by FatCanyoner » Mon 22 Jun, 2020 12:50 pm
Hanging swamps are pretty easy to spot in the upper Blue Mountains. They are generally larger, tree-less areas that stand out on aerial photos. Heath can look similar, but usually darker in colour. Actual swamps in the headwaters of creeks are generally greener again. Using a website like Tom's or SIX can help. Start by looking at places you've been and know the vegetation type.
As for your target area, I think you'll have trouble regardless of the imagery used. The sandstone in the Colo area is very different to the upper mountains. It seems a lot more porous. There are some solid swamps around, in the headwaters of some of the creeks (particularly those running east to west from Putty Rd towards the Colo). I've certainly endured some slow going when trying to move through those swamps. I've never come across the classic, upper mountains style hanging swamp in that area. The rock type just doesn't seem right. You do get small sections of hanging swamp vegetation, but it's not the large, treeless type. In fact, most of it seems to be hidden under the canopy. So while it will feel like hanging swamp if you try to move through it, it won't look like it on the aerial imagery.
I am curious, given your target area, if this effort is an attempt to follow clues to track down Indigenous art. Your target areas is in the broad vicinity of some significant sites.