The Cedar Brush trail

OLNEY STATE FOREST from the BASIN CAMPGROUND to CEDAR BRUSH

WORDS JAMES LUTWYCHE PHOTOS GRACE LUTWYCHE

‘The First Nations’ people, the Darkinjung clan, were known to leave behind carvings, paintings and stencils. There is one cave in this region that has a mass of hand stencils’.

Where

Our starting point is The Basin campground off Basin Forest Road, via Bucketty. Even the drive in is memorable. The La Nina weather pattern has brought a welcome relief to the Central Coast Hinterland, and warm humid days bookend with long periods of gentle rain bringing the bush, wilderness and farmland alive with lush, emerald new green growth and a sense of calm and relief.

We turn off the bitumen at what the locals call ‘The Letter A’ where farmland gives way to rugged, forested ridgeways and vast dramatic views of wilderness as you follow a well-maintained gravel road for two kilometres before turning left onto Walkers Ridge Forest Rd. From here you wind down a forest trail to the Basin campground. The route is accessible to most two wheeldrive vehicles.

The Trail

The river at the base of The Basin campground has waterholes and stretches of river that are deep enough for a swim, and suit those looking for a place to cool off and wind down away from the crowds. I doubt this river was flowing last summer.

One of the shorter walks is the Lyrebird Track and, by way of comparison, it’s more like a Tasmanian walk than a Blue Mountain slog. It ducks and weaves along a perennial river named Wollombi Brook, providing plenty of opportunities to stop, relax and swim in the waterholes, or catch a glimpse of the very shy, nocturnal platypus. The track is relatively challenging, has some slippery sections and steep climbs, and there are a few spots where the trail cuts close to the edge of the canyon, so please take care.

The walk I am leading today is an eight-kilometre, one-day walk. It’s part of the Great North Walk that connects walking trails from Circular Quay to the Hunter River and Nobbys Head in Newcastle. We are walking it in the reverse direction, as the thought of walking this section uphill from Cedar Brush seems a little uninviting. We have already left a car at the other end down in Cedar Brush, and I estimate we’ll be back to it in about three hours.

We set out from the Basin Camping Ground in the Olney State Forest that is part of ‘The Watagans’ chain of forests. Although I want to stay by the river and explore a little longer, the mountains are calling. The first 250 metres are all uphill, which is a good wakeup call for the cardio system, but thankfully it is short-lived, and the spur we are ascending crests at a nice little saddle with a few logs scattered for seats.

This is a good spot to stop and catch your breath. Over to the left is a band of remnant sandstone cliffs, dotted with small caves that need exploring. The First Nations’ people, the Darkinjung clan, were known to leave behind carvings, paintings and stencils. There is a cave in this region that has a mass of hand stencils. It’s a bit like our modern-day QR code, an ancient form of signing in and out of a region or territory.

This section of track showcases the magnificent blue gums (Eucalyptus saligna) with their towering trunks. The native bellbirds provide quite a chorus as we set off down the other »

ABOVE An ancient band of sandstone escarpment is covered in tiny ferns and mosses, and dotted with small caves and overhangs.

OPPOSITE PAGE The trail lies within the Olney State Forest where dogs are permitted. Wollombi Brook has crystal clear water, and during good seasons has plenty of waterholes for a quick dip.

BELOW Sawn logs, left by the pioneering timber cutters, provide a great spot to rest and admire the local fungi while you listen to the birdlife all around.

side of the spur. If you are soft-footed enough, you may see the elusive lyrebird dart around the forest floor. Listen for its unique song that can vary from the sweet renditions of love songs from other birds to the roar and buzz of a chainsaw.

On either side of the trail are carpets of maidenhair fern (Adiantum aethiopicum) interlaced with lichen, which tells me we are on the southern side of the ridge, and soon we will find the Brook again. Around the next bend we are met by a spectacular overhead display of bird’s nest ferns, (Asplenium nidus) hanging from the trees like suspended chandeliers and draped with lichen and vines.

