Heathcote National Park: Tarmaroo Rill query

[dnaylor]

Just wondering if anyone can give me some info on the history of the laid stone work around the pool at the base of a waterfall on Tarmaroo Rill at this location?
Thank you..
btw the water quality is very very good here compared to the nearby Heathcote creek..

https://www.google.com/maps/place/34%C2 ... 50.9964226

[michael_p]

Never been to this waterfall myself. Sounds interesting, might have to put it on the to-do list. Do you have any photos? It might be possible to guess what it may have been used for from a photo.

Below the intersection of Myuna Ck and Ripple Rill there is a man made dam. I have been told that this was used by the group that built the buildings above this intersection (they are ruins these days but still worth a visit). Reason I mention this is that HNP was used for all sorts of things before it became a NP. Maybe someone built it to collect water from.

[dnaylor]

Never been to this waterfall myself. Sounds interesting, might have to put it on the to-do list. Do you have any photos? It might be possible to guess what it may have been used for from a photo.

Below the intersection of Myuna Ck and Ripple Rill there is a man made dam. I have been told that this was used by the group that built the buildings above this intersection (they are ruins these days but still worth a visit). Reason I mention this is that HNP was used for all sorts of things before it became a NP. Maybe someone built it to collect water from.

oooh... that info sounds interesting.. is the dam in this area??
https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/34 ... 50.9637826

i've gotten as far as here on Myuna Ck in the past but have noticed signs of infrastructure just up from Myuna pool: https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/34 ... 50.9677118

attached is a pictures of two sections of the "laid" stone work.. and also several of the waterfall which flows over 2 levels, it was low flow at the time but could be quite impressive under heavy rain although access may be hard due to crossing the heathcote creek..

Attachments

some of the laid stone work mostly overgrown or sediment effected but definitely not "natural"

another small section of laid stone

Ashampoo_Snap_2022.05.09_00h00m54s_050_.jpg (202.87 KiB) Viewed 7158 times

upper half of falls

Ashampoo_Snap_2022.05.09_00h03m04s_052_.jpg (105.11 KiB) Viewed 7158 times

closeup of upper section, say 2-3m high

Ashampoo_Snap_2022.05.09_00h03m44s_053_.jpg (126.92 KiB) Viewed 7158 times

view of lower section with rock pool in foreground, depth untested..

Ashampoo_Snap_2022.05.09_00h02m38s_051_.jpg (132.05 KiB) Viewed 7158 times

[michael_p]

Thanks for the photos. That is definitely man-made. Unfortunately I have no idea why these structures are there. Now I have to add another walk to my to-do list so I can have a look at this for myself.

oooh... that info sounds interesting.. is the dam in this area??
https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/34 ... 50.9637826

It has been several years since my last trip up Myuna Ck so my memory is a bit fuzzy but I am pretty sure that is the spot.

i've gotten as far as here on Myuna Ck in the past but have noticed signs of infrastructure just up from Myuna pool: https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/34 ... 50.9677118

According to Neil Patton (in his book Sydney and Blue Mountains Bushwalks, page 136) there are remains of a building in that area. I think you did find the ruins mentioned by Patton. Well done. I did look for them once but I am confident that I got the location wrong and I wasn't in the right spot.

The scrub has gotten very thick and I am sure the weak footpad on the true right of Myuna Ck would be completely overgrown. There was a fire trail that started on Woronora Dam Rd and finished on top of the ridge to the south east(ish) of the intersection. Could be an alternative way to the Myuna/Ripple Rill intersection. EDIT: Just had a look at Streetview along the relative bit of Woronora Dam Rd and the scrub looks very thick. Might not be a good way to go.

Sorry I couldn't help with the Tarmaroo Rill mystery. Hope that my info on Myuna Ck may be useful for future adventures in HNP.

Cheers,
Michael.

[dnaylor]

thats ok... thanks for your info though...

[RobT]

HNP is in my backyard, so I know the site well.

I believe two Heathcote locals made the stone walls about 10 years ago as a small hobby project. They also invested a bit of time clearing debris out of the pool.

On the other hand, some of the Myuna Ck ruins apparently date back to the great depression.

[labdatagen]

Yes, I can help you with this.
As RobT has indicated, the works were done in 2013.
The pool is is magnificent in summer after rain. It remained relatively secret until the pandemic.