Gardens of Stone 2WD access

Submitted: Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 07:36
ThreadID: 84201 Views:4219 Replies:5 FollowUps:5
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Is there access from Glen Davis Rd suitable for 2WD vans. I have a Kia Pregio which I have set up for photo camping trips and GoSNP is on my list to visit.
I may (tentative yet) be coming down (from nr Tweed Heads) to visit Jenolan Caves in early April, so thought a night's stopover on the way would be good.
I have read the Mt Airlie thread, and camping for the night would be a great option. Can anyone tell me if the roads are suitable at that time of year for my vehicle.
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Reply By: On Patrol & TONI - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 08:47

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 08:47
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.
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Follow Up By: Member - Tanka (NSW) - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 16:45

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 16:45
I was on the Baal Bone Gap track only a couple of weeks ago, There was two muddy sections that a 2wd vehicle would not get through for awhile, one of which saw multiple vehicles winched out, due to thick mud, deep ruts, and holes.

There is access to GOS NP where the road zig zags over the railway line just past Capertee, but in going that way, you will find all the mud and holes before you found somewhere to camp.

Cheers Chris.
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Follow Up By: Member - Tanka (NSW) - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 17:13

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 17:13
Correction, the access to GOS I referred to earlier is actually at Ben Bullen, not Capertee. The rest still applies however.
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Reply By: Motherhen - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 16:46

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 16:46
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.

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Follow Up By: Analog6 - Wednesday, Feb 09, 2011 at 07:46

Wednesday, Feb 09, 2011 at 07:46
Thanks for that useful reply. Are there any good photo site spots along there? My main purpose it to be able to get photos, hopefully at dawn and dusk.
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Wednesday, Feb 09, 2011 at 15:50

Wednesday, Feb 09, 2011 at 15:50
Nothing special on the road to Capertree Analog. We didn't go into the park or any further south than to a lookout point over a wide vista where the railway line enters a tunnel a few kilometres south of Capertree. We were actually on our way from the Hunter Valley to Dubbo, but detoured to Dunn's Swamp; nice photo opportunities there of sandstone formations and walk to a lovely weir. People we met on a walk told us about Glen Davis, so we joined them there and were pleased we did.

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Reply By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 18:29

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 18:29
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.
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Follow Up By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 18:33

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 18:33
An after thought just occured to me and that is that you can access Hill End from either Rylstone or Capertee via Ilford and Hill End is certainly worth some photos.
Cheers, Bruce.
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Reply By: Member - Warrie (NSW) - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 22:02

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 22:02
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
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Reply By: Analog6 - Wednesday, Feb 09, 2011 at 07:52

Wednesday, Feb 09, 2011 at 07:52
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.
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