This is the 2nd time I've done a walk starting at Henry Angel Trackhead. In 2008 I was with a group that walked the Hume & Hovell Walking Track south as far as Tumbarumba Creek. At that time several of the Shoalhaven Bushwalkers had split away from the group to do the northern section from the trackhead and this time around I was keen to have a go at this section. I had been informed of the history in this northern section and there was some left over residue in the form of machinery parts to be found on the track. As many of our group were more interested in attending the Falling Leaves Festival in nearby Tumut, some of our group were more keen on walking, so I offered to lead this walk. It was a 'No Brainer' as the track was well defined and well signposted. News had come through that this section of track had recently been re-opened after flood damage.
There were 10 members of the Shoalhaven Bushwalkers, led by myself, which left Laurel Hill Forest Lodge at 9.30am for the drive to the town of Tumbarumba. In my car was Rupert and David, but we also had Roger, Julie, Liz, Denise Pam, Kerrie & Jan in our group today. The day started rather cloudy, but by the time we left, there were patches of blue appearing. By the time we reached the trackhead there was hardly a cloud in the sky. We quickly arrived in Tumbarumba then followed the Tooma Road 7km out of town to the Henry Angel Trackhead and camping area, arriving there at 10.05am.
My group of Shoalhaven Bushwalkers crossing the swampy plain via an impressive wooden walkway.
I almost wasn't going to lead this walk after problems with the blisters on my feet yesterday, but this morning I had utilised three pairs of socks to protect my feet in my overlarge boots and my feet were also feeling a lot better. I also decided that at least for the walk in to Junction Campsite I would lead from the back and let everyone else set the walking pace. This was to prove quite successful and although the blisters caused some minor discomfort, I found I was able to complete today's walk without any major problems.
The trackhead was named after a convict who was transported to Australia for stealing. He was placed in the employ of Hamilton Hume and subsequently joined him on the 1824 expedition. Upon their return, it was found that the charges brought against Henry Angel were proven false and he was given a pardon and offered free passage back to England. He refused this offer and settled in the town of Hay, NSW then moved to Wagga Wagga where he saw out the rest of his days as a free settler. I had previously walked the track south from here back in 2008, so I wanted to look at the Hume & Hovell Walking Track north of this point and was quite impressed with the walking track, despite some of it being badly damaged during the recent summer storms. Thankfully the track had reopened. Henry Angel Trackhead is quite an expansive camping area with brick toilet block, barbecue facilities and an extensive walkthrough information hut.
Morning tea on a fallen tree trunk near some local farmland
We set off along a faint walking track away from the trackhead along Henry Angel Flat and after climbing over a couple of stiles met up with Burra Creek which we would be following most of the day. We soon came to an area where a small hill had been badly eroded. This is where the land was extensively excavated and sluiced to win gold in the years 1872 to 1931. The method used was to pump water from the creek into giant hoses and water blast the hillside to reveal the gold. What is left looks something similar to a World War I battlefield (eg, Western Front) there is also some remnant machinery left lying around for the history buffs.
We crossed a swampy area via a large boardwalk that zigzagged its way across the field and climbed over more stiles and past more badly eroded hillocks. Sometimes crossing Burra Creek via a small bridge. After passing through some farmland we located a fallen tree that served itself perfectly for a morning tea spot and we relaxed in the sun eating our biscuits, muesli bars or nuts before moving on again. After ascending a small rise we came to some more machinery that resembled large cogs. These were parts of an impella, a large water pump used for sluicing methods. We found a couple more after crossing yet another stile. Our route now took us along the creek bank which had recently been sprayed with a 'roundup' like product in a bid to reclaim the walking track. This made the track very easy to follow as a yellow line through the mostly green vegetation. Much like a blonde streak through someone's dark hair.
Some of the left over machinery left from the gld mining days. These cogs are part of an Impella
The track now was made up of numerous steps, bridges and boardwalks and in the same area through a long section where the creek had been cut into a small man made gorge. The water along Burra Creek was crystal clear and in many places you could easily see the creek bed. In the gorge area we negotiated a rocky path and we were now walking through what resembled sub tropical rainforest. The picture was always changing, so many different vegetation areas along the track - from open fields, to lightly forested areas, to swampy sections, green farmland and rainforest. It was always changing. We crossed one of those strange footbridges that moved from left to right as you walked across them making you stagger like a drunk and which gave some walkers a seasick feeling.
We were hoping to reach Junction Campsite for lunch and turn around and return to the cars. The campsite was only 6.5km from the start and I gathered we should reach there within two hours, even at the steady but plodding pace we were going. In the rainforest area Kerrie and Pam were getting a little agitated about the time as they wanted to be back in time to visit the Tumbarumba Museum before it closed around 4.00pm. As the time ticked over to 11.30am and no sight of Junction Campsite, Kerrie started to talk about turning back. I assured her that we would reach our destination around midday and the return journey would be a lot faster if required. The forest seemed to thin out but the open areas seemed to be away from where we were walking - on the other side of the creek. Our track seemed to go deeper into dark forest.
