Tony
Ellerston horse stud is owned by Mr packer
Heading east isnt an option on friday as some of us have already booked rooms at nundle
Were there any interesting looking side tracks ?
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Tony
Ellerston horse stud is owned by Mr packer
Heading east isnt an option on friday as some of us have already booked rooms at nundle
Were there any interesting looking side tracks ?
We left Hexham at 9am for our trip and, driving at a reasonably sedate pace, we arrived in Nundle at 12 noon. We didn't follow your map directly - we just went up the highway, we didn't turn at Willow Tree towards Quirindi and then come back to Wallabadah. That probably saved us 10 minutes.
7am is a bit early for us, the little guy doesn't get up until then and we generally can't leave the house until around 8am, so we could be @ Rutherford by about 9:30 but I think for this trip we'll just meet you guys up @ Nundle.
7am is a bit early for us, the little guy doesn't get up until then and we generally can't leave the house until around 8am, so we could be @ Rutherford by about 9:30 but I think for this trip we'll just meet you guys up @ Nundle.
I'm thinking about on the way home. I see the trip like this:
Friday morning: drive to Nundle, book in to cabin & do tourist thing in town. Collect fridge magnet, have dinner, sleep.
Saturday head towards Barry. The Hanging Rock lookout isn't very large and we'd be really hard pressed to get more than 5 Navaras in the parking lot before someone had to reverse out, but it's a nice view - just not much else there except to soak in the valley and move on.
Sheba Dam is a little interesting - it's quite small but apparently well-stocked with fish, but they say the water is freezing. It looks like a camping area and when we arrived some dipshit had left their fire going, just drove off, so I spent some time with a shovel burying it before moving on. On the Saturday, it's likely that we'd arrive here quite early. There might have been some tracks on the other side of this.
Shortly after the dam the road becomes dirt and that's where the trailers stop. There are signs indicating that caravans are unsuitable - once you reach the humps in the road, you'll see why. There are several opportunities at this point to diverge, we noted a few side tracks, but as we were scouting and not being particularly adventurous beyond that we didn't go down any of them (although we did have all of our recovery gear with us, just in case I did something stupid).
Once you pass through Barry Station, you enter Glen-something and it's a massive place. There are a couple of gates and signs up announcing wild dog baits - we won't be taking pets on this trip. There were heaps of roos, even in the middle of the day, and they didn't seem to care that I had roo whistles on, but they did piss off when I pulled out a camera.
Once through to Ellerston, we have two choices - head west to the New England Highway and drive home that way, or east and up over the Tops into Gloucester and home that way (this is Saturday arvo now).
The booking Friday shouldn't be compromised by that. It's just a choice of which way to go home.
There's a cold front approaching that should make its presence felt by this weekend (currently south of the Great Australian Bight and travelling ENE at 30knots). It's got a low pressure cell associated with it so if it drifts north towards us, we'll get snow @ Barry and on the Tops as well, so our choice of going one way or the other might be limited if that bugger turns our way and sits on us for a while - I don't have snow chains. NPWS could also close the roads.
I think we should take some wellington boots too. The mountain streams are bloody cold, and if we have to hook up a tow rope in the stream, I'd rather do it with dry feet if possible!
Anyway, we'll book our cabin today, for Friday 24th.
There are probably some around Nundle, particularly on the eastern side where the forests are. We noticed a few trails heading in to those, and a stocker should be able to get through those since they run the logging trucks in there too, but you might find something interesting.
I don't think there's any fuel available in Nundle (or beyond, actually). I think the last fuel you'll get is the United (whatever) at Wallabadah and then back at Scone. If you're doing tracks, it might be an idea to take some spare fuel along if you have a standard tank.
