Long Track Duffys Forest – including off track exploratory
Six keen walkers attended the extra walk put on over the long weekend. With rain forecast, the U&D rain gods once again shone on us. No rain experienced all day! Raincoats were useful on the bush bash with wet foliage to negotiate.
The plan was to do the cancelled exploration of the Western ridge of the Mt. Murray Anderson trail (programmed for 5th Sept), to find more of the published Aboriginal engravings. Once again however, we had to modify that plan as the original Hazard Reduction burn was expanded and included both sides of that main track. Avoiding damaging sensitive burnt bush, we opted to explore some rock shelves to the north of Long Track instead.
With 2 options based on satellite images, we decided on trying the first section, 2.3km along Long Track.
This proved to be a true bush bashing adventure (as Matthew described it). Fighting through dense scrub with the odd reprieve of rock, we stopped about 350m in, for morning tea on a sunny and rocky outcrop with a view to the north.
Here we decided that we had had enough and would take a shortcut back to Long Track.
The 600m of bush bash took us an hour to get through, not counting our 20m morning tea stop!
We decided to now have an easy day by getting to the end of Long Track with great views of Cowan Creek.
Lunch back down the track at the other lookout, then back to the cars with the promise of coffee at Terry Hills.
It was a fun day out. Thanks to all.
Distance covered 10.5km
Peter’s photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/J2YYujxjjawMMxoP8
