megalong valley, blue mtn's

G'day,
I haven't ventured out that way yet (being relatively new to NSW) but from my limited experience, if there are gates, there is no access for normal responsible recreational 4wders.
On a slightly different but related subject, I am looking for some friendly locals to give me some pointers towards good 4wd areas (not too tough) and maybe let me tag along on a day trip or two to learn the area (I'm suffering bad withdrawal symptoms from not enough 4wding!!). If you want to get in touch my email is alex75_48@hotmail.com
Cheers,
Alex

Mate if the maps show them as "Locked Gates" you can be reasonibly certain they lead into the water catchment areas and are not accessible to you or I.
Ian

Rob,
Take your point. More years ago than I care to mention I used to motorcycle a lot of those tracks befor trail bike riding got a bad name - when I finish these damn nightshifts I'll see dig around & see how many of my old maps are to hand and see what info I can dig up & recall. unfortunately I've loaned a lot and they never came back, (Don't lend them any more).
I recall we used to ride through private properties on what we assumed were public rights of way & were never challenged, mind you we were carefull to leave gates as we found them and stay on marked tracks. I also recall a few homemade signs forbidding you to leave the "road". Tried to go back not too many years ago to rekindle old memories and found the gates to be sign posted "NO Entry, Private Property, Tresspassers Will etc:" Possibly bluff by the owners but who wants the agro?
Will try & get something up for you on Mon?Tues.

Regards
Ian

There are a couple of tracks in the Jamieson Valley that I know of; Murphy's Glen, a camping area, and the track to McMahon's lookout. Off this track, there is a turnoff to another bush camp area (which I have not visited). Both these tracks were covered in 4WD Monthly within the last year, and are fairly easy. McMahon's lookout is worth a look at the backwaters of Lake Burragorang. Both tracks are easy, but a bit rough in places.

In the Megalong Valley, there's a fairly new NP at the end of the road from Blackheath. It's more a spot from where walkers setup to walk some of the tracks around there. Good views up to NarrowNeck and beyond. The six foot track crosses the road and from the other end of the Six Foot Track, you can drive down to the Cox's River.

There might be more tracks that are open, but these are the ones I've used lately.

Andrew

O.K;
Off nightshift & had a bit of a sleep, just as I suspected my collection of maps is real thin, funny how do don't notice the missing items untill you are in need.

Some quite pleasant drives to Murphy's Glen & MacMahons Lookout etc: these are on the top of the escarpment (The Kings Tableland area), but certainly not 4WD.
After refreshing my memory I'm unaware of any public vehicle access into the Jamison Valley. The Kedumba Pass Track has been locked forever and the only people I know of who use it are Water Board Employees. I am aware of tracks from the Megalong & around into the Jamison but these are strictly Fire Service Trails & are again locked. To the best of my knowledge its foot access only to the Jamison. My recollections tell me that when we got to the end of the Megalong Road we ended up on a private property which specialised in horse & pack saddle rides through the valley. Can't remeber the name of the joint but recall it had been established for something like 30 years and was a virtual insitution.
Don't know if it's still there, but would not be at all surprised to find it 's reverted to National Park, lot's of these places were actually leasehold and are being handed over to Parks on expiry of the lease.

Why not do some exploratory trips, family & esky into the car and have a poke around.

Hav a look at Yerranderie as a very long day trip or a non rushed weekender, wife & I love this one - great views and historic interest.

Ian

hey hey g'day
thanks again ian, and andrew, for your input on this topic, i think your plan of attack is the one to go with.... pack up the nissan and go for a nice day trip through there and see what eventuates.... a day out in the valley would be nice regardless of what happens or where the road doesn't go....and to alex thanks for your kind offer but being only my second 4x4 vehicle i'm pretty well still a virgin in the realm of the art of 4x4ing and would probably be a hinderance more than anything, my first 4x4 being a short w/b mq 3.0l turbo was used mainly to get my boat, a 16' fibreglass half cab, on and off the boat ramp at norah head, which i no longer have nowadays.

thanks again and regards to all
robs
foot of the mt'ns east side.
2001 3.0L GU11 NISSAN ST

With regards to the private property as the end of Megalong Rd, yes, that is the case. You'll come to the end of the rd a couple of k's after the low level crossing, and there are a number of gates. Take the one straight ahead and it winds down the hill and along a creek and you'll come to what looks like provate property. I think it is a residence where the original leasees still live, but if you drive slowly past the house and out=buildings etc, you can head up the hill a bit further and there are some loos and shelters put there by NPWS. A pretty area, and a good spot to base yourself for some spectacular walks in the area. So don't be put off with the gates as beyond, it is definately a NP. I guess we just need to be aware that the original leasee's are still in residence there.

Andrew