Hello, once again, from Narooma,

I departed Narooma at 8:10 this morning, subsequent to the usual bakery visit. I headed north along the Princes Highway, topping up the tank in Bodalla, and a few kilometers north, headed west into the Deua NP. I arrived at the Hanging Mountain Picnic Area at 9:45. After morning coffee, and a photo opportunity, I was back on the trail by 10:10. This photograph gives an indication of the terrain into which I was heading.

From that point onward, the road was designated 4WD only, and unlike yesterdays jaunt through the Wadbilliga NP, it definitely was! The fire trail was in good condition, in that it wasn’t rutted, but in places it was extremely steep (both down, and up), and occasionally had a loose surface. It was a good test for the “Japero”, and it performed admirably. I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite having an elevated pulse rate in a few places!

When I reached the Mt. Dampier trig site at 11:45 (elevation 1239 metres), I was pretty much over the rough stuff, and on the tablelands. I’d covered about 25km in an hour and a half.

It was still another 30 minutes on a relatively flat single lane track before I reached Snowball Road, a minor road which runs south from Braidwood. I followed it north for about 30 minutes, ’til I reached the turnoff to the Berlang Camping Area. It’s a couple of kilometers off Snowball Road, and was an ideal spot for lunch at around 12:45. I’d finished lunch by 1, and decided I’d do the 3.5 km return walk to the “Big Hole”, despite the 30 degree heat. The track forded the upper reaches of the Shoalhaven river.

I was back in the truck by 2, and elected to return “home”. I headed north again, but before  reaching Braidwood I turned east to Major’s Creek, then on through Araluen to the Princes Highway at Moruya. I was in my motel room by 4:30.

Here’s the route map, and places of interest.

Cheers,
Julian