CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF THE GHOST TOWN WILLIAMSFORD | HIKING MONTEZUMA FALLS
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- čas přidán 14. 01. 2019
- My mum spent her childhood here in Williamsford, Tasmania with her family. It was once a booming mining town and is now one of Tasmania's ghost towns. Mum's uncle was buried alive at the 'send off' at just 16 years of age.
We wandered through what may have been her backyard and saw the 'billy cart hill' she used to play on with her friends as a child. This is the first time she has been back since she was a young girl.
Not far from the solitary plaque that stands where Williamsford once thrived is Montezuma Falls ... named after an Aztec emperor of Mexico or a mining company? Or both? 🤷🏼♀️
Today mum, dad, Chris and I headed off through the rainforest here on the west coast to one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Tasmania.
The track to the falls follows the historic route of the former North East Dundas Tramway from Williamsford (where my mum lived when she was just 4 years old!) right to the base of Montezuma Falls.
The signs say it should take 3 hours return and is an 8km walk - but I tracked with my Apple Watch and it was 10.6 km and took just under 3 hours!
It also states (everywhere!) that it’s an easy walk. It is, but today (in Summer) there were slippery logs, heaps of mud and some slippery rocks to negotiate which was fine for us but maybe something to consider if you are looking for an even, dry walk. It would also have been nice to know before one of us (not me!) wore thongs 🤦♀️
This is just one of many mountain bike tracks in the area that we would love to explore on our e-bikes! 🚲
The signs make it clear that while bikes are welcome, pedestrians always have right of way.🚶♀️🚶♂️
The track is almost entirely through beautiful, open rainforest. There are so many lovely trees and giant ferns, fungi and wildlife.
We were lucky enough to have a huge black snake slither across the path right under our feet, a fuzzy caterpillar that we call ‘fur Elise’ (known to give a nasty welt if they bite you!) dangling from a thread in the middle of the path, a White’s Thrush (bird) bouncing around the ground and a leech that we found on dads hat. 😆
There are old bridges and plenty of remnants of the old railway line as you make your way down the path and interpretation panels to give you a better idea of what it was once like.
Below the waterfall there was once a wooden trestle bridge, almost 50 metres long and about 15 metres high. Today all that’s left are old pieces of timber, moss-covered concrete piers and rusty bolts.
Just before you get to the falls there’s an epic swing bridge that crosses the gorge and gives an incredible view of both the falls and back down the river. It’s crazy narrow (about a foot) and not something you’d catch me riding my mountain bike across! Although I know 100% that Chris would be all over it 😆 Mum didn’t even get a foot on!
Continue along the path just a little further from the swing bridge and you’ll find yourself on the viewing platform at the base of the waterfall. From here it’s not hard at all to believe that this is the highest and most spectacular waterfall in Tasmania.
We clambered up and over the rocks to sit and watch the water cascading down this magnificent horsetail waterfall. It’s a lovely place to sit and just ‘be’ ☺️
I can see why Montezuma Falls is known as one of the most rewarding short day walks in Tasmania. 🤙🏼
✔️There is a toilet at the very beginning of the track (always good to know!)
✔️The walk is free.
✔️No parks pass is needed
✔️There is limited parking.
📍Follow the signs to Williamsford and Montezuma Falls (2km south of Rosebery) on the Murchison Highway (A10)
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I started work at Williamsford in 1973. IT was a spectacular ride to work up the haulage and a spectacular view from the top of the mountain. probably one of the best jobs I ever had.
Phillip Smith that’s incredible! What a wonderful memory for you 🙂
There used to be a 4wd track to the top of the haulage in the event of winder problems. No doubt it has grown over now. I was part of the maintenance team that serviced Hercules '76-'79 and lived at Williamsford '78-'79. Strange to see it all gone.
Oh wow! Yes, mum felt ‘strange’ being there as well.
It's changed a lot since I was last there in 1998. There was no suspension bridge joining the two sides of the NE Dundas tramway! I've walked in many times from the Williamsford side but never from Melba Flats (4x4 track) It was great to see the small tramway bridge still intact. The adit just before you get to the Falls (left side) still had partial holes drilled for another blasting but obviously it never happened so you can see the pattern used for the type of rock. On one visit I managed to get about ⅔ of the way up the former Hercules Haulage before I just found the constant climb too steep and aborted. Great memories of the West Coast.
Oh wow! Such wonderful memories. Do you have plans to revisit? 🙂
@@AussieDestinationsUnknown Once my son gets older and would be able to walk in without needing to be carried out! 😝 I'm sure that we will return again. My sister used to teach at Rosebery and then Zeehan, and that was my accommodation! 🤪
Scott Evans haha yes. Much easier than carrying him! 😁