Budawang Wilderness: Pigeon House Mountain

General Information

Distance: 5.3 kilometers return
Total climb: 485 meters
Time taken: 2 hours 30 minutes
Map:  Milton 8927-2N 1:25 000
Guide:  link
Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  202 kilometers
Start point map grid reference:  56H KF 50666 82793
Destination map grid reference:  56H KF 51467 84801
End point: same as start

Route

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Description

Pigeon House Mountain is a distinctively-shaped peak visible from many parts of the South Coast around Ulladulla.



The starting point for the hike was the picnic area at the end of Pigeon House Road. To get there from Ulladulla we drove south on the Princes Highway to Wheelbarrow Road where we turned right. We followed Wheelbarrow road to Woodburn Road, where we turned left and continued to Clyde Ridge Road where we turned right. Clyde Ridge Road eventually meets Yadboro Road where we turned right. About 4.3 kilometers along Yadboro Road is Pigeon House Road. The Pigeon House walking track is very clear and well maintained, and on the day that we did the walk there were a large number of walkers along it, including young children. The first kilometer of the track is very steep though. Once this first climb has been made, however, there is a peak on the ridge at 454 meters elevation which gives the first good views of the surrounding area.





Continuing on from there we continued to climb more gradually up the track following the ridge. At about 2 kilometers into the walk the steep climb up the southeast ridge of Pigeon House commences, and after about 500 meters the track comes to the cliffs that surround the summit. Ladders provide a safe and simple way of getting to the summit, though there are also some narrow sections of track.

 



Finally we came to the safety-fenced lookout at the summit where the views over the coast and the Budawang Wilderness are exceptional.







After taking some time with the views we headed back to the picnic area the way we had come. This is a great short walk on a very good track.

Kosciuszko National Park: Kiandra Heritage Trail and Tabletop Track

General Information

Kiandra Heritage Trail
   Distance: 2 kilometers return
   Total climb: negligible
   Time taken: 30 minutes
   Map:  Ravine 8526-2N 1:25 000
   Guide:  Derrick Stone Walks, Tracks & Trails of New South Wales (2012), pp.180-181.
   Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  150 kilometers   
   Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 34892 28774
   Destination:  loop trail
   End point:  same as start

Tabletop Trail (part)
   Distance: 13 kilometers return
   Total climb: 232 meters
   Time taken: 2 hours 15 minutes
   Map:  Cabramurra 8526-2S 1:25 000
   Guide:  Derrick Stone Walks, Tracks & Trails of New South Wales (2012), pp.182-183.
   Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  206 kilometers
   Start point Map grid reference:  55H FA 34798 28358
   Destination:  none - walk was exploratory
   End point:  same as start

Route

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Description

I have an ancestor who was mining gold at Kiandra during the brief gold rush of 1859-61, so I wanted to see the site. I started at the restored courthouse and followed the trail through a rather bleak and windswept valley.



Old mining remains can be seen, as well as the ruins of Yan's Store and the restored Matthew's Cottage.



 



Information boards are regularly placed around the trail, and it is well worth taking the time to read them.



With the trail only 2 kilometers in length, I had plenty of time and energy for some additional walking and decided to check out part of the Tabletop Trail to see if it was worth the two-day hike in Derrick Stone's book. Starting near Pollocks Gully, I walked up the side of Dunn's Hill and looked back towards Kiandra.



The track passes mostly through open grassland with occasional stands of trees and distant mountains.

 

I followed the trail south about 5.5 kilometers and decided that I should return to get back to Cooma in time. Unfortunately I took a wrong turning down the Mt Selwyn nordic ski trail, and while this added about 2 kilometers to the walk, it provided some nice views.



The Kiandra Heritage Trail is worth taking some time over, though it is remote and has few facilities (there is a toilet at the Court House, however). The Tabletop Trail was sufficiently interesting to get me back there to do the Tabletop and Four Mile Trails as a two-day hike the following month. 

Namadgi National Park: Square Rock

General Information

Distance:  11.2 kilometers
Total climb:  305 meters
Time taken:  3 hours 37 minutes
Map:  Corin Dam 8626-1N 1:25 000
Guide:  link
Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  52 kilometers
Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 73134 67548
Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 71122 65800
End Point:  same as start

This is the most recent time I have undertaken this walk. Previous walks were on 5 July 2015 and 13 May 2014.

Route

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Description

The Square Rock walking track begins at the Square Rock carpark on Corin Road, about 1 kilometer past the Corin Forest recreation area. The start of the track is well marked and at first parallels the Corin Road for about 1 kilometer through fairly open forest. The climb up to Square Rock starts then, and by about the 3.5 kilometer mark about 200 meters in elevation has been gained. Just short of the 4 kilometer mark there is a side track off to the left that leads to a point near the 1444 meter peak at map reference FA713650 (this track is marked accurately on the map). It is well worth taking this side track, as it leads to a lookout with very good views down towards the Orroral Valley.



Returning to the main track, it is only about one kilometer to Square Rock, which is easily climbed via a short ladder.



From Square Rock there are good views to the west, north and east.





Return to the carpark is by the same track. This is a nice and easy walk of a moderate distance with some good views along the way. It is easily accessible on sealed roads.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Billy Billy Rocks - North/South Route

General Information

Distance:  5.4 kilometers
Total climb:  347 meters
Time taken:  7 hours
Map:  Corin Dam 8626-1N; 1:25: 000
Guide:  Graeme Barrow, Namadgi & Tidbinbilla Classics: Tough Bushwalks in Canberra's 
                                        High Country (2000), pp. 25-27.
Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  52 kilometers
Start point map grid reference: 55H FA 73102 67537
Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 71942 69153
End point:  same as start

Route

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Description

Billy Billy Rocks is a rocky peak in the south of the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. There are two main routes off Corin Road to get to the Rocks, one approaching from the east and the other from the south. On this occasion we decided to do the north-south route. This starts at Square Rock carpark, which is just a bit after the Corin Forest recreation area. Crossing Corin Road from the carpark we initially headed north and then west, avoiding the boggy ground around Gibraltar Creek. The climb was only moderate in the early stages of the hike, but it became steeper as we veered northwest up the hill at map reference FA721686 where there is a Bogong cave. As well as the steepness of the climb, we were faced with thick scrub and lots of fallen trees, a legacy of the 2003 bushfires. Due to these factors, it took us over 2 hours to hike our first 2 kilometers. Arriving at the peak at FA721686 we searched for the Bogong cave but without success. There were some interesting rock formations here though.



We then hiked due north towards Billy Billy Rocks. This meant we had to descend through the continuing dense scrub and fallen trees down to Billy Billy Creek and then climb up the other side. This took us another hour or so. Perhaps we would have been better off following the contours around to the west and then veering east to approach the Rocks. We spent some time exploring the Rocks, but were unable to find the stone cairns that would lead us to the best views over Namadgi and Tidbinbilla. We did get a few glimpses through the rocks and trees though.



Running short on time we decided to head back - not a pleasant thought given the terrain we had walked through to get to the Rocks. For some crazy reason we walked back to the peak at FA721686, which we should have just walked around to the east, saving us another climb. We then headed roughly straight southeast to get back to the car. This took us through the boggy ground around Gibraltar Creek, where I managed to stand on a red-bellied black snake which thankfully slithered off away from me.

Graeme Barrow rated this walk as "Hard" back in 2000, but given the post-bushfire regrowth and fallen trees it has become even more difficult. Barrow said that the walk should take 4.5 hours, but we took 7 wearying hours. My co-hikers and I decided that next time we would use the west-east route, where we had heard that there is at least a track of some description.