On Saturday April 12th 2008 Peter Farrell and I led our annual 2 day hike to McKenzie Station near Yalwal. We met up with Mary Wilkinson, a fellow member of the Shoalhaven Bushwalkers and her relatives Doug & Gaynor. The weather was sunny and clear, though the forecast was for cloudy conditions today and showers tomorrow. We drove out towards Yalwal in two vehicles, eventually turning onto the gravel Yalwal Road at Burrier and following this for some distance until we turned right into the Old Burrier Fire Trail. We followed this road just over two kilometres to our usual parking spot and were amazed to find a large number of beehives now taking up the cleared area where once we used to be able to park our cars. However, there was still enough parking space to the south of the beehives so we took the risk and parked.

We wasted little time in donning our rucksacks and heading north along the road, taking one diversion to the nearby cliff line to take in the views across the Yalwal Creek valley and noticing a possible descent through the cliffs here before returning to the fire trail and tackling the steep descent and ascent across a low saddle which always tests the legs so early in the walk before the trail levels out and heads north across the top of the plateau before turning right onto Saals Trail. We followed the Saals Trail for about 700 metres north west until we arrived at what was obviously a vehicle turning area. We knew the track to the north of this area eventually leads to Durkin Spur, but we followed a track west which very quickly brought us out onto a rock platform on the edge of the plateau where we dropped our rucksacks for a break.

The views from here are magnificent, though a little more hazy than normal. The three peaks of Mt Barron, Hanson Hill and Grady Hill dominate the immediate views with the unnamed hill to the left (above McKenzie Saddle) also dominating. In the distance to the north and northwest were many of the mountains and plateau's of the Morton National Park. Scouting the area Doug was angered to find evidence of dumped rubbish, obviously left behind by recent campers.

We now followed a faint track west along the top of the plateau towards the top of the pass located at the northwest tip where we  immediately commenced our descent through a gully between two large rock faces. The going was quite easy along a stony ramp until, 100 metres later, the descent links up with a track that now descends gradually to McKenzie Saddle. This narrow ridge gives us tantalising views in both directions until the track reaches a turnoff. This spot is marked with a badly burnt 'Two Rivers Track' signpost and the actual Two Rivers Track now descends northeast towards Grassy Gully and Coolendel. Our track continues in a north-westerly direction and the track is no longer maintained. As such, it is quickly disappearing into the overgrown forest. It still can be followed for some distance as it follows the same contour line along the ridge, but the growing vegetation now crowds the track and you are forced to push your way through the scrub. In a couple of places trees have fallen across the track (mostly as a result of the bushfires a few years ago) and these have to be negotiated. We cross three notable gullies as we make our way to the ridge top above McKenzie Station, but when do we turn off? The forest regrowth is so thick that the track has almost completely disappeared.

We finally reach a spot Peter and I believe is our turnoff point and mark it for our return. We now set off down the spur only to find the descent drops off faster than expected. A quick check on my GPS reveals we have turned off too early. We now have to back track to where we left the original track and on the return leg we must have disturbed a red bull ants ants nest as both Doug and I are bitten on our legs (through our bushwalking trousers no less) by these large ferocious meat eaters. The bites are quite painful and feel like someone is sticking red hot needles into your skin. The bitten area immediately swells up and can itch for several days.

We eventually find the proper turnoff to McKenzie Station. Again the track is very faint in the overgrowth of the forest. Peter went off ahead to make sure we were not going down another wrong spur again before calling us through.  In past hikes down this spur we had been able to follow a faint track through the forest with the aid of some orange coloured ribbons strategically placed by prior walkers. However, the fast growing forest has all but obliterated most of these ribbons along with any semblance of walking track. We did pass a familiar sight though that confirmed we were on the right track and that was a series of ancient bushfire charred fence posts to the northern side of the descent. Now we knew we were on the correct spur we knew we only had to keep the steep slopes to our right and left (if we could see them through the thick scrub) and continue descending gradually and we knew we couldn't go wrong. Again we were amazed by the difference in just one year, with thicker stands of young wattle appearing where once there was open space.

Eventually we came out of the wattle forest to descend through the old fields of McKenzie Station, passing the lone eucalypt tree halfway down the paddock. Peter and I had used this giant specimen as a directional guide on previous trips. The once open fields were now overgrown with long weeds of gorse and thistle and we noticed the old camping area on the lowland flat area was quickly succumbing to the fast moving wattle forest. Even the banks of the once open Yalwal Creek are now hidden by the oncoming tide of wattles. It was 2.30pm by the time we dropped our rucksacks at what seemed to be the last lawn like area of short grass (courtesy of the large wombat population of this area) and called for a late lunch.

