Old mining road south of Castle head?

[jonnosan]

For reasons too boring to explain, I was looking at http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/ for lot boundaries around Mt Solitary.

I noticed there were lots on either side of the Federal Pass which I assume relate to 19th century mining leases. However there are gaps bifurcating these lots that look like road easements. The gaps on the north side of the ridge are obviously the tram line that is now Federal Pass (although intriguingly it continues on to the north of Mt Solitary beyond where the track now starts ascending from Cedar Gap).

I also noticed some gaps to the south. You can't see the complete route, only where it cuts through allocated lots, but there is a bit that goes south from cedar gap (ie. branches off the federal pass line), and then loops back north west, to the south of castle head and around the upper unnamed tributaries of cedar creek.

Anyone ever seen any evidence of an old road out there, and or know the history?

[Allchin09]

Jonno - I would say that the easements were for the pony drawn mining cart tracks that were in the area. I have uploaded two documents that I have on the topic in that area that may be of interest. I not that Graham Holbeach is mentioned, I'm sure he would be able to shed some light on the matter.

[Grabeach]

There goes my anonymity.

John Morris and I had come down Walls Pass on 20/10/91 and for variety headed NNW into Cedar Ck, then used some minor creeks aiming to cross the saddle between Ruined Castle and Castle Head. Heading up towards this saddle we stumbled on the tramway at about MGA 410,611. We knew it was a tramway because there was an Osborne and Co. half shaft and flanged wheel sitting on it. We followed the tramway NW for a couple of hundred metres till it was engulfed by a very steep landslide. Heading back SE (I didn’t note, nor can remember, how far) the tramway stopped at a pile of rubble on a steep section of slope. No sign of the tramway further on, so we assumed it went through a tunnel. We eventually crossed the ridge above the first step on the Castle Head side.

Not that long after I took Wilf down there and showed him what we had found. Didn’t hear anything more about it until 2010 when I came across the Mining Passes PDF on the ‘net. In subsequent discussions, I don’t recall Wilf stating that he ever found any more of the tramway.

The tramway was basically level. I have never searched for it beyond the landslide. If it existed there, it would obviously not have been descending below the seams at a rate of 1 in 2 as indicated by SIX. Neither were there any indications of it dropping at a 1 in 4 rate to the SE as shown on SIX.

PS: It's spelt Graeme

[jonnosan]

Thanks guys, very interesting.

I haven't to Walls Pass yet, but when I do, I will allow some time for looking for the tramway.