Billy Brown Falls

Tasmania specific bushwalking discussion.
Forum rules
Tasmania specific bushwalking discussion. Please avoid publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks.

Billy Brown Falls

Postby ben.h » Sun 13 Jun, 2010 7:19 pm

Hi BWTns,
Having read the story about the logging plans for the western end of the Wellington ranges in the Mercury, I'd like to walk the track from Judbury to the "Billy Brown Falls" (on Jeffreys Creek?) before it is (perhaps) logged.

Can someone give me some directions for the track? Perhaps you can PM me if it is a sensitive subject.

Cheers!
User avatar
ben.h
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed 23 Jan, 2008 6:00 pm
Location: Hobart

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby Taurë-rana » Sun 13 Jun, 2010 9:03 pm

It can hardly be sensitive if they're going to log it can it?
Peak bagging points: 170ish
Recent walks - Picton, Wylds Crag, Rogoona
User avatar
Taurë-rana
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1031
Joined: Mon 14 Jan, 2008 8:28 pm
Location: Devonport
Region: Tasmania

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ben.h » Mon 14 Jun, 2010 11:20 am

Thanks for the constructive comments Taurë-rana.

The story in question:
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/20 ... -news.html
User avatar
ben.h
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed 23 Jan, 2008 6:00 pm
Location: Hobart

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby Taurë-rana » Mon 14 Jun, 2010 5:46 pm

Sorry.
Last edited by Taurë-rana on Mon 14 Jun, 2010 5:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Peak bagging points: 170ish
Recent walks - Picton, Wylds Crag, Rogoona
User avatar
Taurë-rana
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1031
Joined: Mon 14 Jan, 2008 8:28 pm
Location: Devonport
Region: Tasmania

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby Taurë-rana » Mon 14 Jun, 2010 5:51 pm

Taurë-rana wrote:
ben.h wrote:Thanks for the constructive comments Taurë-rana.

Sorry Ben, that was a bit cynical. It wasn't aimed at you at all, just at the forestry industry. Thanks for the link (I have now edited my post to remove the bitter comments I wrote after reading it) and I hope you find the information you are after. I'll look forward to a post about the walk when you've done it.
Regards,
Rachel
Peak bagging points: 170ish
Recent walks - Picton, Wylds Crag, Rogoona
User avatar
Taurë-rana
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1031
Joined: Mon 14 Jan, 2008 8:28 pm
Location: Devonport
Region: Tasmania

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ben.h » Sat 19 Jun, 2010 12:20 pm

While not being able to find Jeffreys Creek on a map, I have found the location of the falls. It appears that access to the falls is from somewhere at the end of Stony point trail. I was in this area a few years ago. I walked from Mitchells road, up Jeffreys Track to White timber mountain and anti-clockwise around Stony point trail but was unable to get back to Crabtree Road on Stony Point trail due to a section of the trail being gated and marked private property (I can't remember but I think it had something to do with Forestry). So I'm guessing the only access is via White Timber Mountain trail?

The falls are marked on the map below and as you can see in the Cadastral info, the large parcel of land to the right of the falls on Stony point trail are marked "BROWNS ROAD, RANELAGH TAS 7109, Authority: Forestry Tasmania".
http://www.thelist.tas.gov.au/listmap/l ... ledlayers=

gmaps version:
http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&hq=& ... 5&t=h&z=15
User avatar
ben.h
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed 23 Jan, 2008 6:00 pm
Location: Hobart

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby bcshort » Sun 20 Jun, 2010 9:05 am

I'd be interested in visiting the falls. That said, so is my grandfather so I need to be able to get as close as I can by Vehicle (Rav4), before walking.

I'm guessing that stoney point trail and bakers creek trails are just that - trails - and are impassable to light vehicle traffic. I was thinking the other option may be to come in via the gravel pits on Judd's Creek Road by car and walk up the valley - though the contour lines suggest the terrain isn't particularly a casual walk.

Anyway, hoping someone can provide some useful trail notes on the area so I can decide how do-able this is :)

Cheers
bcshort
Atherosperma moschatum
Atherosperma moschatum
 
Posts: 57
Joined: Sat 25 Jul, 2009 1:59 pm
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ben.h » Sun 20 Jun, 2010 12:33 pm

Yes, Bakers creek trail is not accessible (private property between the end of the road and the trail). Stony point trail can be gotten to only from White Timber trail either via Jeffreys track or from the western end as far as I know. White timber trail is a part of the Tasmanian Trail.