I don't think there's any fuel available in Nundle (or beyond, actually). I think the last fuel you'll get is the United (whatever) at Wallabadah and then back at Scone. If you're doing tracks, it might be an idea to take some spare fuel along if you have a standard tank.
there is diesel and unleaded avaliable at nundle general store
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=Nu...=8nWDgXBi4tTECvX16yW-Sg&cbp=12,90.13,,1,14.79
Last edited:
LLadnar
Member
Ok now that I can accually get on the forum again, I'm in and cant wait will be booking my bed today.
terryc
Member
From Memory; side tracks, bits and pieces.
Thanks for the update on the weather. I hadn't look at it yet. Brrr.
Last time we were in Nundle, there was petrol and diesel available at a servo/general store(?).
If it is only a morning trip up for you guys, places to go might be;
1) The woollen mill. It was free tour on walkways above the stuff and good quality, but pricey wool stuff. That is in town.
2A) Return trip to Chaffey Dam, aka Bowling Alley Reserve on the dam. $2 at the gate, but honour system. If you are looking for a camping place for the future, then it is a nice big place. About 32kms.
2B) The loop to Woolomin, say 60kms all up. There is a west side route on the Tamworth-Nundle road(sealed), then you take what google has labelled the Nort-East Subdivision Road(unsealed to Woolomin. Stupid google doesnt link the river crossing at Woolomin. We have driven the main road, but not the NE subdivision road.
Woolomin has a general store/servo (&pub?)
There is an eastern route south from Woolomin, which is the other bit of the Tamworth-Nundle road, visit Bowling alley Reserve and then take the road to Bowling Alley Point and River road back to Nundle. we have not driven this last bit. Google has it marked as sealed.
2C) Do the loop up to Dungowan. say 100kms. You basically are doing the western side of the Peel River and then the eastern side back or Vice-a-Versa.
I expect that this would all be gentle rural roads driving and nothing technical.
3) SE of Nundle, there is Ben Halls Gap SF and Ben Halls Gap NP, which google says is a 53km loop road.
Routes to and from Nundle;
1) Highway to Wallabadda, then east on either of two sealed routes. 270kms of boring noise, except the last bit.
2) Highway to Aberdeen, via horse studs or Scone, then Gundy(pub but no sars), Waverley(place name/station & unsealed road) Timor(just an intersetion, but can turnoff and stop at the Caves?), Crawney(blink and you miss it) and sealed road into Nundle. Take it easy and very scenic is places after you get off the Highway. 243kms. We love that road.
3) Highway to Aberdeen/scone, Gundy(pub), Moonan Flat(pub) (turn off for Barrington/Gloucester Tops and Tomalla loop, which I'll describe below.), Ellerston, Barry, Hanging rock, Nundle. About 300kms.
<Break for chow>
Thanks for the update on the weather. I hadn't look at it yet. Brrr.
Last time we were in Nundle, there was petrol and diesel available at a servo/general store(?).
If it is only a morning trip up for you guys, places to go might be;
1) The woollen mill. It was free tour on walkways above the stuff and good quality, but pricey wool stuff. That is in town.
2A) Return trip to Chaffey Dam, aka Bowling Alley Reserve on the dam. $2 at the gate, but honour system. If you are looking for a camping place for the future, then it is a nice big place. About 32kms.
2B) The loop to Woolomin, say 60kms all up. There is a west side route on the Tamworth-Nundle road(sealed), then you take what google has labelled the Nort-East Subdivision Road(unsealed to Woolomin. Stupid google doesnt link the river crossing at Woolomin. We have driven the main road, but not the NE subdivision road.
Woolomin has a general store/servo (&pub?)
There is an eastern route south from Woolomin, which is the other bit of the Tamworth-Nundle road, visit Bowling alley Reserve and then take the road to Bowling Alley Point and River road back to Nundle. we have not driven this last bit. Google has it marked as sealed.
2C) Do the loop up to Dungowan. say 100kms. You basically are doing the western side of the Peel River and then the eastern side back or Vice-a-Versa.
I expect that this would all be gentle rural roads driving and nothing technical.
3) SE of Nundle, there is Ben Halls Gap SF and Ben Halls Gap NP, which google says is a 53km loop road.