The bellbirds are now drowned out by the sound of waterfalls, and the bird calls change to that of the eastern whipbird, and – we are in luck – the shrill of the lyrebird. Soon enough we are back beside the river and find a great place to jump in and cool off. The water is crystal clear and I can see the huge claws of the native crayfish or yabby below my toes. Best not to put my toes down just yet.

There are so many spots along the next kilometre to stop, rest and explore, and it is taking us an extraordinary amount of time to complete this section because it is just so beautiful. I want to relax, explore, unplug and unwind, and why not? We have all day. We find a small overhanging cave with a natural coffee table, and although I did not bring my favourite barista with me today (she was busy), I do manage to pull out a cheeky couple of icepackcool beers.

I know by looking at the map, the next bit is going to get harder, so the hiking boots are off again, and it’s time for another quick dip.

The Basin campground to the Great North Walk track intersection is two and a half kilometres, and it took us about an

‘We find a small overhanging cave with a natural coffee table, and although I did not bring my favourite barista with me today (she was busy), I do manage to pull out a cheeky couple of icepack-cool beers’.

hour’s walking time. This is a challenging walk; the track is very much up and down and quite slippery in some sections.

The track leads away from the river and out of the coachwood forest (Ceratopetalum apetalum) that is host to hanging bird’s nest ferns. Then it’s back into the drier open forest. The coachwood tree is a close relative of the NSW Christmas bush, with the classic star-like flower, but the main differences are its height and flower colour. The coachwoods have white flowers, not red.

The climb out of the valley is made easier with rock steps that have been carved or placed evenly to help us zig-zag up the

slope. The trail widens out at the top and turns into a fire trail. Continue following this until you reach the road where you’ll come across a log-loading area recently used by the State Forests.

This uphill section takes 20 to 30 minutes.

The Great North Walk signs point you in the right direction; follow these back to Walkers Ridge Forest Rd and then continue another kilometre until the track veers off to the right along Kingtree Ridge Fire Trail. If you only have one car with you, you can return to the Basin Campground from this intersection via the gravel roads. It also makes a good emergency extraction point if required.

The fire trail section of this walk takes the best part of an hour and is fairly easy walking. Just before the track leaves the fire trail and descends back down into the next valley, there is a small campsite, shelter, and water tank off to the right at a place called Walkers Rest. Today the water tank is full, but it’s strongly recommended that you boil this water before drinking. We are each carrying two litres of water so we don’t need a refill.

The last leg of today’s walk takes us back into the forest, crisscrossing a small spring-fed creek several times past small waterfalls and cooling-off spots. We pass by a small male satin bowerbird’s lair, laced with blue plastic, bottle tops, pegs and other pieces of manmade rubbish that the bowerbird uses to seduce his harem. Personally, I can’t see how it does; I’ve tried leaving my rubbish around the house, and that impresses no one.

All too soon, the valley opens up to farmland and you skirt around open paddocks and down to the final creek crossing for the day. This lovely little stream is surrounded by yellow flowering water gums (Tristaniopsis laurina). Once over the stream, a final little track leads out past one of the remnant giants that this valley was known for: the spectacular Australian red cedar (Toona ciliata). We arrive back at the car right on three hours’ walking time.

Once again, the drive out of Yarramalong Valley or back up to the Basin to collect the other car is serene and spectacular. As for me, coffee at Angel Sussurri cafe in Yarramalong awaits.

DISTANCE: 8 km LEVEL: Difficult. NOTE: Dogs allowed.

James Lutwyche is a horticulturalist, and a local and experienced bushwalker who has led or been part of expeditions in the Hawkesbury, Blue Mountains, Kosciusko, Tasmania, New Zealand and Mongolia. He lives and works in Yarramalong and is married with four children. James is also the local Scout leader at Peats Ridge Scout Group and spends his time between work at Paradise Botanical Gardens and exploring and enjoying the great outdoors.

