winterbrook falls

[3rd weekender]

Is any one using Maxwells track to Winterbrook falls with access to black bluff east & west, went yesterday took and chain saw & found the pine trees down on smiths plains rd had been cleared off but further on before you get to the creek the road way has subsided to a dangerous situation this is over a small creek. it would take an escavator & truck & pipes to repair.
This is a problem on a lot of the roads that we use for access to walks that we enjoy. This is largely due to lack of forestry activity. A good example of this is the western creek bridge which has recently been repaired. This work would have been done because of the activity on the tracks going off Westrope road. What i am pointing out is the need to use these tracks or we will lose a lot due to undergrowth and lack of access. We all need to lobby councils & government when necessary to preserve what we have.

[Chrisbulldog]

I would have to agree with your sentiments 3rd. A similar situation exists in the Meander Falls are.

With a lack of funds for Forestry and P&S .. there doesn't appear to be any solution to this situation at the moment.

But ..as you suggest ..perhaps some lobbying might help the situation.

[shadowofadoubt]

went up there today, and made the summit! Just updating - the road is all clear all the way in.
Beautiful day and recommendedtrack compared to the Loongana road ascent, we found it much more interesting.

[greyim]

By law we have become locked into very safe but very expensive fixes; or no fix at all...
That particular spot could be fixed with a very small investment in cement and reo but ...
Maybe need to look at an allowance for cheaper fixes for little used 'roads' like tree trunks and so on...

[gossy1985]

i wrote a letter to the tourism minister and forestry mainly about the access to meander falls about 6 months ago. and the responce i got was that forestry can not afford bridge repairs to non opererational areas such as meander falls road but they had the funds for westrope rd because of the Plantation on that road.
hopefully we will start seeing more work done on these roads now that the peace deal is done

[Chrisbulldog]

Hi weekender

I was in that area last Saturday leading a group to the old DPA Mine .

Someone ..hopefully forestry ..has cleared the access road to the start of that ..which saved a 5 k road walk.

Maybe they have cleared into Winterbrook too ..

The place to ring is the Burnie Office of the Forestry Dept.

[3rd weekender]

great chrisbulldog
good walk to the old mine, that is where they drove the cattle accross from middlesex to the coastal farms for winter.I think they wanted the pine logs blocking the road at that intersection .the big problem is the road to maxwells track from the old sawmill, the road has been damaged with the excessive water this year & has washed the gravel out on the bridge logs .The nw walking club came back from the bluff that way last weekend so i will see if this is still the case as i said before I would like to fix it but it could be quite exspensive.I will talk to forestry in Burnie and see what they know

[greyim]

DPA pics?

[Chrisbulldog]

Hi greyim

Yes I've got a few pics of the DPA mine and what machinery remains . Also pics of the accommodation hut called
Goldminers Shack.

I'm interested in seeing if that hut can be restored ..have contacted the MHPS but they say they're plate is full at the moment. Anyone with any suggestions as to what group may be able to assist with this . Thanks.
DPA stands for Devonport Prospecting Association.

[3rd weekender]

We drove in the maxwells(just got over damaged bridge) track a few weeks ago cut up a lot of fallen debris,not to bad now . Talked to someone who went on the brooks track (penguin cradle trail) overgrown & a lot of wash outs.