Bushwalk Australia

johnw wrote:
. . . this might be hard or very easy. I'm not sure which . . .

That is exactly what I feel about most things I've posted. Sometimes I've suggested "easy", and then wondered why others don't seem to concur. Other times, I've posted a quirky one and the answer has been provided without delay. Another way to express this might be, "you had to be there".

Okaaaay, this tramway was used to transport timber? Shale? Coal? Ore? Workers?

It was used for some kind of civil construction work like a dam maybe? The vegetation looks unfamiliar to me. It appears to be on a ridge or at least in open sort of country so I'm inclined to say its not a mine tramway. The trucks have no suspension system so the track can't have been very long. The rails and sleepers are still intact so it can't have been abandoned for too long, unless just this part has been reconstructed.

GregG wrote:Okaaaay, this tramway was used to transport timber? Shale? Coal? Ore? Workers?

GregG wrote:It was used for some kind of civil construction work like a dam maybe? The vegetation looks unfamiliar to me. It appears to be on a ridge or at least in open sort of country so I'm inclined to say its not a mine tramway. The trucks have no suspension system so the track can't have been very long. The rails and sleepers are still intact so it can't have been abandoned for too long, unless just this part has been reconstructed.

This one is probably a bit obscure. I'm at the base of a major valley, the name of that is all I need. I'm near the main road through the valley (which ends at some prime bushwalking territory).
I'm curious about the origins of this myself, I took the photo at the end of 2003. There is an old mine nearby but I don't know whether this is associated with it.
A lot of mining took place in the area and there are better known relics of those around.
This may be mining related, but apparently there was also a tourist railway under construction in the vicinity that was never completed.

Hmmmmmm, (GregG gazes pensively out the window at the falling rain and wishes he was somewhere else).

Just a guess: Kangaroo Valley?

GregG wrote:Hmmmmmm, (GregG gazes pensively out the window at the falling rain and wishes he was somewhere else).

Likewise Greg. I'm trying to organise a small bricklaying job and have to keep running outside to take photos in the rain .

Chev wrote:Just a guess: Kangaroo Valley?

To help narrow it down this is in the Blue Mountains.

Actually I should bring the photo onto the current page:

Thanks for the clues John. I'm now on a mental journey through the BMs and can see a few places that meet the general requirements but I'm fairly sure the place pictured is NOT Wolgan Valley, Glen Davis, Hartley, Vale of Clwydd, Airley, Lithgow, Sunny Corner, Joadja, Megalong. Still thinking about it .... As Peregrinator says, there's someone out there who has been there and knows the answer!

It looks like a narrow gauge tramway, the furthest-away truck looks like it was once a passenger car, in fact the cog at the rear could mean that it was a chain drive rail motor.
The nearer truck was probably a drop-sided wagon.
I've no idea where it is but will take a guess and say Capertee.

GregG wrote:Thanks for the clues John. I'm now on a mental journey through the BMs and can see a few places that meet the general requirements but I'm fairly sure the place pictured is NOT Wolgan Valley, Glen Davis, Hartley, Vale of Clwydd, Airley, Lithgow, Sunny Corner, Joadja, Megalong. Still thinking about it .... As Peregrinator says, there's someone out there who has been there and knows the answer!

GregG wrote:It looks like a narrow gauge tramway, the furthest-away truck looks like it was once a passenger car, in fact the cog at the rear could mean that it was a chain drive rail motor.
The nearer truck was probably a drop-sided wagon.
I've no idea where it is but will take a guess and say Capertee.

Not Capertee Greg, much more central. You actually mention the valley name among the locations you've excluded.
A pioneering environmentalist could be said to have a presence at the end of the adjacent road.

So somewhere near Blackheath if you are referring to Dunphys campground at the end of Megalong Road?

So the answer is Megalong Valley.

GregG wrote:So somewhere near Blackheath if you are referring to Dunphys campground at the end of Megalong Road?

GregG wrote:So the answer is Megalong Valley.

I was referring to the Dunphy campground and yes, the answer is Megalong Valley.
Whatever this is remains a mystery to me. Over to you Greg.

Failed tourism venture by the sounds of things https://www.sydneytramwaymuseum.com.au/members.old/Trolley_Wire/152%20-%20Trolley%20Wire%20-%20Jun%201974.pdf

During March 1972, two Perry steam locos arrived at Megalong Valley in the Blue Mountains of NSW after a long road journey from North Eton Mill in Queensland. These will provide motive power on a proposed tourist railway to be built by Keith Duncan, the tearoom and sawmill proprietor, as a hobby-commercial venture.
The locos are:-
1. Perry 0-6-OT No. 2382 of 194-1 ex North Eton Mill No. 6
2. Perry 0-6-2T No.6634/52/1 of 1952 ex North Eton Mill No.7

A visit to the railway site in July 1973 revealed that the earthworks of the circular 1 mile route were nearing completion while the two locos, housed in a 45ft x 24 ft shed opposite the tearooms, were in working condition. Twelve 4-wheel cane truck underframes were also on site to be converted into passenger cars. The two locos were last in active service in 1965 but were retained as the mill in good order during the following seven years. North Eton No.7 was the last in the 2ft gauge group of
five 0-4-2T and twelve 0-6-2T machines bui t by the Perry Engineering Co. of Adelaide between 1934 and 1952.

