Well, it is not called wild swimming for nothing and a recent expedition to swim at Clarence Dam emphasised the point in slithery style. One of the reasons it is a joy to swim in natural places is that we see the area’s wildlife on the visit, however I much prefer to keep that wildlife on the wallaby, wattlebird and wombat level.
‘Oh look over there, it’s a lizard swimming in the water.’ The young boy who had just screamed into the water from a very high rope swing paddled around and looked to where his dad, high up above on the bank, was pointing. I swam over that way too.’
‘I can’t see it, Dad.’
‘It’s just near the rock there, it’s getting out. Oh, hold on, it’s a snake. Look at that!’
The boy was swimming over fast and I swam after him, not sure if I was keen to see the snake or overcome with the instinct to not let the boy get too close.
Very long, slithering up and then curling around on itself, the snake was a deep brown on top with some lighter scales on the underside. It looked about six feet long, thick as my wrist at its widest.
‘It’s brown,” I called up to the mum and dad on the bank. ‘I don’t think we should get too close.’
‘No,’ just keep an eye on it.’ And the boy and I did, staying still in the water as the snake stayed still for a while, looking back out over the water, then, having gathered its thought it moved up the rocky grassy island and out of sight.
Suddenly the swim back to shore felt very long. The young boy zipped over to where his parents were and scrambled up the steep sides to get to where they were waiting by the jump rope. I made my way back to the flatter area where I had entered the water half an hour earlier thinking, ‘I didn’t know snakes went wild swimming’ and hoping that there were no others swimming along in front of me. As a precaution I did some head up very high breaststroke, pushing the water away from in front me me slowly and very firmly.
There are many places to enjoy some wild swimming in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, but Clarence Dam will give you the longest length for your laps. It also has rope swings and jump rocks so it is excellent for daredevils, of which there were several when I fist arrived, flinging themselves into the brown water with gay abandon.
Getting To Clarence Dam
This is a bit tricky, so here’s a long explanation.
Google maps can take you there but you need to use the search term Dam Cliffs, as Clarence dam itself is not found. You will find the spot about 15km from Lithgow, on … Road which turns into the Bells Line of Road.
If you are diving up from the Sydney side along Bells Line of Road, you come past the big turn off to … Blackheath.. and then you, just before you go over a railway bridge, there is a turn to the left.
This is the sign, defaced somewhat, it might be replaced by the time you get there. You are in the right place if you see this sign to Dargan….
You then follow a road alongside the railway line, then you’ll see this sign to dargan Dams and there’s now 1km of dirt track until you get to the parking areas. I was driving my Suburu CX which is all wheel drive, my previous car, a little Toyota Yaris would never have got along this dirt track.
I passed one cleared area where people had parked and then parked with some other cars at the side of the track. I did not drive right down to the last parking area as the track got too rough for my car, there were only serious 4WD vehicles down there.
From the parking areas it is a sloping walk down a fairly rough track to the dam itself, with splendid views over the dams as you walk. Across on the other side of the dams you will see cars driving along Bells Line of Road.
