Canyons near Sydney (2023)

Twister & Rocky Creek

An easy canyon off Glowworm Tunnels Rd with great scenery. Starting with Twister Creek first, one with fair bits of jumps down the creek.

The walking trail ends shortly and the swim starts. Wetsuits on, helmet on and dry bags sealed. Most bits of the canyon involves swimming and sliding down waterfalls (yet no abseiling).

More jumps down and it somehow marks the end of the canyon. A quick opening between the both creeks as many use as a spot for lunch break. Twister is over and now Rocky is in.

An optional jump first as most opted to scramble down the waterfall. Then following the creek, a bit of swim and a bit of walk with our foot fully immersed in cold water.

Quite some sandstone art midway

More into Rocky Creek. There are less jumps and slides but more swims. It is a wet aquatic canyon and the swim does feel really relaxing.

Apart from the sandstone, it is the vegetation that makes this canyon spectacular, some of the best scenery in Newnes.

All swims at this point. Water is deep requiring the ability to swim. 

The sun shines into the canyon towards the end. While there is sunlight it did little in keeping the group warm.

Shortly the canyon comes to an end with a small island. The path further was blocked with trees and bush. One way to exit is to scramble up the cliff, but it was easier to return through the way in (till the lunch spot) where a walking track leads back to the carpark.

On the drive: Darling Causeway, old Bell's Line of Rd, Glowworm Tunnels Rd. Glowworm Tunnel Rd was closed after the 2022 floods but has reopened with decent conditions. The entry track to Rocky Creek is a 4WD track, while 2WD vehicles may make it through with caution.

Tiger Snake Canyon

An abseil canyon also in Newnes but further north, closer to the Glow Worm Tunnel. A relatively dry one yet with some impressive rock formations.

The entry track was heavily overgrown, a common sight since the bushfires. There is a lot of regrowth where low shrubs dominate the bushland. It narrows up shortly towards the first abseil, descending into the canyon. Initial descent was very narrow making it fairly tricky.

First and second abseils are fairly close to each other. The 2nd abseil is anchored to logs stuck in the canyon.

Short 2nd descent leads to open air outside of the canyon.

An open air abseil. Abseilers follow the cliff then dropping off the ledge, going onto vertical freefall.

A bit of hiking tracks brings the group up in elevation, then a vertical descent into a narrower canyon. This is a fairly high drop with the best scenery of the day.

It is dark inside this canyon but light torches reveal all the satisfying sandstone patterns deep inside.

End of all abseils and time to get back to the car. The exit track is unobvious and the most confusing part of the day. Several scrambles up and down rock pagodas, a unique feature of this area, and through the gardens of stone brings us back to the track where we started.

Night sky and the drive home.

We got to Coorongooba Campground the night before, struggling to locate the entrance at Glen Davis. Apparently the way in is before Glen Davis itself, signposted by massive blue signs leading to a dirt road. The road is in good condition as the campground approaches after a small river crossing. Next day we woke up, made breakfast, got canyoning gear ready and headed off to the slot canyon right above our campground

Some hard sections to scramble through but soon the entire valley opens up giving this impressive scenery.

Struggled through this underhang where we were trying to find a way past. We soon got to a high ground where the canyon starts, and also where we had lunch.

The canyon starts off with an abseil down this heart-shaped rock. Soon we got into the crack leading up to the longest abseil of the day.

And down the main slot. Apparently this is where coin-slot canyon got its name.

Final abseil back to the ground. Sun starts to set at this time and we started the short walk back to our campground.

Staying another night preparing for an early departure the next day. A wallaby was greeting us over there along with some possums sourcing for food.

Heading back home through the dirt road leading out of the campground. Lovely ducks as well as the same impressive scenery of Capertee.

Shortly we're back on Glen Davis Rd, leading us out of Capertee and back onto the main road- Castlereagh Hwy. The lookout on the main highway was sadly closed due to roadworks but we still got a glimpse of Pantoney's Crown, a jewel standing right out of the ranges.

Ben Bullen, Cullen Bullen... All those small abandoned settlements on Castlereagh Hwy. Soon we had breakfast at Lithgow, got back onto Mt Victoria where we were met with hail, and then back home in Sydney.

Waking up very early in the morning for an early start. We heading up to Clarence as usual, onto old Bell's Line of Rd, then into an overgrown firetrail leading us into Gardens of Stone. The car bashes through thick bush before reaching the end of the trail where we had to park the car at a small opening. 

Past the pagoda country we dived into a slot and started our canyoning.

Soon it was the canyon - twisty rock formations which gave the canyon its name, Zorro.

Canyon done and time to walk back up

Back the the main ridge as we headed down the other side to a place known as Pleasant View.

Caves, wombat holes at the valley floor. Soon the valley gets impassable and we headed up just before sunset.

Way out was equally as hard, having to bash through the same bush that held us in. 

Butterbox Canyon