10 May 2011 Border Markers between the Federal Highway and Sutton Road

Maps: Hall and Bungendore 1:25000

Getting There

This walk was organised and led by me as an irregular CBC Tuesday walk:

Tuesday 10 May - Border Markers between the Federal Highway and Sutton Road - L/M,X. With permission from several NSW landowners, we'll find out why this is a seldom walked area. Around 26km and 600m climb. Maps: Hall and Bungendore. Leader: John Evans - jevans@pcug.org.au, (h) 6288 7235. Transport: ~$6 per person.

6 of us gathered from all parts at the NE end of Hector McIntosh Grove, off the corner of Majura Road and the Federal Highway.

Further Information

Thanks to Joanna P who is doing all the ground work by contacting her nearby friends and neighbours along the border. She also contacted the Majura Range folk. I'd arranged the nod from the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia folk.

Photographs

You can also access all photographs here.

Walk

Track maps: thumbnails are active - click for a larger picture
2011 05 10 Proposed route Border Markers between Federal Highway and Greenwood Hill	2011 05 10 Proposed route Border Markers between Greenwood Hill and Sutton Rd

Track maps: thumbnails are active - click for a larger picture
Track overview	Track 1	Track 2

A hugely successful day hunting border markers in a hard to arrange permission to enter area. we found 45 border markers (D5,F5,G5,K5,L5,M5,O5,P5,Q5,R5,S5,T5,Z5,A6,C6,D6,F6,G6,H6,J6,K6,L6,N6,O6,P6,Q6,R6,Greenwood,A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,O,P,Q,R,S,T); 2 mile markers (15M,21M); 1 possible border marker (N); 2 possible Mile markers (17M,19M); 2 border marker blazes (I,V). we visited the locations of a further 23 border markers (E5,H5,I5,J5,N5,U5,V5,W5,X5,Y5,B6,E6,I6,M6,S6,L,M,U,V,W,X,Y,Z) and 4 Mile markers (14Mile8lnk,16M,18M,20M), but could not find them. We found a further blaze, near D6, which was not a border marker blaze.

We started the first part of the walk at the NE end of the Hector McIntosh Grove, after driving past a number of gun and rifle clubs. I had no idea that there were so many. A prompt start at 7.40am, the breeze cool and probably around 3°C, but a lovely sunny and blue-sky day.

Went over towards the Federal Highway and found the re-survey post of D5 in the thistles. About turn and, for once, started following the border in the same direction as the original surveyor (Percy Sheaffe). Could not find 14M8lnk nor E5. A lovely surprise, with F5 and G5 being fine original posts. Turning S, could not find H5, I5 nor J5.

By this time it was 8.30am and time to ring the SSAA range officer (although I'd been given conflicting information that he started at 8.30am or 9.00am). Recorded message. We also range the Majura Range range officer and, again, things were not quite right - apparently we were to call in at his office before starting, not ring from up on the ridge. A bit of faffing around as we sorted things out, gave our GR and eventually got the nod to proceed. We reported our position a further couple of times, until we were out of the range area at the end of the first part of the walk. At one stage we were visited by a range person, given a 1:25000 Majura map and told that firing would commence at 12 noon and to stay on the border and keep away from the template area - we readily agreed!

We found K5, L5 and M5. Went back for 15 Mile.

By this time it was 9am and I rang the SSAA again. Unfortunately the range officer had not been told of our trip and, as they were about to start firing, we were advised to keep a low profile and on the SE side of the ridge - again, we readily agreed!!

Nothing at N5, but O5 and P5 were magnificent examples of 8" Posts with surrounding lockspits, out in the open away from boundary fences. Wonderful local history, nearly 100 years old.

The border took a turn from SSE to NE at Q5, a sharply angled lockspit. We had morning tea and enjoyed views down to the airport and Campbell Park..

No 16 Mile marker, but R5, S5 and T5 were found (thanks to Stephen's persistence at T5, as the top of the post was barely above ground level). A very pleasant spur to gently descend.

No U5, V5 nor W5. A possible for the 17 Mile marker. No X5 nor Y5.

Both Z5 and A6 were 8" Posts, lovely to see. No B6. C6 and D6 were also 8" Posts, D6 having a re-survey peg placed in the time-eaten hollowed core at the top.

An interesting blaze near D6. On the day, I assumed it was the blaze for D6, but you can clearly make out the chiselled 28. The original field notebook from Percy Sheaffe's survey in 1911 at A 221 - T4 to Greenwood - FC18 sheet 3, 4 - (PDF 14.1 MB) (notebook page 15, bottom page) describes the blaze for D6 as the ubiquitous C'wealth broad arrow CT - no mention of 28. However, there are a number of easements in the immediate area, so I assume the blaze is to do with the surveying of these.

No E6 or 18 Mile marker, but the open, dry forest between D6 and E6's location containing creamy trunked eucalypts was a delight.

F6, G6 and H6 were found. No I6 at the boundary of a property where Joanna had negotiated permission for us to walk down their drive way and so across Old Goldmines Road to her property.

Joanna then kindly drove 3 of us back to our car, the only cost being a nip to Stephen's leg from her overly protective dog!

Parking at a neighbour's property (permission for which Joanna again kindly negotiated via telephone), we set off after lunch on stage 2 of our walk with the aim to get at least to Greenwood Hill and then as far on as we could.

J6, K6 and L6 were found. Not M6, although a fluro pink arrow on the ground at its location possibly indicated some recent border re-survey activity.

N6, O6 and P6 were found. The 19 Mile marker was a possible. Q6 and R6 were easily recognisable lockspits. No S6.

We were then at the Greenwood Hill trig. I'd guess it was a range flagpole that was the most prominent object, but there were 2 fine brass plates embedded in concrete near the trig marker saying 'Greenwood' and 'Trig'.

Percy must have had a bad hair day now, as he labelled following border corners starting from A. We found A, B, C, D and E.

F and G were most interesting! They're the first 8" Posts I've seen out of the ground, obviously dug up after fire had been through, as the top sections are burnt. But it shows you the substantial size of the posts they cut, dressed, marked by chiselling and set in the ground. We found H. I was another moved post, this time with a nearby (burnt) blaze. The 20 Mile marker, virtually at the same location as I, was not found as it was in the middle of the Majura Range boundary road.

We found J and K. No L nor M. N was a possible. A good run of finding O, P, Q, R, 21 Mile, S and T.

A disappointing end, with no U, V, W, X, Y nor Z, although there was a burnt blaze at V.

It was now 2.45pm and with at least 3km return to the Sutton Road, we called it a day. After such a slow day border marker hunting, we powered up hill and down dale back to the cars, 6km in 1hr 15mins.

Thanks for your enthusiasm and support Chris F, Stephen M, Phillip S, Ken W.

A huge thanks to Joanna P for all the preparatory work she did for us, mobile calls and transport on the day. Thanks to SSAA and Majura Range for allowing us to complete this section of the border.

Distance: 21.8km Climb: 700m. Time: 7.40am - 4.00pm (8hrs 20mins), with 1hr 10mins of breaks and car moving.
Grading: L/E-M,X; H(12)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Border Markers between Federal Highway and Sutton Road

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This page last updated 26Aug22