Carne Creek Valley
The group: Chris (leader), Kate, Karin, Margaret, Don, Roger, John, Rogo, Joe and Noel.
We set off from Sunnyside Ridge Road down an unnamed fire trail before going off-track to the descent point above a watercourse that runs down the side of the site containing Cathedral Cave. A tape was set for the final section as the rocks were steep and covered in moss.
The cave is approximately 30 metres wide, deep and high—a spectacular site unfortunately situated just outside the national park and therefore unprotected. We had left Blackheath about 2½ hours earlier, so we spent half an hour there enjoying morning tea and taking in the scenery.
From there we crossed to the western side of the creek and again used the tape, this time to climb. The ferns and grasses in this area are thick and waist high, so we headed straight up beneath the cliff line where the walking was much easier. We reached the valley floor and bike track in about half an hour.
A lookout at the end of the ridge was our next stop before crossing a small feeder creek to reach the cliff line opposite. From there we walked around to the Aboriginal occupation site, entering via a slot where we saw a chockstone apparently supported by two sticks. The evidence of the site's previous use included a grinding stone and the remains of many years of fires.
We walked via a currently dry pool that appears to be supplied with water through a slot containing many levels of shallow pools. It would take significant rain over an extended period to fill the pool.
We then reached the furthest point of the walk—a slot about 60 metres long capped by a chockstone. As Michael Keats described it on an earlier walk, "Walking in it is a unique experience. If you wanted to film a journey to the centre of the earth, this would be a great way to start."
We stopped there for lunch before retracing our steps to visit Star Cavern, with its slot in the roof and two balconies at the entrance. There was much discussion about climbing out, but wisely no one accepted the challenge.
We also visited Fallen Rock Cave before returning to the earlier lookout and climbing out of the valley via the pagodas, a route Kate, John and Joe had used previously.
It was a great day. Thanks to everyone who came.