Whitemans Lane – Advice Needed!

[Dwayne OMember]

Think you will find new gates & cameras on nearly all of those trails now,, and the past two months nearly every weekend they have been patrolling them (Forestry & the Blue Brigade) :whistle:

Good Luck with it

[Dwayne OMember]

This might be of use :S

https://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?msid=218317608021846466731.0004c17c9e36367f3c1c5&msa=0

7.2 TRACK AND TRAIL CLOSURE
The NPWS is committed to sustainable visitor use and enjoyment that is compatible
with the conservation of the reserves’ natural and cultural values. Watagans NP and
Jilliby SCA provide an opportunity to balance conservation priorities with recreation. 46
In order to reduce environmental impacts and maintenance costs, access that is not
essential for private property, recreation or management purposes will be closed and
allowed to regenerate naturally. These are classified as dormant trails and can be
reopened for fire fighting purposes. No public access is permitted on dormant trails
via private vehicle, trail bike, cycling or horse riding.
Other roads will be downgraded to a state that is negotiable for 4WD, fire
management and emergency access. Primary access roads in the reserves will be
maintained to an all weather 2WD standard and the NPWS will aim to maintain all
other park roads and management trails to a standard suitable for small 4WD fire
fighting units. Road classification in the reserves is shown in Figure 5 (inside back
cover of plan).
In Watagans NP the Congewai Link Track (3.4 km), Slippery Rock Link Track (2.0
km) and Bowmans Link Track (1.3 km) will be closed to motorised traffic for
environmental protection and to improve safety. Alternate vehicle access to the park
exists and the tracks will remain open to walkers, horse riders, cyclists and
management vehicles.
Congewai Link Track follows the Congewai Creek from Congewai Road, crossing the
creek and rising steeply up the escarpment to Georges Road joining the Great North
Walk. Considerable damage has been done to this track by vehicles, including trail
bikes. Closure of this track from the national park boundary adjacent to Congewai
Creek to Georges Road will protect the natural values and water quality of the
Congewai Creek catchment. Alternative vehicular access to the park from the
Congewai Valley is from Congewai Road via the Click Creek fire trail to Rope Road.
The Slippery Rock link track runs between Slippery Rock Road and the Watagan
Forest Road. 4WD and trail bike use has resulted in erosion and drainage problems.
Slippery Rock is a European Heritage Site identified in section 4.5.2 / Table 8 and will
be managed accordingly. Alternative vehicle access to the park from the Martinsville
Valley remains available via Slippery Rock Road.
Bowmans Link Track is a very steep track which runs from New Mill Road on the
boundary of Watagans NP, across Watagan Creek, and up to Bowmans Road.
Overuse by 4WD vehicles and trail bikes have caused steep steps and rock damage
on the track. Deep rutting has also occurred on the creek crossing. New Mill Road
links with Watagan Forest Road which is a major access road into Watagans NP.
7.3 SPECIFIC TRACKS AND TRAILS
7.3.1 Watagans NP
Bowmans Road / Harris fire trail
These roads provide 4WD access between the Corrabare and Watagans SF and the
Watagans NP. About 1.6 km of the Harris fire trail is located on private property and
the permission of the owners is required to use this trail. 47
Click Creek fire trail
This road links Rope Road and the Congewai Valley and sustains vehicle damage
after rain. Drainage culverts will be installed at the northern end of the track.
Slippery Rock Road
This road provides access from Owens Road to Watagan Forest Road. Vehicles and
trail bike damage following wet weather has necessitated numerous closures. It is
proposed to erect gates to restrict traffic while road work is in progress and to permit
temporary closure to allow the road to dry out and minimise damage. Should
continued damage occur, the road will be permanently closed.
Quorrobolong area
Tracks reopened along Barraba Lane during fires in 2002 / 2003 have allowed
access to the northern portion of the Watagans NP. Illegal activities such as trail bike
riding and firewood collection are occurring in this area. It is proposed to continue to
erect boundary fencing, with the co-operation of neighbours, to exclude vehicles and
to rehabilitate these tracks.
Owens Road
It is proposed to link Owens Road with fire trails on neighbouring properties south of
Gap Creek in Martinsville, to enhance fire protection.
Turners Road
It is proposed to close Turners Road between Watagan Road and the Watagan
Forest Headquarters. The trail will be retained as a walking track linking to Boarding
House Dam.
White Mahogany Ridge Road
Will be closed to public vehicle access. The road will be retained as a walking track.
7.3.2 JILLIBY SCA
Lemon Tree Area
Trails emanating from Lemon Tree Road will be closed to reduce repair costs from
vehicle damage. Yambo Forest Road will be maintained as a through link to
Mandalong Road.
Phil Tunks Fire Trail will be maintained as 4WD access only. Side tracks will be
closed to vehicles.
7.4 PETS IN TRANSIT
Under the NPW Regulation it is an offence to take an animal onto any road

