Sydney University Bushwalkers

since 1946

Water Dragon Canyon

One of the best-loved bush adventures near Sydney is a lilo drift down the Wollangambe River. On hot summer weekends the gorge is full of groups paddling pool toys down the river between the sandstone cliffs, jumping from rock ledges, or giggling as they drag unicorns and flamingos between boulders into the next long pool. But all…

Kariong Falls, Mt Wondabyne, etc

Wondabyne Station is a halt on Mullet Creek on the north side of Hawkesbury River. The tiny platform is only long enough for one carriage so you have to sit in the back carriage and tell the guard you need the extra stop at Wondabyne. There is no other way to get there and apart from bushwalkers the halt seems to exist only for people with water-only access houses on the Hawkesbury. The tiny…

Pre xmas Blue Mountains Canyoning – Galah Canyon

The Newnes plateau stands around one thousand meters above sea level, separating the catchments of two wilderness rivers, the Wolgan and Wollangambe. Part state forest and part national park the plateau drops to the east into the Wollangambe Wilderness, with many fine canyons along Bungleboori and Dingo Creeks. To the…

Afternoon walk: Kamay NP La Perouse, and we saw Mercury, Fri 8/11

Afternoon walk in Kamay NP La Perouse, and we did see Mercury, Fri 8/11/2024. There was a good turnout for a friday afternoon walk during exam time; maybe examiners tend to avoid friday afternoon exams! There were a couple of minor transport glitches but mostly everything was sorted out okay. And best…

Capertee camping trip (Sun – Mon)

Several people are free over the weekend and thought it’d be a good idea to do a camping trip. A rough plan of going somewhere around the Capertee area on the Castlereagh Hwy was devised, and an Expression of Interest was published yet with no solid plan. It was when my friend came to my place for laundry that I asked him to plan the trip for me in exchange for free laundry. Putting together…

Halloween walk: Dover Heights to South Head & Camp Cove. 31/10

Halloween walk: Dover Heights to South Head & Camp Cove. 31/10/24. The weather forecast for the evening of this walk wasn’t all that good, but things didn’t turn out too bad overall, and the weather did provide some dramatic photographic scenes at times. Most people met up at Macquarie Lighthouse on Old South Head Road around 5pm, and we then set out along the paths that followed the cliff line towards South Head and The Gap. It was…

Coalcliff-Stanwell Park Beach-Otford, Tuesday 1st October

Coalcliff-Stanwell Park Beach-Otford, Tuesday 1st October You might notice that the heading of this trip report is not the same as what was originally planned. That’s because a track closure required a change of destination. And the heading pic doesn’t exactly look like a beach. Read on….

Umina – Pearl Beach – Patonga Walk SUNDAY 22nd September

Umina – Pearl Beach – Patonga Walk SUNDAY 22nd September. We had a fine mostly sunny day for this walk, and 16 members arrived off the train at Woy Woy Station, with Rickie and Ali driving up separately in their own cars. The train was a bit late, and I needed time to get everyone together and giving them a briefing about what we were doing. Therefore I…

Fernleigh Track, Glenrock Conservation Area, & Merewether Beach, Newcastle 1/9..

Fernleigh Track, Glenrock Conservation Area, & Merewether Beach, Newcastle 1/9/2024. The rare unseasonable very warm weather this weekend gave me some concerns about this walk, because of the possibility a high fire danger, and even maybe a “Total Fire Ban” being declared because of the strong and dry NW winds. As it…

Stanwell Tops, Kellys falls to Stanwell Park

Helensburgh, Stanwell Tops, Kellys falls to Stanwell Park. Initially the weather didn’t look too promising, with possible rain forecast, but as it turned out, the day turned out to be OK with no rain although cloudy all day. The rain had gone north to the Hunter Region and left us alone. Most of…