I mountain bike Jeffreys track quite often and it's a pretty popular track for 4wds. The Mitchells road end (Crabtree) is much rougher than the Lachlan end. If it were me, I'd have a crack in a rav4 (from the Lachlan end) for fun and not really worry if I didn't make it to the falls :)

Can anyone shed some light on the southern end of the Tasmanian Trail, in particular, access from Judbury and on to White Timber trail?


EDIT: Having read the newspaper story again, it seems likely that the "popular bushwalk" would start close to Judbury and be easily accessed from an existing road.
The Mercury wrote:At Judbury, residents say they forgo city services in exchange for recreational opportunities which they now fear will be lost, including a popular bushwalk to Billy Brown Falls, which is in the middle of a ``contingency coupe'' which will be logged if another is abandoned.


Judds Creek Road perhaps?
User avatar
ben.h
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed 23 Jan, 2008 6:00 pm
Location: Hobart

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby huonforest » Tue 29 Jun, 2010 9:44 am

Hi, I am part of the community group who aim to protect these forests. I have walked the Billy Browns Falls a number of times, it is a great walk.
So it is accessed by driving up Judds Creek rd and keep your eye out for a small wooden sign that says Falls on your right hand side after you have crossed Judds Creek and climbed the hill. You can access the start of the walk with a RAV4. The walk has some of the oldest forest closest to Hobart and the falls are great. It is about a 1 and a half hour walk the track was built by the community. Cheers. Access between Judbury and White Timber Trail has now major logging roads built there. If you drive these roads, all the forest surrounding you is threatened over the next three years. Contact http://www.wwpg.info
huonforest
Nothofagus cunninghamii
Nothofagus cunninghamii
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue 29 Jun, 2010 9:38 am
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Female

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby flyfisher » Fri 02 Jul, 2010 6:40 am

Thanks for the heads up huonforest . I was up there in May and saw the clearfell along the new logging road, heading back towards Plenty.

Its hard to imagine why they NEED to log these areas so close to hahitation and in peoples water catchment when tey have so many other areas.

So much for stopping native /old growth logging.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you need to drink more.
User avatar
flyfisher
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1532
Joined: Sat 14 Jul, 2007 8:39 pm
Location: hobart
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: landrover owners club of tasmania
Region: Tasmania

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Fri 02 Jul, 2010 4:29 pm

I see log trucks daily coming out of the huon with logs so big sometimes theres only 2 or 3 on the truck.
Nothing to see here.
User avatar
ILUVSWTAS
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 11046
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 9:53 am
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ben.h » Fri 02 Jul, 2010 9:47 pm

Thanks huonforest!
User avatar
ben.h
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed 23 Jan, 2008 6:00 pm
Location: Hobart

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ben.h » Sun 04 Jul, 2010 8:42 pm

I walked the track today.

There are a few things to clear up:
  • The start of the track is no longer from the wooden sign (as mentioned by huonforest), rather, it is another 50 metres further up the road on the right hand fork (i.e. the new road, not the old tasmanian trail). Here you will see a plastic sign on the right hand side of the road.
  • The road to the start of the falls track is drivable in any normal car.
  • Walk time is about 20 to 30 mins each way.
  • The falls aren't what I would call spectacular, however, I can only describe the walk itself as "enchanting" and well worthwhile, reminding me much of the area above Wellington Falls.
  • There seems to be a lot of recent road building activity in the area so get in before any further road making and/or logging take place.

A couple of random shots...
IMG_1235_2.JPG

IMG_1431_2.JPG
User avatar
ben.h
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed 23 Jan, 2008 6:00 pm
Location: Hobart

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby tassie devil » Tue 20 Jul, 2010 3:53 pm

Hi

I am a member of the West Wellington Protection Group and Billy Browns Falls is one of the iconic features of the area we are trying to save. A brochure about the falls is currently being planned so any advice on distribution etc would be great. In the meantime I have written an article about the history of the walk that I was planning to publish in the Huon Valley News sometime in the next two weeks. I have interviewed the local man - now 80 years old - who cut the track in 1993 and also have information on the original Billy Brown. What I am wondering ben.h is would I be able to use your beautiful photographs to promote our cause.