Pam, Jan and Kerrie crossing one of the bridges still
in place on the track.
Note the yellow grass where weed spraying had taken place
to redefine the main track.
Eventually we reached a section where one of the long footbridges had been swept down the creek during the storm and Kerrie decided she was going no further. Both Pam and Kerrie asked permission to return to the cars and considering the track was a no brainer and very easy to follow, I decided, against my better judgement and club policy to allow this after both promised they would take great care on their return. It was 11.55am.
We crossed the small tributary and continued following the track and within 100 metres, Liz pointed out one of the 'Hume & Hovell' track markers that had the number six on it. This meant that we were 6km from Henry Angel Trackhead and that Junction Campsite was only 500 metres away. We upped the pace then came to Jock's Bridge. Jock Findlayson had joked about this really old bridge we had to cross just before the campsite and had made suggestions about sending out a search party for our bodies that night after it collapsed and sent us all tumbling into the deep dark waters of Burra Creek. The footbridge was lopsided, had a small dead tree in the middle sticking over the ramp and it was recommended only one person cross at a time - without stopping. Getting around the tree where the bridge was at its steepest warped incline was proving to be difficult. Suffice to say we all crossed safely and within 100 metres had arrived at Junction Campsite at exactly 12.10pm where we stopped for lunch.
I addressed our remaining seven walkers, stating I would make this a quick lunch as I now felt uncomfortable allowing Pam and Kerrie to head back alone, and hoped we would be ready to move off again by 12.30pm. The campsite was open and green and contained a covered picnic area as well as an uncovered one, several barbecue areas and pit toilets. Denise went to use the toilets and came back with the story of finding a large huntsman spider in the bowl - hardly the 'Redback On The Toilet Seat'. After Harry Hill's talk about outback dunnies and snakes I was surprised she didn't find a slithering surprise in there though she said she had checked for snakes after hearing some of Harry's tales last night.
One of the bridges washed down the creek during the summer storms.
At 12.35pm I announced it was time to head back and the party suggested I head off and set the pace - especially giving me the chance for my feet to warm up (which took little time) most knew they could keep up with me or at least be close behind, especially with my blistered feet. I wasted little time increasing my pace from this morning and my feet felt pretty good. My trekking poles were coming in useful, allowing me much purchase on the uneven or slippery ground, especially on the small steep descents. I had Rupert right behind me, keeping pace for much of the way. By the time we reached the spot where Pam & Kerrie had turned back we deduced that they had exactly 50 minutes head start on us and we hoped they had stopped for a long lunch.
On a couple of occasions I almost missed a couple of turnoffs where the track intersected with farmland trails, so keen was I to catch up. I had this vision that both Pam and Kerrie were just 200 metres in front of us, but they had disappeared around the next bend just as we were to come into their view. I was pretty much spot on - though more like 400 metres ahead for most of the way. I was quite surprised when we reached the mine workings that we hadn't caught up to them and discussed this with Rupert - there was the suggestion that perhaps the girls had decided not to stop for lunch and would eat once they reached the car park, so by now they would be well and truly gone.
However, as we reached the long boardwalk over the swampy plain I could just make out the back of Pam's orange rucksack as she rounded the next bend. I was right, they had been just a couple hundred metres in front most of the way. I blew my whistle to alert them to our presence, but they seemed to quicken their pace. Rupert suggested they must have thought the Tumbarumba Ripper was after them. I quickened my pace to catch up, calling out to them when I was only 50 metres away. They turned, signalled their acknowledgement they had seen me and continued on. I now had left Rupert in my wake as he revealed later, the next bunch of the group were over 100 metres behind him. The rest must have been more than 200 metres further back.
I caught up to Pam & Kerrie at the 2nd last stile
and relayed what they had missed out on by turning back too early, and
with just 5 minutes gone since we'd left them. Pam had also bet that we
would arrive at the campsite just 5 minutes after they turned around and
she wasn't far off. We arrived back at Henry Angel Trackhead and the cars
at exactly 1.45pm. What had taken us 2 hours to walk this morning had only
taken 70 minutes coming back. Not bad at all and my feet, although sore,
had not given me the trouble I had put up with yesterday, though upon returning
to Laurel Hill I found that I had gained a new blister on one of my toes,
thanks to them rubbing together after being tightly bound by three pairs
of socks. By 2.00pm everyone else had arrived safely back and we got back
into our cars for the drive to Tumbarumba where some went to visit the
museum, others the Four Bears Cafe and my group, the local pub.