Section T
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T |
MACLBOTTGU 0402200/6591580
ASL230 via Oven Camp Ridge to OVENCRIDG7 ASL 1002 |
8.2 km |
370 minutes |
1: 25000 Map |
Projection
(AGD 66) |
Waypoint Name |
Zone |
Eastings |
Northings |
HASL
(metres) |
Winterbourne |
UTM |
MACLBOTTGU |
56J |
0402200 |
6591580 |
230 |
Winterbourne |
UTM |
OVENCRIDG2 |
56J |
401330 |
6590100 |
840 |
Winterbourne |
UTM |
OVENCRIDG3 |
56J |
400500 |
6588750 |
920 |
Winterbourne |
UTM |
OVENCRIDG4 |
56J |
0399500 |
6588450 |
925 |
Winterbourne |
UTM |
OVENCRIDG5 |
56J |
0397825 |
6589024 |
987 |
Winterbourne |
UTM |
OVENCRIDG6 |
56J |
0397125 |
6588575 |
985 |
Winterbourne |
UTM |
OVENCRIDG7 |
56J |
396338 |
6588437 |
1002 |
This is one of the hardest routes out
of the Macleay. The option taken in these notes – starting at Bottom
Gully- appears to be the best of a difficult lot. That section is
steep, and thereafter the rollercoaster nature of the ridges, the
ease with which one could take a wrong turn, and the thick
undergrowth in the last bit, makes for taxing walking. It is hard to
believe that this was a regular route for taking stock from the
riverflats to the tablelands. There exists (p. 34 Bark Hut Oxley
Wild Rivers NP 2008 Andrew Messner – Published by NPWS) a
description of such a drive with the sheep “winding up the immense
acclivity, feeding as they went, and seemingly unconscious of what a
mountain they were ascending”. I will bet you won’t be ‘unconscious’
of your climb! However, there are some wonderful views to
compensate. |
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Looking directly up the Macleay
towards Blue Nobby, but as we are still low down in the valley the
big ridge above Blue Mountain Creek obscures Blue Nobby Mountain
itself. |
The mists are a feature of these deep
valleys. They are usually gone 2 hours after sun-up.
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In the foreground Kerosene Creek Ridge
sweeps down from the Cocks Comb, while Blue Nobby Mountain is the
bump on the horizon at the top left. (Photo Don Hitchcock) |
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The Cocks Comb, with Tabletop Mountain
rising well above it to the right. (Photo Don Hitchcock)
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You can tell the age of an Echidna (Tachyglossus
aculeatus) by the sharpness of the quills- this one is fairly
young. Few things disturb them. Foxes are very patient, and will
wait till the echidna relaxes its grip on the ground and roll them
over. (Photo Don Hitchcock) |
There are remarkably few gentle
saddles like this one on Oven Camp Ridge. It is a roller-coaster. We
climbed up 1220 m, and down 340 m, in this section.
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Our last view of the Cocks Comb for
the day. Tabletop Mountain is very obvious behind it in this photo. |
The flat bit of ridge, and a recent
lunch, probably explains the happy smiles. Starting to wear it
down! (Photo Pieter van Haeff) |
The New England Blackbutts had a very
thick understorey of Fringed Wattle (Acacia fimbriata) on the
final kilometre of the trip, that had sprung up after a fire a
couple of years ago. |
We had placed the ribbon on the way
down, and now are removing it. A very welcome sight! Apparently the
ridge was kept open by the people bringing sheep and cattle up from
the Macleay. We all developed a healthy respect for the pioneers who
could handle stock in this country after doing Oven Camp Ridge. |
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