Check us out on Facebook: Protect West Wellington from clearfelling
tassie devil
Nothofagus cunninghamii
Nothofagus cunninghamii
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue 20 Jul, 2010 3:26 pm
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Female

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ben.h » Wed 21 Jul, 2010 8:10 pm

tassie devil wrote:Hi

I am a member of the West Wellington Protection Group and Billy Browns Falls is one of the iconic features of the area we are trying to save. A brochure about the falls is currently being planned so any advice on distribution etc would be great. In the meantime I have written an article about the history of the walk that I was planning to publish in the Huon Valley News sometime in the next two weeks. I have interviewed the local man - now 80 years old - who cut the track in 1993 and also have information on the original Billy Brown. What I am wondering ben.h is would I be able to use your beautiful photographs to promote our cause.

Check us out on Facebook: Protect West Wellington from clearfelling


Sure you can use my photos! I wouldn't say they are anything special as they were more of an experiment than anything else. In each case, I sampled the dominant colour range in each scene and used the inbuilt colour accent filter on my compact camera :)

Can I suggest you also submit your article to the Kingborough Chronicle newspaper [ http://www.kingboroughchronicle.com.au/ ] as I'm sure they will be very interested and it will be an easy win for your cause.
User avatar
ben.h
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed 23 Jan, 2008 6:00 pm
Location: Hobart

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby tassie devil » Sat 24 Jul, 2010 1:18 pm

Hi Ben H

Thanks for allowing me to take your image. Should I just copy it or is it better have originals? I don't know that much about didgital photography but I do know that publishers always want the highest possible resolution.

Thanks for the tip about the Kingborough Chronicle. I will send it to them.
tassie devil
Nothofagus cunninghamii
Nothofagus cunninghamii
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue 20 Jul, 2010 3:26 pm
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Female

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ben.h » Sat 24 Jul, 2010 8:26 pm

tassie devil wrote:Hi Ben H

Thanks for allowing me to take your image. Should I just copy it or is it better have originals? I don't know that much about didgital photography but I do know that publishers always want the highest possible resolution.

Thanks for the tip about the Kingborough Chronicle. I will send it to them.


PM sent.
User avatar
ben.h
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed 23 Jan, 2008 6:00 pm
Location: Hobart

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Wed 02 Feb, 2011 8:07 pm

Took a trip up here myslef today (wife and son as well) and I gotta say I was surprised at how big the falls were! they were very impressive!

It was a nice walk, my 5 year old boy took under an hour to get there and the same back, so it's a very nice easy short walk!!
Attachments
2011_0202(002).JPG
Funguy
2011_0202(009).JPG
The track
2011_0202(014).JPG
The falls
2011_0202(021).JPG
My son and the falls
2011_0202(028).JPG
Skink
Nothing to see here.
User avatar
ILUVSWTAS
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 11046
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 9:53 am
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Wed 02 Feb, 2011 8:08 pm

And this strange thing
Attachments
2011_0202(035).JPG
Ghostie
Nothing to see here.
User avatar
ILUVSWTAS
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 11046
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 9:53 am
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ben.h » Fri 04 Feb, 2011 8:04 pm

Nice photos ILUVSWTAS (particularly the skink) :)
It's a surprisingly nice little walk isn't it? The falls weren't flowing much when I walked there but from your shots it looks great! I think I will have to go back after a good rain ;-)

Also, it seems we've taken a couple of photos from almost the same spot!
User avatar
ben.h
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed 23 Jan, 2008 6:00 pm
Location: Hobart

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Sun 06 Feb, 2011 7:27 pm

Hey Ben, Yeh that stretch of track is really nice huh!!

