12 August to 14 August - Budawang NP

Walk Coordinator: Helen Turton

Grade: Moderate/Hard Distance: See description

Base Camp

Meet: Saturday lunchtime at Long Gully Camp

Description: The Budawang is a wilderness area in the southerI'm n area of Morton National Park, southwest of Ulladulla. The area has spectacular dramatic scenery of sandstone cliffs with lush bushland and beautiful rivers and creeks.

Directions to Long Gully Camp

Follow the signs to Pigeon House then go past the turn off (to Pigeon House) and continue on Yadboro Rd, cross the Clyde River and onto the Western distributor. Turn right into Long Gully Rd and continue to the camp. The road can get boggy when wet so it could be useful to have 4WD.

All walking will be on tracks but there are climbs of 400 to 600 meters which are steep and iron ladders up to summits.

The campsite has a drop toilet and picnic tables. There is water in the river or bring your own.

Saturday

Arriving about lunchtime and setting up camp with an easy afternoon walk to Yadboro Flat, 8 km return.

Sunday

A walk either to view Monolith Valley, climb the Castle or Byangee Mt . Distances vary but all have spectacular views.

Monday

Climb Pigeon House either from Yadboro (involves a car swap) about 11 km or the tourist route which is 5.2 km. 

The road to Long Gully campsite is quite good and okay for 2WD.  If there is rain however the road could be slippery and 4WD is recommended. The directions into the campsite are as follows-

Turn left onto Monkey Mt Rd 32 km north of Batemans Bay travel onto Woodburn Rd 5.3km drive  a further 6km and then turn left onto Clyde Ridge Rd. Go for 7.7 km and turn right onto Yadbora Rd for 4.3km turn left to stay on Yadbora Rd and after 9.2 km turn left onto the Western Distributor. After 3.4km turn a slight right onto Long Gully Rd and onto the campground. A total of 70km from Batemans Bay taking 1 hr and 34 mins.

The campsite is not large so smallish tents would be best. There is the Yadbora River nearby so plenty of fresh water but could everyone bring some firewood to contribute  to the fire as there is little wood. I will be travelling up sat morning and setting up camp and after lunch there will be a short walk along the river. Sunday we will leave about 8 am to walk to Monolith Valley. This is graded medium/ hard as it is all track but steep climbing and walking along the base of The Castle is time consuming walking up and down large steps and over boulders and then along a scenic track to Monolith Valley. As we will be walking up and back the same way if anyone is unsure about making it the whole way then just go as far as is comfortable. The view from just the morning tea spot is exceptional. The entire walk has spectacular scenery and well worth the effort.  The next morning we will climb Pigeon House which can be done with a car swap or up and back the same way.

Photos from Jeff Holmes: