Today will be yesterday tomorrow

[iandsmith]

So I was a day late. From Queenstown I putted along, stopping momentarily at the Henty Glacial Reserve. It’s amazing to see those conglomerates that 300 million years ago were the scrapings of a glacier yet now they’re on high in the western mountains of Tasmania.
Finally wound my way to Montezuma Falls carpark. I’d been there before but didn’t get to do the walk so I was really keen this time. As for the weather, most would have assessed it as perfect, but I really wanted totally overcast for rainforest photography. Too much contrast makes it so hard; still, I hope you enjoy some of the images.
It’s a straight flat 3 hour return walk along an old tramway, built to retrieve ore from the many mines in the area. At times boggy it’s no surprise as you constantly hear the roar of the river in a steep canyon far below and the trail has many flows that sometimes disappear underground, at other times cross beneath the boardwalk and often just splash onto the trail.
You have to be careful not to stub your toes on old spikes and sleepers but the beauty of the moss covered myrtle, tree ferns and hard water-ferns are a constant distraction.
I went down all bar one of the side tracks, looking for different photos and occasionally succeeding, before I made Montezuma. They promised much, from writings and personal anecdotes from friends, and they delivered in spades. It’s a massive drop from above and the trail delivers you to the best viewing point at the base. After you’re sated here you can take the precarious swinging bridge (no more than two adults and a child at a time please and not for those with vertigo problems) across the raging waters for a different aspect entirely.
Leaning out over the wire to get some shots is guaranteed to thrill. It was when I was about to return that I met Connie. She was from Westernport Bay and she was all smiles while her husband, who was acrophobic, wouldn’t cross the bridge but kept bobbing up and down between the bushes like a duck at a shooting gallery, apparently concerned for her welfare. He looked hilarious.
I had my slightly small hiking boots on and on the return leg my muscles were aching trying to compensate and my feet hurt, exacerbated by stumbling over a dozen spikes from the old tramway, but I made it and drove into nearby Rosebery where there’s a motorhome friendly carpark.

Attachments

Montezuma Falls

Montezuma Falls (114) sp.jpg (104.2 KiB) Viewed 4866 times

One of the many side streams

Emerging fern frond

Montezuma Falls (93) sp.jpg (74.2 KiB) Viewed 4866 times

Henty Glacial moraine leftover

Henty Glacial Moraine (5).jpg (96.21 KiB) Viewed 4866 times

One of the many old mines in the area

[tasadam]

And what is particularly peculiar, it's a relatively flat walk, yet at the start, the creek to the right flows the same direction that you are walking on the way on. After a while, you will notice the creek flows the other way... Clearly there must be two creeks meeting here somewhere and flowing off in another direction, but I have never bothered checking on a map what's going on with that. Must go exploring there again one day.

[eggs]

There is a lot of history buried in the bush in that area.
The Renison Bell mine where I did some vac work is only a few hills to the north.

The old railway line you follow actually crossed a bridge under the falls on its way towards Zeehan.
I understand that it was regular commute for workers passing under the falls. There is a photo of this in the Zeehan Mining Museum.
I have not seen the swing bridge yet - but it probably bridges the gap which was once a railway bridge.

There are lots of 4WD tracks following various old railway lines. And I believe there is also a rough track that passes near the top of the falls - probably coming from the Mt Dundas side.

[weetbix456]

was up there last weekend! great short walk...nice photos

[pazzar]

Great shots! I was also there last weekend with Weetbix. It was overcast and drizzly for us.

There is a lot of history buried in the bush in that area.
The Renison Bell mine where I did some vac work is only a few hills to the north.

The old railway line you follow actually crossed a bridge under the falls on its way towards Zeehan.
I understand that it was regular commute for workers passing under the falls. There is a photo of this in the Zeehan Mining Museum.
I have not seen the swing bridge yet - but it probably bridges the gap which was once a railway bridge.

There are lots of 4WD tracks following various old railway lines. And I believe there is also a rough track that passes near the top of the falls - probably coming from the Mt Dundas side.

I had noticed on the maps that there was a track that passed near the top. I have been in from both sides in a 4wd about 15 years ago. The Melba track was particularly rough. I'm not sure if it still is. The suspension bridge certainly wasn't there when I first went in.

And what is particularly peculiar, it's a relatively flat walk, yet at the start, the creek to the right flows the same direction that you are walking on the way on. After a while, you will notice the creek flows the other way... Clearly there must be two creeks meeting here somewhere and flowing off in another direction, but I have never bothered checking on a map what's going on with that. Must go exploring there again one day.

I didn't notice this. I know you follow the Ring River, then you cross a creek. I didn't notice any change though. Interesting.....

[razor]

On the Zeehan side of the falls there once was a haulage line to the Curtin Davis mine. I believe this track exists to some degree.