With lunch finished we all found our way down to Yalwal Creek to top up our water supplies then returned to our packs to set up the campsite. One thing we decided on for this trip was that once we reached our camping area, we would enjoy a relaxing afternoon. Mary, Doug & Gaynor pitched their tents closer to the creek, but Peter and I pitched ours a little higher up, pretty close to the spot we used last year. From our vantage point we had a good view of Linkenbag Spur to the south, across the creek. Our original plans of taking a walk up there quickly disappeared when we saw the thickly vegetated steep hillside. The abandoned farmland was once a very popular camping area, especially with school groups utilising the low grassy fields. Sadly the almost non existence of the access tracks have curtailed any plans for further use by hikers other than those competent in scrub bashing and thick bush navigation. This is a crying shame, as McKenzie Station was once the perfect camping area for novices and young bushwalkers starting out on a life of bush camping.

We decided to show our companions the remains of the old homestead, now well hidden within a forest of wattles. Not much remains. A heavy circular metal boiler and a jumble of broken masonry, a few strands of rusty barbed wire and what appeared to be a series of parallel irrigation channels. The forest was full of wombat burrows and stinging nettles. We returned to our tents and collected some firewood for the evening campfire, some of us then retired to the shade of the tents for an afternoon kip. I went down to the creek to have a wander before returning to my tent site at 5.30pm to organise my dinner. By this time everyone had the same idea and we soon had the fire going and sat around chatting until the fire died down around 8.30pm before we called it a night.

I was up very early on Sunday after a wonderful nights sleep. However, I was amazed to be greeted by a complete whiteout as I exited my tent. The entire valley was shrouded in mist. I gathered my stove and pots from the dew saturated grass and took them over to where we'd had the campfire last night and cooked up my breakfast. I was soon joined by Peter, then Mary, Doug and Gaynor. Over the next hour the mist slowly dissipated to reveal a clear sky and the sun came up from behind a few north-easterly clouds to dry the condensation from the tents. However, we soon noticed that dark clouds were coming over from the northwest, a hint possibly of the wet weather that had been forecast all week prior to the trip. We wasted little time in taking down our tents, packing our gear away into our rucksacks and double checking our wet weather gear was close at hand.

The sky was getting darker by 9.15am when we commenced the long walk out. I checked my GPS for a bearing to the saddle and adjusted my compass. We set off up the hill in a north-easterly direction and very shortly we felt the first drops of rain on our heads. Some of us dived into our packs for suitable rainwear, but the rain really wasn't heavy enough to put the rainwear on just yet, especially with a steep climb ahead of us. The light misty precipitation would help cool us down. The rain didn't last long and I felt the climb back up the ridge was easier than the descent. Doug was breaking into song during the ascent. We might have had Doug and Gaynor, but we also had Peter Paul & Mary in our little group of hikers. No! You wouldn't want to hear us sing. We discovered a few of the now very rare orange tapes during the climb up the ridge. When we passed the charred fence posts I fired up the GPS to get the correct bearing to the track.

As we headed back to McKenzie Saddle the rain started up again, a little heavier this time, though still not hard enough for me to take the trouble to get my jacket out of my pack. My shirt was wet with sweat from the ascent from the camping area anyway, so no rain was going to make me any wetter. We soon broke through the thick scrub at McKenzie Saddle and ascended the track to the pass and climbed up onto the main plateau. We arrived at the top just as the rain stopped and the sky started to clear. The view of the mist rising up through the three peaks was enjoyed as we took an early lunch. Doug borrowed a large plastic garbage bag from one of our group and as promised, collected all the previously discarded rubbish from the nearby bushes.

All we had now was a 40 minute walk back along Saals Trail and the Old Burrier Fire Trail back to the cars. Mary and I found ourselves forging ahead as Peter, Doug & Gaynor obviously collected roadside refuse and we discussed full pack walking trips and equipment requirements as we made our way back to the car park. It was Mary's first overnight camping trip and I thought she handled it pretty well. We arrived back at the vehicles at 12.35pm, the nearby bees looked very active and it was only after I was stung on the back of the head did we increase our speed at loading our packs into our cars and getting the hell out of here fast.

The day was not over just yet though. I had promised a little side trip near the end of the road to the cliff tops where we would get some great views. Just before the Old Burrier Fire Trail met up with the Yalwal Road we parked the cars in a large siding and followed a dirt trail westwards. We were again on the Two Rivers Track and this soon arrives at an intersection. The 2RT continues to the left but from here we headed straight into the thick scrub and made our way to the open cliff edge where we had excellent views down the valley to Yalwal and the Danjera Dam. Peter, who has done many walks around Yalwal, pointed out Jinkbilly Hill, the Yarramunmun Creek Valley and the Sabrinas. The views put a great finish to our weekend away. All we needed to do now was return to the cars and head home.