SPICERS GAP DAY WALK 23 SEPTEMBER 2020
We have a day walk in the Spicers Gap – Mount Mathieson area of the Main Range National Park planned for Wednesday 23 September. This is a repeat of an activity undertaken on 2 September because of restrictions on numbers for that date thanks to COVID-19. The Treks and Activities Committee believes is important to give members opportunities to get out and about in these difficult times.
Bob has authored detailed notes as additional information for this trip available to participants. Sections include Geology, Aboriginal People, Exploration, First Squatters, Roads to the Darling Downs, Original Hotels, the Spicers Gap Railway, Telecommunications and its Unfilled Promise!
The focus for the day will be the Dividing Range, the barrier it forms between the coast and the Darling Downs, the history the area, and Spicer’s Gap as an infrastructure infrastructure corridor. We will also see how the area is recovering after the bushfires.
We will meet at Aratula, at the Bakehouse near the corner of Elizabeth Street and the Cunningham Highway, at :8:30 am (Parking is available off Elizabeth Street at the rear of the cafe). Bob is prepared to take up to three people who have low clearance vehicles with me from there for the drive up the Range on Spicers Gap Road to the National Park.
Along the Cunningham Highway past Aratula, remnants of the Mount Edwards Railway embankment are just visible.
First stop will be at the foot of the Dividing Range at the site of the surveyed township of Clumber and we will have a look at copies of maps of the site.
We will then stop at the Pioneer Graves and hotel site before driving to Governors Chair Lookout past Moss’s Well.
We will park at Governors Chair where we will see the numerous peaks between the Divide and the coast and consider the geology and landscape. We will then walk up and back along the 1.7 km (one way) closed section of the 1840’s Spicers Gap Road where we will be able to see the way the road was engineered and built and see Spicer’s Peak.
We will then drive back to the Pioneer Graves site and walk out and back about 1.9 km (one way) along a well-used path to Mount Mathieson. There are good views of Mount Mitchell, Cunninghams Gap, Mount Cordeaux, and further north along the range. Vegetation types include rainforest and open forest, with many Xanthorrhoeas.
Participants will need to bring their own morning tea and lunch, plenty of drinking water, and sunscreen. Footwear will need to be suitable for walking too.
Cost will be $5 for Members and $10 for Non-Members (free for those who nominated and paid for the cancelled event in March).
Maximum number of participants – 10, minimum 3 plus organiser.
Organiser: Bob Reid 0412 6259 44
