Madden's Falls

 My recovery from my Stem Cell Transplant has continued. My immune system has began to recover and I have begun to start receiving my childhood vaccines again. New South Wales was beginning to start opening up for those that were double vaccinated against Covid and so after not being on an adventure since before my treatment I begin to feel like it would be safe enough for me to catch up with another double vaccinated friend and had messaged my mate Tristan about the possibility of a walk soon.

While doing Ancestry research in my time of from work I had learned my 5th Great-Grandfather was John Madden (story of his arrival to Australia linked). Who lived at Madden's Hill along Menangle Road near Campbelltown. While trying to google it's location to see if I could go there 'Madden's Falls' kept appearing in my Google search.

I messaged Tristan if he had even been there and he said he had and that's where we should go as it was a relatively easy and short walk for my first attempt since my treatment. I explained to him about how I found out about it and he asked if it's naming had any relation to my Ancestor. I responded that I could not find any information on it's naming. He suggested we do Madden's Falls and Kelly's Falls both in the same day as they were both short walks. Excited by the prospect of some new sights I eagerly agreed, and we set the date to go on a Sunday (with a forecast for rain, hoping for less people to be out).

The week leading up to it I got stir crazy and rushed to do Bong Bong Pass again, as a test for my fitness. I struggled the entire way, unaware of just how absolutely weak, fatigued and out of shape I had gotten. I got three quarters of the way up before having to make my way down demoralised.
I messaged Tristan, asking if he was certain I would be able to do the two walks, explaining my failure. He assured me I would be alright.

On the Friday I again returned to a Doctor to receive another 3 vaccines, receiving 2 in one arm leaving it quite sore for the Saturday right before our trip.

Finally Sunday arrived and I packed my raincoat assuming it would pour down on us the entire time. I jumped into the passenger side of Tristan's car.

"Do you need me to put a mask on bro?" He asked, aware that I was still immunocompromised.
"Nah, we're both double vaxxed it should be ok." I replied.
I soon noticed his car stunk of cigarettes, as Tristan was meant to have quit smoking. I began to scold him, as all good friends do, before he told me of his personal stories, that I wont share, about personal stresses in his life and that he had quit but started up again. We began catching each other up on shit that had occurred during lockdown (for me this was mostly medical information).

Finally we arrived and I was shocked to learn it was directly across from Darkes Forest Cider Orchard, where I had been meaning to go on a date with my Wife for years (as I love Orchards, there's something a little mystical about them to me).

Tristan said me and him should go in, which I was uneasy about seeing the cars parked around not wanting to expose myself to people, and I had also promised to go with my Wife. I told him I hadn't drank any alcohol since my cancer diagnosis and he assured me there was a non alcoholic cider. 

We stopped to read a sign at the beginning of the walk mentioning another walk nearby called the 'Jingga Walking Track' which we decided we would come back up to do another day. Three more cars had arrived in the time we were looking at it and a family was approaching so I stopped reading and set out on the trail to avoid any close proximity.

The walk begins

It was an incredibly short dirt trail before coming to a metal swing gate for vehicle access in front of us, and a purpose built walking track to our right.

"I wonder which way we should go." I asked, knowing the obvious way, but very curious what was down the other way. Tristan looked at me like I was an idiot, gesturing with his hands that obviously the right way was on the purpose built track. (But what I meant was which way should we explore first).

I'm not a huge fan of tracks built up like this. Preferring to just walk on trails, and in my head I wondered if they were built for some sort of environmentally protective purpose, like to avoid stomping on endangered plants, or if they were just built to give people easy access as it was a steady even surface for a place with high visitor numbers.

Just off to our left I noticed a dirt track leading to what we could hear was running water so I suggested we veer off course. There was a big puddle in the way and I crept my way around the edges trying not to soak my shoes.

In no time at all we had reached the stream, to our right leading to the waterfall with a little weir directly to our left where we had come out.

Looking left

Looking right

I suggested we follow the stream along until we go to the waterfall for an added adventure, and we made our way downstream both on dry bits of rock and having to follow clearer tracks through the scrub. 

I commented to Tristan this was one of the reasons I had waited until my Tetanus vaccine (which also contained Diptheria, Polio and Pertussis) before I decided to head out again.

We made our way through the scrub along what looked like a trail (whether man made or from animals).

Before coming out at an open section of the stream again.

I talked to Tristan about feeling special connections to different spots in nature, like how some people really love the mountains, and for others it's the beach. I explained for me it was running water like creeks, rivers, and streams. I explained it was like a spiritual connection (phrasing it really well that it came out super poetic). 
"Wow, that was actually really good, I have to make sure I put that in the blog." I said, before we both instantly forgot what I had said.

