Venue: Old Currango Station
Meeting Place: In front of the Post Office at Adelong at 9:30am on Sunday 19th February 2012
Australian Alps Safari – Information Pack
Itinerary
Sunday 19th: 9:30am
Meet with the Safari Members at the front of the Adelong Post Office in Tumut Street
Short drive to historic Adelong Gold Mill Ruins for morning tea and walk around the old ruins. After lunch drive to Currango Station; our accommodation. On the way we will stop at Tumut Information Centre to collect brochures and information for our adventure.
Monday 20th: 8:30 am
Drive to Tantangra Dam, three Mile Dam; then onto Cabramurra where there is a number of geological features. Then back to Kiandra Gold Fields. If we finish early enough we can journey to Adaminaby Bring lunch, morning tea, and afternoon tea. Refuel at Cabramurra
Three Mile Dam, located a few kilometres along the Cabramurra Road and just past the turnoff to Mount Selwyn, the Chinese built it in 1882 to provide water for the sluicing operations at New Chum Hill. There is a walk (it is clearly marked on a map a few hundred metres off the road past the dam), which includes the old races and shows clearly how the water flowed from the dam to the goldfields. (We may not have time to do this walk)
Bring lunch, morning tea and afternoon tea
Tuesday 21st: 8 am
Meet NPWS Discovery Ranger at 9:30am, then a 4x4 tagalong through Lobs Hole Ravine with NPWS Discovery Ranger; where we look at the Aboriginal & European history; an old copper mine and smelter, along with the ruins of the Washington Arms Hotel. From here we drive to Jounama Homestead. (Those without 4 wheel drives should be able to fit into those that do have a 4x4. Bring lunch & morning tea
Wednesday 22nd: 8:30 am
Landers Falls 4x4 and a 1.6 kl walk, after which we visit Yarrangobilly Caves for cave
tour (tour fees not included). Bring your cossies; you may wish to have a dip in the thermal pool.
Thursday 23rd: 8:30 am
Today we drive to Tumut Ponds Dam then down to Tooma Dam, onto Geehi via Khancoban (refuel). At Geehi there are a number of beautiful stone cottages to wander through and the scenery is very picturesque. From here we have a couple of river crossings and a bush drive to Major Clews Hut (Major Clews was the head surveyor for the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme and retired to this hut where he remained until he had to return to civilization because of old age). This is a 4x4 trip along the Geehi Walls track with river crossings.
Todays trip is a long day and you will return late, Bring lunch, morning and afternoon tea.
Friday 24th: 9 am
Coolamine Homestead, Bluewaters & Nicole Gorge. There are a number of walks where we can explore the limestone caves, as well as finding fossils. Those who do not want to walk, can fish for trout or just relax by the water. (Fishing license required) Bring lunch, morning tea and a TORCH for inside limestone caves. Saturday: 25th Pack and depart Old Currango Station by 10am A
ACCOMMODATION
Pine Lodge: The rambling ‘men’s’ cottage, built for the station workers, offers accommodation for up to fifteen people, including single and double beds in six rooms. Protected by the historic Currango pines, the building has a large living/dining/kitchen area, an open fire, a fridge, and combustion stove. A gas barbecue is provided. A small washhouse provides old-fashioned showers at the rear of the cottage. Lighting is from solar power but bring torches to access the pit-loo at night.
Daffodil Cottage: (Dianne & I will be utilizing this cottage along with Col & Gail Robinson, for planning and to keep my papers from being lost or mixed up) A charming cottage with two bedrooms, and has a small living room with an open fire. The kitchen contains a combustion stove, meat safe, a fridge and a table. A gas barbecue is provided. Washing-up facilities and a bucket-shower are on the back veranda. It is equipped with internal solar lighting and a ‘dunny-out-the-back’. Camping/caravanning is not permitted at Currango, however there is a few camping areas near by at Wares Yards or Ghost Gully camping areas
WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING: Linen, blankets, sheets, pillow cases, doonas, mattress protectors (personal choice), or sleeping bags , towels, toiletries & toilet paper. I will be taking my own cutlery, glasses and pillow etc.
NOTE Carry a First Aid Kit (including a Pressure Bandage) at all times.
Currango Station is powered by solar power; I suggest if you have a car fridge bring it, as space in the homestead’s fridges may be at a premium. I suggest if you can use as much long life food and milk as possible; can be put in fridge after opening.
Cooking is on a fuel stove or gas BBQ (I am taking my Coleman stove). All food and drink and make sure you fuel up before leaving Tumut. There are no garages or shopping facilities nearby. (Be totally self sufficient)
There is no mobile phone coverage at Currango Station
All rubbish is to be removed and deposited outside national park
BOOKS: The High Country: 4wd and camping guide (Boiling Billy publications: www.boilingbilly.com.au) by Craig Lewis & Cathy Savage Kosciuszko Alpine Flora, Field edition. ISBN 0 643 06521 0. by CSRIO Publishing. Wild Guide Plants & Animals of the Australian Alps Envirobook ISBN 0 85881 168 5 by Barbara Cameron-Smith WEB SITES: (click on Hyperlink) Australian Alps education kit Soils of the Alps
Conservation publications
Adelong:
www.historyaustralia.org.au http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/109418/adelong-gold.pdf Geology & Geomorphology of the Australian Alps www.australianalps.environment.gov.au/learn/geology.html http://www.australianalps.environment.gov.au/learn/pubs/geology.pdf http://www.australianalps.environment.gov.au/nature/geology.html http://www.australianalps.environment.gov.au/publications/index.html Kiandra:
www.kiandrahistory.net
http://bluegum.com/travels/SnowyMtn07/0502/index2.html Lobs Hole Ravine:
www.kiandrahistory.net/lobshole.html http://www.daniel-moye.org/written_works/selected_seven_technical_papers/engineering_geology/index.php?include=page_15e Or, Google Daniel Moye written papers http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au Old Adaminaby: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~adminaby/admtsm/moving.htm http://www.australianalps.environment.gov.au/experience/communities.html Huts of the Snowy Mountains: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/KosciuszkoNPHutsStrategyDraft.pdf http://members.tip.net.au/~alanlevy/KosciHuts.htm http://www.khuts.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112:a-history-of-the-mountain-huts&catid=51:history&Itemid=81
