1925 AdamsField Track

[Mechanic-AL]

I have just finished reading an old book called "I Had A Quid to Get' by H.A.(Jim Lane).

In July 1925 he set off to seek his fortunes at Adamsfield. He didn't get far though as the track from Fitzgerald was blocked with 3 feet of snow for over a week. He eventually set off with "a parcel of bacon,flour,baking powder,a single blanket and a tent fly". On His first trip he travelled with a packhorse team lead by Maurice Sweeney, a professional packer running supplies into the miners on the Osmiridium fields. Jim lane describes how the original route took them " out Junee Road which went as far as Fank Brown's property. Once past Brown's we were on the old Great Western". Chrisp's Hut was their first port of call where "a pannikin of coffee and milk laced with OP rum for 2 shillings" was the beverage of choice. From Chrisp's Hut they continued up the divide between Tim Shea and Wherett's Lookout before dropping down to Churchills Hut. The next morning the packhorse loads were distributed among the men to enable crossing of the little Florentine and later the big Florentine. " We crossed on a log that was under water and the only measure of safety being a length of fencing wire stretched from bank to bank".

The track to Adamsfield is marked as passing south of Packers Spur but in his book Jim Lane says they continued north "on the survey before breaking off to the west" to begin climbing the Thumbs. I would imagine this to be somewhere around Jefferies Falls ? " Let no one be deluded " he says. "We did not have to climb the Thumbs proper, only a shoulder at the southern end. But even that was no joke as the grade was about one in one". Upon reaching a crest they continued south down Packers Spur and eventually on to Adamsfield. Jim Lane never did make his fortune at Adamsfield. Instead he worked for packhorse teams ferrying in loads to the miners and prospectors. Some of the hardships and adventures of his new occupation are described in his book.

I would love to follow the footsteps of the early packers into Adamsfield ( but probably not in July armed with only a single blanket and a tent fly.). Could anyone here tell me if the track from Junee Road to Chrisp's Hut still exists and is Chrisp's Hut still standing? If so I imagine the track and hut may be on private land. I can't find any tracks marked from the vicinity of Chrisp's Hut to the divide between Tim Shea and Wherett's Lookout. does one still remain? It's not hard to imagine that since the original 1925 track up the Thumbs to Packers Spur was only in use for approximately a year that there is nothing left of it? Without breaking any forum rules would anybody have any information on what direction the original 1925 Track up the Thumbs went in and is the early stages of the track around Junee rd still accessible?

Any Info would be greatly received.

AL





Any information would b

[Mechanic-AL]

Should have done more home work on this one. It appears that the first 14-15kms of the original Adamsfield track is mostly through Forestry regrowth...uuurgh!! No fun in that.

Still interested to find out if Chrisp's Hut is till standing and where the original track went up the Thumbs though??

AL.

[pazzar]

I would have thought that if it is still standing, it is just to the north of Florentine Road before Tim Shea saddle, to the west of Chrisps Road. Seeing as this is also regrowth forest, I would think it is highly unlikely.

[icefest]

There is a hut still standing there, but I don't think it is the original.

There's a trip report of a guy who cycled there on the forums somewhere.

[pazzar]

This report?

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18950&p=252083&hilit=florentine+hut#p252083

[Mechanic-AL]

I would have thought that if it is still standing, it is just to the north of Florentine Road before Tim Shea saddle, to the west of Chrisps Road. Seeing as this is also regrowth forest, I would think it is highly unlikely.

That's what I'm beginning to think too Pazzar.
Churchills hut near the end of Timb's Track was also a rest stop for the Adamsfield packhorse teams but considering what good nick it is in I doubt that it could be the original hut either.
Pity we don't hang onto more of our heritage.
More important things to blow the budget on I guess.

[icefest]

This report?

http://www.bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic ... ut#p252083

Yeah..... That one.... :/