnamed feature (3690'), the southern side of which was dotted with several small tarns. In the swampy ground they appeared as pools among the reeds. We now knew that our main worry, water, had been unnecessary and this was further confirmed at lunchtime on Lagoon Mountain (3432') where there is another of these natural tarns. Directly west of Lagoon Mountain through another 450' saddle was another scenic formation, Loders Peak (34509') which dropped away very steeply on its southern side.
-The continuous ups and down along this range were soon to end, for after making an abrupt change of direction to the east at Lagoon Mountain we dropped down 900', climbed up the same height to another unnamed peak, took our last look at 7aLabadell Flecks which were now directly south of us at their closest point to our walk, and then headed due north down a beautiful long ridge to make camp at 4.20 near the headwaters of Uiririli Creek and just below its junction with Splitters Creek. Here and there on the hillside as we came down this ridge we could see  ring-barked trees whose brown dead leaves gave an attractive autumnal appearance as they shone golden in the afternoon sun.
+The continuous ups and down along this range were soon to end, for after making an abrupt change of direction to the east at Lagoon Mountain we dropped down 900', climbed up the same height to another unnamed peak, took our last look at Wallabadah Rocks which were now directly south of us at their closest point to our walk, and then headed due north down a beautiful long ridge to make camp at 4.20 near the headwaters of Quirindi Creek and just below its junction with Splitters Creek. Here and there on the hillside as we came down this ridge we could see  ring-barked trees whose brown dead leaves gave an attractive autumnal appearance as they shone golden in the afternoon sun.
@@ Line 67: / Line 67: @@
-On Saturday morning we set out at 820 with one pack between us and took the long ridge on the western side of SPlittO2S C-2,_;0: (Ref, 96090 Land l Map Quirindi: 3 1 31680) and completed the 2600' climb to Crawney Mountain (4736) at 1015, arriving there with Bruce's hat filled with mushrooms he had gathered on the way.  It was unfortunate that above the 4000' level the range was covered in a thick mist, blocking the splendid panorama of more than twenty miles to Yunale and Quirindi. From Crawney Mountain there are three water-sheds one to the north-east and the beautiful Pool River which in turn finds its way to the Naulei, one to the southeast to the ocually beautiful Isis River which feeds the Hunter, and the thLra westwards down the valley of Quirindi Creek which winds its way past casuarinas, green flats and pleasant farms and fruitful soil and on through Tallabadah and Quirindi, around 71' pda: thought it Hill and across the Breeza Plain to lose itself in the Mock! Rivo.
+On Saturday morning we set out at 8.20 with one pack between us and took the long ridge on the western side of Splitters Creek (Ref. 960890 Lands Map Quirindi B 1:31680) and completed the 2600' climb to Crawney Mountain (4736') at 10.15, arriving there with Bruce's hat filled with mushrooms he had gathered on the way.  It was unfortunate that above the 4000' level the range was covered in a thick mist, blocking the splendid panorama of more than twenty miles to Nundle and Quirindi. From Crawney Mountain there are three water-sheds; one to the north-east and the beautiful Pool River which in turn finds its way to the Namoi, one to the southeast to the equally beautiful Isis River which feeds the Hunter, and the third westwards down the valley of Quirindi Creek which winds its way past casurinas, green flats and pleasant farms and fruitful soil and on through Wallabadah and Quirindi, around Whoda'thought it Hill and across the Breeza Plain to lose itself in the Mooki River.
-We followed the range southwards from Crawney down a 5003' saddle and across a peak, very reeky end, narrow, and descended by the reference 994894 which brought us back to tine blue tent by a complete circle. This is a splendid walk, the narrow spine of Peak 4686 it was fascinating to see the reLst swf, 21ing on the Isis River side while the other side was clear.
+We followed the range southwards from Crawney down a 5003' saddle and across a peak, very rocky and narrow, and descended by the reference 994894 which brought us back to the blue tent by a complete circle. This is a splendid walk. Coming down the narrow spine of Peak 4686 it was fascinating to see the mist swirling on the Isis River side while the other side was clear.
-Rain had begun to fall as we reached camp, but by Bruce's effort we were soon eating mushrooms fried in butter. There are three or four settlers along this =eel: boteen our eemp and Wallabadah and consequently there is a road of sorts, a true bush road which did nothing to spoil our day.  And what better way to prepare for the ten mile road bash from Wallabadah to Quirindi than downing a couple of glasses in an old country pub while the rain drummed like the devil outside.
+Rain had begun to fall as we reached camp, but by Bruce's effort we were soon eating mushrooms fried in butter. There are three or four settlers along this creek between our camp and Wallabadah and consequently there is a road of sorts; a true bush road which did nothing to spoil our day.  And what better way to prepare for the ten mile road bash from Wallabadah to Quirindi than downing a couple of glasses in an old country pub while the rain drummed down outside.
-Bruce and I are both purists - at opposite ends of the spectrum. He doesn't like to walk on roads. I like to walk anywhere and everywhere. A mile from Wallabadah, tea overdue, a truck came along and to Bruce's obvious delight would not move unless we were on board.
+Bruce and I are both purists - at opposite ends of the spectrum. He doesn't like to walk on roads; I like to walk anywhere and everywhere. A mile from Wallabadah, tea overdue, a truck came along and to Bruce's obvious delight would not move unless we were on board.
-Maps? There are excellent ones of the area by the Lands Dept - in a scale of two inches to the mile. We used the Quirinal "B" and "D" sheets and one of the joys of the walk was the use of these maps to find our way. A last word. The winter is the best time to walk in these ranges. Snow falls on the high ground and there are hard frosts through mid winter.
+Maps? There are excellent ones of the area by the Lands Dept in a scale of two inches to the mile. We used the Quirinal "B" and "D" sheets and one of the joys of the walk was the use of these maps to find our way. A last word. The winter is the best time to walk in these ranges. Snow falls on the high ground and there are hard frosts through mid-winter.
-The Autumn Walks Program March to May is in the making.
+**The Autumn Walks Program March to May is in the Making**