Syncarpia Camp
Bushwalkers' and rock-climbers' camping place on upper part of Govetts Leap Creek, between Arethusa Falls and Junction Rock, since 1933 (Syncarpia = turpentine tree)
Allchin09 wrote:Not sure if it's been looked at but the old SBW magazines are always worth checking
I can neither confirm nor denymarron wrote:And now I 'm quite curious about this interesting thing - in the area above the tombstone yeah?
Anyway - I now wonder if the identification of the Arethusa Falls on those early tourist maps was actually simply a view of Arethusa Falls proper from Carne's Wall? Haven't been out that far myself.
I would agree - a tourist map printer is unlikely to be a cartographer with much care for accuracy.bushwalkindudeman wrote:maybe just plonked the 'Arethusa' in the wrong spot? Haha
Pretty sure there weren't. It was a loong day getting past the occasional quicksand. So you could probably reverse it (in summer) starting at your recent entry point. I recall a small jump that saw me waist deep in the sand - we went carefully after that.marron wrote:If you came in at the power lines I suppose you don't recall if there were any impressive waterfalls along the way? Haha.
keithj wrote:The canyon was first done in sixties?
A HIKING FEAT
-----------------
LADIES BRAVE DANGERS TO
FOOT OF ARETHUSA FALLS
------------
MAJESTIC SIGHT
------------
In a recent issue we referred
to photographs taken of Are-
thusa Falls by Mr. A. Manning,
and stated they were the first
pictures of this famed beauty
spot that we had heard of. We
learn, however, that a party, on
New Year's Day, worked its way
up the gorges to the foot of
the falls, when some fine ama-
teur pictures were taken.
In view of the popularity of hik-
ing on the Mountains at the present
time, and the many references made
to the almost inaccessible Arethusa
Falls, the following article from
Chas. J. Shaw, of Leura will be
read with interest. He states:
"In your issue of the 21st I not-
iced a paragraph about Arethusa
Falls and I am enclosing a snap
taken at the foot on January 1st
of this year. We had several times
looked down on these falls — a
gorgeous view - from the height
of a spur off Mt. Hay track, and
hearing the roar of water coming up
from the depths, and determined to
get right to them. On last New
Years' Day our small party started
from Medlow down the Grand Can-
yon until we readied [b]a part where
the gorge opens out and a fair-
sized creek comes in on the right.
On the right bank of this new
creek, near the junction with the
Canyon creek, is a beautiful camp-
ing spot under tall trees. [/b]Here we
left our belongings and made our
way up the gully between towering
cliffs on both sides. For part of the
way you can follow the remains of
an old track, with stone steps here
and there, but later you have to
make your way as best you can and
the going is fairly rough. Probably
the best way is to make for the top
of the tallus and follow that until
you come within view of the Falls,
and then glissade down to the creek
level near the foot of the falls.
Of course, if you leave bits
of yourself behind in the pro-
cess, you must grin and con-
sider it part of the game.
Anyway, we there fairly ...
late, and I think ... two ladies who
formed half of the party can pos-
sibly be congratulated on being the
first of their sex to get there. Any
dissentient voices?
We got back to camp just as
dusk was falling, and the crumbs
that were left after our meal made
the ants weep with disappointment.
That night we slept under the
stars, seemingly a thousand miles
from civilisation. A thunderstorm
passed overhead and woke us up
with a few heavy drops, but, hav-
ing had its joke, went on its way.
I believe the name Arethusa is
from a Greek legend of a goddess
turned into a waterfall. Is that
right? Anyway, whoever named this
waterfall Arethusa had a nice fancy.
[b]Mr. F. Walford first told us that
these falls were not in the position
as marked on most maps.[/b] As a mat-
ter of fact, Leura, Minna Ha Ha,
and Katoomba Creeks all junction
in a large pool at that spot and
then flow on through a deepening
gully until they finally jump down
Arethusa Falls into the inlet of the
Grose Valley that we climbed up.
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