Cliff Patonga, New South Wales, Australia
By
Geocaching Australia on 07-May-11. Waypoint TP5783
Cache Details
| Difficulty: | |
| Terrain: | |
| Type: | TrigPoint |
| Container: | Other |
| Coordinates: | S33° 34.872' E151° 14.064' (WGS 84) |
| 56H 336144E 6282881N (UTM) | |
| Elevation: | 183 m |
| Local Government Area: | The Hornsby |
/151.2344,-33.5812,14/400x200?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiY2F1Z2h0YXR3b3JrIiwiYSI6ImNqa2l4ZzNzMDE5bjgzdm1sZGpuODF1Mm0ifQ.q8YMzVyzDJJlJHHV8EMjwQ)
Description
Cliff TS1490
Official name of this Trig Station as per NSW Department of Lands is: Cliff.
Serial number is: TS1490.
Last Inspected on: December 8, 1982.
Elevation is: 184 metres.
Cairn type trig. Access may be difficult. Last inpection was by boat to Eleanor Beach, then a bush bash for 1 hour up the hill.
Logs
Came up from Eleanor Beach after paddling over from Palm beach. Getting up the first hill was OK with the undergrowth still only starting to grow back after the burn. Got thicker after that so a bit slower going but worth it for the views and a really intact old trig. On to Taffy's from here was pretty thick to wade through.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Another visit. Walked up from Eleanor Beach. The recent Hr cleared a lot of undergrowth on the slope above the beach but was less effective elsewhere with a lot of areas unburnt. The container with a few sheets of paper found at the cairn.
Walked in from Cowan via Taffy's rock. Started the adventure a little late in the day to proceed any further but the views from Cliff were worth it.
Scared a brown snake on a rock as I made the final ascent. Also ran into a handsome monitor lizard who was not in the least bit scared of me, beautiful creature.
The log tin is still present, however the log is largely missing. There were a few sheets of water damaged paper left that a previous visitor (from January 2021) noted were found in the bush east of the trig tower.
Next visitor may want to bring a replacement.
Scared a brown snake on a rock as I made the final ascent. Also ran into a handsome monitor lizard who was not in the least bit scared of me, beautiful creature.
The log tin is still present, however the log is largely missing. There were a few sheets of water damaged paper left that a previous visitor (from January 2021) noted were found in the bush east of the trig tower.
Next visitor may want to bring a replacement.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Like a few others had logged the other two trigs on this route before but Cliff had eluded me. Having been given instructions by Ragnar to stash his treasure hoard in view of the gates of Valhalla (hmmmm....) and having a free day, today set out to explore Cliff and beyond. Started from Cowan at 7:30am and quickly made J Bay in a little over half an hour then up the hill and along the familiar single track. Reached Taffy's in good time and dropped a TB in Panorama then searched around for a sign of a track to take me across the saddle to Cliff. Spotted a small gap in the very thick bush and was away. The track quickly disappeared though and was soon in bash mode pretty much all the way to the sandstone steps that approached Cliff. What a wonderful spot this is! It's the best of the three. The cairn is in great condition. I opened the tin with the notes. A few ads for water taxies and some logs noting access via Gunyah Beach posed a possible alternate exit. I read through the entries noting quite a few familiar caching names then added my own. Then on to the secondary mission of locating Ragnars Rock and stashing his hoard. The route north to Gunyah is all bash. Very thick scrub. Took a lot of energy and was glad to see cliff again on the way out. I think if return would go via the beach route. Back at the car at Cowan at 4:30pm - legs spent. Long but fantastic day's walk. A highlight was spotting some new carvings and also a diamond python.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Although I'd 'discovered' Cole and Edwards on a walk to Taffy's Rock on 3 May 2014, I hadn't actually ventured beyond Taffy's. Today's walk from Cowan included Taffy's Rock, Cliff Trig and Fishermans Beach. Very glad to have finally found this one as its been on my 'must go' list for quite a while. A super day out and highly recommended.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Lovely trig in a fantastic location, and suitably tricky to get to. I was lucky enough to be 'led' there today so no points to me for exercising any brain power to get there, but loved it just the same
Rated: for Overall Experience
I was kindly invited on a group walk to Panorama Cache and jumped at it. At the time I wasn't sure I would press on to Cliff. Then someone said "Look, you can see it over there". So while they searched for the Panorama Cache I set course for Cliff.
