NEWNES – 1-2 March 2025
Jim and I cobbled together a weekend of canyoning on the Newnes Plateau. We had a few beginners, a couple of unknown canyoners and the idea that we’d do some easy fun canyons. Not everything went to plan!
Cheryl on the track to Twister.
In Twister, one of the slides.
Twister – Vamsi negotiating logs.
Twister, another one of the slides.
Chyein on one of the jumps.
One of the bigger jumps.
Another jump.
In Rocky Creek, this big log is new, you have o wonder how the logs get as far down the canyon as they do. The Rocky catchment must be huge.
At the turn around point in Rockey, lots of time spent here sliding down the rock into the deep pool.
Rockey Creek – the climb up the “washing machine”.
We’d finished the canyon by around 2.30pm and were back at camp early, so we decided to have a short rest and then go off on another short canyon. Our afternoon excursion to Dry Canyon.
I keep forgetting how nice Dry Canyon is.
Getting further into the canyon.
Am always surprised at how nice this canyon is.
Vamsi sporting his MSS T-shirt after the small climb down.
More of the canyon formation.
On the way out.
We headed back to camp and a fabulous campfire thanks to those who brought wood (that might be you Alan). We talked about what to do the next day, and as we went to bed, I’d agreed that we’d do the original plan, Coachwood.
I woke up a few times during the night and each time debated with myself whether Coachwood was the right cave. I was anxious about a lot of things, whether or not the forecast heavy rain would arrive; whether or not the Rocky Creek catchment would fill up the canyon (Rocky Creek) before we got out of it; whether or not Coachwood was the right canyon for a group of 9; whether or not I’d be able to find the entry and if stuffing around to find it would make the day longer and therefore put us in Rocky creek, the exit, too late in the day. So many things to be anxious about, and by the time I got up on Sunday morning I’d gone around in so many circles that I made the decision not to do Coachwood and to do Tiger Snake instead – an easy, shorter canyon that I’d have no trouble finding.
I explained to everyone my rational and explained the Abilene Paradox, where a member of a group should come forward when they don’t think a decision (doing Coachwood) was the right one … and I was that person.
So, we all got ready. Chyein wasn’t going, she was heading home, and once I was ready, I went up to the road junction to meet up with Monica. Eventually, all but one of the group arrived at the junction, pretty much on time.
Then, after about 15 minutes, Chyein and Matt arrived to let us know that Matt’s car wouldn’t start. Matt and Jim went back to the campsite with Jim’s charger for cars. We sat around for another 15 minutes and then Scott decided to take his camper down to see what was holding them up. In the process he backed his camper van over a gigantic cement block and got stuck! They all then spent 15 minutes to get his camper van off the block, and when they fixed that, Jim and Scott turned up to say that the car just wouldn’t start.
So, Chyein said she’d drive Matt to the Zig Zag railway where he’d get mob reception, and he could call the NRMS.
After this schmozzle, those of us left (8 of us) headed off to Tiger Snake Canyon. I had Scott, Jim and Cheryl set up the abseils (a training exercise), and we headed into the canyon.
Cheryl on belay on the first pitch.
Monica on belay on the continuation of the first pitch.
Monica on the 2nd abseil. You can climb down the roots of this tree, but it’s a long last step (too long for me LOL).
The climb down on the roots.
The last abseil (about 25m) on the first section of the canyon.
This canyon was probably the wrong one to pick on a hot day, but at least there was a little water in this waterfall, we all cooled off here. We had lunch here in the shade before heading off.
There was a 500m walk down through an open valley to the next section. The valley was very dry with lots of downed trees and it was quite scrubby. I don’t remember being like this, my recollection is that it was a nice walk – not anymore.
The one and only pitch in the second half of the canyon – once you got down this 6m pitch it was very, very dark. I don’t usually do this one, there’s another one that you can do but Scott wasn’t aware of that, if I could be bothered doing Tiger Snake again I’d show him, but at this time, not sure I’d do this canyon again.
Very dark in this section of canyon, had a few slides – one of which was quite hard to get down without hurting yourself.
Cheryl looking up at where we usually abseiled down.
The climb down from the end of the canyon. I hate this climb down, if you slipped you’d fall to almost certain death. I was particularly nervous about Garth getting around these rocks!
From the downclimb, it was a mere 100m to our exit, which I might add was a lot longer than I remembered! The team was really good ensuring that I didn’t have to drag my pack up the climb and waiting for me when I took longer than them. Scott, who hadn’t canyoned with me before took pity on the “little old lady” (lol – my usual team don’t bother taking pity on my, I usually tell them if I can’t carry my pack I shouldn’t be there). Anyway, Scott very kindly took my pack and wouldn’t give it back. I have to say on such I hot day I was thankful not to carry the additional weight!
So, we were back at the cars by about 4.30pm and I headed off before everyone else because I had to pick up caving gear at Blaxland on my way home. After picking up the gear I slid through the Maccas drive-through and returned a missed call from Jim. He and Vamsi were broken down on the Bells Line of Road and were thinking of just getting a place to stay in Richmond as by the time the tow track would arrive at Richmond, the last train that Vamsi could catch to get home would have left the station.
So, I made a quick decision and took the Richmond Exit from the Great Western Highway and headed over to Maccas Richmond to wait for them to give them a lift home (or in Vamsi’s case to the Metro station). What was another few hours to get home, I’d just have my second chocolate milkshake and another Espresso.
The towtruck arrived at 10pm and I was home by 12 midnight -a bigger day than I’d expected.
A big thanks to the team, everyone worked well together and no-one got hurt (lol). Looking forward to our next adventure!