Capertee to Glen Davis22Capertee to Glen Davis22

 

Above: The Gullies Road leading to Laura’s

December 3-4

Having told Laura (Drennan) that we would arrive on the Wednesday we duly did.  What a magnificent surrounding!  Anyone can see why this valley is so favoured by artists with magnifiecent cliffs all down the gorge.  Laura’s place (about 140 acres) is virtually at the mouth of the gorge, sitting beneath the first main bluff on the Southern side and overlooking the river flats which is mostly used for growing Lucerne hay.

Traversing the valley with Laura's house about 1/3 from right hand side near base of tree line
Traversing the valley with Laura’s house about 1/3 from right hand side near base of tree line
View from our Caavan
View from our Caavan

The village of Glen Davis was built in the early 1940s to provide accommodation for the newly built (1940) Shale Oil refinery.  This produced petrol during the war years and through into the early 1950s when it was closed down with a change of government and it was considered that the government subsidy was no longer appropriate.  Today there are a few houses still occupied, no store any longer but there is a campground (free camp) and the Glen Davis Boutique Hotel.  Aside from the attraction to artists this is a very popular bird watching area with some unique species.  Our 2 day stay didn’t really let us see much of these but we plan to return at some point.

Glen Davis Shale Oil Refinery
Glen Davis Shale Oil Refinery

A short drive up the valley past Glen Davis takes you into the Wollemi National Park and a camping ground at the start of the walking and cycle track into the very depths of the gorge.  This is a very large camping area but at this time of year (early December) is deserted.

On the way along this road you can walk up a track and overlook the remains of the refinery, now very derilict.  The petrol from here was piped over the range to Newnes in the next valley and from there railed to Sydney; the remains of some of the pipeline are laid near this track.

Wollemi National Park:

Our stay was completed by being “buzzed” by a RAAF Pilatus trainer flying about 50 feet directly above the caravan, in the dark, at treetop height!

 

By Keith

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