The Easter Weekend is synonymous for rain so camping is usually an unpleasant thought but this year the sun gods were good to us with 3 beautiful autumn days. So with the trailer packed we headed to a lovely campsite in the Megalong Valley called Dunphys Campiste.
I didn’t know until after doing a bit of research that both Milo and Myles Dunphy were avid bushwalkers and were instrumental in pushing the case for national park reservation in NSW. These included the Snowy mountains, Colong, Myall Lakes, Kanangra-Boyd, the Border Ranges and the Blue Mountains.
Despite it being the Easter long weekend and so close to Sydney the campsite was surprisingly empty. I assume it is because it is not well promoted (not even appearing on the National Parks Web site) and you need to follow Megalong Valley Rd passing through private gates before you re-enter the National Park. The site’s openness catches the warming rays of the sun and you get spectacular escarpment views from your tent. It even has the luxury of a clean pit toilet and timber tables and seats.
The nights was spent around the obligatory fire eating marshmallows and damper washed down with a few glasses of 15 year old red to warm the toes (best to bring your fire wood with you or collect before you enter the private property)rather than collect in the NP).
Dunphys is obviously a popular spot for walkers doing the 7 foot track or some of the other popular over night walks down to the Cox’s River. We had to settle for day walks including a trip back up the valley to the Grand Canyon Walk leaving from Evans Lookout. (http://bushwalkingnsw.com/walk.php?nid=787). While normally a loop track it was closed at the bottom. Despite this it was still a fantastic walk as you descend into the canyon through lush rainforest gully. The 1178 steps back out (yes Kathy counted them) was hard work but I will definitely be back to do the full loop when it reopens.