Routes to and from Nundle;
1) Highway to Wallabadda, then east on either of two sealed routes. 270kms of boring noise, except the last bit.
2) Highway to Aberdeen, via horse studs or Scone, then Gundy(pub but no sars), Waverley(place name/station & unsealed road) Timor(just an intersetion, but can turnoff and stop at the Caves?), Crawney(blink and you miss it) and sealed road into Nundle. Take it easy and very scenic is places after you get off the Highway. 243kms. We love that road.
3) Highway to Aberdeen/scone, Gundy(pub), Moonan Flat(pub) (turn off for Barrington/Gloucester Tops and Tomalla loop, which I'll describe below.), Ellerston, Barry, Hanging rock, Nundle. About 300kms.
<Break for chow>
terryc
Member
Alternative to the Moonan Flat to Ellerston section.
Moonan Flat(pub) to Ellerston(ex packer palace) is 18kms.
Between them is a loop road up onto Barrington tops, then north towards Tomalla and back to Ellerston. Google says it is just under 60kms and takes 2 hours 14mins(yer right, longer), but allow some time for stops and look see.
You leave the Scone-Nundle road just as you cross Moonan Brook(the creek) and turn right towards Moonan Brook and upwards. It shold be clearly sign posted as the road to Gloucester
Basically a good windy climb in two parts that will test you gear changing skills with some tight corners thrown in. out. When it first levels out, you then cross a ridge with views to the NW. Keep an eye on the road as it swings east and be prepared to stop for cattle inspection. If that bull is under the lone shade tree, he will stand in the middle of the road to you come to a stop, give you a good looking over and then glacially move off the road. Then you start the second lot of climbing with the final steep bit being narrow and winding with guard rails, so a pause at the bottom to check for downward traffic is a good idea. You can be a bit horny here to make sure.
Stop at the lookout for a good views SW.
Just inside the gate/fence, 100m?, is Boundary Road which isn't normally a through road, despite google showing linking tracks.
Apparently the road to Horse Swamp campsite (Polblue ridge road(?)) and then the Tubucca Road link up and are classed as 4wd. We have never been down it or along it, but I've heard that it can be impassable to 4wd when wet. OTOH, some people have had easy drives. Caveat names as I'm going from my memory and not our notes(where ever they are).
When you hit a patch of dense pine forest on both sides shading the road, turn right into the picnic area in the middle. Great in summer as lovely and cool and looks entirely different to anything else. Lyre birds are everywhere in there, but good luck spotting one. Takes time.
Polblue Camping area, turn off to the right, is worth an inspection if you haven't been before. Good toilet stop. There is also a 3km(?) walk around the Swamp if you have the time or want a good leg stretch.
Around Polblue is a service road that is only open to 4WD in summer allowing people to go out on the tops to the south and camp at a number of designated camp sites. at one stage, this track went on and down, down, down to Lagoon Pinch and the start of the Allyn River.
A bit after Polblue Camping Area an then Paddy's Ridge Road, you will hit a major T intersection, at about 28kms from Moonan Flat according to google and turn left off the Gloucester-Scone Road. I can not remember how it is signposted; Tomalla?, Ellerston?, Nundle? or even Scone via ???.
In that pocket of forest in the NE corner is the start of the Manning River, which is the one you spend a lot of time criss-crossing on the Gloucester end of Thunderbolts Way over to the east.
Now side comment, we last were up there in January 2011 and spent a three days driving around the Tops looking at the various lookouts and camping sites. If you are going to take this route, it wouldn't hurt for you to look at the NPWS site for information so you have an idea where they all are and you can have the option of a side trip/stop. some of them are nothing more that a location, others have a pit toilet, others even include fireplaces. Polblue is the best.
Apologies, but no link to the relevant NPWS.page. They have completely fscked their site over to make it "usable"by brain dead tourists. You will have to experience the pain yourself. Anyway.
