Trips

Why Don't We Do It In The Road? Canyon, often known as Serendipity Canyon, is a relatively short canyon on the south side of the Wollangambe. It is popular because of its easy access, relatively large number of abseils, and the fact that it can be done fairly safely in inclement weather. It was named by Tony Norman, a Beatles fan, who was in one of the first parties to visit the upper section of the creek. It is commonly known as Serendipity Canyon, an alternate name given by Glen Robinson. The lower part of the creek was well known to parties visiting the Wollangambe.

Entry

You have the choice of entering from the fire station at Mt Wilson or Cathedral Reserve. Which one is best depends a little on the exit option, though Cathedral Reserve is now probably shorter in all cases. If you are taking one of the shorter exits, it's much of a muchness. If you are going downstream, you should start from Cathedral Reserve.

Park at the fire station at Mt Wilson, and follow the fire trail around behind the fire station. Turn left on to another fire trail at the T-junction after 200m. Past the top of the hill, the main trail swings right and then reaches another fire trail. Turn right and follow this for 1km to a junction and large signboard to Wollangambe Canyon and Serendipity Canyon (MGA562904). A foot track goes off to the left. Take this track.

Alternatively, from the NW corner of Cathedral Reserve at Mt Wilson, head along the Northern Fire Trail, that leaves to the west, and passes through private property. After about 1.2km, this forks, and you veer right down a hill on the major branch. After another 400m, and part way up the next hill, there is the track junction and large signboard mentioned above. Turn right on to this track.

Either way, follow the well-constructed track for 400m to an obvious fork with a small sign and a large anthill, where the track to WDWDIITR veers off to the right. 200m past here there is another fork. Left goes to an exit (see below), so take the right fork. This winds around and down into a side creek at a waterfall.

Notes

There are a couple of options in the side creek. One is to cross the creek and abseil 15m in two stages down the right of the waterfall. A 30m rope just reaches here. Then there is a 3m abseil from a ledge on the right.

Alternatively you can bypass both abseils on the left and return to the side creek just before it drops into the main creek. However, it seems a slight waste to do it this way.

At the junction with the main creek, there is a 15m drop from trees on the left, which are some way back from the falls. Avoid using anchors on the ledge to the right as they are trampling the roots of the trees and killing them. This drops you in to a fairly wide section of canyon, which opens out after about 200m. From there, there is a pleasant creek walk of around 45min to the main canyon section.

The first drop is 10m from bolts on the left, with some slightly awkward sections. There are ledges to get off from about 8m down. It is not too far to the second drop. This is 7m from bolts on the left, also with a slightly awkward start, and ending in a deep pool. This abseil can sometimes be jumped, but the takeoff point is not easy, and someone will need to check the depth first. The last drop is an easy abseil of 6m into a deep pool from a long sling on the right, or a tricky jump. You need to know where the ledges are underwater, and unfortunately they are under the easier jumping zones. It requires jumping rather close to a wall.

It is then a short scramble to the end of the canyon, at the Wollangambe River.

There are several short swims in the lower section of canyon, but none in the upper section. There is little point in putting wetsuits on until the lower section is reached.

Exit

There are a number of options for exit. The time assumes one of the first two exits is taken.

The shortest and easiest exit is about 100m upstream, just as the Wollangambe River bends to the left. To get there you can scramble down the to the river, and wade upstream until you reach some good ledges for jumping. A path leads up the obvious gully and then up the ridge, where it joins back to the entrance track mentioned above. It is also possible to traverse left along ledges (a little exposed) to this exit from the end of WDWDIITR if the water level in the Wollangambe is too high for wading upstream.

Alternatively you can go further upstream to the normal exit track from the Upper Tourist Section (Wollangambe 1). There is a somewhat tricky climb up of about 2m before you reach the exit beach.

Finally, you can go downstream, in which case proceed as for Wollangambe Lower Tourist Section (Wollangambe 2). This probably adds 2-3 hours for moderately experienced parties. Lilos are a good idea, as there is a fair bit of swimming.

Comments

A nice canyon, although rather short, and with a longish but pleasant creek walk between abseils. It is better known as Serendipity Canyon, but there is already a Serendipity Canyon elsewhere, so I have given its original name here. While it is often considered a beginner canyon, the abseils (one in particular) are not straightforward, and I would recommend other canyons.

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