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‘Spring in the Park’ report

1-2 September 2018

To celebrate the arrival of spring, Kevin Phillips organised a club trip to explore Deua National Park, with an overnight camp in the magnificent Bendethra Valley. Deua NP had been closed since mid-August due to bushfires but was re-opened just before our trip.

Participants:

Kevin Phillips (Mazda BT50 with Rhino Camper) – Beef Vindaloo & rice
Sue Alexander (Toyota FJ Cruiser) – medium lamb curry, rice etc.
John Williams with Evan Williams and Phung Tran (Toyota Landcruiser 200 Series) – medium hot curry
Angus & Susie Kendon with Adrian (Defender) – mild potato & cauliflower curry
Stuart & Jane Minton (Nissan Navara) – Thai Chicken Jungle curry
David & Judy Wilson (Discovery D4) – mild vegetable curry
Mark & Lynelle O’Flaherty (Discovery D4) – curry.

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Our group of 7/8 vehicles met up at the Spotlight carpark in Queanbeyan on Saturday morning and headed out via Captain’s Flat. As Sunday was Father’s Day, we decided to drive the longer route into Bendethra and the shorter trip home on Sunday.

We turned off Cooma Road onto Middle Mountain Road where we enjoyed morning tea, tyred down and engaged low range for the rest of our time in the Park. We followed the Minuma Range Fire Trail, the Mongamulla Fire Trail, and the Bendethra Fire Trail to our camp alongside the Deua River. All presented enough challenges (steep climbs and descents, hairpins, large rocks) to make the drive interesting, although most of us had had enough of spoon drains by the end of the day! Recovery gear was not needed.

Our camp site was chosen primarily for its distance from a planned 18th birthday party we’d heard about and was just right for our group size. A variety of sleeping accommodation was assembled efficiently and we soon sat down to enjoy drinks and nibbles around a campfire. Dinner comprised a variety of curries shared amongst the group – vegetable, jungle chicken, lamb, cauliflower, with bread and sufficient rice to feed an army. We feasted superbly!

After a leisurely breakfast and a viewing of the Wilsons’ new roof-top tent, Sue led us around the other campgrounds along the Deua River, pointing out the qualities of each. We finished at the site of the former Bendethra homestead (since demolished).

Lynelle and Mark’s D4 had been losing coolant so they left early, expecting a slow trip back to Canberra. As it turned out, a split hose spurting under pressure was the problem.

Home was via the Dampier Mountain Fire Trail and Middle Mountain Road, which presented similar driving conditions to the previous day, to Captain’s Flat.

Return distance from Spotlight was about 360 km, with about 90 km of low range driving.

Thanks to Kevin for organising and leading a most enjoyable trip.

Judy and David Wilson

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