359. Henderson Spring - Boots Gully - Charlesford Mine 11km

 U3A Hike # 359




Hike Report By Chris Charleson

Eleven hikers congregated at Henderson Spring for a walk featuring lots of U turns and dry creek beds and dams, ridges to clamber up and some amazing water race constructions.


Our hike introductions were interrupted by complaints from the locals - a small herd of cattle hoping that we carried fodder.


Henderson Spring has a plaque remembering Gordon Henderson who “stoned” or lined the spring for easier access in 1925. He was later to meet his demise on the Thai- Burma railway.


Here we walked part of the way along the water race cut into a steep ravine.


Soon we came to our first quarry cut into the ordovician rock which was laid when the region was a sea floor. The rocks have been compressed into a series of ridges which were quarried for their slates and shales back in the day.


We visited the site of the Charlesford mine which operated up until the 1950’s near Dead Horse Gully.
The  extensive scarring of the landscape by high pressure water sluicing is a sign of the impact of mining operations.


Later on we came to a deep cutting and tunnel leading into a ridge. This was not an adit, but part of a water race beginning miles away at Tipperary Springs. This is evidence of earlier surveying wizardry as well as the industry of the workers.


We went close to the site of a charcoal burning operation. This practice was depicted by Tom Roberts in his painting titled - “Charcoal Burners”.


It was noted that the more recent residents of the area like to repurpose old footwear and farm machinery into whimsical roadside decorations.


Thanks to Gordon, Andrew and Kim for their guidance and the Evans for their catering.

Photos By Andrew Parker




















































LINKS

INTERACTIVE MAP

START POINT ON GOOGLE MAPS

DOWNLOAD A GPX FILE

THIS HIKE IN 2021 (VERY WET)

HISTORICAL NOTES





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