Murphys Crossing (Katoomba to Mittagong)

[RobT]

I attempted Mittagong (Wattle Ridge) to Katoomba this week, but turned back at Murphys Crossing (Wollondilly River) because the current was too strong to ford the 50 odd metres safely, especially since I was alone. I'm about 186cm tall and attempted to cross with aid of a sturdy stick. There were no river stones visible and the water was too brown to see the bottom. Photos: https://www.strava.com/activities/7246743132

For reference, the nearest river height gauge is "Wollondilly R at Jooriland", with latest data accessible via the BoM:
http://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDN60233/IDN6 ... .tbl.shtml
The river height at this site was 1.6 metres when I attempted to cross on Tuesday 31 May.

Does anyone have a rough rule of thumb for what gauge reading corresponds to safe crossing conditions?

Posting here because the log book at Beloons Pass also had accounts from others who had to turn back at the river.

The Nattai River valley is gorgeous (shame about the feral pigs) and Beloons Pass is tough country (vines having a heyday with dead timber and regrowth) but beautiful all the same.

[keithj]

For reference, the nearest river height gauge is "Wollondilly R at Jooriland", with latest data accessible via the BoM:
http://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDN60233/IDN6 ... .tbl.shtml
The river height at this site was 1.6 metres when I attempted to cross on Tuesday 31 May.

Does anyone have a rough rule of thumb for what gauge reading corresponds to safe crossing conditions?

See https://www.whatworkedforme.com/blog/posts/RiverLevels/ for 'normal' river levels.
'Wollondilly R at Jooriland' after a few weeks of no rain is normally 0.55m.
So I'd say at >1m higher you made a good decision.

[RobT]

Thanks Keith, that's really helpful

[GregG]

I attempted Mittagong (Wattle Ridge) to Katoomba this week, but turned back at Murphys Crossing (Wollondilly River) because the current was too strong to ford the 50 odd metres safely, especially since I was alone. I'm about 186cm tall and attempted to cross with aid of a sturdy

Congratulations on a good decision Rob, you chose wisely.

[pkohlhagen]

On a related topic, I'm in planning stages of a multiday Kanangra trip in July that would require a couple of crossings of the Kowmung. Does anyone know what a "normal" river height would be at Cedar Ford (http://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDN60233/IDN6 ... .tbl.shtml) and what height is likely to make the river uncrossable? Looking at needing to cross just downstream of Orange Bluff and also at the ford itself.

Cheers

Last edited by pkohlhagen on Mon 06 Jun, 2022 10:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Warin]

? https://grindlay.org/2019/01/morong-deep-fail-3/

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

These questions come up periodically for the Woll, Kowmung, Cox, Shoalhaven etc. Not so much the Nattai as that tends to fall as quickly as it rises. There's been other threads on this site seeking to map heights of the Cox at Kelpie Point, for example, to crossability at the usual nearby crossing points. Would it be useful to have a sticky where recent visitors to different waterways could annotate how easy/difficult/impossible popular rivers were to cross against the nearest gauge recording at the time, to build up a bit of a knowledge base and help with planning? Just a thought.

[puredingo]

How was the going from Emmets down to, and over, Belloon.pass?

[Summitview]

I am replying on the off-chance anyone is still following this thread.

I have been planning to walk Mittagong to Katoomba for a long time, but have been thwarted over recent years by La Nina high river levels. It is currently at just over 1.3 metres. It could be inferred from Keithj's post that 1 metre might be a threshold.

My question is whether anyone has a more refined view of a safe level for the crossing (which really was RobT's initial questoin).

Thanks.

[Summitview]

Just adding to this thread in the light of the recent very heavy rains.

Water NSW actually closed the Wollondilly crossing following these rains (128 mm in Goulburn headwaters in 2 days). I assume this was for safety reasons.

The problem is that they do not publish on the website that it is closed, so there is a chance you could walk in unknowingly and find that even the bushwalking corridor is closed at the Murphys Flat crossing. The only ways of finding out if the crossing is legally open appear to be:
- to subscribe to a Water NSW notification list;
- email [email protected] and ask and
- ring the after-hours duty officer on 9685 4331.

Don't bother emailing or ringing the general inquiries address or numbers for Water NSW. While the call centre staff try to do the right thing, it takes a long time to not get the information you are after. Even the email address and phone number do not guarantee a fast response.

Of course, you can take the chances about the crossing being open, but there are many accounts of the rangers being heavy-handed with breaches of the requirements for the bushwalking corridor.

Water NSW opened up the Murphys Flat crossing when it was 0.64 metres - presumably they think that is a safe level, which I am sure it is.

[puredingo]

Does nobody employ the old “ find the wider, deeper pools and swim it” technique?

If it’s over .5 metre you will probably get pretty wet anyway. Rest your feet, start up the top and go with the flow.

[rcaffin]

Does nobody employ the old “ find the wider, deeper pools and swim it” technique?
If it’s over .5 metre you will probably get pretty wet anyway. Rest your feet, start up the top and go with the flow.

Been there, done that.
If you can waterproof your pack, it makes a fairly good floatie too.

Cheers
Roger