So, today. Lots of photos. Happy to turn to links if too many.
Aim then: I aimed to head down the Horse Track again, photograph the possible Syncarpia sites, and then bang on up Govetts to Arethusa - if possible. I was on a shortish timeframe - when I originally wanted to do it I'd assumed I'd camp. But the sun was out, I'm back at work next week, who knows when I'll next be able to do that, and curiosity was burning. So the plan was, do Syncarpia, head up till around lunchtime, and turn back after that from wherever i got to.
Gear: 2L water (not enough for little old me, as it turned out, but i aimed to top up), first aid (including treatment, snake bandage, emergency blanket, PLB), spot of lunch,and a bit of extra supplies, stove for a spot of tea if so inclined (answer: no) or miso dinner (not required). And the trusty vegemite volleys.
Arrived at Evans Lookout around 8ish. Had a chat with some fellas heading to Edenderry falls and swapped some track notes about the Syncarpia area and Greaves creek. Then hoofed it down to the horsetrack junction and was there at 815. As mentioned elsewhere, the track crew are slowly but surely working their way down and it's looking great. They've done the steep bit with lots of sandstone steps and are pushing down on to the more gentle slopes with gravel and wooden steps. Will be a doddle when it's done, and I expect not as quiet as it used to be. Later in the day on my way back I passed several groups pushing up from Acacia Flat.
Doggers rest:
By 850 I was at the old Horse Track/Rodriguez Pass junction.
Note the reference to Govetts Leap - not open yet, not being opened anytime soon, but it's obviously still part of the plan:
Old horse track sign is still there:
I however, took a right turn up Govetts Creek. Okay, let's roll through the Syncarpia candidates.
Here's a helpful map. Sorry it's the 2nd ed, was all I had lying around - Edenderry, Hilary and Arethusa all mislabelled. But will suffice to identify what I wanted to look at - and where I was heading, up Govetts to where it bends around Carne Wall
Okay, Red first. This is the first one you come across and is well used. With Rodriguez closed, you'll need to know it's there, but it used to be about 10 metres off that track. Not a great photo, the light was not great.
I then crossed Govetts Creek and started heading upstream to have a look at the blue site, almost opposite the junction with Greaves. It’s a nice spot, although quite dark/dank in the shadow of Fortress Ridge all day long. Still, some open spaces and fire pits.
At this point I looked for the most easy crossing past the junction and there kind of wasn't one. I have a general rule to try keep my feet dry for as long as possible; took me a little while, but when I crossed back I knew I would be now above the yellow site. I got it on the way back. I think it's the most likely candidate for the original site but there have been little landslides and flooding etc and the grass and scrub is very high. You could do it, but I don't think it's what it was. Here is the edge of a landslide across the flat. The one mark against it is that the Syncarpia trees themselves aren’t actually very widespread. There's a few biggies down through the area. I don't know.
Then, onwards to the purple site up around Blackwall Glen. It's more a collection of a few good but small spots in some lovely turpentine forest.
And the Glen itself
.Fanged it past Edenderry having been there less than a week ago for a swim. I should mention that after the overgrown yellow spot, there's a very easy to find pad running all the way up to these falls.
Next stop was Hilary Falls, I believe. The pad was still there for it too.
By this stage it was just shy of 10. Could I get to Arethusa in a couple of hours? I was going to try! But things started to get tricky.
I passed another falls, but the pad was trending up. Given there was evidence of landslides this suited me fine. I believe there are at least a couple more falls to see if you stick to the creek bed, but I missed them. So I don’t know which these are.
Unfortunately I didn't miss my old nemesis Smilax:
And it didn't miss me (photo taken this evening). If only I could say I hadn't had worse!
The pad would be okay for a little but then hit a big patch. I was now well above the turpentine/sassafras with its easy walking creekside, and was loathe to descend to it, knowing that the falls were still above my elevation, even if it didn't have a significant drop to contend with, which it did. I found I could hold a line to keep the lawyer vine above me, and get some clear walking, but it was hard going. Eventually, after literally being held stretched out a half metre off the ground by a mattress of creepers, I decided enough was enough. I would try and head down to clearer walking - and hopefully a canyoners pad which surely didn't take this approach - and if not, give it up for today. Within ten minutes or so I found it would be the first one. I had observed the slot for Dr Dark's Cave earlier:
And was now about level with it. I could also see the Arethusa canyon where it joins with... the other one, I forget. But the end was in sight!
From here, I picked up an easier pad again and pushed on. Soon I could hear the roar of what must be the Medusa Falls, and spotted some pink tape:
Some large boulders navigated, I soon found myself on top of Medusa falls with a lovely look back at the Dark slot. I've stood up there looking down at this set of falls and it was a nice moment!
Now a decision; I could see the creek coming down a mini canyon on the left bank, with Carne Wall closing in very steeply, but it disappeared around a corner. On the right bank, some boulders and perhaps the opportunity of clambering up that way. I chose the latter, just not wanting to negotiate any cascades/mini falls. This took me much higher then I had anticipated due to some very large boulders above the creek. But I started to see glimpses of first Vida falls and then Arethusa itself. Finally I was before them both. Tired, I, uh, missed the bottom and top in my photo.
I contemplated the barefoot bushwalker Dot English and others being the first to climb up the falls by holding on to the roots of plants, almost 90 years ago. They apparently eventually gave way but perhaps there are others that could afford some leverage now.
It was now almost 12 o'clock. I resolved to head back down to the lower falls and have some lunch there before checking out the other Syncarpia. I tried to stick to the pad - and did so but soon found myself in the same predicament as before, with some now very tired, scratched and weary limbs to boot. Following a few pink tags at first, I was soon well above the rainforest below. The problem was there a significant landslide at one point not far above Hilary falls which I had crossed as I started to head up the talus; i didn't want to end up below it if I could help it, or in he creek bouldering, so kept at it. I did however have a bit more success staying on the pad, traversed the landslide and got down to Edenderry where I had a break and refilled and treated some water. (Hmm, yeah. A bit of dehydration setting in? Or a bit dodgy? Had a few grumbles and gurgles the rest of the walk). I made the junction of Greaves and Govetts by about 150, the Horse Track by about 2/210, and then dragged by sorry bum up to Evans Lookout, which I finally made at about 330. The morning sun had prevented me taking a photo of my intended journey, but I took a last look:
If you know where to look you can see the Greaves/Govetts junction, and then Govetts Ck heading up the other side of the spur coming down from Carne Wall, including Blackwall Glen. You can spot the slot of Dr Dark's cave but not where Arethusa emerges.
So, a fairly successful day out. Not half buggered though!
