Weld River Tracks

[mArt]

Hi all,

just wondering if anyone has any info or experience of
any walking tracks that connect South Weld Rd or North Weld Rd
to the Weld River ?

I have heard of a track that linked the old protestor camp to the river.
Does anyone know where the camp was, or where the track might have run?

regards

Marty

[vagrom]

If it's of any interest to you Marty because it's not often visited, the following may help, but only as history.
Unless things have recently changed then of course, the whole region's out of bounds as you'd know. You need a $100 key deposit, approval and a strict program- a bit like Eastern Europe in the 80's.
Two sources:
1) there was a walking track cut along the entire length of the Weld River at the turn of the 20th century and a sign noting the turn-off, still there in the 30's. This is in
The South-West Book, p.31;
2) In Martin Hawes' book Above Me Only Sky, he describes his own attempt to travel down river from the sources. An incredible trip, he had to give up and go back after some days, progress being a little slower than planned. The description is like a visit to the Underworld.
So the whole area is something like a natural barrier for anyone travelling from Hobart westwards. The back cover of a Tasmanian Tramp of a few years ago, has a photo of the Weld Arch.
Reuben's Falls are still presumably visited and Mt Weld and it's lakes, the latter probably best done by checking the clubs planned walks. In 1976, visiting the mount meant coming in from Gallagher Plateau (Tramp #22).

"Other exploratory expeditions were made too, many for the purpose of opening up the area for prospecting. In 1890 Surveyor Thomas Frodsham went from the Russell Falls River (now the Tyenna), around High Rocky (Mueller Range) and down the Weld River to the Huon. The notice 'Huon via Weld' was still on a tree on the South Gordon Track in 1939 but the Weld track had disappeared under regrowth...."-Luckman&Davies p.31, in Gee/Fenton's The South-West Book (1979).

[mArt]

Thanks for the info Vagrom.
I'll check out the southwest book and give Martin a call too.

Over the last couple of months I've been doing the leg work required to fill in
the gaps in my knowledge of the area. Access is now a lot easier since Forestry
keep the gates open - this change has occurred since the "Pirate Ship" protestor camp
was removed. There is still some active logging in the area.

Dave Noble's story of lilo'ing the Weld makes an interesting update to Martin Hawes' attempt.
Check it out at http://www.david-noble.net/Tasmania/WeldRiver/Weld.html

regards

Marty

[flyfisher]

Many years ago I used to fish the Weld, accessing it by the Weld road which I used to travel in an HR Holden wagon.

It was easy enough to drive to a point about 2k past the confluence with the Huon, where there was a white gravel pit.

Over the years it has got too rough/boggy to travel in a 2wd but with a gravel road running through there it matters not.

From the gravel pit the very rough track continued to Fletchers Eddy, a prominent bend in the river, about 6 or 7k's further upstream.

The new bridge across the river is about 3 k's downstream from the Eddy. The old track is still there, it starts about the top of the hill on the north side of the river.

As far as I know there isn't a track beyond the end of the 4wd section but I'm not sure.

FF

[digitalgiraffe]

I'm glad this post finally got a response, I too was interested to hear if there were many tracks in the area now.

I'll be grabbing those books for sure.

David Nobles story is great. A group of us are toying with the idea of attempting the same mission but with the aid of wetsuits and a few more modern comforts.

[Nuts]

I'm glad this post finally got a response, I too was interested to hear if there were many tracks in the area now.

I'll be grabbing those books for sure.

David Nobles story is great. A group of us are toying with the idea of attempting the same mission but with the aid of wetsuits and a few more modern comforts.

Martins book is a classic, the lilo would have been so much easier. Some of these oldies are becoming a collectors item: ( http://www.amazon.com/Above-Only-Sky-Ta ... 0949903027 )

[tas-man]

Martins book is a classic, the lilo would have been so much easier. Some of these oldies are becoming a collectors item: ( http://www.amazon.com/Above-Only-Sky-Ta ... 0949903027 )

A great book to have in your Tasmaniana collection, but a bit more affordable in Australia
http://www.biblioz.com/search.php?a=79&i=61849543

[digitalgiraffe]

Argh I found one on ebay for $17.50 and held off on buying it till I looked in the local shops at lunch time and it just sold. Bugger!!!

*EDIT* Just grabbed a copy from the imperial bookshop in Hobart for $30.

[vagrom]

Great.Now watch the price skyrocket ...

Those shots by Noble are priceless. Still so much of Tassie still flowing like this. Reminiscent of that group's much more recent visit to the upper reaches of the New river.

[prickle]

Hi all,

just wondering if anyone has any info or experience of
any walking tracks that connect South Weld Rd or North Weld Rd
to the Weld River ?

I have heard of a track that linked the old protestor camp to the river.
Does anyone know where the camp was, or where the track might have run?

regards

Marty

Hi Marty

I did a little wandering around there looking for Rainbow trout .. and did come across protesters living down there (about 10 years ago) I have include a google earth file which shows the track I used to walk down

Weld.kmz

(1010 Bytes) Downloaded 520 times

.. did try to drive down a couple of times .. had to walk out once and I think they have now removed the bridge .. so walking track only.

Was a great little spot before recent harvesting

Stuart

[mArt]

Hi all, thanks for the interest and replies, and am glad people liked the Dave Noble link,
he's done some amazing trips.

FlyFisher - the new road goes well past the gravel pit you mention, but I've noticed that the old track
that runs parallel to the Weld is still in existence. Did you ever fish the section of the river above its
confluence with the Huon, and if so, whats it like in general terms?

Prickle - thanks for the kmz - I have walked in that way in the past, and am amazed that you
took a vehicle in - top effort : ) Unfortunately the track has been seriously degraded by 4wd
now and the bog holes are challenging to cross even on foot.

I've managed to bush bash my way down to the river from a logging spur further up the valley - (took
40 mins to travel 200 m through cutting grass and dense scrub), and have found another informal track in that area.

Despite all the logging in the valley the river is in superb condition, with the last two seasons high rainfall
helping to keep it clean. In my last couple of trips before winter I encountered some Eusthenia stoneflies
which are indicative of very clean water.




regards


Marty

[Nuts]

Argh I found one on ebay for $17.50 and held off on buying it till I looked in the local shops at lunch time and it just sold. Bugger!!!

Woops.. that was me sorry. I had pawed over it a couple of times and this topic sparked the thought to go and buy it. After seeing the price on Amazon I just nabbed the ebay one without second thought.
Anyhow, sounds like you did better in the end ( it was almost 30 bucks posted anyhow ) Sorry anyhow dg... just thought i'd let you know it wasnt one of the skulking guests here (that would irk me too)...

[digitalgiraffe]

Hah that's ok. You snooze you lose right!

It's a great little book, glad I managed to find an affordable copy after visiting 6 bookshops in Hobart.

[Nuts]

It's a great little book, glad I managed to find an affordable copy after visiting 6 bookshops in Hobart.

still, probably worse to link to ask about something on sale and get jumped i guess.. cant say im hoping mines in tatters but hope you did ok

[flyfisher]

Hi mArt, love those stonefly pics.

When I fished the Weld it was always Feb or later when water levels were more suitable for wadeing and much of the river could be fished from in the water. Usually it was a red tag #12 or #14 floated down all likely looking runs.
Sport was generally fair to quite good, with smallish rainbows rising well at times. Must go back next summer for a look.
I did go well out the gravel road when the Ark was there, but last time I went down the road was closed due to "wet conditions", in spite of choking dust.
The old 4wd track was just that, a 4wd track, and in a wet area like that it naturally got cut up.
Frenchmans cap track gets just the same.

FF