Walk: Tahmoor Canyon

Registration essential

Tahmoor Canyon is a hidden gem of southern Sydney bushland. Its two key features are the striking canyon of the Bargo River with pools such as Mermaid Pool, and the scarp of the Bargo Fault. This escarpment is part of the Lapstone structural complex, normally characterised by monoclines, but this is as beautiful an example of a true fault scarp as you’ll see anywhere. The flora is Hawkesbury Sandstone bushland par excellence, with a veneer of Mittagong Formation shale/sandstone and its varied woodland flora. It has an abundance of species and last year we saw spectacular flowering of Pseudanthus pimelioides, a shrub that you rarely see in North Shore bushland. We also saw lots of tiger orchids and several species of Prostanthera. Purple dampiera Dampiera purpurea are bigger and more spectacular here than anywhere else I’ve seen them.

Date: Sunday 17 September

Time: 9.45 for 10 am start

Length 6 km so with the start timing and the driving distances, treat this as a day walk

Grade: moderate, good tracks but with short, steep, rocky climbs and descents and one creek crossing

Meet: Mermaids Pool and Tahmoor Gorge parking on the south-west side of Rockford Bridge
Getting there: From the North Shore take North Connex (or Pennant Hills Road) to join the M2, then the M7 and M31. Follow the latter, the Hume Motorway, to the Avon Dam Road interchange (the next major interchange after Picton Road). Turn right and then right again after a short distance onto Arina Road. Follow Arina for 7 km, then on descent to cross Rockford Bridge turn left then immediately right to a long, gravelly car park. If you have inadvertantly crossed Rockford Bridge do a uey. Total distance from Pearces Corner is 110 km.

Weather issues: mostly open woodland so sun exposure a factor though September sun is usually moderate on the skin (September is one of our drier months statistically)

Bring: lunch and drink, strong shoes, camera/smartphone, i.d. guides – you will likely see many plants unfamiliar to you
Refreshments: provided after the walk
Leader: John Martyn (0425 830 260)
Limit: 15 walkers

 

Mermaid Pool, Tahmoor Canyon

 

Bargo Fault Scarp in Tahmoor Canyon

 

Purple dampiera

 

Pseudanthus pimelioides