Definately worth a visit when they are flowing, it was quite speccy!!
Nothing to see here.
User avatar
ILUVSWTAS
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 11046
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 9:53 am
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby Liamy77 » Mon 07 Feb, 2011 3:22 pm

wow, i didn't know of these but ill have to put this on the to do with the kids list!
thanks for the tip everyone!
Taggunnah
GRAVITY... IS A HARSH MISTRESS!
knowledge's lighter than gadgets..but gadgets can be fun!
User avatar
Liamy77
Auctorita modica
Auctorita modica
 
Posts: 1593
Joined: Tue 20 Apr, 2010 4:36 pm
Location: Southern Channel, Tas.... but sometimes i leave n walk around elsewhere!
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: Woodbridge Organics
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby xavarx7 » Sun 13 Mar, 2011 5:38 pm

Hi every one, my first post here,, i went up to this track today after being down in lune river, but i was unable to find it went up and down juds creek rd, but couldnt find it anywhere? lol i wish i had read this i might have found the track but i could not see any sign post anywhere, is the track still there?
Thank you :)
xavarx7
Nothofagus cunninghamii
Nothofagus cunninghamii
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun 13 Mar, 2011 5:33 pm
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby digitalgiraffe » Wed 29 Jun, 2011 1:18 pm

Hi peoples,

Just wondering if anyone has walked in here recently? If so any updates on the roads or signs?

Cheers,

Paul
digitalgiraffe
Nothofagus gunnii
Nothofagus gunnii
 
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed 24 Mar, 2010 12:54 pm
Location: Tranmere
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Wed 29 Jun, 2011 2:37 pm

Couple of months ago. Nothing has changed. All easy to find.
Nothing to see here.
User avatar
ILUVSWTAS
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 11046
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 9:53 am
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby GerryDuke » Wed 29 Jun, 2011 8:33 pm

I drove up to the start of the falls last week. Quite a long way up. The road was fairly steep after crossing Judds Creek.The sign was very clear. However, the start conflicts with the comment made by Ben.h below. Coincidently, John Cannon described the walk in his weekly column in the Sunday Tasmanian on June 19th.


2806-BILLY-BROWN-FALLS-004.jpg
2806-BILLY-BROWN-FALLS-004.jpg (68.02 KiB) Viewed 14333 times



2806-BILLY-BROWN-FALLS-008.jpg
2806-BILLY-BROWN-FALLS-008.jpg (28.91 KiB) Viewed 14333 times


Gerry

[quote="ben.h"]I walked the track today.

There are a few things to clear up:
[list]
[*] The start of the track is no longer from the wooden sign (as mentioned by huonforest), rather, it is another 50 metres further up the road on the right hand fork (i.e. the new road, not the old tasmanian trail). Here you will see a plastic sign on the right hand side of the road. [/*]
User avatar
GerryDuke
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 403
Joined: Sun 18 May, 2008 12:04 am
Location: KINGSTON BEACH, TASMANIA
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: Operator of www.TouringTasmania.info web site
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby digitalgiraffe » Wed 29 Jun, 2011 8:59 pm

Thanks for the update ILUVSWTAS and GerryDuke. So if I get to the fork in the road I have gone too far?

How long roughly is the walk into the falls? What's the stream like below? Worth exploring for some creek photography?

Sorry about the 20 questions!

Cheers,

Paul
digitalgiraffe
Nothofagus gunnii
Nothofagus gunnii
 
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed 24 Mar, 2010 12:54 pm
Location: Tranmere
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Wed 29 Jun, 2011 10:26 pm

It was pretty easy to see the sign from the road i thought..? My 5 year old did the walk to the falls, walked the whole way himself. Took us about 2 hrs return
Nothing to see here.
User avatar
ILUVSWTAS
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 11046
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 9:53 am
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby GerryDuke » Wed 29 Jun, 2011 11:13 pm

You can just make out the sign on the tree to the left of the 'clearfell' at the fork in the road Paul.

Gerry
User avatar
GerryDuke
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 403
Joined: Sun 18 May, 2008 12:04 am
Location: KINGSTON BEACH, TASMANIA
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: Operator of www.TouringTasmania.info web site
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Billy Brown Falls

Postby gayet » Thu 30 Jun, 2011 8:34 am

Thanks for the pics. Makes it much easier when you know what you are looking for. If the weather is OK I'll wander out there this weekend!
gayet
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 960
Joined: Sat 12 Feb, 2011 8:01 pm
Location: Wallan
Region: Victoria
Gender: Female

Next

Return to Tasmania

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 31 guests