Latest reports suggest that some difficulty is being experienced in obtaining the necessary Blue Mountains Council permission to establish this tourist venture but it is hoped that the aspects preventing progress will be overcome in the near future. This is a private venture, so visitors should contact Mr. Keith Duncan at the Megalong Valley tea rooms before inspection of the undertaking is sought.

Pretty interesting stuff to read about. Now I have to check out the Blair Athol No4 site abd also Asgard.

crollsurf wrote:Failed tourism venture by the sounds of things https://www.sydneytramwaymuseum.com.au/members.old/Trolley_Wire/152%20-%20Trolley%20Wire%20-%20Jun%201974.pdf

During March 1972, two Perry steam locos arrived at Megalong Valley in the Blue Mountains of NSW after a long road journey from North Eton Mill in Queensland. These will provide motive power on a proposed tourist railway to be built by Keith Duncan, the tearoom and sawmill proprietor, as a hobby-commercial venture.
The locos are:-
1. Perry 0-6-OT No. 2382 of 194-1 ex North Eton Mill No. 6
2. Perry 0-6-2T No.6634/52/1 of 1952 ex North Eton Mill No.7

A visit to the railway site in July 1973 revealed that the earthworks of the circular 1 mile route were nearing completion while the two locos, housed in a 45ft x 24 ft shed opposite the tearooms, were in working condition. Twelve 4-wheel cane truck underframes were also on site to be converted into passenger cars. The two locos were last in active service in 1965 but were retained as the mill in good order during the following seven years. North Eton No.7 was the last in the 2ft gauge group of
five 0-4-2T and twelve 0-6-2T machines bui t by the Perry Engineering Co. of Adelaide between 1934 and 1952.

Latest reports suggest that some difficulty is being experienced in obtaining the necessary Blue Mountains Council permission to establish this tourist venture but it is hoped that the aspects preventing progress will be overcome in the near future. This is a private venture, so visitors should contact Mr. Keith Duncan at the Megalong Valley tea rooms before inspection of the undertaking is sought.

Thanks crollsurf, great work. Likely this is what it relates to. I can't recall the exact location along the road but I think it was in the general vicinity of the tea rooms.

GregG wrote:Pretty interesting stuff to read about. Now I have to check out the Blair Athol No4 site abd also Asgard.

Both worth a visit Greg. You don't want to have claustrophobia if visiting the old Blair Athol mine.
It's quite a long way to the bottom of the shaft/tunnel and very dark (need a head torch).

Thanks John and Croll. John, I saw your entries from 2011, did you ever find the Pierces Pass adit? I vaguely remember from the 80s someone from Springwood Bushwalkers looking for a mine in that vicinity, might gave been Graham Ravenswood or Andy McQueen, too long ago to recall exactly.

I am back to my old problem of not being able to post pictures to this site so can someone else take a turn please.

JPG. file problem now fixed so here is a location in Victoria for your perusal and delight, I sure wish I was in xxxxxxxx right now. To continue the inverse hard/easy theme, I think this one is too easy.

GregG wrote:Thanks John and Croll. John, I saw your entries from 2011, did you ever find the Pierces Pass adit? I vaguely remember from the 80s someone from Springwood Bushwalkers looking for a mine in that vicinity, might gave been Graham Ravenswood or Andy McQueen, too long ago to recall exactly.

Never have found it Greg. One of the respondents in that thread had visited the adit a long time earlier but when they returned to the same spot found the aftermath of a landslide.
Assumption is it's buried underneath the rubble. I've casually looked again whenever I've been down Hungerfords Track but nothing revealed.
I know a couple of people from Springwood Bushwalkers from volunteer bushcare trips but haven't seen them for a while. If we catch up again I'll ask.
Andy McQueen's book was where I saw the mine info originally. Once the Grose Valley tracks reopen I might have another look in case the fire has opened things up around there.

GregG wrote:JPG. file problem now fixed so here is a location in Victoria for your perusal and delight, I sure wish I was in xxxxxxxx right now. To continue the inverse hard/easy theme, I think this one is too easy.

Too easy if you know it . Unfortunately my knowledge of Victoria is limited to a handful of places, so it will be trial and error.
Your clue hinted at a location I found called Paradise Beach in the Gippsland Lakes area but doesn't match the scene.
So I was thinking maybe somewhere around Wilson's Prom and came up with Waratah Bay.

Looking over Murrells Beach from Cape Nelson?

Yep, Murrels Beach at Cape Nelson with Discovery Bay beyond. Part of the Great South West Walk undertaken in December 2011, a truly beautiful place but put me off beach walking forever. Over to you Eggs.

And thanks JohnW for comments in Grose Valley mines.

Beach walking can be trying.
Lets try a coastal scene in SA

Eggs, I'm just wondering if this is anywhere near Kangaroo Island?

You can see KI from near here. There is a recognisable small island on the horizon in this view.

They named it after its shape...
I am in a National Park
The close in island is one of 3 enclosing a bay

Must be yet another Sugarloaf.

Beach off Taylors Track in Lincoln NP?

Royston Head?

Royston Head is correct.
The distant island is Wedge Island.
The close in one is the 3rd at Pondalowie Bay in Innes NP - Royston Island is its monica on Google Maps