TRACK NOTES
LOWER COLO GORGE LOOP WOLLEMI NATIONAL PARK’s
Words & Photography Tom Brennan Wollemi NP Sydney
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WILD
QUICK FACTS Activity: Multi-day hking Location: Greater Sydney Region, NSW Distance: 28km circuit Duration: 2-3 days When to go: Oct-Apr Difficulty: Medium Permits required: No Car shuttle required: No Maps: NSW Topo Mountain Lagoon 1:25,000
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CLIMATE: RICHMOND (RAAF BASE) Temperature (C)
LESS THAN SIXTY KILOMETRES TO THE NORTHWEST of Sydney lies Wollemi National Park, which at over half a million hectares is the second largest in NSW. Seventy per cent of the park is officially declared wilderness, and much of the park’s interior is a rugged and dissected sandstone landscape of gorges, cliffs and canyons. The Colo River has carved a deep gorge along the eastern side of Wollemi NP, from its starting point at the junction of the Wolgan and Capertee Rivers. For over 70km, it winds through the sandstone plateau, in a canyon that’s often around 300m deep, and not much wider. The area around the Colo River offers some of the wildest country remaining in NSW, making it a major attraction to bushwalkers. While there are a number of fire trails and tracks on the east side of the gorge, the west is almost untouched. However, access to the gorge is difficult and often requires strenuous climbs and exposed rock scrambling. For those beginning to explore the Colo region, this loop walk in the lower Colo River gives an excellent introduction to the area. There is a good mix of ridge and river walking, and the routes in and out of the gorge are easier and more accessible than those further north. Swimming opportunities abound in the warmer months, there are great views from cliff-top lookouts, and, in the depths of the gorge, it feels so remote that it is hard to believe you’re so close to Australia’s largest city.
