A longer and more challenging Colo River loop was initially planned, but the forecast of an unseasonally warm Spring day resulted in a change of plan. It’s another bushwalk led by Bernard which explores more of the passes into the rugged Colo Gorge.
Bob Turners Track
Our Revised Plan starts with the Bob Turners Track, which is the easiest bushwalking route down to the Colo River and gives us time to tackle a couple of the many off-track Colo passes before it gets too hot.
There’s a bit of history to the Bob Turners Track: it began as a pack-horse track cut by railway engineer George Townsend in the 1880, as part of his survey work for a proposed railway line that would have followed the Colo River to cross the Blue Mountains. (The survey was completed in 1887, but the scheme was rejected as prohibitively costly and impractical in the rugged, flood- and landslide-prone country.) The track was rediscovered and restored by a group of bushwalking enthusiasts in 1970-71 which included Bob Turner, a former mayor of Ku-ring-gai, after whom the track was named.
While the Bob Turners Track is a relatively easy route, it still involves a 300m descent/ascent as it traverses three progressively deeper gullies. Through a gap in the trees is a glimpse of Parr South, one of the many peaks along the Colo Gorge.
After a last hairpin bend in the track, the Colo River comes into view. Bob Turners Track meets the Colo River near the junction with Hungryway Creek, where there is a deep pool with a wide sandy beach on both sides of the river. It’s a fairly popular destination with both day-trippers and groups coming down to camp overnight; even with our very early start there are already a few people enjoying the warm weather. It’s a beautiful spot, but don’t expect to have it to yourself.
While a swim is optional, the water is a little more than waist-deep at its shallowest point – and crossing the river is not optional!
Pass 32(a) – Split Pass
We are continuing up Pass 32(a) – also called Split Pass by Brian Corlis, who documented almost 40 Colo River passes – which starts opposite Bob Turners Track. After the graded track we’ve been on, it’s an abrubt change of pace as we start scrambling up the steep spur.
It’s a steep ascent with no exposure, but a constant risk of dislodging the loose rocks as we clamber up the side of the cliff-line. Split Pass got its name from the fact that you can take two lines up past the cliff-line: “A steep but straightforward route either to the right or left side of the spur”.
Having reached the top of the cliffs, we find a nice vantage point that provides a view over the Colo River below and the gully formed by Hungryway Creek.
The rest of the ascent is fairly straightforward, with a gentle ascent up the spur through light scrub.
Another vantage point where we stop for morning tea provides a sweeping view to the east over the Colo River of Parr South and a number of unnamed peaks.
There are many more views over the Colo Gorge and of the distinctive Parr South as we continue up the spur.
As we approach the highest point along the spur, there’s some easy scrambling along a small outcrop of rock.
There’s a nice view back over the spur which we’ve been ascending for the last hour.
We soon reach at the “top” of the spur where it meets the D’Arcy Range, which continues for well over 20km to the south west. Another six kilometres along the ridge is Mount D’Arcy, and eventually the ridge ends (or starts) near Little Tootie.
Pass 33(a) – Razor Back Pass
We don’t continue along the D’Arcy Range ridge, but take a north-westerly bearing as we head down the side of the ridge. The undergrowth is fairly thin but the terrain is steep and slippery as we make our way carefully down.
As we descend, the vegetation starts to get a lot scrubbier, and our progress slower. Through a gap in the trees we spot a gash on the adjacent cliffs, caused by a recent landslip.
Pass 33(a) doesn’t offer a direct route down to the Colo, but twists around “Razor Back”, a rocky outcrop which gives this Colo pass its name. From the top of Razor Back is a view over Tootle Creek, just upstream of its confluence with the Colo River.
To the south is another view of the landslide, and in every direction is the rocky and unforgiving terrain of the Colo Gorge.
From the top of Razor Back is the trickiest section, with several cliff lines that need to be negotiated. Staying near the middle of the spur seems to offer the most viable path.
The Colo River is soon in sight, and while the very last section is fairly steep there is no thick scrub along the riverbank that is often the last and very much unwelcome obstacle along stretches of the Colo.
Back along the Colo River
There are few better places to be on a hot day than along the Colo, and we have plenty of time for a swim and to enjoy the tranquillity as we stop here for lunch.
Pass 33(a) meets the Colo River just below Tootie Creek, which starts 23km away in Bilpin.
Just downstream of the Tootle Creek junction is a small set of rapids, a deep pool and a wide sandy beach.
From the bottom of Pass 33(a) it’s a mostly easy and pleasant 2.2km walk along the Colo River back to Bob Turners Track. The first kilometre is certainly in the “pleasant” category, with a wide, sandy bank on one side of the river.
A few river crossings are required to stay on the wide sandy bank of the Colo, which alternate between the two sides of the river.
The last and deepest crossing is just over waist deep.
As we get closer to Bob Turners Track, the going gets a bit trickier. And a little less pleasant. Most of the group follows the left or west bank of the Colo, where some enormous boulders jutting into the water require judicious scrambling.
I am – very briefly – smug with my choice of taking the right (east) bank, until faced with either dense scrub or a very narrow ledge perched above the river.
After inching my way along the slippery ledge, it gradually becomes a wider rock platform that provides an easier route back to our exit point.
Although it’s not busy, there are now multiple groups who have arrived to set-up their camp on the sandy bank of the Colo. One group, arriving as we are about to leave, is armed with multiple baguettes poking out of their backpacks, camping chairs and a folding shelter… I’m not sure whether to be disdainful of their heavy gear or envious that they are young and fit enough to carry half a boulangerie’s worth of carbohydrates plus a pop‑up village down to the Colo…
Happy to be carrying a light day pack with no baguettes or camping furniture, the warm afternoon still makes the walk back up the Bob Turners Track feel like a slow bake in a sandstone oven, and we’re all happy to reach our waiting cars.
Getting to the Bob Turners Track
Not only is Bob Turners Track a relatively easy route to the Colo River, but it’s also easy to get to: take the signposted Bob Turners Firetrail off Putty Road for 2.6km. The firetrail is unsealed but suitable for all cars, with multiple parking spots along the firetrail near the start of the signposted Bob Turners Walking Track. The turn-off on Putty Road is 750m from the Ampol service station, and about 45km (40min drive) from Richmond.
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