[DeanMember]

EAGLE`02 wrote:

Think you will find new gates & cameras on nearly all of those trails now,, and the past two months nearly every weekend they have been patrolling them (Forestry & the Blue Brigade) :whistle:

Good Luck with it

Eags you are right about the gates but I believe that they are only closed when NP & W deem it necessary to be closed. If you are regoed and licenced you should have no issues.

Ollie

[Dwayne OMember]

Cool, Hope your right Ollie

With the weather today & thru tomorrow, the trees might be more horizontal than vertical :laugh:

[Steve WyethMember]

I didn’t see any patrollers but did see some gates in the Wato’s and through Ourimbah too. Most were open, one was ripped out of the ground. Despicable behavoir :kiss:

[Mike WyethMember]

Got my eye on this one Stevo

Dates are the thing with me though mate, though a trip down to the watto’s would be good

[Steve WyethMember]

I’ll run another one in the New Year for you mate. We’ll do an Ourimbah loop too, I have the Ourimbah loop sorted now

[Steve WyethMember]

Well the good news I found the way through the track I was after. The bad news is that going in the direction we rode today you have to ride up a 2.5m near sheer vertical rock face.

We had to have the other two riders ready to catch the bike if it went wrong To make matters worse there is only about a 1.5m run-up, otherwise it wouldn’t be as bad. Most definitely not for the faint hearted. Then we rode down Whitemans which is substantially easier than riding up it.

We also found some power line track just off Whitemans Ridge Road which had some very large rock ledges in various sections. I can add this little loop in to the ride to ‘spice it up’ a bit

[Adam RodgersMember]

moto wrote:

Well the good news I found the way through the track I was after. The bad news is that going in the direction we rode today you have to ride up a 2.5m near sheer vertical rock face.

We had to have the other two riders ready to catch the bike if it went wrong To make matters worse there is only about a 1.5m run-up, otherwise it wouldn’t be as bad. Most definitely not for the faint hearted. Then we rode down Whitemans which is substantially easier than riding up it.

We also found some power line track just off Whitemans Ridge Road which had some very large rock ledges in various sections. I can add this little loop in to the ride to ‘spice it up’ a bit

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: I forgot to mention that :whistle:

Scared the shit out of me :blush: however Sam made it look easy :pinch:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Qy_NJLQBM&feature=youtube_gdata[/video]

Adam.

[Steve WyethMember]

Nah that’s the easy way, we rode up the rock face to left of that

That said, the rock face in your video doesn’t look as steep as it actually is either.

[DeanMember]

Back in the day we used to jump off that rock ledge :woohoo: be F@%#ed If Id do it now :laugh:

I think Woose Hill is up the hill futher coming from Maculata maybe Murph can chime in he knows that section really well.

Ollie

[Mike WyethMember]

Murph seems to of dissapeared :ohmy: :ohmy:

Anyone know where he’s gone?

[Steve WyethMember]

He’s on his annual 3 month sabbatical in NW WA finding his soul again and swimming with the sharks No, really!

[Tim MurphyMember]

Yeah dads in WA swimming with the sharks still.
Theres a right hander after that rock step up which we call woose hill. IF you go down that you can make it back to the power lines and that rocky bit we call that zig zags and then from there you can get to whitemans lane.
I was thinking of doing a ride down there soon i just have a couple of other hillls down there i wanna check out.
Your loop sort of sounds like it will be back to front of mine i wanna do

[DeanMember]

There you go Moto sounds like you and Smurf need to hook up for a recon ride.

Ollie

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