A Walk Down to the Wollangambe River

It’s a public holiday, and I’ve decided to do a walk somewhere in the Wollangambe Wilderness. I print out a map that I’ve marked up with a few POIs, grab my bag, and go. I’m at the Trailhead, and it’s not too hot for mid-summer. So initially, I was going to visit Goochs Crater. I’ve been wanting to do this walk for a while now. More on that later. I start walking down the main trail to the Crater. I’ve skipped the popular Dargans Arch as it adds a bit too much up and down, and I like to do easy walks in Summer.

The bush is nice. Sparse gum trees, grasses with the odd shrub. The start of this trail follows a long spur initially. I spot a few Waratahs that have finished flowering and have created seed pods. There is very little flowing in the bush. Looking around, I think this bush would be great when in flower.

As I’m walking along, a juvenile Eastern Brown Snake - Pseudonaja textilis crosses my path and hides in a nearby shrub. I wait for it to finish slithering away before navigating around the world's second-most venomous land snake. I’ve got a snake bite kit in the bag, and I go over in my head how to wrap a snake bite. I’ve forgotten, gotta follow up on that.

Almost immediately after I spot a beautiful Blotched Blue-tongue lizard - Tiliqua nigrolutea (Northern upland form), it has beautiful yellow and salmon-red blotches. This is the first time I’ve spotted this species, so I’m pretty happy. It lets me photograph it. I carefully step over the rather large Blue-tongue and continue on.

After about 2 km, I hit the first Pagoda rock formation. Pagodas are these stepped rock formations found in the Blue Mountains. Almost always above or around 1000m elevation. I continue on and find a large outcrop of Pagodas. The 360 degree views at the top are remarkable. From the top looking East, I can see Submarine Rock and where I have walked over there.

The trail starts to descend, and I get a glimpse of the next section of the trail. I continue on until I hit a Y intersection. I look at the steep Goochs Crater trail and at the other trail, and it appears to go down to the Wollangambe River. It’s getting warm, and I decide that in this heat and nice soak in the river is the go. I’ll return when it’s cooler to do the remainder of the Goochs Crater Trail.

After deciding to change up the planned walk. I start to descend down the other trail. It’s a bit steep but nothing outrageous. A little bit of minor scrambling down the sandstone. I can hear the river as I get closer. Once I arrive, I’m greeted with a calm, flowing Wollangambe River. I explore around, crossing over the river and having a bit of a look. It’s a nice spot. I see that upstream it’s sandy and flat. I’m strip down and hop in. It’s freezing, but well worth it. I relax for some time in the river. I examine the chunky sand and look at all the different types of rocks. After a while, I decide I kinda need to return home. I hop out, dry off, and have some lunch.

After lunch, I start heading back up the Spur, retracing my steps. I stop at the big Pagoda and look at all the little rocks stuck in place. They’re the same rocks I was looking at in the river sand. The pagoda I’m at looks so fragile, lots of little arches and waves of stone that would not stand up to an astray boot.

After soaking in the 360-degree views again, I make my way back to the car. Treading carefully so as not discover another snake. I’m laser-focused on every stick, twig, and branch. I see multiple Jacky Lizards - Amphibolurus muricatus dart away. Not a bad bushwalk, even if I changed the plan.