We went to Centennial Glen Reserve on Tuesday 07 December 2021, whilst on a 7 day visit to Blackheath.

It was a cloudy and cool morning and we spent some time at Govetts Leap with Stewart and Olive. Given that some of the walks were closed, Stewart suggested we go up to go the Centennial Glen Reserve on the southern side of Blackheath.  

So we drove to Centennial Road and parked in the small parking area at the end of a very short street. We took the track to the left past the new toilet, on the Upper Shipley Plateau. The walk was listed at 1.5km, but we went a wee bit further than that.

The first part of the walk was through the open heath of the plateau. Some interesting plants, Olive found some tadpoles and the rich red sandstone wall in front of us was splendid. There are great views to the Megalong Valley.

We then dropped down into a gully and doubled back along a clay stone ledge known as Walls Ledge. This is one of the most popular rock climbing faces in the Mountains and is always crowded on dry weekends. But that day we had it to ourselves. It was a good track next to the sandstone wall on our right.  There are so many carnivorous plants – Sundews…. all very colourful and you can see many tiny insects that live with them without getting consumed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many of the rock faces have hooks embedded in the rock for the climbers. Stewart is an experienced climber so he gave us a picture of what happens. There were also some timber logs placed against the sandstone to protect the lower layers of vegetation.

 

We also saw some unusual and pretty carnivorous plants as we followed the ledge.

At the end of the Ledge, there were many ponds at the base of the cliffs with water dropping into them.

From there Stewart asked if we wanted to do the first part of the track to Porters Pass. He warned that it would be very steep in places but it was not far. Kerry elected to wait at the junction that would take us back up to the carpark.

It was a short walk to the top of the steep steps descending to the gorge. We came to a flatter area with a sign to the left to the gorge and another to the main track. We took the latter first.

This took us to a massive rock which split a fast flowing creek into 2. To the left was a narrow passage which would normally be the pathway down – but the flow was above ankle height.

To the right was a rock pool with a fast flowing waterfall cascading into it.

Stewart began to excavate the channel to speed up the flow on the left hand side, and also worked on the other side of the rock to reduce the flow over the passage.

Before too long the water flow in the passage was down to walk-through levels. Then we were at the top of a very steep and exposed waterfall – just stunning, a drop of about 15m bouncing over rock outcrops. There were steps in the side of the waterfall and we made our way down these holding on tightly to the rail. What an amazing place.

Back up the steps we went over to the gorge. This is an enclosed gorge or grotto which narrows as you traverse it. There is a ledge on the right which you can walk along but bending down to avoid hitting the rock roof.

At the end is a spectacular water funnelling into the gorge into a dark pool below. Stewart took Olive across the water pool to the other side where they could get closer to the waterfall.

We then made our way back up to where Kerry was waiting.

Meanwhile Kerry was having a nature experience. I sat down to relax and take in the atmosphere while Des, Stew and Olive carried on the more difficult section.

Sitting quite still, I saw a tiny little creature hopping along the track right in front of me. It scurried around a bit, then stopped very still in the middle of the path and stretched its body out. After a few minutes, it moved onto a step right next to my foot in the sun and again stretched its tiny body out. (Absorbing some warmth I guessed).

I moved very slowly towards it to check if it was ok. It nibbled on my finger gently then crept onto my hand. It was shivering and making tiny little noises – not quite a squeak though. I assume this tiny little mite is some sort of marsupial mouse.

It stayed very comfortably in the palm of my hand. Some hikers came up the trail and were amazed to see the mouse in my hand. They decided to hang around in case Stew knew what it was.

Eventually, Des, Stew and Olive returned. Stew had an empty coffee cup which he cleaned out and popped a sock and then the mouse into it. He then phoned a lady he knew who worked with rescuing native animals. She suggested he bring it to the vet in Katoomba.

So the mouse went into the van with Olive holding it in the cup. We went to Megalong Valley tea rooms for lunch, wth Stew setting up the mouse in a saucepan with a bit of food and water and a couple of possum skin gloves so it could nest down. On returning to the van though, the mouse had escaped.

Stew and Olive searched the van for ages and eventually found the mouse. Stew then took it to the vets. The vets think it is an almost adult native mouse and are keeping it overnight as they don’t think it was that healthy. It survives the night, but expired the next morning. It was a male Antechinus.  The vet said it likely had recently been through its breeding season and its heart gave out after all his efforts.  The males generally only live one season.