After, the intersection, it is basically following the sign posts along the main drag. Note, you are also crossing the east-west watershed, because the next valley on the RIGHT, yea right, is the start of the Hunter River, which loops north to Tomalla, then north west to loop back through Ellerston on the start of its south-west leg to Glenbawn Dam.
Warning, you do not actually go to Tomalla. There will be a right hand turn signposted to Tomalla along the Tomalla road, which if you follow it all the way, then continue on Curricabark road, you can also end up in Gloucester 90kms away. Note, you can go a few kilometres along it to see the almost top of the Hunter River. I think it is just cleared paddocks along the creek line which cuts deeply into the valley floor. high grass and lots of wombat holes is how I remember it from when I walked around there.
Now my memory is getting hazy as we have only driven this route once.. I have a vague recollection, somewhere after the Tomalla turnoff, there are one or two right turns that are not obvious. so just keep an eye out. One is a Y where you go right over a knoll rather than curving left. I think it is the end of the Horse Swamp route.
In the middle is another campsite (???name) that is popular, but just a little fiddly/difficult to drive down into. Picnic spot on the river just after turnoff.
The second is a definite right turn amongst green paddocks and isolated trees(not sure if this one is the other end of the Roundary road collection of tracks. By this stage, there will be a evidence of farmer traffic, rather than NP roads. Afterwards you also need to make a left turn(?) at a T intersection. The right turn goes into a property. some views at the grid.
The last leg is a windy drop down to the Scone-Nundle road, so take it easy. then it is 4kms north to Ellerston, right turn and your first crossing of the Hunter River, if you didn't cross it on the Tomalla road.
Another bit of useless information, a few kilometres along the Pages river road(left turn) on a low down spur across a paddock is a one chamber cave. Grotty and dirty and not open to the public.
My 2c might be to consider doing this loop in reverse on the way home. Basically you could take whatever time you wanted on the Tops to poke about as it isn't a big hassle to drive home in the dark from Moonan Flat to Newcastle. You will have already driven then Moonan Flat to the highway leg and know about the pinch backs. According to google, the complete Nundle,via Pages River Road(new road in morning) to Ellerston, loop through the Tops and then back to Moonan Flat and Newcastle is 321kms.
Or, if you want an entirely different route, bar 4kms, 292kms if you wanted to go east and home via Gloucester, but you would have to be back at Gloucester by dark.
Anyway, some info for you to chew on.
Moonan Flat(pub) to Ellerston(ex packer palace) is 18kms.
Between them is a loop road up onto Barrington tops, then north towards Tomalla and back to Ellerston. Google says it is just under 60kms and takes 2 hours 14mins(yer right, longer), but allow some time for stops and look see.
You leave the Scone-Nundle road just as you cross Moonan Brook(the creek) and turn right towards Moonan Brook and upwards. It shold be clearly sign posted as the road to Gloucester
Basically a good windy climb in two parts that will test you gear changing skills with some tight corners thrown in. out. When it first levels out, you then cross a ridge with views to the NW. Keep an eye on the road as it swings east and be prepared to stop for cattle inspection. If that bull is under the lone shade tree, he will stand in the middle of the road to you come to a stop, give you a good looking over and then glacially move off the road. Then you start the second lot of climbing with the final steep bit being narrow and winding with guard rails, so a pause at the bottom to check for downward traffic is a good idea. You can be a bit horny here to make sure.
Stop at the lookout for a good views SW.
Just inside the gate/fence, 100m?, is Boundary Road which isn't normally a through road, despite google showing linking tracks.
Apparently the road to Horse Swamp campsite (Polblue ridge road(?)) and then the Tubucca Road link up and are classed as 4wd. We have never been down it or along it, but I've heard that it can be impassable to 4wd when wet. OTOH, some people have had easy drives. Caveat names as I'm going from my memory and not our notes(where ever they are).
When you hit a patch of dense pine forest on both sides shading the road, turn right into the picnic area in the middle. Great in summer as lovely and cool and looks entirely different to anything else. Lyre birds are everywhere in there, but good luck spotting one. Takes time.
Polblue Camping area, turn off to the right, is worth an inspection if you haven't been before. Good toilet stop. There is also a 3km(?) walk around the Swamp if you have the time or want a good leg stretch.
Around Polblue is a service road that is only open to 4WD in summer allowing people to go out on the tops to the south and camp at a number of designated camp sites. at one stage, this track went on and down, down, down to Lagoon Pinch and the start of the Allyn River.
A bit after Polblue Camping Area an then Paddy's Ridge Road, you will hit a major T intersection, at about 28kms from Moonan Flat according to google and turn left off the Gloucester-Scone Road. I can not remember how it is signposted; Tomalla?, Ellerston?, Nundle? or even Scone via ???.
In that pocket of forest in the NE corner is the start of the Manning River, which is the one you spend a lot of time criss-crossing on the Gloucester end of Thunderbolts Way over to the east.
Now side comment, we last were up there in January 2011 and spent a three days driving around the Tops looking at the various lookouts and camping sites. If you are going to take this route, it wouldn't hurt for you to look at the NPWS site for information so you have an idea where they all are and you can have the option of a side trip/stop. some of them are nothing more that a location, others have a pit toilet, others even include fireplaces. Polblue is the best.
Apologies, but no link to the relevant NPWS.page. They have completely fscked their site over to make it "usable"by brain dead tourists. You will have to experience the pain yourself. Anyway.
After, the intersection, it is basically following the sign posts along the main drag. Note, you are also crossing the east-west watershed, because the next valley on the RIGHT, yea right, is the start of the Hunter River, which loops north to Tomalla, then north west to loop back through Ellerston on the start of its south-west leg to Glenbawn Dam.
Warning, you do not actually go to Tomalla. There will be a right hand turn signposted to Tomalla along the Tomalla road, which if you follow it all the way, then continue on Curricabark road, you can also end up in Gloucester 90kms away. Note, you can go a few kilometres along it to see the almost top of the Hunter River. I think it is just cleared paddocks along the creek line which cuts deeply into the valley floor. high grass and lots of wombat holes is how I remember it from when I walked around there.
Now my memory is getting hazy as we have only driven this route once.. I have a vague recollection, somewhere after the Tomalla turnoff, there are one or two right turns that are not obvious. so just keep an eye out. One is a Y where you go right over a knoll rather than curving left. I think it is the end of the Horse Swamp route.
In the middle is another campsite (???name) that is popular, but just a little fiddly/difficult to drive down into. Picnic spot on the river just after turnoff.
The second is a definite right turn amongst green paddocks and isolated trees(not sure if this one is the other end of the Roundary road collection of tracks. By this stage, there will be a evidence of farmer traffic, rather than NP roads. Afterwards you also need to make a left turn(?) at a T intersection. The right turn goes into a property. some views at the grid.
The last leg is a windy drop down to the Scone-Nundle road, so take it easy. then it is 4kms north to Ellerston, right turn and your first crossing of the Hunter River, if you didn't cross it on the Tomalla road.
Another bit of useless information, a few kilometres along the Pages river road(left turn) on a low down spur across a paddock is a one chamber cave. Grotty and dirty and not open to the public.
My 2c might be to consider doing this loop in reverse on the way home. Basically you could take whatever time you wanted on the Tops to poke about as it isn't a big hassle to drive home in the dark from Moonan Flat to Newcastle. You will have already driven then Moonan Flat to the highway leg and know about the pinch backs. According to google, the complete Nundle,via Pages River Road(new road in morning) to Ellerston, loop through the Tops and then back to Moonan Flat and Newcastle is 321kms.
Or, if you want an entirely different route, bar 4kms, 292kms if you wanted to go east and home via Gloucester, but you would have to be back at Gloucester by dark.
Anyway, some info for you to chew on.
We've booked a room at the Hills Of Gold Motel (on the corner just up from the caravan park). There's a wedding in Nundle that weekend and the cabins in the caravan park are all booked out!