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After the rain – we dance!

Amy and Mark at Spicers Guesthouse

WORDS SARAH TOLMIE

Delayed by a year due to a baby and then a pandemic, the final lead-up to Amy and Mark’s wedding saw state borders open, guest restrictions lift and, finally, the excitement of family and friends reuniting after a year apart. And then the heavens opened.

More rain, rain, rain than we’d seen forever. And flooding. And more rain. It was just as well most of the guests had already gathered and settled in for a full weekend at the Spicers Guesthouse in the Hunter Valley.

It was just as well that Amy and Mark – Central Coast locals – were so relaxed and happy, and chill. And that Amy happened to be an experienced events coordinator. She has bravely ‘whiteknuckled’ many a wet wedding eve with anxious couples before their big day, and she knew that nothing could dampen the moment for Mark and her.

And then the wedding day came. As the rest of the east coast region endured further deluge and flooding, Amy and Mark drove over the hill into the Hunter Valley. On cue, the sky calmed, the rain mostly stopped and a cheeky peek of blue sky could even be seen.

‘The forecast was for the rain to reach its peak on our wedding day. But as we were getting ready, the rain stopped, sun came out,’ says Amy. ‘It was still drizzling and overcast but I was able to walk outside to get to the ceremony location, have photos outside and guests could also mingle on the lawn during the evening. It was perfect.’

Having been in the events industry for many years, Amy already had a few wedding suppliers that she’d worked with who were must-haves on her wedding team. But she sourced her perfect venue, Spicers Guesthouse, by sheer luck. It was the first venue she looked at, and she immediately knew that was the one.

‘I had a fairly specific image in my head of what I wanted, and Spicers ticked every box. Everything was onsite – function space, accommodation, great food and wine, and stunning valley surrounds,’ says Amy. ‘So I booked it the next day.’

Spicers offered a modern, elegant, five-star experience that also had a 'feels like home' quality. They especially loved the separate main guest cottage: a classic country style, with a warm and rustic self-contained house with four bedrooms, kitchen, dining and living room, an open fire, verandas and even a private courtyard. It was perfect for Amy and Mark’s boisterous little boys, Mason and Cody, and helped to create the feel of a family weekend away.

‘We both really wanted a relaxed, fun wedding for us and for our guests. We didn’t want anything too rigid and formal,’ says Amy. ‘In the planning process, I was aiming for a relaxed Sundaysession type vibe with a cocktail-style reception and live music. We just wanted everyone to have lots of fun, delicious food, and to enjoy great music.’

As a busy mum, Amy wasn’t tempted to work on her own wedding day, and handed over the event’s management and design to her trusty team, the Wedding Designers. Her brief to the design team was 'romantic and warm' with lots of candles, flowers and fairy lights, and colours of blush, white and timber.

‘That was one of the best things we ever did. The day ran so smoothly, and was so calm because they literally took care of everything,’ says Amy. ‘The room looked stunning. I was just able to be in the moment and enjoy the day.’

‘Seeing Mark as I walked down the aisle was a great moment, and during the ceremony our son Mason randomly came up and gave us the biggest hug, which was so emotional and beautiful.’

‘The most fun however, was dancing. Covid restrictions had eased the week before our wedding which allowed us to dance. It was so much fun seeing all our friends and family on the dance floor, having a great time.’

‘I would honestly not do a thing differently. The day was everything we wanted and more.’ Ceremony and reception Spicers Guesthouse, Pokolbin Event management and styling Wedding Designers Photographer Brendan Woods Celebrant/officiant Sarah Tolmie Life & Love Celebrations Musicians Oberon Lane Videographer Hunter Valley Video Wedding dress and suits Brides of Sydney, Miranda Hair Nourish Me Beautiful Makeup Louise Antonjuk Flowers and styling The Wedding Designers Cake Rosebery Cake Creations