Caves to Caves
9th - 10th July 2005

Saturday 9th by Dean Hagan.

Met everyone at Mittagong McDonalds at 8.30am, Bryce usually starts from the Jenolan Caves end but decided to do back to front this time round and start at Wombeyan Caves end for a change of scenery.

The forecast was for wind and rain, initially no rain but the roads were damp from the previous nights down poor, extra caution was required.

Turning right well before the Wombeyan Caves entrance, the convoy of four meandered over rolling hills where the parched brown fields of only a month ago were showing patches of green from rain received the week before, dams were at last filling, it was good to see.

We press on and ride the ridgeline again, coming to another long slippery hill. Bryce was way out ahead of us, and is uncoiling his winch cable again as we catch up. Half way through all this he decides his centre diff lock is not on and also his maxi-drive is not engaging. He continues to winch as after this there are no more hard sections until we get to Banshee Fire Trail to rectify his problem.

NOTE travel along the banshee fire trail is no longer possible as it has been closed by the landowner due to track abuse.

We travel quickly along the graded track for a long way over very muddy sections, covered in big deep puddles of muddy water. Eventually after passing through plantation pine we turn of onto Banshee Fire Trail to Dingo Dell. Before we get to far into the harder bits we pull over and Bryce climbs under neath to manually engage his diff lock with success. Also Dave notices under Bryce’s bonnet a loose hose, and it turns out to be his maxi-drive connection and this too is fixed.

We viewed the waterfall just before the ascent to Dingo Dell, and what a magnificent sight, Bryce comments that it the best he has ever seen the falls, the cascade is very broad indeed and the area must have had some good rain earlier. We pass on through Dingo Dell and across the Kowmung River that was running higher, wider and faster since the last time I ventured down this way.

An easy road trip past Jenolan Caves House, where all the day visitors were getting ready to head on home.

It was getting dark now, the clouds were almost black then Bryce crackles over the CB telling us he has found the right track. We pass a pig shooter’s 4x4 but no one in sight. Bryce comes over the radio again telling us to look out for the deep wheel ruts, too late Steve makes it through, but Dave in his 130 dual cab slides right in. Out with the snatch strap and the Disco is put into reverse, Dave is out, 30seconds later I get hung up on my diff, this time Dave snatches me out. At the same time this drama is happening Steve has slid into a very nasty deep rut and is hung up further down and out of sight, Bryce snatches him out. The track was like grease no matter which way the steering wheel was turned the vehicle went the other way. Another cross axle crossing, this time Dave modifies his passenger side, side step and doorsill. Also just ahead Steve is inflating a now flat tyre, which holds until camp.

It was dark now, the wind was whistling past our car windows & the interior temp gauge indicating 2 degrees, not much further to go now says Bryce, but we have another steep rocky knarly section to overcome (not easy in the dark). True to his word we were at the camping ground as promised.

Amazingly the wind was only blowing above in the trees and not through the camp. A fire was immediately started and tents and swags erected. It was very cold another layer of clothing some dinner around the fire and afterwards a few more logs.

Around the fire specs of snow sprinkled through the night light, by morning a thin layer of snow has settled on tents and vehicles.

Sunday 10 July 2005 by Bryce Messner

Steve woke up to a flat tyre that was quickly changed, and his other corresponding tyre inflated as it was leaking as well. Our convoy of four drove on out leaving our campsite in pristine condition. I had warned every one the night before that the track leading out would be difficult. Difficult it was, my passenger Mitch (Dean’s son) and I took the lead, nose down the Defender edged its way down the wet clay track. Wheel articulation was at it’s max a few bangs and crunches and we were on our way across the creek crossing and up, only to radio through that we would be turning around due to the worsening condition of the track. The track was deeply rutted at least a metre deep and with a vehicle with road tyres with us an impossibility to keep going safely. I manoeuvred the Defender and met the others at the top where they were all waiting to get going.

We took the long way round and met up with the track further on. In the mean time we stopped for morning tea and Dave gave us a quick course how to unseal and reseal a tyre on the side of the road, Steve was still having trouble with his tyres deflating, a great lesson thanks Dave.

Time to move on to another steep decent, and with diffs skidding across the top of the centre mounds with wheels in deep ruts and being forced in a uncontrollable slide into more wheel rutted gullies. Another flat tyre for Steve which was inflated on the spot to keep going.

Dave in his 130 took a sidetrack but didn’t count on the steep drop off at the other end and soft black soil to throw him sideways into a precarious situation. In the mean time I called over the radio I was turning around as the next section was too washed out for all of us to proceed, Dean & Reece stayed at the top, as an anchor point should it be required.

Going down hill proved much easier than going up but after a lot of road building with logs and rocks and we dug the crown off the centre and filled in one side of the rut. I edged my way over the top of the track that moments earlier had skidded and slid down to reach the bottom. Again Steve tried his best but his road-biased tyres would only take him so far, I snatched him the last 50 meters.

Mean while Dave wasn’t able to go forward due to the angle of the drop off. A hand winch was put into action to stop Dave sliding into a tree and a safe passage prepared to ensure Dave could manoeuvre his vehicle forward. After ¾ hour hand winching Dave was able to try a re-entry to the track. The angle a worry re-entering the track as a roll over immanent, but I forgot we were in Land Rovers as a Toyota would have been over for sure (eh Flash – almost similar spot going down hill).

Five hours later we were at the top of that very same track looking down, we were exhausted, muddy, wet and ready to go on home, that was until another vehicle, a Hi-Luxe travelling solo got stuck and needed a helping hand from the members of the LROC. No new member but grateful all the same especially his wife. I now know why the Tuff Trip the weekend before was called off

We made it out to the black top OK, reinflated our tyres, said our goodbyes and headed home in good spirits after a fantastic full on weekend.

Footnote by Dean Hagan
It’s true what Bryce says about his trips, they are never dull but always full of adventure. From all of us Bryce thanks for a great weekend away, we had great company and new friendships were formed. My two boys will talk about this trip for years to come.