That Google street view is right across the road from where we stopped. I didn't notice the garage being open and I've read that they are closed now (Google maps aren't always current, sadly). I could be wrong.
That driveway opposite is the entry to the caravan park. The tennis courts you see are in the caravan park grounds and the armco railing you see is heading east out of town.
Heading back up the hill you'll see Oakenvillle St - that's the road we took to head to Barry. There's a museum up that road and you'll see the motel we're staying in on the corner there.
I have to work on the Friday morning, unfortunately. I can't get out of it. We probably won't be leaving Newcastle until lunch, which means we'll arrive in Nundle around 3pm-ish give or take dealing with the little guy and issues at work.
That Google street view is right across the road from where we stopped. I didn't notice the garage being open and I've read that they are closed now (Google maps aren't always current, sadly). I could be wrong.
That driveway opposite is the entry to the caravan park. The tennis courts you see are in the caravan park grounds and the armco railing you see is heading east out of town.
Heading back up the hill you'll see Oakenvillle St - that's the road we took to head to Barry. There's a museum up that road and you'll see the motel we're staying in on the corner there.
I have to work on the Friday morning, unfortunately. I can't get out of it. We probably won't be leaving Newcastle until lunch, which means we'll arrive in Nundle around 3pm-ish give or take dealing with the little guy and issues at work.
terryc
Member
Some bits.
I've found the NPWS Barrington tops NP pages
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkFacilities.aspx?id=N0002
Seems what I was thinking of as horse swamp on the 4WD track to the north is actually the Gummi Falls camping area and White Swamp is off the southern track.
There is also information on NSW State Forests web site. http://www.forests.nsw.gov.au/visiting/forests
Have a look at the information for Stewarts Brook State forest, which is on the southern side of the Scone-Gloucester and the Barrington Tops state forest. These two SF shows other camp sites, like Manning river, and some extra lookouts.
Sadly, both sites have been recently fiddled with, so I'm not sure how usable they now are.
Somewhere,there is a really good map online of the Barrington Tops area, but I can not remember where.
Yes, the Nundle Garage, a machinery repair business has closed, but the Nundle Cafe, which is right beside the "garage" shown in the photograph still sells petrol and diesel. Bugger, forgot to ask about opening hours on the Saturday.
So far so good.
I've found the NPWS Barrington tops NP pages
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkFacilities.aspx?id=N0002
Seems what I was thinking of as horse swamp on the 4WD track to the north is actually the Gummi Falls camping area and White Swamp is off the southern track.
There is also information on NSW State Forests web site. http://www.forests.nsw.gov.au/visiting/forests
Have a look at the information for Stewarts Brook State forest, which is on the southern side of the Scone-Gloucester and the Barrington Tops state forest. These two SF shows other camp sites, like Manning river, and some extra lookouts.
Sadly, both sites have been recently fiddled with, so I'm not sure how usable they now are.
Somewhere,there is a really good map online of the Barrington Tops area, but I can not remember where.
Thank you for that information.
I think you mean the street view isn't always current. It looked too clean to be a closed down business. So I made a couple of phone calls.
Yes, the Nundle Garage, a machinery repair business has closed, but the Nundle Cafe, which is right beside the "garage" shown in the photograph still sells petrol and diesel. Bugger, forgot to ask about opening hours on the Saturday.
So far so good.
bump
how do we feel about start time and meeting place ??
dave are you bringing a rifle?
dave mac (toyota) is bringing his crossbow,should be interesting
Are we expecting Osama Bin Laden to appear?
LLadnar
Member
I wont be taking any. From what I believe Ian said part of this track runs through private property and we don't have permission too have firearm on there. Also they can't be properly secured for the night while we're staying at the pub. If you want too organize a hunting trip I'd be keen, but not on a drive trip.
cyc10n
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Yeah brad you have a point. That's the only thing I was concerned about was not having it properly secured when we stay the night. It's best if I keep it at home and as you said plan a hunting trip later on Down the track
terryc
Member
Well, it was Malcolm Naden territory, but I think you're safe now.
