Bushwalking at Yerranderie

The Yerranderie Peak Walk  

From the Post Office walk back up the road towards “Government Town” 400m then turn off right and up the hill behind the signpost “To the peak” and a small cairn of stones.

Climb 200m following the defined track, when you come up against the sand-stone cliff, look for the track to your left.  The trail now levels for a while following the course of an ancient river bed under the resistant conglomerate before bringing you to the base of a cleft in the cliff line.

The cleft offers numerous steps and handholds but take extreme care not to dislodge rocks on to fellow walkers.  Already fine views open up from the top of this cleft.  Lake Burragorang east, the airstrip (north east) and Green Wattle Gap (north).  Turn sharp right here to bring you along to Bartlett’s Head or continue straight up for the Peak.

Note changes in tree types especially the old Banksia you have to duck under as you gain altitude.  Watch out for Lyre Birds and listen to the chuckle of wattle birds mocking your unfitness and the monotonous “tom-titty” of the pardalote high in the upper canopy.  At the summit a large cairn holds the visitors book.  Sign and relieve yourself of that inspired verse.  Walk past the summit and seek out the numerous ledges for those well deserved views.

Looking down, the township of Yerranderie is seen split into its two main parts.  The scars of Silver Peak and Colon Peak mines are visible, their mullock heaps and retaining dams which failed to keep back the pollution of sulphur and arsenic salts and dangerous chemicals used in the extraction process.  Natural regeneration has healed most of these scars and covered over the cleared land which maintained a town of 2,000 people, sheep and cattle farms, and hundreds of Clydesdale horses used to haul out the silver.  Note the lighter green canopy of “pioneer” wattles where the cleared land is reverting back to mixed eucalypt forest.  Sound travels on still days, listen out for the unremitting pulse of the Wonga pigeon from the depths of the forest.  Return on the same track.  Take care it can be slippery.

Please note: “The Peak”  is situated in the Blue Mountains National Park

 History

 In 1802 French explorer, Francis Luis Barrallier most likely stood here and surveyed his route attempting to cross the Blue Mountains.  A possible route lay directly below to the north west up along the Tonalli River and over Kowmung Gap which plunges down 400m to the Kowmung River.  Further west, the long sandstone cliffs of the Mootik Walls end with an imposing massive dome, Mount Colong.  The inviting Byrnes Gap, due north, about 5km away, offered the best course.  To its right is Axehead Mountain, part of the Tonalli Range which form another impenetrable wall all the way to the Burragorang Valley.  Barrallier’s goal was to ascend the mighty barrier of the Kanangra Walls seen on the NW horizon.

Please remember

·       Pick up all litter on the mountain

·       Throw no objects, however small

·       Tread lightly, preserve the track

·       Do not disturb the plants or wildlife

·       Respect the mountain, it is millions of years old and needs to be looked after

The Zuchetti Flat Walk  

Since the 1890’s when mining first started in earnest at Yerranderie the family have lived and worked at various locations around the town.  Allen and Dot Zuchetti lived for years in the Huts on Zuchetti Flat, (the remains still stand), before moving into what is now called Mrs. Barnes’ Boarding House (Dot's grandmother) in Private Town.  They were the last to leave Yerranderie when the Sydney Water Board closed the town in 1959.  They still revisit their home and are active in the preservation of local heritage.

From the Lodge follow the track (W) past the Silver Peak Mine out on Colong Swamp Stock Route.  Go around the NP&WS gate and where the main track turns sharp left go straight on.  Follow faint (cart) wheel tracks along this ridge until it begins to descend.

Before you race down the spur stand just north of an old dead ironbark and take in the view, the outline above describes the various peaks and valleys.

At the bottom of the hill veer left, walk just past a huge flat rock and drop into the Tonalli River.  If it is in flood do not attempt to cross it, stay on the south bank.

Cross the river bend and just a few metres downstream look for a ramp the kangaroos used to bring themselves out onto the Zuchetti flat.  Straight ahead are the hut remains, please do not disturb this heritage.  Look out for wombat holes in the river bank.  Note the bird variety here; wren, honeyeater, treecreeper, wattle bird, whipbird, noisy friar etc.  Leave the flat at the eastern end and follow the Tonalli River downstream.  This requires care, the old road which followed the river has been obscured by fallen timber, stay in the river bed. 

After a 0.5km scramble follow markers into a picnic area to your right (S).  Take a well deserved rest before picking up the open trail through this shaded flat.  Turn left over the concrete ford (go right for a short cut home) and pass through Kings Flat.  The trail goes up over a small spur past two deep very unsafe hand dug mine shafts and back down to the Tonalli River.  Go left for the rock-pools or go diagonally right across the river to ascend the steep spur home.  Directly above you is the “Piece of Pork” mine, although not a profitable mine, appreciate the work involved in cutting this adit through the rock.  Continue SE along the ridge.  Do not deviate.  Finally you rejoin the main track from the ford.  Turn left for Krubi Cottage and Private Town.