2013 Edjits Mini Trip to Hill End

Bushie · June 8, 2013

Discussion had been underway for a mini Edjits trip for a while, and a decision was made to head off over the Anzac weekend (having secured Friday off).

Those that were able to attend (Martyn & Amanda, Chenz & Jan, and ShortyNSW and daughter Elizabeth) were to meet at Mt Victoria pub for dinner on Wednesday evening. After a slight delay in getting away from work we were on our way shortly after 5pm heading for Mt Victoria meeting the others at around 7:15 after battling with the M4 carpark.

After dinner is was out into the Newnes plateau to find somewhere to camp, ending up at around 10pm near the old Lithgow water supply dam. Flat ground was in short supply so a camp in the middle of the road was made, we were only some 70m from the end of the track so traffic wasn't likely to be too much of a problem.
Thursday dawned as a perfect morning - if a little cool, a quick breakfast of bacon and eggs was consumed by all before a quick walk down to the dam wall

Wednesday night camp

Old Lithgow water supply dam.

From the dam we headed up and out towards Glow worm tunnel.
The track follows the route of the old Wolgan Valley Shale oil railway constructed at the turn of the last century for extracting shale oil back to the main line at Clarence siding. The whole 51km track with two tunnels was constructed in 18 months
Wolgan Valley Rail

From the Glow worm tunnel carpark it is a pleasant walk down to Glow worm tunnel and onto the Wolgan valley although we didn't complete the whole route - only skirting the cliffs overlooking the valley.

The route of the railway is now overgrown with tree ferns and other 'rainforest' type vegetation.

The track ran along the base of the cliffs around the Wolgan Valley.

There's not a lot of evidence left from the tracks but the occasional relic can be seen.

The track construction didn't use ballast relying on the fact that most water drained freely into the ground.

Glow worm tunnel itself is 20 chains long (~400m) and curved meaning it is totally dark at the mid point. We found the glow worm display to be best just as light is becoming visible towards the ends of the tunnel rather than the darkest point.
After the tunnel walk it was back to the carpark for morning tea from the trusty eco-billy

Smoke the place out

Leaving the glow worm tunnel it was back to Bungelboori camp and then across Blackfellows hand trail (which now has a politically correct new name).

After stopping at Wolgan Gap to locate a clunking sound from under the Landy (loose shock mount) we headed out across the Bicentennial and Moffit trails towards Ben Bullen. The first climb saw a challenge to our passage needing the rear locker for my defender and a heavier boot for ShortyNSW in his Mitsabit****i (cabover Sigma). The next climb was a little rougher but navigable however as we would have to winch the Mitsu up and then traverse the rest of the trail to Ben Bullen and running short of time to get to Hill End we elected to skip that section at run up the highway to Cherry Tree Hill then across Razorback road to the Turon then through Sofala (missing the pub) and onto The Royal Hotel at Hill End for some beers a feed and a game of two up. Accommodation for the night was at the home of a friend of Shortys.

St Pauls Church - Hill End.

Hill End

Shortys mate was a WW2 Jeep enthusiast and took us on a guided tour of Hill End and surrounding lookouts before we visited the museum at History Hill (well worth the $10 entry for anyone that heads that way).

Hill End Tours

With the season changing the trees around Hill End are starting to display the varied colours of autumn.

Although we are at the end of April weather over the weekend was fabulous and more like a summer day than autumn in the central west.

Departing Hill end we headed back through Sofala - stopping for a quickie at the pub, before following the Turon river through Upper Turon to Palmers Oakey and then via the Mount Horrible road to Chenzs property for beers BBQ and a bed (or swag) for the night.
The next morning after returning a wayward bull to the property and doing some fence repairs Chenz and Jan had to depart back to Sydney for a Saturday night engagement.
We with Shorty and Elizabeth headed back up Mt Horrible and down Eskdale road through Winburndale Nature reserve towards Dark/Sunny corner and a camp for the night.

Eskdale Trig.

After trying a few tracks looking for a camp we made our way down close to Portland and camped near another small dam. I was able to see a platypus in the wild swimming around on the surface in the dam (one of the few natives I hadn't seen wild prior to then).

Tonights camp

Camp fire light.

Old Portland Watersupply Dam

From Portland it was a quick trip back to Lithgow for fuel, and then onto Bell Line of Road stopping at the old gun emplacements for a look around.

Old Gun Emplacements.

We stopped for a quick morning tea at the Monkey Creek Cafe, before saying our goodbyes at the Mountain Lagoon turnoff, with Shorty and Elizabeth heading home via Mountain Lagoon and we headed back home via Richmond.

The only downer for the trip was on returning home the hub bolts on the n/s rear wheel had come loose and leaked oil all over the rear wheel. This however was a quick tighten, remove wheel and wash down.

I'll give it all a proper check over on Friday as I'm off work.

Martyn