16/11/2024
Kylie, Jason, Matt, Jamelia, and me.
The “Gobsmacker” section of the North branch of Bowen creek is fun and spectacular.
And as a smaller day it was just the ticket.
And a steady hike back up to the hill. About 5hr car to car
They say a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, but not one half as bad as a lot of ignorance.
05/10/2024
Gadget, Leo, Madie, Russ, Gibbo and Vince with cameos from Aleasha, Random Chris, Pippa and Oban.
To be honest caving hasn’t really been on my bucket list. I had worked as an underground miner so time off in the sunshine appealed more than spending my time off in another hole in the ground.
Sure I’d done the touristy ones and crawled into some Glowworm caves but that’s different.
I’ve since moved to an above ground role but being a little on the portly side full on caving made me a bit nervous.
Anyhoo, I asked the crew, do you have any plans for the long weekend?
Wanna come caving at Wee Jasper, they replied
why the hell not. I thunked. Time to push my comfort zone a notch or two.
The hills around Wee Jasper are riddled with limestone caves. Some, such as Carey’s are paid tourist caves. Some are wild and technical. We were aiming for somewhere in the middle. Well explored holes requiring rope work for access and optional squeezey sections.
First stop was the Dip series.
At the car park we run into Chris who shall forever more be known as Random Chris. He is heading into the Gong Cave, which is connected to the Dip series but the connections are too tight for human passage.
We chat briefly and go our separate ways.
Dip is a series of 5 parallel caves with interconnecting passages. 1 and 2 are usually walk throughs but some low life dumped asbestos at the mouth of 1 so it’s temporarily barricaded up.
4 and 2 have openings to the sky so we set ropes in them.
I absolutely do not bow to peer pressure and we drop into 4
we work our way over to explore 5
There are all sorts of mnemonics to remember the difference between stalactites and stalagmites but the best one for me is to think of a ballerina dancing on a termite ridden stage.
When the mites go up the tights come down.
Anyhoo
Back to 4 and more exploring.
Then rather than abseil into 3 and be committed to whatever squeeze is required to get from there to 2 I opt to jug back out and Kylie joins me.
We meet the others a short time later as they ascend out of “the day light chamber” of 2
Of course they regale us with tales of magical chambers, wide, crystal filled passageways and a super easy ascent and sparkling unicorns farting fairy floss…
A quick bite to eat and we head into the Gong
I’d heard this one was a lot more straight forward with less crawling so I take the good camera hoping to get some pretty stuff. I did, but then somehow formatted the memory card 🤦♂️
The others go off exploring while I snap away.
we head for the camp showers which were gloriously hot and clean.
Luckily we run into Random Chris and enquire about the blood. Seems he cut his finger on a shard and hadn’t realised it was bleeding so bad.
Day 2 and we go looking for the Devils Punchbowl and find it just as Random Chris arrives.
You might as well share our ropes if you want. We offer.
He has done the cave before and tells us the must do chambers. And we sort of just absorb him into the group.
Looking back I’m not 100% sure it was consensual.
I’m a little more comfortable after yesterday’s introduction but still not overly keen on the tighter stuff.
There are passageways heading off everywhere
We get to a squeezey bit.
I baulk.
Common! It’s a short squeeze then it opens out and keeps going.
I suck in my gut, think thin thoughts and shimmy on through. It’s actually not too bad. If you are a bean pole.
Back into a passage of sensible dimensions I round a corner.
Manic laugher erupts. The crew is hiding with lights out. It’s a dead end but they knew I’d be able to do the crawl. it’s their way of safely encouraging me to push my limits. I laugh with them.
They are laughing with me not at me. Maybe.
We explore more passages. Squeeze through gaps and clamber up and down ropes.
We are in a side circuit that’s quiet pretty
Um this is a bit tight says Russ
Um is it Flynny size asks Madie
Sure says Leo.
Hmm says Vince. Not sure if forward or backwards is best.
This is awkward says Gibbo
Hmm there use to be a wider passage up there says Random Chris. I don’t remember this.
Seeing them squeeze into a narrow hole. I’m out of here says Flynny. And I back out like Iggy Pop out of a shirt.
Gadget accompanies me back the way we came and we meet the others back at the start of the circuit.
Some more bats. More exploring and we head back for fresh air.
And with that me and Gadget bid the others fair well. They were going to visit Signature cave in the afternoon but we decide to hit the road.
