Kedumba and Cedar Creeks

Kedumba and Cedar Creeks are in the Blue Mountains. I spoke to someone who over a couple of weekends went packrafting down there.

Cedar creek was approached by going down Breakfast Ck to the Coxs River to camp. The most leech bites ever were recorded. Rinsing the socks the next morning looked like turning water into wine with the claret ccolour squeezed out of the sock. Water was low and the Coxs was walked to Kanagra Creek. The paddling down to a camp near Kelpie Point was bumpy but doable.

The next day there were some fun little races after the Kelpie Point weir. Then Black Dog Gorge was reached. The Coxs flow now has no influence on flow at this level and your well and truely in the catchment area. The flooded valley has dead tree stands and is a dark place even with a dawn sun in the face. This stretch of river for the paddling bushwalker is highly recomended.

Cedar Creek was reached which looks a bit different in life as to on the map.The confluence with the Coxs is stinky and muddy. After a shit fight with trees across the creek the creek was walked upstream to running water and a dry out/pack up boat spot and lunch. The water was clean and the creek easy on the eye but no matter water level not one for a paddle down unless you spent a month with a chainsaw first. The steep banks made for hard walking. The bash ended at the Cedar Road ford. From here the road was followed to the turn off to the Mt Solitary track, Solitary track to Kedumba Pass the beer and burger in Wentworth Falls.


Kedumba River was approached from the back of the hospital at Wentworth Falls and down the road to where it crosses the river. Water levels were low. The river with some decent water would be worth a paddle Its open and very pretty but at present way to shallow. A good rain and it would have long sections of grade 1 to 2 races. The creek was walked quite a way. One dive into the bushes when a waterboard ute crossed a ford on a road that wasnt on the topo map. The river opens up as it gets dam influence and remains quite nice country.

At the confluence of Coxs, Kedumba and Burragorang all three are of similar size. From here the Coxes was paddled upstream through Kills Defile, past Cedar Creek to a camp spot at the end of Black Dog Gorge. The same four pelicans who were there the week prior were in the same spot and happy to sit across the river from the happy camper. In the morning they were huddled in the pre dawn like penguins.
Day two was first spent paddling back up through Black Dog Gorge. The unnamed paddler had made two, not serious mistakes. First the brilliant idea of writing compass notes with a pen on hand. That way you can not get the map out, just check the compass as the river bends and bingo you know the exit point. This is great in theory but do it on the upper forearm. Wet hands and ink saw N’s turn into W’s and the other way round . Also the mistake of thinking the Coxs is dam influenced at White Pup ridge, the walk out point. It isnt. A deflate, pack up, dry out and tea. About 1km of upstream walking to White Pup saw the walk out.

Due to sore feet he walked to Dunphys Camp for a pick up. Having walked Narrow Neck yesterday the regrading they have done makes that road bash a hell of a lot nicer and less punishing.

The Kedumba River trip is the one to do. If you are waterboard scared entry via white dog and a flat water paddle through Blag Dog and Kills Defile return would be worthwhile.

Nice one Dave’s friend