TRAX 4WD Fellowship

TRAX Trip Report – Pokolbin State Forest
Day Trip, Saturday, 16th June 2024

Present
Mat Smith – Pajero
Jen and Joe Cilia – Dmax
Daniel Lee and Richard – Nissan Patrol
Peter Frick – Toyota Hilux

The day started rainy as is usual in Sydney these days, The run up the freeway was in heavy rain, but buy the time we pulled up next to Matt at the meeting point there was no rain and it looked like the area had not received the downpours we had just received.
Soon enough all participants had arrived a completed united nations of vehicles with no two the same, just like my sock basket. We headed off to the start of the dirt and meandered through the forest with no dust and the mandatory puddles. One of the biggest obstacles on the day was very chilled bunch of horses that decided they would much rather not move an inch to let us pass. So, one by one we nudged our way past with windows down all saying hello. Morning tea time arrived and the lookout was very grand.

If there was ever a justification for a guard rail well this spot was it, no reverse parking sensor was going to be much help here, it was a long way down. Not to mention the fault line that was just waiting for an excuse to its thing, luckily I was on the safe side of that one.

We all packed up and with more meandering and more puddles to negotiate we headed to lunchtime.

Lots of discussion was had on all topics from electric cars, big tires and seats on aeroplanes as we sat under awnings as the rain came down for a while. Eventually we all packed up and began our extended departure from the forest. Some nice lookouts were stopped at on the way out and we were blessed with clear skies when we did.

We eventually made it out to air up and had a nice run home.

Very relaxing and stress free drive, thanks all and see you next time

Joe Cilia – Reporter-at-large

TRAX Trip Report – Walli Caves Recce
31st May 2024

We’ve been on a recce

Walli Caves
Friday 31 May 2024

Very overcast in Sydney. Heavy rain forecasted. Trip went ahead anyway with two Vehicles in convoy:

1. Mitsubishi Pajero. Occupants: Matthew Smith, Driver, and Ron Owen, Passenger
2. Land Rover Disco S4 Occupants: Neil Flower, Mac. Cusiter (Drivers), and Phillip Favaloro. Passenger.
   
   • Both vehicles left Sydney at 6:00am, stopped for early Morning tea at Maccas Lithgow at 8:45am
   • Lithgow also totally overcast.
   • Departed Lithgow 9:20am approx. Good run along GW Hwy to Bathurst, the Mid Western Hwy to Blayney.
   • Rain, reasonably light, began just as we entered Blayney.
   • Stopped at Blayney bakery for loaf of bread and some ‘eats’, then drove to Mandurama to turn onto Belubula Way. (That’s the road to Canowindra). Approx 19kms came to Walli Rd where the real Recce began.
   • Tried a couple of small roads with no result. Then called into a farm and whacko! Met with the Manager and his wife and little daughter. Very helpful, kind and obliging people who even took us out through the paddocks to where the Walli caves were. They were most helpful especially as the lady had some knowledge of some of Neil’s distant relatives who had lived and fossicked in that area many years ago.
   • Still raining lightly at 1:00pm, Matt had swung out the ‘Fox-wing’ shade from the Pajero and set up his gas stove and we proceeded to make lunch.
   • We were on top of a ridge but some entrances to the caves could be seen from where we were.
   • Rain continued – still a light drizzle which would have made it difficult for both people and vehicles to exit from the valley had we decided to go down to explore.
   • No worries! We have an invitation from the property managers to come back at any time. This was as good as we could have possibly hoped for on such a Recce!
   To Sum up –
   • There are 3 cave systems in this area although there are many individual caves.
   • The 3 systems are the Walli, Belubula and Cliefden systems. All are on private property, but TRAX has now obtained permission (and a welcome!) to come and explore 2 of these systems. We intend to visit the property owner of the 3rd lot of caves to see if we can visit them also. This is a great privilege, and we warmly thank the property managers for their welcomes and kindness.
   • Even if you don’t like caving, there is some good 4WD country ‘out there’.
   • Keep watching our trip calendar for date(s) of these trips.
   
   – Neil Flower. Troublemaker and trip Leader.

Out of interest, there were 46 known tagged and mapped caves at Walli as of 1985, every known cave around the world is numbered.

Walli caves are located north of Woodstock; 33O35’S 148O55’ E; Bathurst-/-; Ordovician limestone; prominent outcrops along Licking Hole creek; extent 3km x 2km; grazing; area about 3sq.km; significant bone deposits in caves; privately owned; Access controlled at owner’s request – permit required from SSS (Sydney Speleological Society); coord SSS; data by P. Wellings SSS 1975.