After 1km of walking, climbing, following and losing trails, and pushing through bush I was enjoying the views. And what views they are! Some of best views anywhere.
The rest of the party saw me arrive and shouted and waved from Taffy's Rock. I
signed the log book in the tin can after cleaning out half a spider. Took my photos, had some refreshments and set off back to rejoin the others having enjoyed a fabulous walk.
Found at 12:37 PM
After 1km of walking, climbing, following and losing trails, and pushing through bush I was enjoying the views. And what views they are! Some of best views anywhere.
The rest of the party saw me arrive and shouted and waved from Taffy's Rock. I
signed the log book in the tin can after cleaning out half a spider. Took my photos, had some refreshments and set off back to rejoin the others having enjoyed a fabulous walk.
Found at 12:37 PM
Rated: for Overall Experience
WOW! I said in my log that I didn't take a paper map, but now I wish I had, or at least the particular one I have here (as I had several copies of the 1st edition). Quoting from the back (from when I had lent to a friend)
Tod S Boot and belt are "Burried" at 318ºm- 35paces from clif TRIg 36.1 82.6
(Which is a rough GR in Aus Geo 66)
Would LOVE to know if there is anything there.
Tod S Boot and belt are "Burried" at 318ºm- 35paces from clif TRIg 36.1 82.6
(Which is a rough GR in Aus Geo 66)
Would LOVE to know if there is anything there.
I wonder if I can claim having found this trig 4 (FOUR) times ! 
1/ 1110, Monday 10/10/1983 - Solo, took photo
2/ 1755, Sunday 16/12/1984 - Solo, left log book and tin container (NOT the one there now)
3/ 1640, Saturday 5/1/1985 - with Trevor Toomey
4/ 1755, Sunday 3/8/2013 - with MVMB
Didn't bring the paper map with me, but relied on the GPSr this time. Cairn in similar condition to 30 years ago. NICE to see a tin and 'logbook' to replace the I left many years ago.
Then it was time to head on back and 'Find' Panorama cache, which I had seen on the way out, but not opened up.
1/ 1110, Monday 10/10/1983 - Solo, took photo
2/ 1755, Sunday 16/12/1984 - Solo, left log book and tin container (NOT the one there now)
3/ 1640, Saturday 5/1/1985 - with Trevor Toomey
4/ 1755, Sunday 3/8/2013 - with MVMB
Didn't bring the paper map with me, but relied on the GPSr this time. Cairn in similar condition to 30 years ago. NICE to see a tin and 'logbook' to replace the I left many years ago.
Then it was time to head on back and 'Find' Panorama cache, which I had seen on the way out, but not opened up.
Rated: for Overall Experience
The first of the trigs on our seven hour adventure to Panorama Cache and Beyond!
This one featured a truly epic bush bash for the last kilometre or so.
A great walk, featuring lovely being trig cairns.
This one featured a truly epic bush bash for the last kilometre or so.
A great walk, featuring lovely being trig cairns.
The third of 3 trigs team SKYCAB captured while on an epic 7hr journey to get Panorama cache. This one was a complete bush bash of just on 1000m to get there. But once we arrived, the views around were amazing. Didn't even look like I was in Sydney anymore, could have been anywhere. Recommend this one as a must. 
Rated: for Overall Experience
This journey started 18 months ago on a walk that only got as far as Taffy's rock. I'd checked the topo maps then and was sure there would be a route across the saddles to Cliff. The trig surveyor's notes only mentioned access from Gunyah Beach below.
Not long ago I was looking closely at some aerial photos and thought I could see a track from the F3 to the GNW. If it was there, it would eliminate some of the early hill climbing and reserve some strength for later. A few weeks ago I set out to check that track. Not only is it there but it's in better condition than many others around here. But why was it there?
I'd mentioned it to blossom* and she made use of it to get all the way to Cliff with SaL a couple of weeks ago. Well done!
A couple of days ago, I found an old bushwalking magazine that bemoaning the fact that the (then) new freeway had cut the track to Govetts Ridge and Gunyah Beach. So that explained the track and confirmed that the overland route to Cliff was well-trodden, at least in the past.
