Request for feedback on recent track upgrades

[Martin Hawes]

I’ve been commissioned by Environment Tasmania to document the recent walking track upgrades that were undertaken as part of its federally-funded Community Forest Walks Program. The program involved upgrades of eight tracks in areas that were newly reserved under the Tasmanian Forests Agreement. (Yes, some good came out of the Agreement before the Tasmanian government tore it up.)

Part of my commission is to interview stakeholders who were directly involved in the upgrades (for example as participants in working bees) or are familiar with these tracks, have seen the completed works and have an interest in the tracks’ upkeep. The interviews are by phone and take 5-10 minutes.

I have all the feedback I need for four of these tracks, but I’m still looking for feedback on the Arm River Track, Warners Track, Higgs Track and Junee Cave Track. I’ve seen the work on these tracks myself, and I must say it looks fantastic. (Bush craftsmanship that blends in organically with the natural environment.)

If you’re familiar with one of these tracks, have seen the recent trackwork and would like to share your thoughts and suggestions, I’d be glad to hear from you. You can contact me at martin(at)twelveprinciples(dot)net.

Your feedback will be included in a report that will be publically available and submitted to the federal government. Hopefully it will lead to more such projects in future.

[weetbix456]

I can vouch for the Arm River Track upgrade. The climb is a heap easier now!! Nice work.

[L_Cham_67]

I visited the Junee Cave last Friday, and can say that the new track makes for very pleasant walking. Although I was a little confused as to why it stopped at the bridge (where there's a track junction), instead of going all the way to the cave.

[Nuts]

I have used the AR track a lot, though getting less each year.
In terms of observation (without any knowledge of the too and fro):

I see the track completed by that last section up the hill, whether planned or not, in logical progression.
I think the trackies did a good job, natural timbers are a waste of time but it's great to see funding for stonework.

But perhaps less helpful (I don't know, you haven't really explained the purpose). I can't separate the upgrade of a bit of track, in a relatively stable area, from the loss of the lower half of the ring road circuit/ access. This forces traffic to elevations encountering snow, along an avenue of wattle(x) that seem to blow down at the hint of a storm. I talked to another frequent visitor (uses that track more than me in recent years) and he added fire, doubles or more the chance of being trapped by wildfire. Does this add up to a net negative? To me it does.

I'm sure that's telling 'Tassies premier track designer' nothing or nothing of value.

[greyim]

That section of Higgs is stunning - alot of work involved I think. There are so many sections of various tracks that could do with attention. For environmental reasons, more re routing around swampy bits is also a worthwhile activity if future funding is being considered.

[Martin Hawes]

@Nuts – I assume you’re referring to the closure of the Arm Road (forcing access via Maggs Mt), and not to the recent flood damage (which has forced access via Borradaile Plains and Bare Hill, via a route that I understand will be gated at least in the short term). The road-access question was beyond the scope of the Environment Tasmania project but it certainly needs to be addressed. Personally I can’t see any compelling reason why the Arm Bridge could not be rebuilt.
Would you be willing to do short phone interview about the ART? Your comments on the trackwork would be much appreciated, and you could raise your concerns about the road access (or I could simply use what you’ve already written). - Martin

[Nuts]

Hi Martin, yes, sorry, I should take more care, the Maggs Mt road. I assume/hope at least that road will be maintained? But, it goes up over 900m, is exposed in places and more heavily timbered along the summit ridge. Lovely area but even of the two options (Arm or Maggs Rd) doesn't make a lot of apparent sense.

I kind of feel like I should, but am not sure what else I can add for your project, only based on observation. The road access is a safety issue, when it comes to environmental concerns they are not so easily mitigated. I'm sure you recognise the value of leaving work on the road/access end of tracks till last, in these areas. I'd hope such concerns are at least considered in conjunction with P&W elsewhere generally (assuming anyone in P&W still cares). Support from environmental groups is not necessarily qualified and the influence isn't ever far from being shaped by politics here in Tas. I'd hope that the broader context is carefully considered before giving wholehearted support to any track works. They are going to be popular projects (especially among bushwalkers) but, as you would know, always have wider implications further in to parks.

