Glenbrook creek swim

G’day UNSWOCkers,

On Sunday the 7th of December (postponed from November), Sudarshan and I are running a daytime hike + swim along Glenbrook Creek at the foot of the Blue Mountains. With the trailhead just one hour from Central by train, it’s the perfect opportunity to de-stress after your final exams!

On this (weather-dependent) trip, we’ll spend the day relaxing in beautiful swimming holes, floating down shady creeks, swingin’ off dope rope swings, meandering along trails, and admiring native flora/fauna. It’s the ideal outing for a hot day as we’ll be in or next to the water 80% of the way.

This will be a hybrid between hiking, swimming, and liloing. To get the most out of the day, you’ll want to bring either a lilo, pool inflatable e.g. crocodile, or other form of flotation which you can easily paddle on (and can easily transport through the bush). To join us on this trip, you must be able to swim at least 100m, and must be able to stay afloat in deep water without any aids. You will also need to be comfortable walking up to 10km in warm weather on easy trails, with a small number of steep sections.

The water won’t be too cold, so wetsuits are not needed. A walking trail runs along the entire length of the creek, so you will be able to exit the water at any time. Everything you take on the trip will be getting fully submerged, so pack and dress according to the gear ⚙️ list 📃 below ⬇️!

Equipment:

• Backpack that can fit everything listed below, and that you are happy to get wet
• Emergency blanket – $5 at the gear cupboard, also available at most outdoor stores
• Hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen
• 2L (two litres) water
• Lilo or flat pool inflatable (donuts/noodles not recommended)
• Patch kit for your inflatables

Food – bring plenty:

• Lunch that won’t get soggy (unless you prefer your lunch soggy)
• Snacks that won’t get soggy (unless you prefer your snacks soggy)
• Extra food for Suds and I 😋

Clothing:

• Non-waterproof, enclosed shoes with decent grip (sneakers or trail runners are ideal)
• NO COTTON clothing 😡
• Comfy wool or running socks
• Synthetic hiking shirt, rashy, or swimming top
• Hiking shorts or board shorts

Inside a drybag:

• Raincoat
• Light jumper or thermal baselayer
• Any personal medication e.g. asthma puffer
• Small towel (optional)
• Phone (optional – can leave in a locked car if you prefer). 

Please note: The Gear Cupboard is CLOSED. You must have all the above gear (it’s nothing too fancy). A few ziplock bags will keep a tshirt dry.

We will spend 4-5 hours exploring the section of Glenbrook Creek between Duck Hole and Glenbrook Gorge. Link to view the map of our intended route on GaiaGPS. Please note that if the weather forecast is too cold or rainy, we will run the trip at a later date.

We will aim to meet at 11am Saturday morning at the big carpark just east of Glenbrook Station (google maps link). A train from Central to Glenbrook takes just over an hour, which is basically the same as driving, and a lot cheaper, so I highly recommend taking public transport if you can. If you’re a freak for fossil fuels, I will be driving and am happy to carpool with three others.

In your comment, let us know 1) your swimming experience, 2) any gear from this list you don’t have, and 3) your favourite native inland aquatic animal 🐸. Sign up below 👇