Looking forward to your trip Neil!

TRAX Trip Report – Jenolan to Wombeyan
26th – 28th July 2024

TL Rob, Evelyn Drummond Landcruiser 76
Eric and Dianne Liney Prado & camper
Ralph Radovan Range Rover
Neil Bootes and Elly Landcruiser 200+
TEC Phillip, Linda Favaloro Nissan Patrol

After many moths waiting for NPWS to reopen Wombeyan for camping and all other activity, the trip was on!

The weather was looking good and the group began arriving at our starting point at Black Springs late Friday afternoon. Rob, Evelyn, Phillip and Linda arrived in time to set up camp and have dinner; Neil and Elly arrived in the dead of night (around 10:00 after everyone else was deep in snooze-land), with Ralph and the Lineys turning up on Saturday morning.
After discussing the intended itinerary, Neil prayed for the weekend and we headed off to our first stop at Kanangra Walls lookout. We would have arrived earlier but the Prado suffered and flat tyre. The short walk to the lookout reveals one of the best panoramas of the Great Divide with views to Picton and Warragamba just over the horizon. After morning tea, we set off for the Morong Creek Track. This easy track ambles through the forest and eventually comes to Morong Creek where we found several tents and cars set up very near the banks of the creek. After recent rains, the creek level was higher than normal.
We all made it through with out any issues, with Eric having let air out of his tyres on purpose this time. The track continues for a few kilometres until it reaches Kowmung River Track where we turned left and started the decent to Kowmung River.
The track down was not a problem with the surface being pretty good but with rocky sections slowing progress a little. The last section is a straight line down to river level where we stopped for lunch.

Following lunch, we made or way across the Kowmung. The river was not as deep as Morong Creek, though the exit was a little trickier being gravelly and traction being on diagonally opposite corners of the cars. The route onwards heads steeply up the hill and down the other until coming to Dingo Dell which interestingly had no one at all camped there. The drive south from here is an easy one, though the track appears to have been formed with many rocks exposed in sections, slowing us down.
After a while this track, Banshee Fire Trail, ends at Mount Werong Road, mostly known as the Oberon-Colong Stock Route, where we turned left. The drive along this road is an easy one. After a while, we arrived at Mount Werong Campground which well inhabited. We hadn’t planned to stop here so moved on further towards Yerranderie. After a few kilometres we turned right onto Range Fire Trail Road which would take us most of the way to Wombeyan.
Range Fire Trail Road is again a fairly easy drive through the forest, with few rough spots along the way. Looking through the trees affords views here and there, towards Yerranderie and Warragamba (though you can’t see into those valleys). We arrived at Wombeyan around 4:30 and went about setting camp. Due to the NPWS allocate campsites these days, we were scattered all over the campground even though it appeared as though there was space available for us all to camp as a group. (see note in next article from NPWS after I left a review!)

We all had our dinners then sat around Neil’s fire and told the usual stories, both long and true! Thanks to Neil for proving the wood – it would have been a very cold night without it.

Next morning we packed up camp and headed off to the visitor’s centre, which is currently nothing more than a kiosk. Maybe it will be more splendiferous in the future. We decided to book a cave tour of Wollondilly Cave at 1:00 and filled the intervening time walking down to the Arch and having lunch.

Getting to the entrance of Wollondilly Cave entails walking up the hill to a ridge and waiting for the guide to then lead us a short distance to a small doorway. There’s approximately 500 stairs encountered on the tour, so a level of fitness is required. The guide was excellent and gave us a great insight into the history of Wombeyan in general and the various aspects of the cave. It always amazes me to hear gasps from the tour group when guides mention the first tours were run using candles, no stair or ladders and ran for several hours. Gee we got it easy!
Our tour ended late with Eric being the last one in the group. Eric wasn’t the reason we were running late, just that the tour was full and everyone was enjoying the experience.

After returning to the cars, we had afternoon tea and debated if we would return to Sydney via Wombeyan Caves Road or Goulburn. Officially the way to Mittagong is closed to all but local traffic, but reports around camp suggested that plenty of people were still using this regular route. In the end, Neil ran the gauntlet, Rob, Phillip and Ralph went via Goulburn and Eric headed north via Oberon. Gladly, everyone made it home safely!

This was an easy, relaxed way to spend a weekend with a great group of TRAX Friends.
Rob Drummond