Based on our 6 day stay in Mudgee, we visited The Drip, Hands on Wall and Gulgong on 16th December 2021.
It was a warm clear morning – nice day
We are going out of Mudgee to the north west to look at some natural features – Frog Rock, the Drip and Hands on Rock – and to explore Gulgong.
So we headed up the Ulan Rd. It’s an interesting drive up the Ulan Rd – lovely rolling hills and looking green and fresh after the recent rains. We soon come to Frog Rock which is well signposted. I can see the frog straight away but Kerry – who can generally see shapes in clouds or rocks when I can’t – took more time.
Near the Bobadeen Rd turnoff we came to some major bridge repair works and the picnic area for the Drip was just past the repairs, on the right. You just stay on the Ulan Rd – don’t be confused by a misleading sign post indicating a left turn that probably relates to the coal mines in the area. We passed one of those on the way up. There is a large sign to the picnic area.
The Drip Gorge is a significant place for the local Wiradjuri People. There is evidence of extensive First Nations heritage indicating the area was used for highly skilled tool production and extensive artwork. Scientific findings indicate that The Drip was part of a network of tool production and travel for First Nations peoples.
The Drip walking track – 2.8km return – is in the Goulburn River NP, and it meanders beside the Goulburn River to The Drip, or ‘the Great Dripping Wall’. Driving north we had crossed the Great Dividing Range and we were then in the Hunter Valley. The Goulburn River is the largest tributary of the Hunter River, but we were up in the headwaters.
The area was listed on the National Trust Register in July 2013. Despite this, in recent times there has been concerns about the damage to the area from coal mining around Ulan. We had passed the massive Ulan and other coal mines just before we got to the picnic area. You can read about these concerns here.
We were lucky because there had been few weeks of rain prior to our visit, so we were able to see the sandstone walls dripping a whole lot of clear spring water. During a hot summer people say this provides natural air-conditioning – rain water trickling through the porous rock wall makes it a cool oasis. It can be 10 to 15° cooler than the surrounding region on a hot day.
The picnic area is very good, with excellent maps and information. It wasn’t long before we were on the track and quickly seeing all manner of sandstone outcrops and shapes. A really good walk from the start on mostly good compacted earth. It is unusual to have a walk that is stunning for its entirety.
We took a short deviation to the Goulburn River that parallels the track. With all the sandstone around it makes a very pretty picture. I couldn’t believe there were lumps of coal in the river though. And not just a few.
Pretty soon we start to see the natural hanging gardens, weeping grasses and ferns embellishing the sandstone rock faces. The rock formations carved by wind and water let us see diverse shapes and images in the rock.
We crossed a creek where one of the stepping stones had sunk – but that presented no issues.
We came to a large cave with a massive overhanging roof. It had a smaller roof hanging from the main roof and it looked like there was a bird’s nest on that. Such an interesting place.
The trail continued and I could not stop taking photos. Then we went under a natural arch formed when a couple of massive rocks fell on top of other rocks. There was an instrument in place to monitor if the arch was moving.
Onwards we walked, checking out the river as we went.
More photos as the track continues – sandstone, hanging gardens and the Goulburn River. Several of the rock ledges occurred as honey comb with holes curved and hollow. This layered and weathered pattern has been stained through the ages by minerals, algae and lichens.
Then we came to the Drip – an over-arching towering sandstone cliff face adorned with weeping grasses and ferns, dripping clear spring water to the river below. Views from the viewing platform follow.
The Drip is simple amazing – hard to describe. The cliff is almost a straight line running east-west. It’s a massive overhanging sandstone arch with a constant dripping of water through the porous stone. The overhang and gorge have been dramatically shaped by water and weather. The patterning, indentations, colours and textures of this strikingly natural spectacle are awesome.Frogs abounded judging by the cacophony of croaks.
Walking under this gigantic structure was exhilarating. Here are some pics of the first part of the canyon.
It’s also quite long and about half way down the River swings across to run alongside the base of the cliffs. following are some pics of the meeting of the Goulburn River and cliff face. Lots of water coming down after all the rain. People normally paddle or plunge into the water in rock pools, but certainly not today.
The walk back was just as good as the walk in.
We left the picnic area heading towards Cassilis and very quickly turned off to the left at the Bobadeen Road sign, then sharp left again and drove five hundred metres to the car park for the Hands on Rocks exhibit. This is a gravel road but in good condition.
The one kilometre track is easy walking through unspoilt open bushland. The vegetation is typical of what once covered this area of the ranges.
Then the trail slopes up steadily to the rock cliffs. On arrival at the Hands on Rock site it was immediately clear that it was a very culturally significant First Nations site for the Wiradjuri people – a perfect camp. This was a crucial meeting point for trading goods, tribal ceremonies and corroborees that happened at different times of the year.
A viewing platform has been constructed and visitors must remain on it and not leave the walking path.
This sacred site consists of over one hundred hand stencils of women and children, emu feet and other motifs. It is said to be a very fine example of the stencil style of rock painting – the images that are created by blowing wet paint from the mouth over and around an object.
We headed back to the car.
After that, we came back onto the Cassillis Road, but headed north east rather than back towards Dubbo. After realising our mistake we asked Siri to take us to Gulgong and were led through a labyrinth of dirt roads which were at times in a pretty appalling condition. But it was through some very pretty country. Was a much more interesting drive than just sticking to the main roads.
We finally got to Gulgong, parked the car and walked through the village. The Mudgee-Gulgong district was an important gold mining centre in the late 1800s and Gulgong, in particular, was one of the richest deep lead gold areas. Early finds of gold were negligible until Tom Saunders discovered a rich lode on Red Hill in April 1870 and the Gulgong Gold Rush began.
Several reef mines were worked in the area, notably the Red Hill, Gulgong and Mariner mines; however 96% of the gold production was derived from the deep leads. By 1872 an estimated 20,000 people lived in and around Gulgong. Approximately 15,000kg of gold was removed between 1870 and 1880. Currently approximately 2,500 people call Gulgong home.
Such a variety of old buildings – here are pics of some of our favourites.
After that it was back to Mudgee.