And then I wonder how the best long term environmental outcome wouldn't be better served by encouraging the use of these fringe areas themselves other than just easy access to walking and to places infinitely more fragile.

Iv'e heard a comment from a former forestry worker wondering why they have been ripped from their workplace, swapped uniforms to build tourism infrastructure for walkers in parks when it could have been made to happen (for walkers and everyone else) on 'forestry' reserve.

Anyhow, re-focusing, the new (AR) track is good. It should take pressure of other tracks in the area.
There's a few rest spots/seats on the climb for the ol timers and i like where it was planned to meet the creek for the thirsty.

[walkabout]

Very impressed with Higgs track - a lot of good work has been done.

will be gated

- Gated? Does anyone know where?

[flyfisher]

will be gated

- Gated? Does anyone know where?

Or why??

ff

[pazzar]

will be gated

- Gated? Does anyone know where?

Or why??

ff

My understanding is that Parks are closing this road as it is the only access point to the area currently, and if any event were to occur that may block the road, it would leave people stranded. Hopefully this means that Parks will put some some pressure on to ensure the work on Mersey Forest Road is a priority, although I still think it will take months before it is open again.

[Martin Hawes]

Very impressed with Higgs track - a lot of good work has been done.

will be gated

- Gated? Does anyone know where?

The Borradaile Plains Road also crosses Forestry Land, so they may be partly responsible for keeping the road gated.

I just heard this morning that even if one gains access via Borradaile Plains and Bare Hill, the Arm River Track is still inaccessible. Presumably the road(s) are blocked further up the valley.

[Martin Hawes]

Nuts – I can’t answer your question about the future management of Maggs Road. However it’s highly unlikely that Parks and/or Forestry would allow the Arm River Track to become inaccessible to 2WD vehicles, except of course in the aftermath of fires and floods…

The points you raise are certainly valid and if you’re willing to do a phone interview, your comments would be valuable. A feedback exercise like this should not be just a backslapping exercise but should allow scope for criticism (and the questions invite this).

There is certainly a risk that track upgrades, particularly near trailheads, will funnel higher levels of usage into environmentally sensitive country. As far as the Arm River Track is concerned, most of the track has already been hardened and I think it’s unlikely that the recent upgrade of the ascent will make a significant difference to user numbers.

Part of the rationale for the ART upgrade was the hope that it would discourage use of the alternative, informal access from the Maggs Spur road. I’m not convinced that it will be effective in this unless the side-route from the ART to Mt Pillinger is upgraded or at least cleared, because the Maggs Spur route still offers the quickest access to Mt Pillinger.

[Lophophaps]

There is certainly a risk that track upgrades, particularly near trailheads, will funnel higher levels of usage into environmentally sensitive country. As far as the Arm River Track is concerned, most of the track has already been hardened and I think it’s unlikely that the recent upgrade of the ascent will make a significant difference to user numbers.

Some years ago a park manager had an interesting strategy. A popular area was getting too much foot traffic, so they left the first hour or so of the track as untouched as possible, with only places with erosion problems treated. This meant that by the time bumblies walked for and hour to a small creek and clearing, they had a rest. The track continued from there - muddy and scrubby. After the rest the bumblies looked at the view and many turned back, enough for the day.

But a few hundred metres later the track become something akin to OLT standards, with duckboards, a metre wide, small bridges and the like. A much smaller number of experienced walkers continued, thus having less impact than if the hordes continued. I cannot recall if this policy was adopted in other areas. I was at Derrick Hut near Mt Hotham in summer a few years ago, and in an afternoon about a hundred people came through, 80% of then tourists on a day trip. This is okay, only about an hour from the car park. Some went on to Dibbins Hut, too far and too much climbing to get back in my view. Hardly any of these tourists were adequately equipped.

[flyfisher]

It seems a bit heavy handed to gate the only current access to all tracks in the upper Mersey, including Walls of Jerusalem, Lees paddocks etc.
Other roads in that area can possibly become blocked but people accept that risk.
The upper Mersey road allowing access to Lees, Myrtle etc could be easily blocked at any time.
Closing access via Gads hill will deny access to most tracks in this very popular area.

FF

[Nuts]

Yes, I believe that the access is still closed by a significant land slip off the Maggs Rd (even if you can get that far).