We were approaching the waterfall and towards the end made out way back inwards to an open area.

Tristan walking 

The area was just to the left of the end of the purpose built track lookout, and there was a few parents here with young children playing in the water. We kept our distance from them, and headed to the stream, having a peak over the waterfalls edge and looking for a way to cross to the other side without wetting our feet.

Though Tristan could in his more waterproof boots, I just slipped my shoes off and carried them across.

The water felt lovely

When we reached the other side we were startled a little by a young couple laying together on the rocks just hidden out of sight from where we had been. I turned around and snapped a photo of the falls from here before we made our way scrambling down to a lower point.

While making our way down Tristan had explained that he had been down here before on a date. He explained his dismay, as on the date the girl had asked him if he was "retarded."
After scrambling down to a flat area just below the waterfall, Tristan pointed down off the edge near us, spotting a Diamond Python soaking up the sun.

The view of the waterfall from this spot was spectacular. As it was flowing brilliantly after the rain (compared to our visit to Belmore Falls in a drought and during insanely hot and dry weather).

"This is a great spot for a date, right?" Tristan asked, not referring to us, but the girl who had suggested his mental ineptness.

We decided to go for a look behind the waterfall, saying it was lucky we had packed our raincoats even though the weather (though a bit overcast) was quite warm and sunny. We put them on and slowly made our way behind the nearest waterfall, making sure not to slip.

 

We sat at the base of the falls for a while, soaking in the view, just behind me was a big boulder and I quickly scuttled up in for another great angle on the waterfall.
Tristan did a walk around it, shocked that I got up before finding where I had climbed and he came up too.

"I have a rule," I said "Don't climb up anything you can't climb down." 

We made our way down off the boulder and began to scramble back up top, before Tristan went to a small ledge bit, suggesting we climbing up the short cut rather than, well, walk and extra minute. Being the dickheads we are I was totally in for it, climbing up the tiny, but very slippery surface. I made it to the top informing Tristan it was super slippering (including all the holds), and though it wasn't very large, I said I didn't recommend him doing it. He decided he would anyway. "Don't fall." I said as he began climbing, hoping this wouldn't go down like another blog I wrote.

After making it back up to where the young couple was (who had since left). I mentioned to Tristan I was still racking my brain to remember my quote about the spiritualism, he couldn't remember either and we were both upset to lose a great line. He enquired as to my star sign. I told him I was a Scorpio. He asked what element Scorpio was and I told him it was a water sign.

I took my shoes off once more, and again crossed over, as new people had arrived all staring at us from the other side.

We again avoided the people, jumping over the railing, to the now empty viewing platform to actually look at the waterfall from there.

"I want a selfie dude"- Tristan

We decided to head back along the purpose built track, which had a gap of dirt trail in the middle anyway. It was a short walk and we were back at the gate.

"C'mon dude, let's go for a quick walk down there." Tristan suggested, knowing I would be disappointed if we didn't inspect what was down there.

We were on the tail of two men taking photo's which a much more expensive looking camera then our two phones, and we tried to keep our distance. The view opened up to a body of water with a big rusty machine mostly blocking the view directly in front.

"Oh that's where I left my motorbike." Tristan joked.
"It doesn't even look like a bike." I said, refusing his attempt at humour.

We inspected the left of it while the two men went to the right, scaring off an apparent snake. There where pipes coming from into and going into the water.

"I wonder what it was for?" I asked as it was so old now it didn't look in usage.
"Probably to pump sewage." Tristan again jested.

As we began to walk back toward the trail to head back to the car I heard one of the men point out a 'jump' and looked back and noticed the wooden planks all nailed up a tree on the other side for people to climb up and jump into.

We continued back and Tristan's joke about sewerage had reminded of the walk to Forty Foot Falls. I asked if he remembered how the water was like treated water, and that there was a sign about it. He remembered. I asked if he remembered me getting a photo standing directly under the falls. He did. I then joked that it was that sewerage water that had probably given me cancer.

"You just blame everything for your cancer don't you?"
"Yes."

We where almost at the carpark when Tristan mentioned he wanted to check with a friend of his about whether the burning around here had been back-burning or a bush fire, as his friend's Father apparently worked for the Fire Department (or something the like, involving fires).

As we reached the carpark Tristan was going to quickly chuck on a facemask so he could go in to the Orchard and buy himself a cider, but just as we reached the information sign at the start of the walk we heard a man yell to his friend.

"It's closed!"
"What really?!"
"Yeah, opens again on Monday."

We then heard a loud groan. Tristan looked at me, "Well I guess that's that sorted." and we jumped back in his car to drive to Kelly's Falls.

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Thanks for reading! - Steven