Another fantastic adventure and over due catchup with these awesome peeps.
Surround yourself with awesome people. Experience awesome things.
18-05-2024
Gadget and meeeeeeseeee
Go Go Gadget had been in a moon boot with a broken foot for the last six weeks and now she was out we thought we’d ease back into it.
Or sumfink
We’d thrown around a few options and settled on Serendipity canyon at Mt Wilson. But, um well, Unpopular opinion: I’ve never been a big fan of Serendipity. Just always thought it was overrated. Gadgets wasn’t a fan either.
So we changed plans last minute and headed to a little one off the Bells Line that neither of us had visited before.
Named after an elaborate pot plantation in the head waters that got busted in the 90s I had not given too much thought to Marihuana Canyon before and had low expectations but it was something new so why not.
Scrub bashing down we avoid the upper cliff lines but get to the lower cliff and decide to rope up.
And we shall never speak about the tiny shrubs we used for anchors ever again.
As I use to joke with my old mate Della, if it’s wider than your thumb it’s ok. We never did clarify if you held your thumb vertical or horizontal.
Anyhoo
We enter the creek a little high (see what I did there.)
And before long it drops into a stunning little canyon.
We work our way upstream through some very nice canyon section.
TBH it was hard work making our way upstream so we got to our exit and hauled out.
He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it: D Adam’s
05/05/2024
Russ, Brook, Aimee, Jason, Madie, Leo and me
Yileen?
Why not.
Yileen is pretty after a bit of rain so today should be schaaaaaweeeet.
Plans were made and oddly not changed.
To be honest the water wasn’t too cold. Autumn is as warm as canyon water gets.
It was warmer in the canyon than on the ridge top walk in
And then we skipped back up the hill and caught up with Jen, Libby and Millie at the pub.
“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”
– Aristotle
17-02-2024
Gadget and meeeeeeeeee
We were looking for a quick and easy one for a lazy weekend and Kylie hadn’t done Water Dragon, A.K.A Kelvinator , before so we thought why not.
It’s been a while since I’d done it so we double check the notes and as usual Ozultimate is spot on with up to date track notes and condition reports.
We stroll down to the Gambie and skip up the other side.
This section is accessible without abseiling by scrambling up from the Wollangambe .
It’s then a pleasant swim down the ‘Gambie for a long lunch at the exit before making our way back to the car.
And a quick stop at Winnie’s rock to admire the storm rolling over the Wollangambe Wilderness.
I think I made a better boy than I do a man, I admitted ruefully to the wolf.- Fitz to Nighteyes. Robin Hobb.
09/11/2024
Lots of truly awesome people and meeeeeeeee
Talking about dragging out your birthday.
This was suppose to happen before Christmas but a big rain event had NP jumping at shadows and closing things down.
Even though it stayed dry for the next 4days the parks were still closed and we had to postpone.
Until now.
First up pizza and beerios at Evans lookout.
Oh, and as a 70s child a 70s theme seemed to make sense.
After posing and yakking and general shenanigans we make our way down the Grand Canyon trail under a setting sun and drop into the slot to say g’day to the glowworms.
I really am lucky to be surrounded by amazing people and it was a great night.
And backing it up the next morning with a trip through Twister and Rocky Creek was a great idea
How could the weekend get any better?
I’m glad you asked
Fill what’s empty. Empty what’s full. And scratch where it itches. A Roosevelt Longworth
BACK oh and once again I’m raising money fir the Westpak Rescue Helicopter so please consider a donation
03/02/2024
Leo, Madie, Brook, Achi, Toni and meeeeeeeee
Cruisey social trudge through Claustral?
Sounds ace.
In the spirit of cruisey we push that start time 30min later..
That might have been a mistake. As I role up the mountain it seems like every second car in NSW is trying to get a car park at the trail head.
Are you with them? Asks old mate pointing at a large group as I step out of my car.
Not me.
Come on boys let’s get going. Says he. Oh which way is it?
I point old mate and his 2 sons(?) in the general direction.
I notice Leo T marshalling the aforementioned group. That’s a relief. A commercially guided group that all bought their own cars making it seem like it’s a bigger group than it is. I know Leo is efficient and quick with his groups so not too fussed there .
Another group jumps out of their car and heads off to beat the rush.
Madie and Leo arrive and introduce another two of the people milling around. Achi and Toni are with us. Excellent.
