Turon River Escapade
10th & 11th September 2005

Written by Bryce R Messner.

All on time at Mt Lambie BP service station and time for coffee, then we were off at 8.45am to our turn off to Sunny Corner.

This time making the correct turn onto the forest track, unlike last year, saw us driving through some pleasant country on a dusty road that we were hoping for to be damp.

We started to climb after our first creek crossing that gave a certain 130 grief the year before, as it was wet, now easy with just a trickle running through it. At the top of this long climb and I might add disappointing that it was dry, because the challenge had been removed, we had a morning tea stop surrounded by now full blooming wattle and a nice sunny day about 23c.

Here we should have turned right, but turned left taking us in the wrong direction for my intended target of Hugh’s Torment (a big steep rocky hill to you folk). We drove along for a few kilometres and of course came to our exit road, which we had to turn right onto now. Coming to the next intersection veering left to follow the fence line road that was very rutted and knarly down to the long river crossing, which was low, and up the other side.

We found our next turn and wound down a pretty knarly rutted track to the creek crossing, took some obligatory photos, then up the other side. Mistake two about to happen, I turn left instead of right. Knowing I had made a mistake and thinking it was a different road turned back to find the right track. The long and short of it was that we were now 5km from where we should be. A couple of nice young locals in an 80 series complete with “P” plates led us back to where we should have been. Guess what, if I had have turned right instead of left where I turned around, it was 200 mtres around the bend.

There were about 6 or 7 4x4’s waiting this side of the creek leading to the hard ascent. We passed them, crossed over and pulled up behind another 6 vehicles waiting their turn to ascend. Not that I have any problems with Koreans, in fact have a couple friends as Koreans, these guys had a Rav 4 and a Klugar waiting. These cars don’t have low range or good clearance or anything worth having to be called a “four wheel drive”. There should be a Government warning on the dash “To All Idiots – This car Will Not Go Every Where in Fact Hardly Any Where”.

Some where up ahead we could see dust flying, hear wheels spinning and smell burning rubber with the occasional loud crunch as steel contacting granite boulders. There was another non-complying “Other Brand” trying to get up & over the rock steps near the top. We could see a Nissan Patrol starting to wind out a snatch strap to skull drag this fellow up, which did happen over three or four attempts.

Any way I approached one of their team leaders, I kid you not this was an “ORGANISED TAG-A-LONG TOUR GROUP” (I’d love to mention their name but would be edited any way), any way I asked before they destroyed more cars would they let far superior cars pass. I wish I had taken a photo of his face to this comment and the other to his intelligence in allowing this to happen. He agreed and I on my way to get us moving, the Klugar takes off in his banzai charge on the hill. You should have heard the metal fatigue sounds as he got over the first hurdle. No low range but an auto and a charge up the hill amazing how far you can get. Well we all know it couldn’t last, so we were stuck listening again to the sounds not of silence, but the raucous squeal of tyres and clunking metal on rock. Not able to get more than a little over half way up his mate ends up having to snatch / drag him the rest of the way taking ½ hour to do so, then it was our turn.

Looking at a blank stare Korean face as I told him “now watch what Land Rovers will do”, “was absolutely priceless”. And as you would expect I made it look so easy, the dozen odd Koreans spread up & down the side of the hill with cameras were oohing & arhring as I passed them with hardly a wheel spin. Dave followed suit even with ½ ton of fire wood on his roof rack in a like easy manner. Nick also made it look easy in his near new Defender as traction control took him to the top with ease. Dean had them gasping in awe, at his momentum wheel lift that propelled him to the top in true Landie style. I would put money on a bet that on Monday morning there would be a run at the nearest Land Rover dealership for half a dozen new Land Rovers.

On this occasion I would have to agree this is why some tracks are closed and fall into bad condition because of this behaviour. Those who have a go at bike riders as the big bad boogie man of the bush track damage, should have witnessed this carry on, don’t ever in my presence defend 4x4 drivers verse bike riders without a fight on your hands.

We move off aiming our sites at Sofala and onto the more respectable track with a number of gates to open. We took a little detour that takes us across the Turon River a number of times. At one of them we loaded my roof rack up with more firewood to ensure plenty of warmth in case it got cold at night.

All along here and even into Turon Gates we saw many kangaroos oblivious to our passing and the odd small herd of feral goats.

As we got closer to Sofala it absolutely bucketed down with heavy rain, making the road very slippery, and cursing that why didn’t it do this while back in the harder country for the Klugars to slip on and give us a better challenge ah well there’s always next year. We crossed a number of concrete crossing along here also that pass over the Turon.