Martin, i feel a bit 'put on the spot' by comments in another recent thread, my value, as someone to consult, is quickly spent.

I think it's a worthwhile approach, to at least have mentioned your project here. Hopefully you get some useful balanced comments even if in messages etc but even so, to have opened the access to comment is a good thing (imo).

I'm away short term but happy to have a chat, in person?
Really, at the end of the day, I feel uneasy with anyone encroaching further into our wilds, individuals, corporations, engo's, anyone. The projects can sound perfectly envisaged, planned and executed, motivations can be borne from love for the bush no doubt.. yet something is still 'wrong', these places don't get any more perfected by us. Other than feeling an urgency to participate to protect, I'd rather be having a conversation about almost anything else.

[Martin Hawes]

Nuts, I appreciate your point of view. Feel free to drop me an email when you get back if you like, but there's no pressure. Thanks to everyone on this thread for your feedback. As for the upper Mersey, hopefully the roads will be reopened before too long...but there's a lot of work to be done...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLafM92 ... e=youtu.be

[tastrekker]

Hi Martin,
I would like to submit feedback that 3 out of the 4 walking tracks you have mentioned are in Future Potential Production Forest (FPPF). This means they are only reserved until 2020 after which the government of the day can revoke their reserve status for timer harvesting. What are the other 4 tracks? I suspect they may be subject to the same degree of uncertainty regarding the longevity of reserve status.
Philosophers Falls is another track completely within FPPF land but I think this pre-dates the funding you're talking about.
...and while I'm at it... Sections of the Three Capes Track also pass through FPPF. This includes the Mt Fortescue section and the current start of the track at Denmans Cove!
The bottom line: Security of tenure / reserve status should have been considered as part of the track upgrades to help protect the investment.
Regards,
Clint
P.S. The only upgraded track I've personally walked is ART. It's very well done but, along with the now-not-so-sodden Loddon, another legend of Tasmanian bushwalking infamy has succumbed to progress

[Martin Hawes]

Hi tastrekker,

The other four upgraded tracks are the Lake Skinner Track, Twisted Sister Track (in the Florentine), Blue Tier Giant Walk and the Halls Falls Track.

The Arm River Track ascent and the lower parts of the Higgs and Warners Track ascents are all in FPPFs, but also in the World Heritage Area. Junee Cave is partly in state reserve, partly in regional reserve and wholly in the WHA. Twisted Sister is wholly in regional reserve and WHA. The Lake Skinner Track is in national park/WHA apart from the first 200m. The Giant Walk and Halls Falls Track are wholly (and only) in FPPFs.

Clearly the protection status of many of these areas is substandard. A big step towards rectifying this would be to upgrade the reserve status of the entire WHA to national park, as recommended by last year’s UNESCO delegation.

The primary rationale of the recent track upgrades was to provide avenues for local communities and visitors to access, appreciate and participate in the management of recently reserved areas. (‘Reserved’ in inverted commas…FPPF is nothing to write home about, although the WHA extension was.) The upgrades have the additional advantage of highlighting areas that deserve greater protection. Indeed two of the tracks (Giant Walk and Twisted Sister) were original put in expressly for that purpose.

You point out that the areas’ reserve status should have been considered as part of the track upgrades to help protect the investment. Try telling that to the federal government! – it was their investment. But many local people invested their time and energy in the project, and hopefully the main payoff will be (eventually) the complete protection not just of the tracks but of the surrounding areas.

If you're willing to share your impressions of the upgraded ART in a short interview, drop me an email - I’d be happy to hear from you. - Martin

[waterfallman]

Hi Martin.. Just a comment re Warners Track. I was up on the plateau near Pine lake the other day, and I was sniffing around for the top end of Warners Track, and could find exactly... nothing! I was hoping at some point to take the track across the moors to the edge of the tiers and down Burnies creek a bit. But, I honestly could not find the slightest suggestion of a track or pad, up there adjacent to A5, Lakes highway. No signage at all. No ribboned stakes visible at all. ?? I'm not sure where work, if any, has been done to this track, but it sure wasn't up on the top end. not much point having a track if it allows climbing to the edge of the tiers and then goes nowhere. Esp when the A5 is so close. Am I missing something here?