Wild Side

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday March 10, 2006

TONY KLEU

Caving, abseiling, canyoning, climbing, a walk or a guided eco tour - it's your choice, writes TONY KLEU.

Just how much adrenaline can you deal with in one day? If adventure is what pushes your buttons, you can get really down and dirty in the Blue Mountains - even underground, in fact. Or you may find your highs at the end of a rope.

The best way to discover the Blue Mountains is to get off the Great Western Highway as fast as you can. After all, that's the bit they discovered in 1813, remember? Unless you plan to sit in twee wicker chairs and sip tea with fingers cocked, between flashing the plastic in boutiques, you'll need to leave the highway and its ribbon of dutifully named towns.

If you have little kids and just want to introduce them to the fun of the outdoors, take a left at Glenbrook and follow the signs into the national park. Walking there can be as genteel as a 15-minute stroll from the entrance gate down a well-trodden path to Jelly Bean Pool. Euroka Clearing, a few kilometres into the park, is the perfect introduction to "wild" Australia for overseas visitors on a tight schedule. There are barbecue facilities, play areas, plenty of easy walks, wallabies, monitors and cockatoos for the kids to watch and it's little more than an hour's drive from central Sydney.

There is good walking at most towns along the highway, much of it centred on the viewpoints at which the visitors' centres are based. Do make time for some of them; they'll lead you to flowering native bushes, little islands of rainforest, beautiful rock formations and, usually, superior lookouts. The longer walks to the valley floor require some fitness, but the visitors' centres will help you select those suited to your party.

Caving is another way to get stuck into the Blue Mountains. Jenolan is just one part of an extensive system of limestone caves, including the Wombeyan, Abercrombie and Borenore caves. While there is easy walk-in access to main chambers at all of them, excursions to remote chambers requiring some climbing and crawling and an occasional dip in icy water are conducted according to demand. The site www.jenolancaves.org.au will provide full details.

If you prefer to keep the sun in full view, climbing and canyoning are the way to go. If you want to try these, you'll need guidance from experts - a club, friends who know what they are doing - or one of the adventure-tourism operators who will teach you the ropes.

You're not fit? A bit overweight? That's no excuse: full fitness is not essential and learning the basics will get you on the path to better fitness. You'll have fun while learning new skills and discover a side of Australia you'd only dreamed about. One-upmanship is another skill you'll master. After all, how many people do you know who've abseiled down Whungee Wheengee Canyon? Respect, mon!

Fishing may not sound like a strenuous pursuit, but it is if you are a fanatic. You will happily hike through the bush to favoured stretches of the Coxs or Fish rivers. A weekend hiking and camping in search of a three-kilo trout (they run even bigger than that) is doing it the hard way. The easy way involves a boat and the use of bait or spinners on Lake Oberon - or on Lake Lyall near Lithgow.

Mountain biking is an activity that has come in for some flak because of the hoons who want to play BMX heroes in national parks. Sensible riders, though, leave little impression on the trails they use. There are many suitable trails and it is a great way to reach your destination hours ahead of the hikers and have all the more time to relax and soak up the wilderness.

Finally, what is probably the most remote town within a figurative stone's throw of Sydney has to be Yerranderie, a silver-mining ghost town, now in private ownership, that was cut off by the rising waters of Lake Burragorang when the Warragamba was dammed. Access is strictly by four-wheel-drive vehicle, but it's well worth the trip. Cheap accommodation is available in some of the old buildings and there are some great walks.

Tread Lightly Eco Tours is ideal for those who want to see nature without necessarily getting too close to anything scary. The company runs glow-worm night tours and guided walks to scenic waterfalls with a picnic lunch, tea and pastries among the macropods: www.treadlightly.com.au.

Blue Mountains Adventure Company caters for the serious outdoors adventurer with abseiling, canyoning, climbing, biking and caving. Activities are graded, so beginners can learn over successive outings: www.bmac.com.au.

Local rules, OK

It's a different world in the mountains: temperatures are lower, especially at night, phone reception is tricky and the snakes and spiders are meaner. If you venture into the bush, take a leaf out of the Boy Scouts' book and be prepared.

* Dress sensibly. Wear lightweight but comfortable clothing that allows you to take big steps and spread your arms without feeling the pinch. Long pants will prevent you getting scratched and itchy legs. Sensible footwear does not include thongs and sandals. Pack a warm jumper and, preferably, a lightweight waterproof top if you are heading into the valleys or anywhere more than 60 minutes from your starting point. If you get stuck overnight (it happens far too often to be joked about) you need to stay warm and dry.

* Carry water. Responsibility for carrying a backpack containing a few litre bottles can be shared among a group.

* Pack a couple of chocolate or muesli bars as emergency rations.

* Don't depend on mobile phones. You will rarely get a signal down on the valley floors, unless you are very close to a transmitter.

* Tell someone where you are going, or leave a note saying where you plan to go and when you expect to return. That makes it so much easier to rescue you.

* If you suffer from asthma, make sure you have your puffer with you.

* Watch where you are putting your feet and hands and be careful if moving stones or brushwood. Most of the slithery-crawlies will avoid you if you give them time.

* Do not light fires or carelessly discard cigarette butts.

* Do not leave rubbish behind.

Take everything back with you, including your uneaten sandwiches. If it's not natural, it doesn't belong in the bush.