Warrambungals & Mt. Kaputar

Wed 29 Jun, 2011 11:22 pm

This is a bit of a belated trip report. Last October my girlfriend and I took a road trip down to the Warrambungals and Mt. Kaputar national parks. This was a car camping trip so no overnight walks, but we did manage to get out for a walk nearly every day. Both parks are amazing and definitely worth the long trip. Here's a few photo's and notes.

: Bluff Mountain from Fan's Horizon Walk; IMGP8373.JPG (153.78 KiB) Viewed 8848 times

: Tara Cave

: Looking up at the breadknife; IMGP8415.JPG (247.54 KiB) Viewed 8848 times

: Belougery Spire from Grand High Tops

: Another of Bluff Mountain

It's hard to convey the scale of this mountain. This was taken from the track past Dow's Camp. This was a much better return from the Grand High Tops than the standard circuit. Felt like an actual bushwalk rather than a paved footpath.

Wed 29 Jun, 2011 11:23 pm

: Mt. Exmouth from the track up Split Rock; IMGP8476.JPG (228.26 KiB) Viewed 8845 times

: Creek behind the campsite; IMGP8509.JPG (188.19 KiB) Viewed 8845 times

We then moved on to Mt. Kaputar. Wasn't exactly sure what to expect here but was blown away. We decided on the Dawsons Spring campsite which was really nice, although there was plenty of evidence of a recent storm that had apparently come through with very strong winds. There were massive snow gums snapped in half and pulled out of the ground everywhere.

: View from the road into Mt. Kaputar National Park

: Sunset from the peak of Mt. Kaputar

: View to the South from Eckfords Lookout; IMGP8584.JPG (148.55 KiB) Viewed 8845 times

We spent the morning taking it easy doing the Bundabulla track and the afternoon doing the Mt. Coryah walk.

Last edited by cams on Wed 29 Jun, 2011 11:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Wed 29 Jun, 2011 11:24 pm

: Moss from the Mt. Coryah track

: View towards the Yulludunida Crater; IMGP8651.JPG (245.7 KiB) Viewed 8844 times

This was probably my favourite walk of the whole trip. An amazing piece of rock.

: View from the Northern Peak to the Southern Peak of Yulludunida Crater

: View from the Southern Peak; IMGP8716.JPG (233.56 KiB) Viewed 8844 times

Thu 30 Jun, 2011 12:02 am

Finally, we stopped in at the Sawn Rocks on the way out.

: Sawn Rocks; IMGP8743.JPG (133.98 KiB) Viewed 8842 times

Thu 30 Jun, 2011 11:51 am

Good stuff cams.
In a previous life I did a fair bit of rockclimbing and I believe both these parks have a few "interesting" routes - I'd love to get out there some time to find out for myself.
That photo of Bluff Mountain also looks a lot like Tibrogargan as well hey ? How long was the drive from Brisvegas ?
Thanks for the inspiration.

Thu 30 Jun, 2011 12:22 pm

Yep. The Warrambungals especially have alot of rock climbing routes I think. There was a few guide books available in the information centre and some amazing photo's of the first climbers to do the North face of Bluff mountain. I'm just getting into some climbing myself so I reackon I'll definitely be heading back that way at some point. This stuff on the side of Yulludunida looks almost fake.

: Rock Formations on Yulludunida Crater

We took the Cunningham Hwy out to Goondiwindi then the Newall down to Coonabarabran on the way. I think it took us a solid 9.5 hours to get there. We came home by cutting across to the New England Hwy at Glen Innis. Then back up through Stanthorpe etc... This was a much better and more interesting option and still only took us about the same time. The Newall is dead boring and straight.

To make the perfect trip down there we should have taken two weeks off instead of one. Spend an extra day or two at each park then link in Gibraltar and Washpool for another few days. Although we were lucky with our timing because the week after we got back the rain started and alot of the places out that way went underwater.

Thu 30 Jun, 2011 7:26 pm

Lovely ! I went with my family and another just prior to Easter this year, really nice. We climbed some small pinnacles for the kids, and did one of the (easiest) routes up Belougery (Vertigo, 10, for the climbers). Really wonderful landscape, hadn't been there for almost 20 years so was lovely to enjoy the air and see the sights. Kids went very well with packs to the hut !

Sun 03 Jul, 2011 9:11 am

Ooooh, that's lovely. Another place I've been meaning to get into for years, but just never seem to have the time when I'm passing.

Tue 16 Aug, 2011 8:38 pm

Gosh, and all the time I thought I was visiting the Warrumbungles (said the pedant). Of course, it's actually been changed to the singular version in recent times. Some interesting walks and shots there. I'm actually doing an article for a magazine on Mount Kaputar and you've given me an idea to tack on. Thank you for that.
Will include a couple of pics from my trips up there.
Cheers all.

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