The Forests of Warburton - 1853 to 2012

This is an invitation to visit the newly published Pictorial Heritage Research Project, "The Forests of Warburton - 1853 to 2012".

Compiled by Bob Padula, OAM, of Melbourne, this is a free on-line work,containing 32 chapters, which brings together hundreds of heritage images, maps and drawings.

It 's supported by many of the author's personal photographs and videos, dating back to 1951, depicting the evolution and development of the Warburton Forests, 66 km east of Melbourne, Victoria, and in particular its timber industry, between 1853 and 2012.

The work includes descriptive text, location maps, sound and video, identifying the actual sites of many of the sawmills, as far as can be reasonably determined, and linking these to the present-day environment.

General descriptive information about the history of important locations is also given.

The Project may be accessed at http://bpadula.tripod.com/warburtonforests

It is registered for a Creative Commons Licence.

The author would welcome feedback and comments from readers!

Bob Padula,
Melbourne, Australia

Dee Slip Bridge - O'Shannassy Aqueduct Trail

These pix were taken on August 4, 2012.

They show the scenery, environment and features along the Dee Bridge Sector of the O'Shannassy Aqueduct Trail, Warburton, 70 km east of Melbourne.

My 4 km return hike started at the Dee Rd car park and picnic area, crossing the Harrison Creek, then easterly to the Dee Slip Bridge and beyond.

East of the Dee Rd junction is the Dee Slip Bridge. This was restored during 2008, and is the only timber trestle bridge on the system. It was built in 1947 following the collapse of the aqueduct. The force of the flow created a large hole in the side of the embankment beneath the aqueduct, and two separate trestle bridges now support the maintenance track and the aqueduct at this point. A section of the aqueduct immediately adjacent to the bridge collapsed again in 1991, the repairs to the channel are visible.

The replacement channel was fabricated from steel.

It is not commonly known, but the picnic ground and car park occupy an area on which a timber tramway once operated. This tramway carried logs cut down from the area extending from just above the car park and the slopes of Ben Cairn higher up.

It ran from the top of Dee Rd, passing over the Harrison Creek. A rough foot-track starts from the car park and extends into the forest past the Creek. There is little evidence remaining of the original timber cutting, except for some blackened stumps from the 1939 Black Friday bushfires which ravaged this part of the forest.

The tramway transported logs to the mill operated by Kennedy and Munro in the years 1885-1886, which was located below the present-day Aqueduct on the east side of the Dee River. From there, the sawn timber was carried on the Dee Valley Tramway to the railhead at Millgrove.

The Dee Valley Tramway started at Mortimer Brothers' Mill (1903-1910) near the summit of Ben Cairn, and carried timber from various mills.

A mill operated by McKechnie was located just past the end of present day Dee Rd. This operated for some 50 years, from 1919 to 1968, and was on land which is now private freehold property.

See the complete set of Photos of my visit!

O'Shannassy Aqueduct Trail - Sussex St Sector

These pix were taken on July 20 2012, on a 4 km return hike on the Sussex St section of the O'Shannassy Aqueduct Trail, 70 km east of Melbourne, at Warburton.

The Sussex St entry point is reached by following Surrey Rd from near the Mayer Bridge over the Yarra, which links the Warburton Highway with Damman's Rd.

This Section of the Trail is of historical interest, passing concrete bridges once used for timber tramways for Horden's Sawmill (1932-1937, Richard's Sawmill (1907-1913)and Parbury's/Anderson's Brookfield Sawmill (1901 to 1928).

The trail also crosses the Ythan Creek.

Just off the trail is a short walking track to the Ythan Creek, to a weir, and the adjacent Warburton Reservoir.

Further to the east, the Trail crosses the Mt Victoria Walking Track.

A fire/comms tower is located next to reservoir, adjacent to Sussex St.

Past the Mt Victoria Walking Track another logging tramway bridge is encountered - this was for Richard's Mill, (1907 to 1913) which was located about 1 km north of the Aqueduct. The tramway started at the former Richard's Bridge on the Yarra, which was replaced many years later by the present day Brisbane Bridge.

The legacy of Richard remains as Richard's Rd, which runs off Brisbane Hill Rd.

The Aqueduct was built between 1911 and 1914, and the open channel sections were heightened in 1925/1926. It was decommissioned in 1997. The Maintenance Track is now a 27 km shared trail.

Seer the complete set of Photos of my visit!

La La Falls - Warburton

The La La Falls are in the former timber cuttting region, near the town of Warburton, 65 km east of Melbourne, in the Yarra State Forest.

A 3.5 km return walking track leads up to the Falls, through the dense jungle of the Four Mile Creek Gully.

The photos show the Falls and the scenery along the Track, on my visit on August 31, 2008, the last day of winter!

The Track is very slippery after heavy rain, and care is needed. Parts of it are rocky and steep, over steps and boardwalks, and it terminates at a viewing platform at the base of the Falls.

In the Photo Album, I have included an archival photo of the Falls as they looked in 1920!

Yarra River Walk - East Warburton

The Yarra River Walk is 3 km return, at East Warburton, 70 km east of Melbourne.

The walk starts near the Warburton Caravan Park on the Woods Point Rd, opposite the Mt Donna Buang Rd junction.

It follows the river, passing through dense bushland and ferns, on the alignment of the former Warburton to Big Pat's Creek Steam Railway, which closed down in 1950.

The turnaround point is at a pleasant open picnic ground on the Wood's Point Rd, next to the river.

Seats are located along the walk.

There are many ducks living near the river!

I did this walk on August 29, 2008.

Photos