A small Watagan Mountains canyon
16th August 2003
Trip Notes
This was not quite a canyon trip, but I decided to put it here rather than in the Bushwalking section. It was an interesting trip in an area not known for canyoning. A very small canyon, but a canyon no less.
In the Watagan Mountains, near Cooranbong on the NSW Central Coast, we followed a small creek upstream through moss covered boulders to where it becomes a small pretty sandstone canyon. Along the way stopping at a small natural arch found up above the creek.
The lower constriction of the canyon could be swum in warmer weather, but in mid August we chose to walk around it...
Further upstream the creek is flat and open on a solid sandstone base for fifty metres or so before you enter a large chamber like section.
You could enter this chamber from the downstream end with a swim, but we chose to scramble in at the other end and stay dry.
The downstream end has a small cave on one side and another deeper cave lower down on the other side, both full of glow worms. I suspect the whole chamber would look quite impressive at night!
All up, the creek is only one km or so long, but it made for a fun half day of creek bashing and rock scrambling in a beautiful area.
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Josef finds a vine swing on the walk into the creek. "Hey Dad check this out!" |
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Ross has a go too. "Hey yeah this is great!" |
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Some interesting fungus found along the way up the creek. |
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Hisako, squeezing up through a tunnel. |
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Josef, having a great day! |
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An impressive natural arch. |
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Ross on the arch. |
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Ross and Hisako check out the drop. |
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Hisako, Josef and Ross. |
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Ross leaping the gap! |