Sunday 20/02/2022   Gaden Trout Hatchery – Thredbo River Trail – Pallaibo Walking Trail – Sawpit Creek Sawpit Track – Sawpit Creek

                                        Kosciuszko National Park, NSW

                                        Ngarigo Country

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies 

As Pallaibo Walking Trail was closed along the Thredbo River from Thredbo River Picnic Area to Gaden Trout Hatchery for track work, we instead departed from the Hatchery car park. Nestled on the Thredbo River there is a large, well maintained grassy picnic area with great access for water play.

Download file: 20220220.gpx                         Track Info

 

Commencing on the Thredbo River Trail you pass along the edge of the trout hatchery and cross the Thredbo River over a large footbridge. Shortly thereafter a new linking trail heads across the grassy river flat to join the Pallaibo Walking Trail.

The trail follows Sawpit Creek Valley all the way up to Kosciuszko Road at Sawpit Creek, crossing it several times on small bridges. It climbs 300m from end to end, passing through fairly open forest, just enough to provide intermittent relief from the summer sun. Being later in summer there were only a few wildflowers on display but there were plenty of butterflies fluttering along the track as we passed. We also noted one wallaby and one very interesting beetle sitting in the middle of the track.

Having started early enough for there still to be a slight freshness in the air, there were no annoying bugs about until we reached Sawpit Creek and sat down at a picnic table for a snack. Here the March Flies joined us and followed us all the way back to the car. Despite half a dozen cars at the carpark at each end, we only passed one other couple along the way. A very pleasant morning walk.

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Sawpit Creek Picnic Area

Sawing the alpine ash

In the 1860s you would have seen bullocks hauling alpine ash logs to a sawpit beside this creekhence the name Sawpit Creek. This favoured timber was sawn into planks and used in buildings in Cooma and old Jindabyne which is now under the lake.

Alpine ash grows on south facing slopes on the higher areas between 1450 metres and 1850 metres above sea level.

New life generates after fire

At this altitude (around 1200 to 1450 metres), montane forests of woolly tea-tree, black sallee and alpine ash surround you.

In 2003 a huge bushfire, started by lightning, burnt out much of this area. Many eucalypt trees quickly regenerated by sprouting clumps of leaves on their trunks and branches known as epicormic growth.

However hot fires can kill alpine ash as they only regenerate from seed, which takes many years.

Enjoying Sawpit Creek

Cycling

Cycling is not permitted on the walking tracks around Sawpit Creek. Continue

along Kosciusko Road to Guthega Road and travel to Island Bend for access to the Burrungabuggee Valley trail. You will need two maps-LPI Geehi Dam  :25,000 and LPI Kalkite Mountain 1:25,000.

Sawpit walk – 2.6 km circuit

You can start this walk from the southern end of the Kosciusko Education Centre or from the northern end of the Sawpit Creek picnic area.

The track follows Sawpit Creek downstream through woodland. After about one kilometre, a track junction is reached. The Sawpit Track takes a sharp turn to the right while the Pallaibo Track continues following the creek.

The track climbs back up through Kosciuszko Mountain Retreat to Sawpit Creek picnic area.

Pallaibo walk – 5.6 km one way

This track has steep sections. You can either do it as a return walk or you may prefer to have transport available at the Thredbo River picnic area to avoid returning uphill.

For most of its length the track follows Sawpit Creek, crossing it several times.

Waterfall walk – 6km circuit

This circuit track passes under the road and runs through montane forest, roughly parallel to Sawpit Creek. After about 3 km you will cross the creek

at a small waterfall. The track then returns to the picnic area.

Here the altitude is approximately 1200 metres above sea level

Residents of Sawpit Creek

Each vegetation type has associated residents. Here, at night, you may see kangaroos and wallabies-the major montane animals. They do not go higher into the subalpine areas. There are also frogs, lizards, possums, owls and bats.

The dense bushes of woolly tea-tree (Leptospermum lanigerum) growing beside the creek provide food (insects and seeds) and shelter for many species of small birds such as blue wrens. You may also see white-eared honeyeaters.

