Tracks cut into the hills Ovens Valley, Victoria

[Flash Jack]

Driving through the Ovens Valley today and noticed small tracks cut into the hill sides. They only run for maybe 50 to 200 metres and don't climb very high. They appear to be no more than 3 to 4 metres wide and start and finish nowhere. I'm guessing they are tracks put in to move traffic around the dredges that were operating there. Anyone have any information or ideas?

 

[PabloP]

Tracks like that were used in the early days to collect and direct water to where it is wanted.
Then and now they are used to reduce erosion by stopping water from running quickly straight down a hill and directing it sideways to slow it down. This was often just a furrow ploughed across the hill.

Another similar cause of tracks around the hill that aren't that wide is stock tracks as they can't walk up and down the steep hills very easily. In NZ I have even seen cases where the hills were so steep that a falling sheep could end up dead at the bottom.

Rob P.

 

[Redfin]

Fire tracks.

 

[aussiefarmer]

If there's a big blackberry on one end there's usually a mine under it

 

[Flash Jack]

Tracks like that were used in the early days to collect and direct water to where it is wanted.
Then and now they are used to reduce erosion by stopping water from running quickly straight down a hill and directing it sideways to slow it down. This was often just a furrow ploughed across the hill.

Another similar cause of tracks around the hill that aren't that wide is stock tracks as they can't walk up and down the steep hills very easily. In NZ I have even seen cases where the hills were so steep that a falling sheep could end up dead at the bottom.

Rob P.

No, these aren't anything to do with water collection or management. These are tracks wide enough for vehicles to travel on. They are also on the bottpm of the hills. They run from the bottom of the hill, along then back down.

 

[Flash Jack]

Fire tracks.

They start and end nowhere and are probably no longer than 200 metres.

 

[GaryO]

Pity you dont have a picture Jack.

 

[grubstake]

Is it possible the tracks were made to allow access for a mineral exploration drilling rig?

 

[PabloP]

Are they where there have been pine plantations, as they made short tracks to allow people and gear to get access to initially plant and then later harvest the pines. Where exactly in the Ovens valley as I was born and brought up in that area and some photos may help as suggested earlier.

Rob P.

 

[Flash Jack]

Are they where there have been pine plantations, as they made short tracks to allow people and gear to get access to initially plant and then later harvest the pines. Where exactly in the Ovens valley as I was born and brought up in that area and some photos may help as suggested earlier.

Rob P.

Yeah they are but they don't go up into the plantations. They just go up a few metres run parallel to the ground and then down again. Driving down the Alpine Highway from Myrtleford to Harrietville they appear every so often on either side of the valley. Sometimes hard to see.

 

[Flash Jack]

Is it possible the tracks were made to allow access for a mineral exploration drilling rig?

I think they predate drilling Grubstake. They appear to me to be from goldrush times.

 

[Flash Jack]

Pity you dont have a picture Jack.

Yeah, you're right GaryO but the missus wouldn't bloody slow down so I could take a pikkie. "Wodya wont that for?"! You know the story.

 

[grubstake]

Are they where there have been pine plantations, as they made short tracks to allow people and gear to get access to initially plant and then later harvest the pines. Where exactly in the Ovens valley as I was born and brought up in that area and some photos may help as suggested earlier.

Rob P.

Yeah they are but they don't go up into the plantations. They just go up a few metres run parallel to the ground and then down again. Driving down the Alpine Highway from Myrtleford to Harrietville they appear every so often on either side of the valley. Sometimes hard to see.

Looks like that entire stretch is available on Google StreetView (see below), so you can drive it via your computer screen and make pics of either side of the roadway from screenshots: