[SUBW-A] Trip Report, Deua National Park, 14-17 April 2006

[Ashley Burke]

Trip: Deua National Park, 14-17 April 2006

Party: Kateryna Chemerys, Rob Hynes, Jacqui Knox, Rachel Melrose, Tom
Murtagh, Will Prino, Kendy Burke, Ashley Burke

Deua National Park, located to the south east of Canberra, is an area of
richly diverse eucalypt forest, rising to altitudes of over 1300m. In the
heart of this wilderness lie the peaks of Mother Woila, Tabletop and Scout
Hat, whose summits are defended from unprepared walkers by fortresses of
quartzite. Into this landscape the above party of 8 ventured, with an ascent
of Mother Woila being the crux and one of the many highlights of the trip.

Rendezvousing late on Thursday night at Pikes Saddle on the Great Dividing
Range, our first impressions of the area were of silvery tree trunks in the
ghostly light of a full moon and the smell of distant fires. After meeting
and sipping some port we slept by the cars for what was left of the night.

Day 1 was a relatively easy day. We climbed Euranbene Mountain and from
there descended a long ridge down to Woila Creek. The upper part of the
ridge was strewn with huge amounts of fallen timber which made the going
slow until we found a sawn route leading to gentler ground lower down. We
enjoyed lunch in open ridgetop woodland with warm sunshine filtering through
the branches above. While we rested and ate, Rachel sketched some portraits
of relaxing bushwalkers.

Upon reaching Woila Creek we had plenty of time on our hands so we dropped
packs for some exploring upstream. We followed the creek upstream for a
while until in a small rock pool we saw a dead platypus. The poor creature
looked as though it had recently become trapped in a small rock hole from
which it could not escape.

Returning to our packs we then headed downstream to our camp site below
Mother Woila. Our route on Woila Creek took us through some magnificent
eucalypt forest. A breathtaking stand of trees with sunlight filtering
through, we had to take our time to soak in our majestic surroundings. Our
chosen camp site was slightly above the river flats, close to running water,
open and comfortable, with plenty of firewood. And furthermore, most of us
had wine and port. Unfortunately rain cut the evening short so it was an
early night.

Day 2 was to be the make or break of the trip, with a big climb up Mother
Woila planned. It started off with a gentle ridge climb, which steadily
became steeper and looser, until we found ourselves toiling up a scree slope
with no firm footing. At last, after a long climb, we reached the tip of a
knife edge ridge protruding from the side of the mountain and here we
stopped to regroup. The weather had become cool and clear with a bracing
wind blowing. Behind and below lay the expanse of the Woila valley. Ahead of
us stood a quartzite razor blade and the looming fortress of Mother Woila
beyond that.

We carefully negotiated the razor blade ridge. With the ridge dropping
steeply on both sides, 360 degree views, and clouds scudding by on a bracing
southerly breeze, this was stunning bushwalking. A short pack pass brought
us to the end of the razor blade and the beginning of the next stage of the
climb. Ahead of us awaited a fortress of cliff that we would have to find
our way through. 

We climbed to the base of the cliff and began searching for possible routes
up. There were three candidate routes, all short, but extremely difficult
rock climbs. We spent some time unsuccessfully trying one of these. After
scrabbling about with ropes and harnesses we began to canvas other options.
Perhaps the gully to our right would go? But we had to get into it first.
Tom, Jacqui and I descended into the gully to check it out and were greeted
with a frowning wall of quartzite. I tried to ascend a steeply rising
bedding plane but was forced to abseil back off it when it became too
exposed.

Things were looking grim. We would have one more look at the cliff where we
had tried earlier before conceding defeat. On my way up to it I decided to
check out an unlikely looking route to the left. I disappeared around a
point, climbed steeply and then found myself at the bottom of a short steep
chute. There was a small Banksia and ledge half way up it. Clutching at
tufts of grass I struggled up it and finally emerged at the top. I was up!
This was the route we had been looking for all along! 

Now all we had to do was get all the packs and people safely up. Starting
with the packs we set up a human chain and a hand line to haul each pack up
one by one. Then it was the humans' turn. Fortunately each human had a
harness and we could top rope everyone up the climb. With Mr Bean standing
on the ledge half way down and me belaying from the top, everyone safely
negotiated the climb. At last we were all up and could proceed to the summit
of Little Woila.

By the time we got there it was approaching 3pm and we hadn't had lunch so
we settled down for a much needed rest, content in the knowledge that the
mighty fortress had at last been breached. From here it was a relatively
easy descent and ascent onto the summit of Mother Woila itself.

But like any decent fortress, Mother Woila was protected on all sides. We
now had to get off the other end. We walked to the other end of the mountain
and found ourselves atop a tremendous bluff. Opposite we could see another
razorblade ridge that we had to go up, and between us and it, empty space.
We needed to get across to that razorblade ridge and climb it to reach known
camp sites and water beyond.

Realising that it was getting too late to attempt this crossing we decided
to camp here and now on this rock bluff of Mother Woila. And what a
spectacular camp site this was! On three sides was a vastness of open space
through which the cool wind had free reign. There was Tabletop resplendent
in the evening light and the Great Dividing Range trailing away into the
distance to our west. All we had to do was make our fortress habitable and
conserve our supplies of water.

So we set about the task of rearranging the abundant loose rocks to create
sleeping spaces and a communal area. Once this was done we could all gather
around the camp fire and enjoy our new home. And just because we had to
conserve water didn't mean we had to conserve wine and port as well. It was
a lovely evening by the fire, and everyone wrote a few words for the nearby
logbook tin on a piece of paper donated out of Rachel's sketch book.

The following morning was another perfect day and with 12 hours of daylight
now ahead of us, we could address the problem of getting off fortress Woila
and onto the uplands beyond. We descended a steep and loose slope, taking
care (often unsuccessfully) to avoid dislodging rocks. The slope became a
narrow chute, followed by a steep and loose traverse, and finally a steep
ascent into a tiny saddle at the base of the cliff on which we had camped
the night before. On this leg we admired some very rare eucalypts with
smooth olive coloured trunks.

Then came the ascent of the final razorblade and this was enjoyable and
spectacular bushwalking. At last we advanced onto gentler ground and beyond
that, into a high swamp environment and the prospect of finding water. We
found comfortable glades among ferns and fallen logs, and drew water from a
nearby soak. We had lunch here. We decided to camp here too, which left the
afternoon free for some more exploration.

Will stayed back at the camp site to hold the fort while the rest of us
headed out on the ridge towards Tabletop. This involved more tremendous
bushwalking with spectacular views from rocky ridges in perfect weather, and
we lingered on this ridge top while the shadows lengthened. Mother Woila
dominated the scenic view.

We returned to our packs where Will was waiting and enjoyed our last evening
by the camp fire.

The last day of the trip was relatively uneventful but enjoyable
nevertheless. We walked to Dampier Trig and then along a fire trail back to
the cars, which we reached early in the afternoon after a pleasant lunch by
a quiet stream.

We set off for Braidwood where we made for the nearest pub, but this turned
out to be the only disappointment of the trip. After such a wonderful four
days in the wilderness we found the sterile surrounds in the pub a little
dismal, and only stayed for one drink before heading back to Sydney.

All told, it was a fantastic weekend of spectacular and exciting bushwalking
with a great group of people.

Ashley Burke
Phone: +61 2 9476 3531
Mobile: 0414 633 315
Email: aburke at ozemail.com.au