General information
Distance: 8 kilometers
Total climb: unknown
Time taken: 3 hours
Map: Nuchea 7335 1:100 000
Guide: link
Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO: 1,096 kilometers
Start point map grid reference: 54J XL 23083 38129
Destination: loop walk
End Point: same as start
Route
http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/
Description
Mutawintji National Park is about 120 kilometers northeast of Broken Hill. We entered the Park via the Mutawintji Access Road, and about 5 kilometers into the Park we arrived at the (unmanned) visitors centre where we could get the latest information on the Park and take some refreshments after the long drive from Broken Hill. Normally we would have started walking from the picnic area about 2.7 kilometers further on from the visitors centre (map grid reference 54J XL 23933 38987), but due to an access road closure we were obliged to start at the campground about 1 kilometer from the visitor centre, making our walk a few kilometers longer. We followed markers from the campground, initially through open ground.
As we entered the Gorge there were occasional glimpses of the feral goats and some Aboriginal paintings under a rocky overhang (Thaaklatijka).
Following Homestead Creek the Gorge narrowed and became sandy underfoot.
About 2.8 kilometers into the walk we met the Rockholes Loop Walk, a short 1.9 kilometer diversion which required a bit of climbing but included some interesting features above the Gorge, including the rockholes themselves.
Returning to Homestead Creek we continued through the Gorge until we arrived at the rock pool at the end of the track.
Although we could have returned to the start point via the Byngnano Range Walk, one of our group was experiencing problems so we backtracked along the shorter way we had come.
This was an excellent walk through the sort of country I have not had the chance to experience before. The track is easy to follow, although the sandy surface in the Gorge and some climbing in the Rockholes Loop make life interesting. Most of the trail was dry, so take plenty of water. I would have liked to have continued along the Byngnano Range Walk, but it will have to wait for the next time.
As we entered the Gorge there were occasional glimpses of the feral goats and some Aboriginal paintings under a rocky overhang (Thaaklatijka).
Following Homestead Creek the Gorge narrowed and became sandy underfoot.
About 2.8 kilometers into the walk we met the Rockholes Loop Walk, a short 1.9 kilometer diversion which required a bit of climbing but included some interesting features above the Gorge, including the rockholes themselves.
Returning to Homestead Creek we continued through the Gorge until we arrived at the rock pool at the end of the track.
Although we could have returned to the start point via the Byngnano Range Walk, one of our group was experiencing problems so we backtracked along the shorter way we had come.
This was an excellent walk through the sort of country I have not had the chance to experience before. The track is easy to follow, although the sandy surface in the Gorge and some climbing in the Rockholes Loop make life interesting. Most of the trail was dry, so take plenty of water. I would have liked to have continued along the Byngnano Range Walk, but it will have to wait for the next time.
