Bridle Track Hill End NSW information and questions

[brendomac]

Hi all,

I managed to get down to the bridle track at Hill end over the weekend. The trip was more of a 4WD and explore than fossicking, though I did manage to get a few pans in (found a few bits). It is well worth a visit if you are able to get there. 4WD is advised.

It was pretty cold, it got down to -5 degrees. So that was a bit of fun in the swag.

The Turon is not flowing at all. So if you want a lot of access to the river, now is the time. We could actually drive down the middle of it! The Macquarie is still flowing. I'm not sure of what gold is there though. There are old mine shafts and diggings, so I suspect there is a bit around. I only did one pan on the crossing over the Macquarie, the rest were on the Turon.

You can now access the track fromRoot Hog Road, it is a lot easier than coming in from Hill End. Hill End is not necessarily difficult, it is really narrow in parts though. I would not attempt it in the wet.

There are plenty of campsites. The amount of rubbish was very disappointing though. Heaps of goats, deer and kangaroos about.

Heaps of history and Hill End is very well worth a visit.

 

[iamagoldenoldie2]

the root hog is a public road recently re routed through private property to appeased the new property owner pity about the rubbish report this is what stuffs our welcome in the area you have gotta be keen to pan just looking at the ice makes me shhhhivvvvvverrrrr

 

[isolation]

I have only ever explored the track briefly from the Bathurst end to the impasse. It's always been one of those things I've been meaning to get to. Sounds like a good time to check it out.
I'll never understand the mentality of the rubbish grubs... but I know it's not just 'prospectors' doing it, and I hate how we cop all the blame

 

[Anolphart]

Yup, at 2 million bucks we'll be able to drive along the bridle track all of the way again, although they're a little tight lipped about a commencement date.

https://mr4x4.com.au/bridle-track-r...terstate+4WDs&utm_campaign=PC+Newsletter+#227

 

[Balmain Bob]

It will not happen. $2m wont even fix the first washout b4 you get to the rock slide on Monaghans Bluff on the Bathurst side. The track on the Hill End side is quite good,

Last year they did have the surveyors out looking for an alternative route around the blockage but that would involve acessing private property

I dont believe that you will be able to expirience the thrill and excitment of driving the track around Monaghans Bluff again anytime soon unfortunately

 

[mudgee hunter]

Strange how once upon a time it was just make it happen with a pick and shovel! And it lasted for over a century!
And now its all too hard!

 

[iamagoldenoldie2]

the bridle track is passable if your on horseback or a bike, i've been camped near the bottom of the bluff waiting for the earthworks to begin theres a rumour theres gold in the cliff lol well they built the sea cliff bridge out over the ocean at coal cliff nsw perhaps it would be better to divide the 2 mill up amounts us fossickers that have been typed by the changes that affect our hobby, Igot home yesterday and asked the ranger, thought i saw some gold flakes in the dust on the rear step lol boy the root hog is a bull dust track at the moment the great western highway is littered with dead roo's , grey ones, black ones ,yellow ones , pink ones ,,, but no green ones, nearly had a crash coming into lithgow there was this really fat black and white dog , looked like a kelpie, feeding on a fresh roadkill , the radar traps are now sign posted " point to point speed camera, for your safety "

 

[aussiefarmer]

Strange how once upon a time it was just make it happen with a pick and shovel! And it lasted for over a century!
And now its all too hard!

All they need to do is plant some gold bearing rock in the landslide and call it a fossicking area :Y:

 

[ctxkid]

it will never reopen ............ :Y:

 

[user 4485]

Looks like someone "opened" it
https://www.westernadvocate.com.au/...-been-cleared-but-road-still-closed/?cs=12528
The road is still closed & I wouldn't risk it in a vehicle.

 

[Balmain Bob]

Someone has removed the blockage at Monaghans Bluff but anyone who attempts to pass through it has a good chance of being killed. I have yet to drive down to there but a mate of mine went down last week and has told me that the gap between the rock wall and the drop off is only 7 feet wide. A slight miscalculation and you are over the edge and down the drop.

Not worth the risk.

I have also heard that the council have dumped a huge pile of dirt on the Bathurst side to try to stop 4wders attempting the track through the Bluff. We are just waiting up here in Hill End to hear of the first ***** to be killed attempting it

 

[ctxkid]

We are just waiting up here in Hill End to hear of the first ***** to be killed attempting it

by all the wheel tracks it isn't going to be long :skull:

 

[Balmain Bob]

Here is a shot of the blockage that I took last year

Looking in front of the rock you can see how little space you have to get through this section

Here is a shot of what you will have to look forward too while rolling down the hill if you fail .

 

[87 Hilux]

I love my four wheel driving and done some silly things, but you would have to be absolutely crazy to attempt anything like that.

 

[ctxkid]

council silently rebuilt the fallen section on monkey hill a few years back (identical construction) why they don't fix this is beyond me :8

but there is no local politician or lycra wearing pushbike **** that live out that way , or it would have been done long time ago ower:

 

[HeadsUp]

I love my four wheel driving and done some silly things, but you would have to be absolutely crazy to attempt anything like that.

Come on mate all you need is a few bits of bamboo tied together with shoelaces , lay it across the hole and it will be just like any backroad in Vietnam , Indonesian highlands , Guatemala or western Sydney .

Just need a sense of adventure... and a parachute.

 

[HeadsUp]

If it was my land I would just borrow a jumbo , drill some bigarse rock bolts at 45 degrees 10 metres deep into the rock below the road , slip some galvanised steel beams over the rockbolts , lay mesh against them and fill it all with concrete .

Should be finished by smoko.

ickshovel: ower:

 

[goldtrapper]

Here is a shot of the blockage that I took last year

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/739/1549424573_20180314_100800.jpg

Looking in front of the rock you can see how little space you have to get through this section

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/739/1549425274_rsz_20180314_100849.jpg

Here is a shot of what you will have to look forward too while rolling down the hill if you fail .

The Sierra would fit through with miles to spare. :argh:

 

[Jaros]

If it was my land I would just borrow a jumbo , drill some bigarse rock bolts at 45 degrees 10 metres deep into the rock below the road , slip some galvanised steel beams over the rockbolts , lay mesh against them and fill it all with concrete .

Should be finished by smoko.

ickshovel: ower:

Sounds a bit like Beetsy!! :clap:

 

[Banjo68]

I am planning a bit of a trip in the next couple of weeks
and one of my opinions is to do the Bridle track from south to north
As part of a round trip.
So my question is. Has anyone been on the track lately
and what is the condition of the road
From what I have read it was supposed to have been
getting an upgraded. I've checked a few old posts on here
and the most recent is January this year.
If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated
In the meantime I'll do some more research

Thanks Banjo