21 May 2011 Forestry Compartment Cpt 97 Weir and a Search for Howells Weir

Map: Cotter Dam 1:25000

Getting There

This walk was organised and led by me as a private walk:

Saturday 21 May- Search for Forestry Compartment Cpt 97 Weir - S/E,X. Wander through the blackberries south of Padovans Crossing looking for a V-notch weir. Around 2km and 50m climb. Map: Cotter Dam. Leader: John Evans - jevans@pcug.org.au, (h) 6288 7235. Transport: free!

Further Information

Can always extend the morning by driving in Warks Rd and walking or riding a further 8km to search for Howells weir.

Photographs

You can also access all photographs here.

Walk

Track map: thumbnail is active - click for a larger picture

Track

Trip 1

I drove down Bullock Paddock Rd, turning left before coming to Padovans Crossing, and parked WSW of Condor Hill.

I thought that Cpt 97 weir could be on Condor Creek, so headed along a rehabilitated forestry track down a spur. I had a feeling that the drainage line on my left might be a possible, but continued on towards my marked waypoint. Had a couple of excursions down towards Condor Creek. The track turned into a dirt bike track, so I followed it down the spur to where it crosses Condor Creek.

Returning to opposite my waypoint, I hedge-trimmed my way through the blackberries down to the drainage line on the E of the spur. Turned down-'stream' and a few tens of paces revealed the forestry compartment 97 weir! Fairly battered, no water at the moment and plenty of blackberries.

A slightly different way out via a wombat track required less snipping.

Trip 2

Drove 4.8km in along Warks Rd to the intersection with Yellow Rabbit Rd. There is a locked gate around 20m on along Warks Rd.

I got the bike out and rode to the Lees Creek Camp area. A new, bright yellow sign announced 'Old Lees Creek Nursery' and round the back of it were the foundations (concrete and brick) of a building. I'd not seen this on my visit of 7 Oct 08. I strolled over to the map-marked meteorological station, but there was nothing there (not even the rain gauge of 7 Oct 08). I wonder if this site is the map-marked Lees Creek Camp?

Lees Creek camp was the location from which the workers were temporarily based – it had a toilet and was set around a nursery where the pine seedlings were raised for use in the forest. You would still be able to see remnants of the irrigation pipes just to the east of the toilet ruins and sign. A very large pump was located on the creek due north of the nursery site and water was pumped up to the nursery – there may be still some signs of its location as it did have a substantial cement landing and base. The camp and nursery are the one and the same and yes I did have the sign erected on that site. (From Neil Cooper Manager Fire, Forest and Roads ACT Parks and Conservation Service, 3/6/11)

On to my waypoint to leave Warks Rd. A rehabilitated forestry track led down to cross Lees Creek (or is it Blundells Creek here?), then up a hill on the other side. Spent quite some time searching down along the creek lines in the blackberries, but no joy. Will have to go back (maybe with an extra pair of eyes).

Rode back to the car, passing a group of 4 or 5 mountain bikers.

So, the penultimate weir found. A good day for plants, with Wedge-leaf Wattle (Acacia pravissima), Sweet Bursaria (Blackthorn or Christmas Bush) (Bursaria spinosa), Native Stinging Nettle (Urtica incisa), Fishbone Fern (Blechnum nudum) and Bracken Fern (Pteridium esculentum) recorded.

Distance: 9.9km Climb: 150m. Time: 7.45 - 8.40am (55mins) + 9.00 - 10.50am (1hr 50 mins).
Grading: S/E-R,X; E(7)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Forestry Compartment Cpt 97 Weir and search for Howells Weir

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This page last updated 26Aug22