Mt Tomlin - 14-12-14

I was in Port Kembla for work early on Sunday. I managed to escape at  9am and drove down to Berry on a whim. I had a hankering to explore the escarpment around Kangaroo Valley.

Berry to Mt Tomlin return

After buying a map and food I set off from the centre of town towards a faint track marked on the Kangaroo Valley map. The track ran up a hill called Tomlins Mountain in the Barren Grounds Nature reserve. I thought I might be able to push through to Jamberoo Pass road.

I had a pleasant 6k run through lush pasture land and weekend retreats before the road disappeared into private property. Undeterred, I went up the driveway of the house and met with the landowners who turned out to be lovely people, Jennifer and James M_ffat . 

They gave me some directions and warnings. Both were accurate. They warned that the road leading onto the ridge had became very overgrown. In fact they recommended a machete. (They had never been up onto the ridge.)

I took a short cut through their property and soon came to a lantana forest. This required me to crawl, slither and badger my way through for about 200m up the hill. Along the way I became covered in small cuts and bitten by a spider on my left leg. This wasn't staring out well. (subsequently found that the road can be access directly off the highway and there is no need to go through the lantana)

Finally I came through the lantana and onto an open disused road along the ridge which I assumed would lead to the summit. At first it was a typical Energy Australia maintenance road and then it led into pasture with lush grass, dams, and shady trees strung out along a round ridge running to the north. A very beautiful place. If it were not for the  kangaroos I could have been in the opening of the "Sound of Music".
It was easy running along here through mobs of startled kangaroos, wombats and all types of native birds like rainforest pigeons and parrots.

The old logging road

Soon the ridge was enclosed by the rainforest canopy, and the open field became a disused logging road. I followed this rough road for several kilometeres to about 1km from the summit where it petered out on a small plateau. It was a very pleasant walk/run along this road. Great views over the coast, and magnificent solitude, except for the mossies and leeches.

Near the top I came upon a fallen down shack with just the fridge, toilet and iron bath and water tank distinguishable from the bush. Eerie.

Once someone's pride and joy?

From here I made a beeline north through the surprisingly open rainforest floor and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself on the summit plateau in no time at all. (For once there were no false summits.) There were fine views from Port Kembla to Jervis Bay. Standing on top, covered in scratches, tick bites and leeches I called out to the world to "Bow down before Me". I received no reply, which I took as an answer in the affirmative.

I tried to persevere to the north to connect up with the Griffin Track, but the tea tree scrub was extremely dense. So after three hours of constant uphill getting to the top, I retraced my tracks and came down the mountain in just over an hour.

I checked in with Jennifer and James who kindly gave me cold water and then jogged back to Berry along Tindalls lane and then the Princes Highway.

It was hot running along the bitumen of the highway and I went straight into the pub in Berry and downed a schooner in one go.

About 25k all up in 4.5 hours. All in all a fun, challenging day.

Note to self, don't try and bush bash in ankle socks. D'Oh