Dargan's Creek Canyon

29/12/12

Party: Steph H, Luke S + 10 Others, led By Kosta

Grade: 2 (easy to moderate) if going normal way, 3 (moderate) if going via 40m abseil. Wetsuits needed but can be done without. 

Track Notes:

After packing up our tent, we drove along Bells Line of Road/Chifley Road and turned left on to the Zig Zag railway just past Newnes station onto a dirt road to the left of the railway track. We continued on until a large parking area and further down is Newnes Dam. 

We begun the day by practising abseiling down the dam and down an overhang, as well as learning how to prussik. After this, we turned left from the car park and walked along the ridge until we came to a 40m cliff face instead of going down the usual way. From here there is two bolts in the rock that are a little rusty but otherwise okay. It was a heart stopping abseil, only because mentally it was hard on everyone, but technically very easy. After this we went down the canyon until we came to a very dark and cold section. There are a couple of swims and some awkward climb downs into some pools. Most of these have hand over hand ropes or large logs to navigate down. After a while maybe an hour we came to a hand over hand climb out and a tree with pegs in it to get out, then a very quick 15-20 minute walk back to the car.

After this we came to a camping ground in the Newnes State Forest just off Glow worm tunnel road.

The next day we did Hole in the Wall canyon (see post below for notes) but did it in 6 hours instead of 8 and I did the abseils much better than the first time :)

DARGANS CREEK:

Learning how to Prussik (climb up the rope)

40m abseil into Dargans Creek Canyon

Hand over hand climb out

View from the bottom

Campsite

HOLE IN THE WALL:

First abseil

Second abseil down a waterfall

Second abseil