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| WATAGAN MOUNTAIN The Basin Camping Area State Forest of NSW (2002) |
| WILDLIFE COUNT Lace monitor 3 Bowerbird Male 1 - Female 2 Currawong 10 Magpie 3 Gang gang approx. 12 - 1 male Rosella 6 Lyrebird 3 - Male 1 - Female 2 Rufus wren 3 male King parrot 3 - Male 1 - Female 2 Wombat 1 sighted Quoll - heard |
| 116k (approximately 2 hours) north of Newtown lies the Basin Camping Area of the Watagan Mountain belonging to the State Forest, Central Coast Branch. I drove the Eastern Distributor, Harbour Tunnel to the M3 - Newcastle Freeway to the Peats Ridge turnoff - you then follow Peats Ridge Road which turns into George Downes Drive somewhere around Central Mangrove. As long as you follow the road signs to Wollomi and Koorie you will be ok. If you find yourself in Bucketty you have gone too far. Walkers Ridge Forest Road is where you turn right - it is not easy to see as it is on the curve on the way to Cessnock. There is a general store and a row of mail boxes on the right - this is the road to turn. On your left opposite the road is a large sign SYDNEY /////// CESSNOCK. The road is very well maintained for a dirt road although not very wide in places with a few holes. BE AWARE on weekends and holidays the city 4WD people are out in force trying their not too honed, off road driving "skills" - you may find yourself confronted with a large bull bar sliding towards you with a very red faced driver at the wheel. I have the luxury of being able to go bush late weekend to mid week - the weekend drivers are heading home as I arrive and usually have these beautiful areas to myself. ASO BE AWARE car races are run through this park - State Forest usually closes the area during this time - it may pay to ring before you leave to avoid dissapointment. The Basin is rugged, unspoilt wilderness in all its glory - please enjoy every inch of it - do not remove anything - clean up your rubbish and leave it looking like no one has been there. Put your chocolate and drink bottles in the bins provided - do not throw them along the walking tracks. Contary to the Sate Forest "Best of the Bush" and "Central Coast Forest" Maps the firewood in not supplied at the Basin (maybe in winter) - there is not any water except in the creek which is very shallow due to the drought - therefore it is wise to take drinking water to the Basin. I drink from most creeks at the places I camp - the water at The Basin was full of tannin from the leaves and tree branches. I took the water from under the bridge where it was fast flowing (October 2006 the creek may have dried up by now) - always put 25 litres of water into the car just in case - you can drive around the circuit road to the Pines if you run short of water. There is a good choice of campsites - a large grassy hill for a large group - a smaller area near the creek which could accomodate several tents - up the hill there are areas for single or smaller groups and across the creek to the right is an area for single tents. It is very crowded on weekends and school holidays during summer. There are numerous rubbish bins and two pit toilets. The State Forest Rangers keep the area spotless - it may be messy at the end of the weekend but by midday Monday the whole area is spotless again. Another thing I admire the State Forests for is the walking trails - where possible if you need to cross a creek or fragile piece of ground they build a walkway so the area will not be damaged. There are several walks around the Basin area - if you do not fancy walking through the bush you can walk for many kilometres along the logging roads and firetrails. The Rock Lilly Walk - 1.5k is medium grade - it is quite easy, with a few narrow, rocky hilly places. The Lyrebird Trail - 4 hours - I have not walked this one as yet. The Great North walk goes through the campsite so you can walk as far as you want to and then return - it goes from Sydney to Newcastle. All the walks are magical - through sclerophyll forest and rainforest with many ferns, orchids, rare plants and lyrebirds. I was lucky enough to see a brown goshawk hunting in the trees - I also had to give way to a very large, hissing goanna on the track. Put some salt in your backpack if it is raining as the leeches come out in force and check your hair at all times in summer for ticks - check your dog as well. Around the camp site there are 3 large lace monitors who keep out of each othere way but will scavange anything they can. they love milk, eggs and meat - keep everything lock up tightly. Behind a pile of large logs near the creek lives a grumpy wombat who, on the first night I was there gave me such a telling off for camping too close to his burrow. There is a large flock of Gang gang, several Satin Bower birds ( hide anything blue), Kookaburra, and many other birds who will entertain you. In the evening there is a fox who comes yipping by and the wombat will try to frighten you by crashing through the undergrowth. At night you will be lulled to sleep by a complete orchestra of frogs and crickets. You may even be lucky enough to have the hairs on your neck stand on end when the local quoll screeches. This is the most wonderful place for relaxing and enjoying nature. |