Secluded Falls on Groove Creek : a new circuit

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Secluded Falls on Groove Creek : a new circuit

Postby billshep1 » Wed 23 Apr, 2014 8:56 pm

I have just completed a circuit route in the Secluded Falls amphitheatre, which is on Groove Creek, a tributary of the Wilmot River. This offers a steep climb up from the main track at the base of the Lower Falls and a nice little circuit to a lookout viewing the two tiers of the Upper Falls. It ends with a wander up the NE branch of Groove creek in beautiful forest. Access to the area is by the Chilcotts forestry roads off Swamp Road , Sprent. The Falls are best after heavy rain.
For details of how to get there via the maze of forest roads, check my blog at http://billshep1.wordpress.com . or just google Wilmot River Walks.
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Re: Secluded Falls on Groove Creek : a new circuit

Postby Taurë-rana » Wed 23 Apr, 2014 10:08 pm

Thanks Bill, I look forward to walking it. I have been there once but even better with a circuit. You do a great job :D
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Re: Secluded Falls on Groove Creek : a new circuit

Postby billshep1 » Wed 23 Apr, 2014 10:49 pm

That's good. The steep route up from the lower falls to the perimeter track on the pine plantation, which links these new walks, needs mattocking and benching but is well taped.
On the way back up to my car I just went straight up from the lookout junction on the perimeter track to the carpark through fairly open pines, only took 5 minutes or so. I will waymark this next time.
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Re: Secluded Falls on Groove Creek : a new circuit

Postby bonn_94 » Wed 07 Jun, 2017 9:51 pm

Could someone please send me directions on how to get to these Falls please?
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Re: Secluded Falls on Groove Creek : a new circuit

Postby billshep1 » Wed 07 Jun, 2017 10:50 pm

As stated in a previous entry above!! Just look on my wordpress blog https://wilmotriverwalks.com for full details. The falls are on Groove Creek which joins the Wilmot River in the state forest east of Sprent. You will need my driving instructions to get there as the forest road network is complex. I have pasted the track notes below. There are a couple of beaut pics of the falls on the blog taken by Laurie Davison

Walk 2. Groove Creek Circuit and Secluded Falls . OPEN
Map Tasmap 1:25,000 4242 Castra
Time 2 .5 hours
The circuit is a fairly demanding walk. But the hardest part is finding your way around the Sprent Forest road network, so detailed instructions are given for this.
Drive from Forth on the Kindred road for 10.5 km. Turn left at Swamp road, drive along it for 4.3 km until Nicolle’s Link turns off to the left. Go along this forest road for 3.7 km until a Y junction, take the left road here. Proceed for 0 .6 km, take right turn and drive along this road for 1.2 km . You should be on an open ridge with eucalypt and pine plantations with views to Mount Roland and Eardley’s Tor. Take a left turn, ignoring a road leading off to the left after 0.3 km. After 0.4 km you will arrive at an open space. Park here. Total travel distance from Forth should be around 20.7 km.

Just beyond the car park look for a steep track off to the right with a metal sign leading down through the pine plantation (there is another track at the car park which you will use to come back up) This ends at an old 4wd track where you turn right until you encounter a sign directing you down to Groove Creek . Descend steeply and turn left down the creek on a beautiful route through manferns and sassafras until you reach a viewpoint for the Upper Secluded Falls. Take care here as cliff are below – you are standing above the Lower Secluded Falls at this point. head back up the taped route to the 4wd track and turn right again until you meet a sign directing you down a very steep track to Groove creek below the falls. Head upstream to the Lower Falls which are hard to see in the bush. A rough track with loose scree heads to the Upper Falls – about 15 mins. They are far more spectacular especially after rain.

Return all the way down Groove Creek until you are almost at the Wilmot river and take a wide track back up to the 4wd perimeter track. Turn left and after ten minutes turn right through the plantation until you reach the carpark. This last track is very close to the one you went down at the start.

This sounds very complicated but there are lots of signs and when you get to know the area you can decide which parts of the circuit suit you – for instance you can avoid the very steep track down to Groove Creek which horrified one lady! Its only steep, quite safe!
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Re: Secluded Falls on Groove Creek : a new circuit

Postby waterfallman » Sat 07 Oct, 2017 10:22 pm

Congrats to Bill & crew for a brilliant achievement with the Secluded falls circuits! I went in for a look on 22nd sept 17, and had a ball! Unfortunately, his predictions about the use of the Sprent forest back roads as a "trashed car heaven" proved correct. I counted no less than 6 dumped, stripped, rolled, burned out & totally trashed autos on the section just south of the Nicholls Link / Chillcots rd intersection. Eerie. Still, the remainder of the day was great! The platform at the base of the Secluded falls drop is a good place for lunch/eats etc. The tracks and signage were all as stated in his previous post.
In the spirit of "de-confusing" some of the access, I'll post a few pics I did of the general track layout. And whilste not using a GPS, I think they are pretty close to the mark. I did not do all of the northern loop along the perimeter track and back down Groove Ck, because of my haste to see the rest of the circuit, so my layout is possibly a little shorter than reality. This circuit will generate a bit of sweat, but it is a lot of fun too! Just don't be tempted to climb up the cliffs at the side of Groove ck falls, to get a better photo. It is folly!
Attachments
Secluded 1.jpg
Secluded 1
Secluded 2.jpg
Secluded 2
Secluded 3.jpg
Secluded 3
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Re: Secluded Falls on Groove Creek : a new circuit

Postby waterfallman » Sat 07 Oct, 2017 10:25 pm

The rest of the Secluded Falls circuit pics..
Attachments
Secluded 4.jpg
Secluded 4
Secluded 5.jpg
Secluded 5
Secluded 6.jpg
Secluded 6
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