The Paringa River is much gentler than its neighbours to the north, with a cut track to Tunnel Creek Hut.
Tunnel Creek Rock Bivouac (BY14 244 420) is beyond, just on the bushline and sleeps six. Water is found in small tarns 50m south-west of the rock.
Ask permission to cross private land to access the valley – on the true left Ben Monk, 03 751 0899, and on the true right Thomas Condon, 03 751 0864.
Highway to Ōtoko River
Either bank can be followed to the Ōtoko confluence, although in normal flow it is easiest to begin on the true left on a farm road, then cross to the true right 1km from the highway. This avoids a nasty vegetated bluff. Easy travel on flats and open bush sidles leads to the confluence.
If sticking to the true left, a couple of thick bush sidles are needed initially, where the river has cut in close to the bank, and at a small bluff just before Stew Creek, which has a lightly-marked route around it (2020).
Time: 2.5 hrs
Ōtoko to Tunnel Creek Hut
The track up valley begins behind Condons Hut, with a combination of riverbank and forested edges up to Tunnel Creek Hut. An intermittently maintained track up to Tunnel Creek Rock Bivouac begins at the confluence of Tunnel Creek and the Paringa River, then continues up the spur on the true left of Tunnel Creek.
Time: Ōtoko to Tunnel Creek Hut: 3.5 hrs
