- Some news reports called the canyon - "Corra Beanga Canyon" or even "Carrabiner Canyon" - the correct name for the creek is "Carra Beanga". Myles Dunphy on the Gangerang Sketch map calls it "Carrabeanga" - with "Father of Clouds" added below in small letters.
- The canyon is not technically too hard to do. It is similar in character to Kalang Falls. It is probably easier than Kalang Falls from the technical point of view (the number and difficulty of the abseils and the scrambles to get down other bits) - but the remoteness of the creek (it is about 3km from the closest road at Mt Thurat (this is a closed road) - and the longer walk out make it a more serious trip. Most parties would probably do it over two days. Also - since the creek is not as commonly visited as Kalang - it requires more judgement when it comes to choice of belay points and general routefinding. The creek starts as an easy walk down - and then falls over a series of small waterfalls. These are all easy abseils. Then a larger fall occurs. This can initially be abseiled on the left or right. The left hand route takes one to a ledge above a high overhanging drop where it is easy to traverse to the left onto a ridge. This can be followed down a bit and the creek regained. Or the big drop can be abseiled in a series of abseils on the right (recomended route) - until the creek swings to the right. Then the going is easier until the creek swings to the left - and once more some small, avoidable abseils are encountered. Then it is boulders to the Kanangra Creek junction. Good routes out lie up the ridges to the north and south of the creek - or onto Mt Stormbreaker.
- It should be possible to climb out of the creek in many places (although I have not tried this). A person familar with the area and fit and able to scramble OK should be able to get back to Kanangra Walls within half a day in an emergency. I would expect an EPIRB to work OK from most places in the canyon. A mobile phone may or may not get reception? However - it is unlikely that in any event these devices would have altered the outcome.
- From where the helicopters were hovering and recovering the bodies (on the TV reports) - it looks like the accident occured near the bottom of the main fall. This is about halfway from the entry point of the creek - to the Kanangra Creek junction (in time).
- I understand the party started fairly early on Saturday for the canyon. I was out at Kanangra Walls on a bushwalk and we drove up from Sydney on the Saturday morning. We were held up at Jenolan Caves whilst a vehicle was winched back on the road at Two Mile Hill at Jenolan Caves. Also the Kanangra Walls road was icy - and there was some snow patches around. Perhaps these things held up the NUMC party too?
- The party seemed to have adequate equipment for what they had planned - and the leaders (the two who died) - it seems were quite experienced. If the accident happened at 3am (as some reports indicate) - then they may have been quite tired - and this may have affected their judgement. One was the president of NUMC - both were highly regarded members of that club.
- It seems that one of the two, abseiled from a narrow ledge, where the rest of the party were camped - to try an get to a better location. He descended on a single strand (to check the rope made it down) - and when he got to the bottom - the rope was re-rigged double strand and the second fellow descended. According to reports - he got stuck on the rope near the bottom of the drop (eg due to clothing getting jammed in the abseil device) - and the first fellow prussiked up to assist. It seems likely that death was due to hyperthermia. They may have been in part of the waterfall or in spray from it.
- The weather on Saturday night at Kanangra was not too bad. It was cool - but after dark - the sky clouded over - so it was not as cold as it might have been. There was a half moon - but this would have set around midnight. There was no rain. Later in the weekend - there was some light rain - and temperatures got colder.
- It is not the best to speculate on the reasons for the accident. Some factors that may have contributed could be - the party size (9), the ratio of experienced people to inexperienced people (I have no knowledge of this), familarity with the creek and area by the party, short daylight hours, cold temperatures and spray from waterfalls and the wisdom of abseiling in a canyon at 3 am (If this is correct) - after a long tiring day.
- University Bushwalking Clubs, such as NUMC, offer a good introduction for people to experience outdoor sports in a safe environment - often led by people very keen on their chosen activities. Unfortunately, accidents can happen to the most experienced, competent and best equipped parties.
- There has been a call by some in the media for canyoning and other "Extreme Sports" to be banned or regulated. Most canyoners would not regard canyoning as an extreme sport. I think most who undertake the sport - like to visit canyons because they are spectacular places rather than for the thrill of abseiling. Banning canyoning would be like trying to ban swimming each time a person drowned. Both canyoning and swimming are potentially dangerous activities.
- My deepest sympathies go to all those who knew the two
fellows that died and to NUMC.
- Above - Carra Beanga Falls from Bunama Gunama Ridge (photo D Noble - Sept 98)
