Having been assured by the Glenbrook NPWS Ranger, that the Campfire Creek causeway was open, and the unsealed fire trails in the area had been freshly graded, our delight was added to by having a perfect Blue Mountains morning dawn, for our Combined Regular/Plus walk. It was such a relief to be able to finally walk in this area, following our visit being cancelled two years running, due to the access road being closed because of its poor condition.
At Penrith, our cars from Sydney carrying twenty walkers, crossed the wide Nepean River that we would observe a little later from on high from the end of the Nepean Lookout Fire Trail. Firstly, walkers gathered at the Blue Mountains National Park entrance at the end of Bruce Road Glenbrook and were transported in five cars heading down towards the causeway past the Jelly Bean Pool Car Park, to cross Campfire Creek with the causeway only having a slight covering of flowing water. Having driven along The Oaks Fire Trail, past the new Oaks Picnic Area, and the sign for Red Hands Cave, we arrived at the Pisgah Rock car park. An easy stroll along an old management trail for 700 m under a mixed forest, with scattered flowering Geebungs and ‘Mountain Devils’, found us on a high cliff top platform, Pisgah Rock, with stunning views up the centre of the Erskine Creek Gorge and further down Erskine Creek and beyond, to the far distance. The name ‘Pisgah’ derives from the Hebrew word for ‘summit’, said to be the high point on the biblical Mt Nebo from which Moses first saw the ‘promised land’.
Pisgah Rock
Returning to the cars, we passed the Machins Crater turn off, and arrived at the Nepean Lookout carpark at the end of the Nepean Lookout Trail. Taking food for our morning tea, we walked through the locked gate, down the Nepean Lookout Trail, to arrive 30 minutes later at the Nepean Lookout and enjoyed this beautiful venue with the waters flowing deep in a curve below us.
Nepean Lookout
We noted that ‘Yandhai’, the river’s Darug name was given the European name of ‘Nepean’ in 1789 in honour of Sir Evan Nepean, a British politician and Colonial Administrator. Further east, from the junction of the Grose River, the Nepean changes its name to the ‘Hawkesbury’ named for Baron Hawkesbury. The Darug and Darkinjung people who lived along the Hawkesbury River called it Dyarubbin.
Retracing our steps we returned to the cars, observing as we went bushes of Grey Spider Flower and the yellow Hairpin Banksia. Grabbing our full packs, we headed off on the Jack Evans Track passing an ominous sign warning of 'Unstable cliff edges'. We wound our way down, walking between the tall forest trees of Blue Mountain Gums, Grey Gums, Yellow Bloodwood, Angophora and Grass Trees. More prolific were the red flowers of the 'Mountain Devil', and the yellow of various Banksia - Hairpin, Silver and Heath. Hairy Fan Flower, small Hibertia and the Single Petal Violet also were observed, although sparse. One late flowering small group of Flannel Flowers drew joking comments of being ‘Edelweiss’!
Mountain Devil Hairy Fan Flower Hairpin Banksia Flannel Flower
Lambertia formosa Scaevola ramosissima Banksia spinulosa Actinotus helianthi
Single petal violet Cockspur Flower Rough-fruit Pittosporum seedpods Water Vine berries
Hybanthus monopetalus Plectranthus parviflorus Pittosporum revolutum Cissus hypoglauca
Opening out to an unfenced Erskine Lookout, we again saw, as from Pisgah Rock, the great views of Erskine Gorge and Creek, both up and downstream. The track grew steeper between rock clefts, then evened out to give us time to observe intriguingly large seedpods of Pittosporum with its yellow seed bearing capsules starting to burst open and near to this, we noted the purple- black berries of the vine Cissus. We finally arrived at Erskine Creek where large tree trunks were strewn in piles against the bank. So walking to the right along the creekside, we came to a sandy bank, with a peaceful large pool beyond. Settling down on rocks and logs in this delightful sandy spot to have our lunch, we enjoyed the beautiful scene of the wide pool and the towering yellow cliffs above.
On the way down
Lunch at Erskine Creek
Erskine Creek below lunch spot
The Jack Evans track was named in honour of man who walked this track to his work on the construction of Warragamba Dam. The track he took further from Erskine Creek is now closed. The return ascent to the carpark was taken at an easy pace, and forty minutes later we were happy to reach the top, having thought it would be a more arduous task! Back at the Glenbrook township, coffee and eats were enjoyed at ' 773' Cafe, named after Glenbrook's postcode.
Back at the top Coffee at 2773 Cafe
Fungus Grey Spider Flower Grevillea buxifolia Goodenia Goodenia heterophylla
Sue S and Vreni lead Tim, Elaine, Michael & Sue, Christine G, Christine M, Bert, Claude & Margaret, Wendy P, Barbara R, Kurt, David & Theresa, Deidre, Lyn, Cleona and a very welcome new walker Sue T.
Contributing to our successful day were :
National Park Drivers - Kurt, Barbara R, Tim, Michael, Sue S
Tail end : Deidre
First Aid : Margaret P.
Recce third person :Dawn
Photos: Christine Mc. (4,16), Barbara R (1,2,13,14,17), Sue S, (6,7,8,9,10,11,12,18,19,21,22), Deidre (3,5,15,20)
A special thanks to these helpers and to all the walkers for a fun day!
Sue S