Everyone ready to go? let’s get going before anyone else shows up. Says they
Um we aren’t due to meet for another 10 mins and Brook’s not here yet. Says I
Bugger say they.
Another group of 4 arrive. Leo knows them from rescue they banter about getting the jump on us and head off.
Brook arrives. Ok let’s go.
A quick walk becomes a slow jog becomes “keep up!”
Oi! I was promised a cruisey social trip.
By the time we get to the wetsuit change spot we’ve over taken all the groups who started before us.
As I always say, it’s not a competition. Unless you are winning, and right now we are winning.
Winning
Ok get changed and get into it. We’ll slow down when we get to the abseils.
Thank fugg for that.
Still winning we make our way down the canyon and because half of us haven’t been here before we take the detour up Thunder canyon as well.
We enjoy the 2 glowworm caves then make our way back to the junction and then down to the exit.
Despite the three thousand two hundred and forty eight cars at the car park we haven’t seen any one in the canyon since one of the groups got to the top of the first abseil just as our last member was roping up.
We figure most of them would have leapfrogged us while we were in Thunder but we catch back up to the group of 4 at the exit and have a chat while we dry off and have a bite to eat and it appears no one else is in front of them.
then it’s up, up and up.
There’s still a gazillion cars at the car park
And while winning is winning, my legs don’t work anymore.
we farewell Achi and Toni then head for a well earned beerio
Part size 6
Time 5.5hr car to car mixed pace.
When you’re dead, you’re dead. Guy Martin
31/12/2023
Kylie, Jason, Vince and meeeeeee
It might sound like a tacky German porno from the 80s but Bangalore is a fun canyon/wet abseil trip.
TBH I wasn’t sure what to expect as I had heard it described as more creek than canyon and after yesterdays slip’n’slidefest in Urumbilum we were a little battered.
Once again the forecasts was for rain and severe afternoon storms but the river gauge was still sitting at around a modest 30Ml range and we knew it was more open terrain.
With Jason and Vince carrying the ropes and sharing anchor duties I got to play tourist and take a metric crap load of (mostly bad) photos.
I’m not sure where the creek walking rep came from as you are pretty much straight into it after hitting the creek.
Despite the creek being more open the abseils are in some nice flow. And at these water flows they were pretty chill.
And once again the sunshine defied the forecasts
The stench at the out flow of this one was spew worthy. Something very dead but yet not dead enough was caught in the log jam.
No drinking the creek water today.
Then we come to the one that contains the log you can squeeze behind but poses a big risk in high flow.
There’s a line of traverse bolts we decide to check out. Vince has never set a traverse before so of course we send him first (we did talk him through it)
Jason is shaking his head.
We normally just sling off that tree over there. Says he
And he has a fair point. The traverse is a bit of dicking around when the tree is far easier and safer to get to and (looking back from the bottom of the drop) gives a far better line anyway.
Moral to the story: Don’t just blindly follow the bolts kids. Sometimes there are better options.
Anyhoo it gave us a bit of practice on a traverse in a non threatening environment.
There’s an option to exit here. We opt to keep going as it’s a bit of fun
A short creek walk gets us to the next bit
Another odd traverse bolt to get out to a weirdly placed anchor. Jason bemoans the original bolt placement on the other side of the creek had been removed.
The new anchor appears to be for better pulldown but Jason says the other had no issues and was a funner line. 🤷🏻
And just like that we are at the Jade Pool and our exit. There is 1 more optional drop we could do but as you just go down to come back up we decide to skip it and head out.
The track up is steep but a hell of a lot easier than falling over 2.5km of slippery river rocks.
If Rosewood is the Empress of the north. Bangalore is their Dione Dell (minus dry line options.)
Mr. Burns : You must find the Jade Monkey before the next full moon.
Smithers : Actually, sir, we found the Jade Monkey. It was in your glove compartment.
02/12/2023
Jason Muz and meeeeeeee
When I first did a trip through the upper middle section of South Bowen creek with Ed I thought it was a spectacular canyon and I’ve been meaning to repeat it ever since.
But, despite having a look through the exquisite upper section I haven’t revisited this section until now.
We then make our way down stream. There’s a bit of creek walking down through pleasant coachwood forest before it drops into another dark canyon section.
It was every bit as beautiful as I remember but now there’s nothing left to do but to scramble out
We are not nouns we are verbs. Stephen Fry
sleepwhenwearedead 