From the valleys to the peaks

As you journey up Kosciuszko Road you will notice changes in the vegetation.At Sawpit Creek montane forests of snowgums (Eucalyptus pauciflora), black sallees (Eucalyptus stellulata), candlebarks Eucalyptus rubida), manna gums (Eucalyptus viminalis) and mountain gums (Eucalyptus dalrympleana) surround you.

These tall trees thrive in wet areas where snow falls but does not last. The montane forests with their mix of tall eucalypts and other trees form the most extensive zone in the Australian Alps.

More diversity than meets the eye

In a montane forest many eucalypt trees look the same at first glance. However, if you look more closely you will notice subtle variations in the shape, colour and bark type. Black sallees have dark olive green bark and white sallees often have squiggles created by burrowing insects.

Manna gums (also known as ribbon gums), mountain gums and candlebarks are similar in appearance. All three have smooth whitish bark, often darker at the base. and peeling in strips or ribbons. All have leaves which are long and fairly narrow and the flower buds are arranged on the stems in groups of three.However, these trees can be distinguished from each other.

Look at their juvenile leaves. For manna gums these are narrow and bright green. The juvenile leaves of candlebarks are broad, rounded and blue-grey. Mountain gum juvenile leaves are heart-shaped and a dull grey-green.

Ongoing Connections

The bush provides everything

The natural environment provides Aboriginal people with food, fibre, medicine, shelter, tools and water. It also has spiritual significance.

For generations, Aboriginal people from south-east New South Wales and northern Victoria came to the highest parts of the Snowy Mountains (Tidbillaga) for special ceremonies.

These higher areas are spiritual places-like a church.

Among the ceremonies were those for the most important spirit of the area, Dyillagamberra, the Rainmaker.

The people camped in the lower areas and used the montane forests, such as those around you, for hunting and collecting food.

In the higher sub-alpine and alpine areas plants were mainly gathered for medicinal and spiritual reasons.

An ancient herb garden

Aboriginal people have gathered food and other resources from around here for generations.

As you travel up Kosciuszko Road, you may notice changes in the vegetation. These vegetation zones inform Aboriginal people of the type of resources available in the natural environment.

The montane zone is considered a hunting ground because of the availability of large animals such as kangaroos and possums. There are also many plant resources.

In the lower sub-alpine zone, the melting snow reveals many varieties of herbs (non-woody plants) and fruiting plants. One staple food was the tuber of the yam daisy.

Also in the sub-alpine zone, approximately 1450 metres, there are small mammals. reptiles and insects. Fruits and berries appearing on woody shrubs indicate that small mammals and reptiles, such as

Cunningham’s skink, can be caught while feeding at the plant.

The herbs which grow in the alpine zone, above 1850 metres, were considered to have particular spiritual and healing properties and were gathered and taken back to the camps in the lower areas. This

spiritual herb-garden is called Irramba.

Food for all seasons

The leaves of mountain tea-tree and woolly tea-tree can be used as a herb. The dried flower petals and seeds can also be made into a biscuit. Woolly tea-tree indicates that fresh water is nearby.

The crushed seeds of spiny-headed mat-rush make a great base for bush biscuits or you can just nibble on the fleshy part of the leaf shoot. This plant indicates that it’s a good place for hunting small marsupials and reptiles.

Always thought of the sticking bidgy-widgy as a nuisance? The dried leaves make a tasty tea.

Fibre for every need

Spiny-headed mat-rush can be used to make string, baskets and necklaces from the reeds.

Medicine for many illnesses

Tea-tree is a great insect repellent. The leaves and seed capsules also help heal rashes and scratches.

Parts of the root of the spiny-headed mat-rush sooth ant and hairy grub stings.

Stories for the land

The Snowy Mountains is a very spiritual place as the ancestral travellers live on in all the landforms, especially the large rocks and old trees. The stories attached to them have an important role in cultural practice and you have to earn the right to them from senior elders.