Along this section of the Turon Track, actually an old Cobb & co route of about 18km that hugs the Turon for most of the way on a four wheel drive track only. Along here we came across a caravan that had rolled off the track, and its carcass had been picked clean leaving only the chassis and a mess of strewn shattered timber around. What lunatic told them they could make this drive with a van in tow? Nick had driven this track only some four months before and it wasn’t there then, therefore only a new scar on the pristine bush scape.

We arrive at the Sofala Common a terrific camping spot, if not too many other campers there, but big enough to find some space on the banks of the Turon River with still only a short stroll to the toilet for the ladies had they been along.

A great campfire was started with the help of Nicks kero bottle as the wood was pretty wet by now, but the good news was the rain had stopped and the last of the suns rays were enjoyed just before dusk.

The rest of the night was superb, typically around a very warm fire. Plenty of story telly from past trips to see the night through, the only thing missing was the port, damn Clive not coming! After we all went to sleep and sometime through the night I awake to a torrential down pour that had me restless for the rest of the night until I dropped off.

Sunday arrived and presented a magnificent blue sky & sunny morning, the wattle reflecting off the Turon River was picture perfect. Breakfast out of the way, pack up & move out by 9.30am. We move out after a dash to the windy loo, to be a bit more comfortable.

Into Sofala town and I spy no cars outside the Sofala Hotel so I park there for a snap shot. We move off again now on the Hill End Road and the promise of Hot Chocolate & Mugacino.

The road is predictabley wet, muddy & slippery but in good graded condition allowing us swift travel to eat up the 38 kilometres to Hill End.

Unfortunately one Falcon finds the going a bit tough and with the help from friends gets back on the road. Again when we arrive there are almost no cars in town. We go into the coffee shop and dispense of what we came for, only I add crumpets & honey to the coffee.

Onto our journey again we head down the Mudgee Road and turn left onto Long Point Road and the Macquarie River. This part of the trip although the sign designates the road as a four wheel drive - dry weather only road, it is knarly in spots but only a couple of spots requiring low range for safety sake.

On one section at a “Y” intersection, that normally the correct turn would be left, now led to a locked gate with a brand new massive chain & lock! Back we go to the lesser right turn & even though it is not a new road, still little used all the same with new steel grids and piped gully crossing coming out at the gate we turned back on. Now after 30 years of natural turns to the left I will have to remember a right, hopefully a sign will eventually show no entry the wrong way.

This countryside winds past sheep and cattle country sometimes very close to a number of homesteads with friendly waving locals, well I waved first. We see more feral goats along here many multi-coloured varieties.

Down we wind the very steep descent to the Macquarie River at the Long Point Crossing. We normally turn left at the bottom to follow the river along for a couple of kilometres but a sign of prosecution for trespass changes our mind. Obviously new owners, new signs but some investigation with lands department will sort this out before our next trip, and when I move to Orange I will look up the owner for permission if that’s the case.

We cross in turn & take some good photos.

Climbing out of the river base is steep to say the least and in sections starting to show signs of disrepair but I guess some grader will come along and spoil it. At the top we are greeted by a small herd of cattle, Brahman crosses & a pure bred magnificent bull who with his steely eye, watches our progress past his harem of cows and calves.

The cross country road from here very picturesque winding tightly until our turn to Ophir, passed my new property & then our turn off to Tinkers Point and a tricky Summer Hill Creek crossing.

I start across after assessing the depth & current to be honest, quite deeper & faster than two weeks before we were here and able to see the bottom through pure clear water. Not so now as the recent week long rain has sent a deluge down stream muddying it up. Almost across & with the bonnet about to disappear, Nick announces he won’t cross without a snorkel, something I over looked.

I stop throw it in reverse and start to make my way back. Unfortunately in reverse I take to tight a line, my right rear wheel mounts a large rock and sits my chassis in a suspended situation. Giving it a boot full to lift off doesn’t help as it only aggravates the problem by cleaning what rocks were under my tyres out totally freewheeling now.

Hung up in the middle of a creek that is over the side steps and speeding past at a great rate of knots, not a good look or good spot to be in. Dean strips down to his undies and brings out a snatch strap to recover me. A tree is in the way so Nick with a Stihl and Dave removes the obstacle from my rear exit point. After a couple of slow tugs from Dave, then a winch that fails from Dean to drag me back to safety, plan C is enacted.

Plan C is three snatch straps attached to Dean’s car and a better run which is very difficult where they are on the narrow track running parallel to the creek, but with a crunch and jerk I am free. I nearly forgot to embarrass my passenger young Reece and explain he had to strip off and bail from the car into the torrent for an urgent meeting with a roll of Natural Soft Sorbent.

Back to Ophir Reserve for lunch and some drying out & tyre reinflation. While there I remark that the water was running under the weir two weeks ago not 40cm above it today.

Another perfect weekend ended and we head back on the back road pass Lewis Ponds onto Eglington and Bathurst.
Thanks guys for your excellent companionship over the course of the weekend, until next time.