Today, in the company of a fine bunch, Alfyboy, Calypso62, 2 Yurts, PPE and a pair of Canaries, the journey was completed. It's a great spot too; you can see so very, very far and it's bushland and water in every direction. We took a well-earned rest over lunch and read through the trig visitors book. Although it's a recent destination for us geocachers, it's obviously been well known to bushwalkers for many decades.
Thanks to the whole group for your wonderful company and to blossom* for helping with the waypoints.
Not long ago I was looking closely at some aerial photos and thought I could see a track from the F3 to the GNW. If it was there, it would eliminate some of the early hill climbing and reserve some strength for later. A few weeks ago I set out to check that track. Not only is it there but it's in better condition than many others around here. But why was it there?
I'd mentioned it to blossom* and she made use of it to get all the way to Cliff with SaL a couple of weeks ago. Well done!
A couple of days ago, I found an old bushwalking magazine that bemoaning the fact that the (then) new freeway had cut the track to Govetts Ridge and Gunyah Beach. So that explained the track and confirmed that the overland route to Cliff was well-trodden, at least in the past.
Today, in the company of a fine bunch, Alfyboy, Calypso62, 2 Yurts, PPE and a pair of Canaries, the journey was completed. It's a great spot too; you can see so very, very far and it's bushland and water in every direction. We took a well-earned rest over lunch and read through the trig visitors book. Although it's a recent destination for us geocachers, it's obviously been well known to bushwalkers for many decades.
Thanks to the whole group for your wonderful company and to blossom* for helping with the waypoints.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Another fabulous old trig point. After completing the duties at Panorama cache we headed into the thick scrub armed with Blossoms breadcrumb trail of waypoints. Alf did most of the front man work and bashed his way around the ridge line until we popped up on the rock shelf which more or less led directly to the trig.
A leisurely lunch was taken with a 360 degree vista that others would pay hundreds of dollars for. It occurred to me at one point that although we were about 25km from the CBD that we were surrounded by a huge expanse of wilderness.
Thanks for all the comraderie of our little group (2 Canaries, 2 Yurts, C62, Baktrak and the indomitable AlfyBoy) and thanks to Blossom for providing the track waypoints points and for clearing the initial trail, although I really she think she could have done a lot more.
A leisurely lunch was taken with a 360 degree vista that others would pay hundreds of dollars for. It occurred to me at one point that although we were about 25km from the CBD that we were surrounded by a huge expanse of wilderness.
Thanks for all the comraderie of our little group (2 Canaries, 2 Yurts, C62, Baktrak and the indomitable AlfyBoy) and thanks to Blossom for providing the track waypoints points and for clearing the initial trail, although I really she think she could have done a lot more.
Rated: for Overall Experience
After finding Cole and Edwards trigs on the way to Panorama cache at Taffy's Rock we (SPYCCAB) went for the trifecta and headed off for this rarely visited (so we though) trig. I'd found this one on an old map a couple of years ago and managed to spot it on Google Earth so published it but it looked a trackless wilderness (like Want trig) so I didn't imagine ever getting there. I was unaware of the blossom/strike-a-light expedition the previous week but other members were armed with a series of waypoints which we followed from Taffys. Spotted one bit of pink tape and the odd little cairn but after a hundred metres or so we were on our own. It was a good long bushbash out to the open rock where the trig was but well worth it.
Took our photos and had lunch while enjoying one of the best views in Sydney. Apart from a couple of buildings on the horizon there was nothing to indicate we were anywhere but deep wilderness (apart from the boats on the water below). The biggest surprise was the visitors' book in the trig cairn. We were surprised at how many visitors get here considering there seems to be nothing but an intermittent rudimentary track. Many come in from the water ("Gunya Beach") but we were even more surprised to find the trig had been visited by a bushwalking club just yesterday!
A great long walk over all with enjoyable company. Recommended!
Took our photos and had lunch while enjoying one of the best views in Sydney. Apart from a couple of buildings on the horizon there was nothing to indicate we were anywhere but deep wilderness (apart from the boats on the water below). The biggest surprise was the visitors' book in the trig cairn. We were surprised at how many visitors get here considering there seems to be nothing but an intermittent rudimentary track. Many come in from the water ("Gunya Beach") but we were even more surprised to find the trig had been visited by a bushwalking club just yesterday!
