Where: Mandagery Nature Reserve and Mingham Springs.
When: Sunday 13 September.
Leader: Dick Medd.
Grade: 4 – moderate for active walkers. No formed trails, some uneven surfaces and slopes. The walk is a round trip of 3kms.
Meeting place: Orange High School Bus Bay 9.00 am for car-pooling. High clearance vehicles, with 4WD preferred.
Details:
Weather and tracks permitting we hope to go to Mandagery Reserve and Mingham Springs. This will be a month later than last year and plants will be flowering. Mingham Springs is on vacant Crown Land to the southwest of Manildra. Access is through the Mandagery Precinct of the Southwest Woodlands Nature Reserve. At Mingham Springs there is a gorge that has an unusual diversity of ferns and wonderful views down the gorge.
To get there we will drive via Manildra and farmland to the Mandagery Reserve. We will stop and explore along the fire trail in the reserve and then walk to the top of the gorge. The first part of the walk is through open woodland, but it becomes more difficult about 300m from the gorge when there is a scramble down rocks to get to the top of the gorge. We will not be walking into the gorge.
Meet at the Orange High School bus bay at 9am to carpool. This will be a full day excursion so please bring lunch, water, and any essential medications you may need. As we will be having lunch at the gorge you will need to carry it in a pack. Please wear closed walking shoes and suitable clothing.
As the track through the reserve can become boggy, access may not be possible if there is lots of rain between now and then. If it is too wet an alternate location will be chosen and any changes will be publicised.