New Federal Mill - tank stand and old hut

[langleycello]

Greetings,

Today I completed the New Federal Mill Walk and Ada tree loop with my family and friends. It is one of my favourite walks and I preceded the walk today with an examination of the Victorian Historic Register which lists the site. The site listing mentions that that the three characteristic closely spaced mountain ash trees which once held up the raised water tank were still standing. Alas, I was unable to locate them today. Does anyone know where that stand on the site and I will look out for them next time…? There are also supposed to be concrete foundations from the main mill building but I couldn’t find there either.

About 10 years ago I recall discovering an old hut about 30m off the track on the return leg of the loop ( the old access track / road from the mill to the car park). The hut was nested in the rainforest valley to the left and had newspapers on the walls from the 1940s. It was evidently one of the mill huts which had been relocated and was only a few hundred meters from the car park, as I recall. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it today…maybe it has been removed or has collapsed..? Any thoughts??

I did remember there being a couple of huts still standing at the mill site in the 70s when ai did the walks with the Boy Scouts, but I believe they were burnt down by vandals in the 90s.

I am quite intrigued by the history of the New.Federal Mill and would be fascinated to see any pics taken of the site in the 60s to the 90s..

Warm regards,

Stephen Langley