Tree Removal in Jenolan Creek

[bush]

Hi All,

Over the long weekend some mates and I had a brilliant hike up over the Wild Dog Mountains down to the Coxs, stopping over night at both Kanangra and Jenolan creeks.
As we explored Jenolan Creek Gorge, we noticed a very large number of 1 type of gumtree saplings (and some bigger than saplings) had been cut off with a chain saw at ground level.
There were a number of quite old examples of these trees in the area and they obviously take many years and grow in to beautiful old trees.
It didn't seem as though it might have been for track maintenance as they were cut both near and away from the track.
It is national park through there so I'm assuming it was a ranger.
I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas about why they might have been removed?

Was quite sad to see such a majestic environment touched by a chain saw.

Cheers,

Bush

[robert sloss]

I guess you mean the Jenolan River. On my first walk up the river my friend an guide made our group cut across scrubbers saddle (hump) and we more or less fell down the 50 metres into the river. there was no track along the river and I was told that the lower gorge was not negotiable thus the saddle route. this was in 1975. I went back in 1976 and 1976 and 1977; still no track but the gorge was quite easy to negotiate. i remember finding a car battery in the gorge probably left by trout fishermen or campers who came by horse. Over the past few years the farmers in the Jenolan area have been subdividing there properties and city folk are moving in with 4wd and horses to create more access routes into the N.P. park. Kiangatha that straddles the 6 Foot Track and Murdering Creek is presently being split up and there is a suggestion that it will have a resort similar to the Wogan Valley resort.

Did you find a foot track through the lower gorge?

Robert Sloss

[Allchin09]

Robert,

On my last walk up the Jenolan River from Breakfast Creek, the track had been significantly cleared as 'Bush' has mentioned. This track makes its way along the Eastern Bank (left hand side whilst going traveling upstream) for a few hundred meters, until the gorge starts to narrow. You then have to cross the river a few more times (5 or so) but it is quite shallow during normal river heights and only comes up to your knees.

Eventually, the rock walls completely close in on the River as you reach a large pool, so that the banks disappear completely. In order to continue upstream there are two possible options:

1. Wade/swim the 30m stretch of canyon. As the water is quite deep (about waist height) it wouldn't be very present in the winter, and it would be very difficult to carry a pack above the water if it wasn't watertight.

2. On the left hand wall, there is a very narrow ledge (less than a foot wide in some places with poor handholds) that you can follow around to the stoney bank at the other end of the canyon. At the beginning of the ledge, you must climb up to a height of nearly 3m above the river. The problem with the route, besides it being very difficult/dangerous to negotiate with a pack, is that the ledge does not work its way down to the bank at the other end. Instead, it stops above the bank, and you have to make your way down the 2 or so metres to the ground below. When I made my way along the ledge, I would have been able to get down, but without a handline I believe I would have had trouble working my way back up to the ledge.

In summary, there really isn't a safe and practical way to get more than a kilometre up Jenolan River without out either swimming through the gorge, or climbing up and over Scrubbers Saddle. I personally quite enjoyed a trip in which we made out way to Scrubbers Saddle, then climbed up along the ridge to Mt O'Reilly, before working our way down the the junction of Membedah Creek and Jenolan River. From there, we had a very pleasant trip walking straight up the middle of Jenolan River, watching countless trout swim about, until we reached the Causeway near Sassafras Creek.

[Wollemi]

Over the long weekend some mates and I had a brilliant hike up over the Wild Dog Mountains down to the Coxs, stopping over night at both Kanangra and Jenolan creeks.
As we explored Jenolan Creek Gorge, we noticed a very large number of 1 type of gumtree saplings (and some bigger than saplings) had been cut off with a chain saw at ground level.
I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas about why they might have been removed?

To allow for a helicopter to land, perhaps?
I have been removed from a NP by helicopter (theirs, actually) when assisting with scientific programs. A field officer was winched in and sawed down an attractive tree or two. We were then given the grid reference and description to get to for pick-up the next day.

[Allchin09]

Wollemi, it isn't only a sapling or two that have been cut down. There have been a large number cut down along the length of the track. I think it's probably so that the track can be used by horses once again.

Here is an example

[maddog]

From the photo you provide Alchin09, it looks like the parks service have been doing a bit of (no doubt) long overdue track maintenance, though it would have made more sense to cut the stumps at ground level.

Perhaps this is the kind of thing that environment minister Robyn Parker was referring to when she boasted that 'investment in walking tracks, lookouts, accommodation and new facilities is providing more access and opportunity for people to enjoy the diverse, precious and unique natural environment our national parks provide.'

Hopefully the parks service are soon set to work in other areas too (in particular clearing lookouts).

[clarence]

I didn't think there was any "track" to clear in that area.

There was a story in Wild Magazine in the late 1980s or early 1990s about a walk throght Jenolan River, with some mention of an impassable "gorge" section. I always assumed it was closer to the caves than the Coxs. Maybe this is what Alex is referring to.

Having explored all of Mumbedah Creek (which is a very special place) I'd always wanted to do Jenolan River. Above the Mumbedah Creek junction, did you strike any more gorge sections further upstream Alex?

Clarence

[Allchin09]

Clarence,

Once the whole length of the river was passable from the junction with Mumbedah Creek to the causeway, no gorges in that section, only the one between Mumbedah Creek junction and Coxs River. In saying that though, we walked in the water most of the way as tracks along the banks were generally not present and they were quite overgrown, making for slow progress on land.

I don't think you can travel much further upstream than the causeway along Jenolan, as you soon reach 'Hellgate Gorge', a stretch named by a party including Myles Dunphy during a trip he made in 1912 from Jenolan caves downstream. They were the first bushwalkers to ever explore that area, and when upon finding the stretch impassable, named it accordingly and turned back.

How did you explore Mumbedah Creek? I've only seen it from where it finished, but it seemed quite present.

[SteveJ]

I've had Jenolan river (Harrys) on my list of walks for a while as it looks a great hybrid walk/packraft trip. My packraft so adds another dimension to my adventures .

Steve

[Allchin09]

Steve,

I don't know too much about packrafting, but you may want to check that the water level of Jenolan river is high enough. I know that some sections get quite shallow!

[kanangra]

Clarence. Sorry to have to tell you this but there is most definitely a gorge in the Harrys between Mumbedah Ck and the caves. It is far more sustained and difficult to negotiate than the lower canyon section near the Coxs. It is known as Hellgate Gorge and that is a good description. Very ruggard. It is upstream of the track crossing that goes from the Black Range down across the river and up to Moorarra Boss.

K.

[clarence]

Thanks Kanangra and Allchin,

Sounds like a challenge (?).

Mumbedah Creek is stunning wilderness walking, incredible waterfalls too.

Clarence

[rcaffin]

Wollemi, it isn't only a sapling or two that have been cut down. There have been a large number cut down along the length of the track. I think it's probably so that the track can be used by horses once again.

Been a while since we went down the full length of Jenolan Ck. We saw some thickets of tree of Heaven along the way, and I reported them. The Service had their removal on their to-do list. Are you very sure the cut trees were gum trees, or could they have been ToH?

Hellgate Gorge is nice, and can be either jumped (RISKY!) or climbed around. The bottom gorge can be waded a lot of the time. See the front cover of The Bushwalker for a photo of the lower gorge:
http://www.bushwalking.org.au/bushwalki ... mmer09.pdf

Cheers