Gardens of Stone 2WD access

Hi Analog6
Mt Airlie is CLOSED to camping on the lower level near Col's house, the camp site up near the lookout is still open but NO WAY would anything like your van even get near that lookout, in previous years Col has maintained the track up the hill but now he has sold out to the mines he will not maintain the track. I was up there a few weeks ago and found the track hard going compaired to earlier times, a good clearance 4WD is a must now.

If you still want to camp near there I might suggest you look at Glen Davis Common, right in the old town it's self.

The last time I used the Baal Bone track through G.S Nat pk it was possible (with care) to drive a 2wd through but that was 18 months ago and things may have changed due in no small part to the heavy rains we have had over the last few months.

Re access to from Glen Davis, "no way" the only way to G.S. Nat Pk is from the Castlereagh highway at Cullen Bullen railway crossing or from the Wolgan Valley road into the Newnes site.

Newens is accessable by 2wd, interesting shale oil ghost town.


Cheers Colin.

Hi Analog

After reading Colin's reply, i am not sure what road you mean. We travelled from Glen Davis to Capertree, which takes in the northern end of the Gardens of Stone (no access tracks into the park). It was a good mainly dirt road and although we have 4wd, it was suitable for any rig.Free camping complete with hot showers is a real bonus at very tiny town of Glen Davis (no shops of fuel) - almost a ghost town. On Saturdays, tours are taken over the extensive area where the oil shale mining and refining took place. A very interesting locality.

Motherhen

Hi Analog6,

There is good camping in Glen Davis and I believe that there are hot showers.
The camping is free and so are the showers, I think, so that would be a safe bet for a nights camp on your way.

For you the best road would be to make your way to the New England Highway and turn off at Muswellbrook and head toward Denman, Sandy Hollow, Bylong and head toward Rylstone via the Bylong Valley, a very picturesque run.

Near Rylstone you have Dunns Swamp and then on to Glen Davis which is at the top end of the Wollemi Gorge.Capertee River joins the Running Stream just below Glen Davis and then runs down through the gorge eventually becomes the Colo River. The road out to Capertee is a good road as is the road down from Rylstone.

Pretty country and well worth the run.

As for the GS NP I cannot say but once you get to Capertee you are on the Mudgee / Lithgow road and it is tar.

Hope this helps, Bruce.

Hi Analog6, you may be interested in visiting the Lost City which is easy 2WD access from Lithgow. Take the road to the Glowworm Tunnel . This is dirt and can get muddy. Turn left at the Bungleboori campsite . Click on the blue Lost City which will take you into Places and read the info and check out the pix..............W

Thanks to everyone for their replies. I had planned coming down to go Muswellbrook - Denman - Cassilis - Mudgee - Capertee - Gardens of Stone NP - Capertee - Wallerawang - Tarana - Oberon - Jenolan Caves, but I can see I may have to change that and go into Newnes if I want to include GoSNP this trip. I could easily go the Mudgee way on the return journey.

If anyone has any further thoughts please come back and put them in, all suggestions most gratefully received.