A great long walk over all with enjoyable company. Recommended!
Rated: for Overall Experience
Worth the 45 min walk from Taffys rock the views are spectacular. Looking forward to go again with Blossom.
Well this was quite a long time in the planning 
When we found the trigs along the route to Taffy's Rock and Panorama cache out there on 22/5/2011 we looked across the countryside and noticed another trig just a bit further out. Ah-ha! Cliff Trig. We should see if we can get out there one day.
Unfortunately, the track ends at Taffy's rock since all the bush has grown so much over the years, but we had a plan
With the track out to Taffy's being very overgrown in places, and the climb up from Jerusalem Bay a rather tiring start to the hike, we decided that a shorter route from the freeway would be most convenient. I have to give credit (and a great deal of thanks)to Baktrak for the "Campbells Crater" track on OSM, just a perfect access spot to avoid the first hour's slog (and the most friendly of the leeches who wait in ambush along the way).
We managed to convince someone to get out of bed at the crack of dawn (well, a tad earlier really!) and drop us on the side of the freeway so we could make our attempt today. And so we set off.
It was a really easy and quick walk out to Taffy's rock (2 hours) where we had a snack, a drink and headed off with 7 waypoints marked on my gps from the topo map. Strike-a-light did a brilliant job navigating from the shape of the land, picking his way through the less-thick bits of scrub. As it turned out, we passed within 15 metres of each waypoint due to his skills and it only took us 45 minutes to reach Cliff trig and the amazing views.
It was such a fabulous spot that we sat and enjoyed the area for quite a while, watching the many boats scattered about in the waterways below us. Eventually we made our way back and ended up beside the freeway where our lift turned up. Probably 7 hours with time to relax, but we took 8 hours as it was so peaceful sitting up so high and ejoying the day
Such a great area, amazing views and a very rewarding walk. I reckon we ought to make it a tradition for Anzac day
When we found the trigs along the route to Taffy's Rock and Panorama cache out there on 22/5/2011 we looked across the countryside and noticed another trig just a bit further out. Ah-ha! Cliff Trig. We should see if we can get out there one day.Unfortunately, the track ends at Taffy's rock since all the bush has grown so much over the years, but we had a plan
With the track out to Taffy's being very overgrown in places, and the climb up from Jerusalem Bay a rather tiring start to the hike, we decided that a shorter route from the freeway would be most convenient. I have to give credit (and a great deal of thanks)to Baktrak for the "Campbells Crater" track on OSM, just a perfect access spot to avoid the first hour's slog (and the most friendly of the leeches who wait in ambush along the way).
We managed to convince someone to get out of bed at the crack of dawn (well, a tad earlier really!) and drop us on the side of the freeway so we could make our attempt today. And so we set off.
It was a really easy and quick walk out to Taffy's rock (2 hours) where we had a snack, a drink and headed off with 7 waypoints marked on my gps from the topo map. Strike-a-light did a brilliant job navigating from the shape of the land, picking his way through the less-thick bits of scrub. As it turned out, we passed within 15 metres of each waypoint due to his skills and it only took us 45 minutes to reach Cliff trig and the amazing views.
It was such a fabulous spot that we sat and enjoyed the area for quite a while, watching the many boats scattered about in the waterways below us. Eventually we made our way back and ended up beside the freeway where our lift turned up. Probably 7 hours with time to relax, but we took 8 hours as it was so peaceful sitting up so high and ejoying the day
Such a great area, amazing views and a very rewarding walk. I reckon we ought to make it a tradition for Anzac day
Rated: for Overall Experience
Thinking this one had not been seen for a while we launched our boat from Akuna Bay and made are way to Possum beach. Landing on Possum beach we climbed up the hill heading west to the first big rock and then over to to the Cache. When we approached the Trig we noticed a metal container in the rocks. In the container was a log book of visiters. The last visit had been two weeks ago.
Still what a amazing spot with outstanding views in all directions. Apart from not being the first this was the best one so far. We had a great day!!!
Still what a amazing spot with outstanding views in all directions. Apart from not being the first this was the best one so far. We had a great day!!!
Rated: for Overall Experience
