Multi-day hikes near Sydney that aren't overgrown

NSW & ACT specific bushwalking discussion.
Forum rules
NSW & ACT specific bushwalking discussion. Please avoid publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks.

Multi-day hikes near Sydney that aren't overgrown

Postby InLike » Tue 28 Feb, 2023 7:28 am

Hi all,

I'm looking to do a multi-day hike of up to a week in length in late April. I would have loved to do Mittagong to Katoomba via Kanangra -Boyd but recent experience and other peoples'
reports are making me wary of re-growth.

Does anyone have any good suggestions within a day's drive of Sydney? I'm fit and capable of >30km per day on open trail, but it can't be too dangerous as I'm solo. I have a Garmin inReach so remoteness is not a problem.

Probably prefer not the Great North Walk unless someone wants to make a strong case as to why I should change my mind.

Thanks!

Nat
InLike
Nothofagus gunnii
Nothofagus gunnii
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon 27 Feb, 2023 11:54 am
Region: New South Wales

Re: Multi-day hikes near Sydney that aren't overgrown

Postby Walk_fat boy_walk » Thu 02 Mar, 2023 10:52 am

I assume the recent reports of regrowth on M2K that you mention are in the Nattai and Kowmung-to-Kanangra-to-Katoomba sections? Can minimise scrub by taking the Nattai firetrail from Wattle Ridge to Vineyard Flat (instead of Starlights and down the river); going to the Kowmung from Yerranderie via Colong Gap/Mt Armour/Church's Creek then downstream along the Kowmung to Christys junction; and "bouncing off the walls" from Kanangra to Katoomba by using the firetrails around the Thurat tops/Moorara Peak to the 6 ft track? That would only leave Vineyard Flat to Beloon Pass and Kowmung to Kanangra via Cambage Spire/Bullhead Ridge as the areas potentially swamped with regrowth (I've done those solo but admittedly not since the fires)? You might even be able to do the "traditional" Kanangra to Katoomba route if a sufficient path has been beaten through the regrowth (will have to defer to recent walkers through that way on that though)? Failing all of that, the "traditional" M2K via Scotts Main Range has a lot of firetrail - not nearly as nice as deviating via Kanangra - but is still a nice enough area to get miles under the feet, especially at that time of year (would still have to bush bash from Vineyard Flat to Beloon but that's not too far)?

Re other options... can easily walk for a week through the Budawangs or Snowies, all on track. Kiandra to Thredbo is always a good option (maybe not in late April, would want a decent forecast), or can piece together any number of combinations of in/out or circuit walks in the Budawangs from one of the four main track heads?
Walk_fat boy_walk
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2076
Joined: Sat 21 Nov, 2009 6:59 am
Gender: Male

Re: Multi-day hikes near Sydney that aren't overgrown

Postby sandym » Thu 02 Mar, 2023 4:14 pm

A week in the Budawangs on track? Those would have to be short days. Very overgrown in there post fires apart from the main access tracks.
sandym
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 511
Joined: Wed 19 Sep, 2012 7:34 pm
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Female

Re: Multi-day hikes near Sydney that aren't overgrown

Postby ribuck » Thu 02 Mar, 2023 7:16 pm

Start at Bell and cross the Wollangambe, and you'll find many fairly open ridge tops that you can link together for long walks.
User avatar
ribuck
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1883
Joined: Wed 15 May, 2013 3:47 am
Region: Other Country
Gender: Male

Re: Multi-day hikes near Sydney that aren't overgrown

Postby Walk_fat boy_walk » Thu 02 Mar, 2023 9:00 pm

sandym wrote:A week in the Budawangs on track? Those would have to be short days. Very overgrown in there post fires apart from the main access tracks.
Could do a circuit using the "new" corang access route then to fosters, styles, tarn, burumbeet, corang etc (or further afield via alum creek track to more northern parts), with side trips to monolith vallley, corang peak etc, for example. Could soak up a week easily

Sent from my SM-S906E using Tapatalk
Walk_fat boy_walk
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2076
Joined: Sat 21 Nov, 2009 6:59 am
Gender: Male

Re: Multi-day hikes near Sydney that aren't overgrown

Postby sandym » Fri 03 Mar, 2023 6:09 am

Styles, Hidden Valley, out to Fosters, Hidden Valley is actually pretty overgrown and I thought the OP wanted to avoid that.

The Nadgee Wilderness walk has been cleared post fires and there's lots of water but by no means is it near Sydney.
sandym
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 511
Joined: Wed 19 Sep, 2012 7:34 pm
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Female

Re: Multi-day hikes near Sydney that aren't overgrown

Postby wildwanderer » Fri 03 Mar, 2023 7:00 am

Has anyone walked in the upper grose valley post fires/floods? What's the regrowth like?
User avatar
wildwanderer
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1640
Joined: Tue 02 May, 2017 8:42 am
Location: Out of lockdown \o/
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: Multi-day hikes near Sydney that aren't overgrown

Postby Phillip » Sun 05 Mar, 2023 4:58 pm

Forget Gingra Range and Tiwilla Plateau, terrible.
Phillip
Nothofagus cunninghamii
Nothofagus cunninghamii
 
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun 25 Sep, 2022 5:43 pm
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: Multi-day hikes near Sydney that aren't overgrown

Postby InLike » Thu 09 Mar, 2023 7:34 pm

Thanks all for the time taken to reply. Particularly the lead on the ridgetops north of the Wollongambe - I hiked on the Colo a number of times as a teenager and always wondered what was up there.

RE Upper Grose I've been there post fires but before regrowth and I'd guess that anything not in a gully or canyon and therefore missed by the fire would be pretty thick by now.

Hiked some ridges in the Budwangs last year and it was a nightmare. Can't imagine it has become any better since
InLike
Nothofagus gunnii
Nothofagus gunnii
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon 27 Feb, 2023 11:54 am
Region: New South Wales


Return to New South Wales & ACT

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 24 guests