Ten Mile Hollow - Simpson's Track.

[kanangra]

It was such a beautiful morning this morning I decided to get away early and take a look at this area. I parked the car at the gate on the Pemberton Hill Rd and walked down the hill to the pumping station. It wasn't possible to cross at the weir because of a gate and a fence and so I made my way through some lantana down the bank and crossed on some rocks just below the weir.

On the other side I picked up the road and turned right to head north up the valley of Mangrove Ck. At the flat at the junction of Simpson's track I read the plaques on the rock about the convict trail before heading up to Ten Mile Hollow. The track is very gradual and in good condition. Hard to imagine now that the first cars into Gosford came this way! Before long a sign announced that I was entering Darug NP and only 2.4km to the Hollow. This was quickly accomplished and a delightful campsite complete with new toilet and water tank greeted me.

I made use of the facilities and noted the new fancy signage before heading off up the Old Great North Road. Before long I came to Clare's Bridge. What an amazing relic of 1830's engineering that is. As I recall back in the 70's it still had a deck over it? I seem to recall riding my motor bike over it back then? Anyway I continued onto the top of the hill and turned off onto Donny's Track which is the old powerline road. This too is good going although there has been quite a lot of clearing and mulching from under the lines which has created quite a mess in places.

It is 5.4K to the bottom which is reached after a few switchbacks. Here I turned right and wandered back towards the Simpson's track turnoff to complete the circuit. Along the way I visit the old homestead, "Fairview" on the hill. Unfortunately it is now abandoned and fenced off. Like many of the old homesteads there is the original smaller hut with fireplace and the newer house alongside it. Settlement started in this valley very early and there is an old cemetry just up the road.

Before long I am back at the Simpson's track turn off and so now retrace my outward steps back to the car.

This really is a very evocative area. So many voices calling; the wild, the convicts, the early settlers.....

K

[perfectlydark]

Wow thanks for the report! Loving your frequent trips of the area, im always on the lookout for local stuff, this one seems very interesting

[kanangra]

Mate I highly recommend it. Fantastic area. I think next time I would do the trip from Waratah rd to save the crossing below thw weir not that it was much of an issue.

K.

[Rob Gosford]

It wasn't possible to cross at the weir because of a gate and a fence and so I made my way through some lantana down the bank and crossed on some rocks just below the weir.

K

yeah likewise mate, great report. I can see on GoogleEarth the rock crossing you made at the pump station........just to the left of the weir.

bout 3 years ago i went down to the old cemetary and Fairview homestead by starting at the end of Waratah Rd. (to the north) then down Dubbo Gully Rd. and across the little white bridge. The cemetary was spooky ! ........occasionaly hearing the odd strange noise in the surrounding bush..........prob just a Tiger Quoll or something lol ( ? )

i might put the route that you took K. on my bucket list

ta

[Rob Gosford]

Mate I highly recommend it. Fantastic area. I think next time I would do the trip from Waratah rd to save the crossing below thw weir not that it was much of an issue.

K.

good idea, but the grind back up to waratah rd is a long tedious affair.

[kanangra]

I have just done a bit of rersearch on the net and turned up a wonderful video on "Fairview". Well worth watching. Apparantly it was built in 1922 and the old cottage in 1860. It was owned by the Andrews and they raised 11 kids there. One, the eldest, died in childhood and is buried in the cemetry up the road. One of their descendants is interviewed on the video. Apparantly most of the old holesteads are gone, either resumed or burnt down. This is the last survivor in this stretch of the valley and there is a push on to save it.

K.

[Rob Gosford]

It was owned by the Andrews and they raised 11 kids there. K.

probably good Irish Catholics, i'd say
and good on em !

is this the video you saw K. ?
http://vimeo.com/12846686

i urge all to watch it.....wonderful.



.

[kanangra]

Rob, that is it. Thank you for posting so all can see. It is very well done. Though one point I would make is that despite what he says you can't drive down into the valley because there is a locked gate at the top.

K.

[Rob Gosford]

Though one point I would make is that despite what he says you can't drive down into the valley because there is a locked gate at the top.

K.

that is exactly right mate......that's the point where the MTB comes in handy. the firetrail from there and thru to the homestead is a good surface from what i can remember.

[kjbeath]

I have meant to go back there, but didn't like the idea of taking a group through an area with a lot of no trespassing signs.

Does anyone know what the access through Oyster Shell Rd on the other side of Mangrove Creek is like?

[Greenie]

Would love visit that area again. Here is more detail on the homestead https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saving-Fairview-Homestead-NSW-Central-Coast/181401348629016

[Bron]

I did that same walk a few weeks back and it is indeed a beautiful area. We started at the cemetery and had lunch at ten mile hollow.
I have been to Fairview twice in the last 2 months and it is much more degraded than it was a few years ago. I really get the impression that the council is leaving it to fall down by itself.
Also worth looking for is the movie "Inn of the Damned", a 1975 horror movie which was filmed in this area.

regards
Bron

[Rob Gosford]

Also worth looking for is the movie "Inn of the Damned", a 1975 horror movie which was filmed in this area.
regards
Bron

i remember that film Bron........saw it on tv in the 1980s, and it freaked me out for a week. Images now come back about 4 poster beds and swinging axes cutting up guests as they slept in the Inn lol bbrrrrrrrrr.

the Inn of the Damned was filmed at Mangrove Mountain on the Central Coast, and that particular Inn went under water when a dam was built. I suspected it would have been Mangrove Mountain Dam and i think that is correct so i Googled. Read about it here......

http://www.mangrovemountain.nsw.au/dam.html 4th paragraph down.

only one house remained after the dam was built and that would be (as i understand) the Andrews' home "Fairview".

fascinating......

[kanangra]

Thanks for the link. Fascinating stuff. I notice all but one of the property owners living in the valley took up the offer to have their land resumed. I'm not sure that the property in question is Fairview because as I read it its destiny is in the controlof Gosford Council. So there must have been another still in private hands? I'm wondering if it is the one at the end of the road at the northern end of the valley?

Also I never saw that film.

K.

[Rob Gosford]

Also I never saw that film.

K.

DON'T !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg0rK7nEPSE

[Bron]

'The Inn of the Damned" by my understanding burnt down in a bushfire in 1982. It was further up Dubbo Gully than "Fairview".
You are correct Kanangra that one property remained in private hands after the dam was built. It is further up the valley. An old lady lives there now. We met 8 of her cute shetland ponies in the cleared area where the memorial plaque at the base of Simpsons track. The fence that borders the council land is in a poor state and the ponies can easily get out, so they go down the valley where there is lots of grass.They were in very good condition too - if they become naturalised it is not likely that they will die from malnutrition.

regards
Bron

[kanangra]

That's interesting Bron. I might take a wander up valley next time and take a look around. May even introduce myself to the old lady and find out a few of her stories.

K.