The Brindies Day Trip (BLC without the coffee) 18 April 2021
There were 5 vehicles including our trip leader Russell (Disco 4). The others were Eric Rigter and his son Chris and 2 granddaughters (Liv and Harriet) (Prado), John Williams and Ross Waples from the Southern Highlands (Ford Ranger), Simon Nickson and Etoy (Landcruiser), and Julie and John Reis (Disco 4).
We met up at Uriarra Crossing on the Sunday Morning, although a few of us were a bit slower getting there as early as we had planned as there were an enormous number of cyclists on the road. This was a section of the Five Peaks ride event and the riders went along Uriarra Road before turning left onto Brindabella and subsequently back via Cotter Road before their first peak of Mt Stromlo. While Eric and Julie managed to pass a small number, we basically gave up on getting past the peloton and simply stayed in the cycling pack for about 4 Km. A few cyclists whom Eric had passed earlier even managed to pass him.
The last participants to arrive were Simon and Etoy and according to tradition they volunteered to be the trip scribe. We were in no hurry to leave straight away as we wanted some space between the cyclists and ourselves. We departed about 8.15 am.
There were not actually many cyclists that we had to pass, as they had turned left, and we were well underway when Simon had a call from a neighbor saying that his dog was loose, and he pulled out of the trip (some people will do anything to get out of writing trip reports). As we were the 2nd last arrival we were then volunteered.
We went through the Brindabellas along Brindabella Road heading for Tumut and turned off onto the Gentle Annie Trail. Russell remembered that it was a bit rough the previous time so we reduced tire pressures as soon as we turned onto it. Most people set their pressure to about 30psi. The original plan was to include a trip to the top of Mount Coree but access was closed due to fire hazard reduction activities.
Not long along Gentle Annie we stopped to admire a spectacular view of the valley covered in fog and smoke with hilltops poking out.
We then drove down to Flea Creek campground which had a quite large number of campers there. The road was not as bad a Russell had expected from prior trips and was quite enjoyable with not much traffic to contend with. A gentler Gentle Annie than Russell remembered.
We left Flea Creek and headed up and along Webbs Ridge Trail when we were contacted by Simon as we passed the Powerline Trail entry. Simon had done his dog business and was somewhere behind us and would catch up, so after a while we were back to the original contingent. We had the obligatory stop for the view along the powerline. Julie and I had done the trip from Coree along the Powerline Trail a few years ago but it is now closed and Russell said that it has been for a while.
We then drove down to Lowell’s Flat campground via Waterfall and McIntyres Trails. There we caught up with the weekend camping group for lunch. Never having been there before, I was surprised just how nice a campground it is, much nicer than Flea Creek. It has a large swimming hole that also holds trout that were caught and eaten by the other group who camped there. We had lunch with the other group and then we all dove to McIntyre’s Hut and campground. The drive was quite steep downwards with some tight curves and we were probably all in low range.
The hut was rebuilt after the 2003 Canberra bushfires which started in this area. Note in the photo of the door that the dates left by the tourists are all quite recent.
We left the hut via McIntyres, then staying on the lower section of Waterfall Trail before heading back up to Webbs Ridge Trail via Folly Trail. This was a nice alternative to going up Mount Coree. Again there was very little traffic.
Turning left at Webbs Ridge we proceeded on to Doctors Flat, stopping to say our goodbyes to John and Ross at the intersection with Wee Jasper Road as they were heading home via Yass.
The rest of us went via Sawyer’s Gulley Road (narrow dirt road but in good condition apart from some washouts). None of the crossings had enough water to bother about, although Russell did not cross a flooded causeway some years ago. We joined Mountain Creek Road and made our way back to our starting point, a bit later than originally planned but I am sure everyone enjoyed the day, we certainly did, and Simon and Etoy said they had a great day and are looking forward to more.
John Reis
