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Section R. click on thumbnail to see larger photo. Back

R MACLEAYBMC 0399067/6594759 down Macleay to Kero Spur MACLCCOMB10400575/6592725 3.30 km

50 minutes

 


(It is that flat!)
 

1: 25000 Map

Projection

(AGD 66)

Waypoint Name Zone Eastings Northings

HASL

(metres)

Winterbourne UTM MACLEAYBMC 56J 0399067 6594759 258
Winterbourne UTM MACLKERWIN 56J 0399750 6592950 245
Winterbourne UTM MACLKERSUM 56J 0399752 6592576 250
Winterbourne UTM MACLCCOMB1 56J 0400574 6592725 240

This is a very relaxing walk, with a bit of a scramble over rocks at the start, then a couple of kilometres along the W bank of the river to a great winter campsite, open to morning sun, flat, clear, near water. The same side, or a river crossing to a very different (shaded, cool, no morning sun) summer campsite on the E side. You may see wild horses. Take lots of photos. The bit on from MACLKERSUM requires a couple of crossings.

Looking up the Macleay, with Blue Mountain Creek coming in on the left. Stay on the SW side where there is a good cleared lunch spot just after passing…

…the large rounded and serrated leaf of Giant Stinging Tree (Dendrocnide excelsa) (W) AG66 990.947. DO NOT TOUCH. The sting ranges from painful to agonising, and can persist for weeks in humans. However tough native animals are not affected- the leaves are usually full of holes, or even chewed down completely-as on left of photo. More : http://www.ecosmagazine.com/?act=view_file&file_id=EC105p18.pdf

Stay on the SW side after the junction, and do a bit of a scramble up through some figs onto a clear rocky area. Then stay at that height, and you will find a bit of a track. Follow it along and down opposite...

 
… where it comes down onto the river floodplain. You can now stay on this side for a couple of kilometres.

You normally see wild horses along here. You also see ‘owned’ ones, because they are quick to escape through flood-damaged fences to live a work-free life on the river. Remember to thank them for the great tracks you have been using.

 Looking NE you will have noticed the low cliffs on the other E side of the river along this bit. This is a great spot for a winter camp, if the wind is not blowing hard upstream. It is open. Sheltered from the N and W. There is a good pool nearby. However, you will get wet feet first thing tomorrow if heading downstream. The next few photos may help you decide.
 From Winter Camp. Glance at the map. You are looking due S over a low U-bend in the Macleay, about 500 m from Kerosene Creek junction. The skyline ridge leads up to the Cocks Comb, just out of sight on the right . Now, for the view back…  …. view due N, from Cocks Comb ridge). At the bottom of the U-bend on the left is Kerosene Creek junction. Directly opposite it across the Macleay, about 50 m into the trees, is Summer Camp. Looking straight across is the open space of Winter Camp to the right centre. Then the straight bit of the Macleay up to the ski-jump of Lorraines Pass above Blue Mountain Creek junction. Barely visible at the top centre of the map is Enmore Long Point between Blue Mountain and Postmans Creek. You have to decide whether to use ‘Winter Camp’ or ….  … cross the river- no problem when the water is low, at the narrow point here- and walk past ….. 
…. the Kerosene Creek junction to...  ... a home among the gum trees, with good shelter, backrests, fireplace, and even, if they survive the next fire, ready-made supports for tent flys. There’s a lemon tree nearby. Did you bring the pancake mix and a bit of sugar?).  Keep a eye out for this beautiful climber . Wonga Vine (Pandorea pandorana ) has leaves with three to seven (?) leaflets. Young plants have rather ferny looking leaves with numerous small, almost circular leaflets with toothed edges. This form may unique to the Macleay, with yellow rather than white flowers. The cultivar “Golden Showers” may have been developed from this.

Opposite MACLCCOMB1 There are four different species of fig in the Macleay. This one is probably Rusty Fig (Ficus rubiginosa). The small hole in the end of a ripe fig is where the wasp enters that pollinates the flowers inside the fleshy part.

 There are four different species of fig in the Macleay- this one is probably Rusty Fig (Ficus rubiginosa ).  There are three types of flowers inside the fleshy  ‘fruit’.  The male and long female flowers are pollinated by wasps,  who enter through a small hole in the end of the fig and lay their eggs where the short female flowers can act as food for the developing young.  In these figs, the crunchy bits are both seeds and wasps. Enjoy eating your Macleay wasps! (Several commercial varieties of fig are self-fertile and are not visited by fig wasps).