#4: [15-Nov-21]

#3: [11-Apr-19]

#1: [15-Jul-01]

17-Feb-2012 -- This is the third out of six confluences that I visited during a short trip to Australia. The story begins at 33°S 151°E. The previous visit is 34°S 151°E.

I started at 8 AM in Katoomba and drove to the Jenolan Caves. These amazing caves are directly on the way to the confluence (when coming from Sydney) and in the same way as the first visitors did, I had a stopover to see this tourist attraction. The winding little road directly goes through the large entrance portal of these caves. Then I followed the Kanangra Walls Road up to a distance of 6.2 km. An easier approach would have been to take a fire track called Boyd River Fitr that takes one within 2 km of the confluence and moreover avoids the traversing of the deep canyon of Hanrahans Creek.

The first visitors, Mike Richter and Fergus Bell probably took that fairly easy approach. I walked up to 4.2 km on a track further south and then carried out bushwalking. Further details of this difficult trip are not of importance to the reader, since my approach was everything but optimal and should not be copied. Traversing deep canyons takes a lot of time without much progress. However, after 3 hours I had reached the confluence subsequent to a final dropdown of 200 m.

The location is magnificent with great views down to the deep canyon of Kowmung River (1000 m height difference). The steep grade at the confluence requires some climbing. I saw an unusual gigantic mushroom near the confluence.

On my way back I avoided Hanrahans Canyon by surrounding it, which turned out to be the quicker route. At 5:30 PM I returned to the car and drove to the small town Oberon to have dinner (Pizza).

CP Visit Details:

• Distance to an asphalt road: 15 km
• Distance to a road: 6.2 km
• Distance to a track: 2 km
• Distance of parking: 6.2 km
• Distance to houses: > 5 km
• Time starting the hike: 12:00 noon
• Time at the CP: 3:00 PM
• Measured height: 984 m
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
• Position accuracy at the CP: 11 m
• Topography: extremely steep grade
• Vegetation: Eucalyptus forest, mixed with various undergrowth
• Weather: sunny, 27° C (felt temperature)
• Description of the CP: In New South Wales, deep in the Kanangra-Boyed National Park as part of the Blue Mountains, wilderness area, remote.
• Given Name: The Unnecessary Canyon Traverse Confluence

Story continues at 34°S 149°E.

In the Kanangra-Boyd National Park.