Wollondilly River Station

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“It's a bit like Seal Rocks, isn't it?” I said enthusiastically. “I mean, how the people in the know don't say anything.”

Graeme looked at me sideways.”No it's nothing like Seal Rocks. No surf for a start!'

I had to admit there was no surf. Plenty of water but no surf.

I had been determined on this trip to show Graeme places he had not seen. No mean feat, to find unheard of, unvisited locations to show a 50 something born and bred Aussie.

Three successes so far; even if we had to criss-cross NSW to do so.
Winding our way around the edge of Nattai National Park Blue Mountains National Park with spectacular views of the Wollondilly river feeding into the Warragamba Dam we dropped down the escarpment and into Wollondilly River Station itself at Goodmans Ford.

An inauspicious view of abandoned, rusting vehicles greeted us as we turned into the track for the camp office which as campers we had been exhorted to do before setting up a campsite.

We paid our money, cash only, and were told to follow up along the left bank through three gateways and onto a sandy area called The Range.

'There's space of 30 people there, you two should have enough room,' Brian said. He grumbled on about people making 'definite' bookings and being no-shows. We offered the idea of making people pay deposits into his account but this was dismissed as a 'time-wasting, have to charge more' ploy so off we went.

Darren, floating lazily by in his rubber dinghy, asks us as we sit out on the rocks how often we have been here before. As he has been coming for the last twenty or so years he must have been quite young at his first visit. He tells us about two swimming holes further up past the camp/shed/office in a different creek with clear blue water. We say we will try them.

Wollondilly is probably as close to bush camping as I would like. Sixteen chemical toilet cubicles dotted around comprise the amenities. Warm, safe swimming and canoeing in the river, water and bush views from the tent, undesignated campsites, stone-surround campfires, birdsong and general peace and quiet.

Our nights here are punctuated by frequent attempts to keep the air mattress pumped up. Graeme's ministrations so far for possible leaks have so far been to no avail.

Barking rottweilers at the next campsite are a slight drawback but the presence of dogs means Snowy could come on holiday next time.

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