01/01/2017
Beth, Tal, Ed, Ethan, Cauis, Jim, Andrew and Logan. Oh and me.
So last year we spent a great New Years Day Wallowing down the Wollangambe and we thought we’d make a bit of a tradition out of it but mix it up a little by Clambering down Clatterteeth.
Du Faurs crk Canyon, AKA Clatterteeth is kind of like a slightly more adventurous version of the more popular Wollangambe “Tourist sections”. The canyon sections in this one are narrower and darker and altogether more “canyony” but there is also more walking, scrambling and scrub negotiating in between the canyony bits.
I’d done this one before with Mandy and Scott way back at the start of first canyoning craze. Back then I think we swam the pools rather than take lilos. Flotation is not so good on the bits in between but for a largish slow moving party out for a relaxing day lilos or similar are great for the long dark pools.
Anyhoo. The last time I’d done it we went by the 10m scramble down the rock from a rope around a gum tree. This time I wanted to try the entrance though October crk as I had heard there are a couple of nice canyon sections the other entrance by-passes
That sure is true and there are also some really nice bits in October crk itself which I wasn’t expecting so that was a bonus.
And so we didn’t make the same mistake we made in Bells crk when asked if we should blow the lilos up yet, we did.
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The canyon sections are not that sustained and are inter-spaced with a bit of boulder hopping, creek walking and just enough scrub to have you fearing for your lilo at times.
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The canyon bits are pretty sublime though
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There are some very high quality bits of canyon scattered through this trip
 
There are a few places where it is possible to scramble up and jump in but just a tip, when jumping out to clear a submerged obstacle don’t jump too far out, Tal gave us all a bit of a scare with this one.
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The creek is also teaming with wild life. Lots of yabbies, big and small on this trip also lots of Water Dragons (Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii). I very kindly rescued a weirdly green coloured christmas beetle out of the water and put it on the rock when this little fella scuttled out of nowhere and gobbled him up. Um the Water dragon, not Tallis (or the yabby)
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We took the exit up Joes Canyon. There is another nice long lilo section below this before the Junction with Bells crk but for a lazy new years day Joes makes a nice easy exit. When we did Bells crk and exited up here Joes was fairly dry. This time around it had a bit of flow in it. Gave it a very pleasant, if cold atmosphere.
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Party Size: 9. 3 experienced Some intermediate and some beginners
Time: 8hrs car to car moving pretty steadily but taking it easy
sleepwhenwearedead 