Manning Gorge

 26 – 29 August 2022

We returned to Drysdale River Station and refuelled, topped up the water tanks and also picked up some more UHT milk. We made a cuppa under a shady tree then left Drysdale River Station and continued west towards Mount Barnett Station and on to Manning Gorge Campground. At around 170 kilometres and with a fairly good section of road we arrived in time for lunch. We checked in at the roadhouse and opted for three nights. Manning Gorge campground is about 7 kilometres from the roadhouse and entry fees apply but they do offer a good discount for seniors. We drove down to the campground and were able to find a nice shady spot. Once again as it was late in the season it wasn’t as full as it might have been, which we were glad about.

We headed down to the river for a look and later found our way to a great swimming spot just a short distance from the campground. We decided to have a rest day and spend Saturday swimming and relaxing after a few busy days. The pool noodles certainly came in handy.

On Sunday we set off early for the 6 kilometre round trip to Manning Gorge. To get to the walk you have to cross the river either by boat on a pulley system or by wading and swimming through the water. We chose the boat which was a bit of fun but also required a bit of effort. Once across the other side, there was quite a bit of rock scrambling but nothing as serious as the Mitchell Falls walk. Quite a lot of the walk was along a well made path. Once we arrived at the gorge there was some more rock scrambling but the pay-off at the end made it all worthwhile. Manning Gorge is magnificent and we enjoyed a lovely swim in this fabulous place.

On the way out we found some of the rock art nearby and then made our way back to camp. By that time it was getting quite hot so we stopped at home to have morning tea then wandered back down to the swimming spot, which we revisited later in the day as well.

Manning Gorge campground is a great spot to spend a few days – toilets, hot showers, fire pits and great swimming close to camp as well as a stunning gorge within a reasonable walking distance. When it was time to leave we returned to the roadhouse to refuel and top up the water tanks. We also spent some time online to book our next stop – Silent Grove.