Caudrys Prospect

Introducing the new adventure machine…….

Unfortunately for this trip, it didn’t leave the driveway as there is a bit of work to be done before its ready for its maiden voyage.

This trip we were off to Waratah to investigate an old mine (Cardrys Prospect) that we didn’t make it to last time.

After awakening at the crack of dawn we where on our way and the best part about this time of the year the sun hasn’t already been up for about 4 hours so it gives us a chance to enjoy the sunrise. (I really need to check for dust on that bloody sensor before I use the camera).  After getting a few photos we were on our way.  For something different I thought we would go through the Hellyer Gorge this time, much to Jacinta’s disgust and of course we got the same winging about getting car sick as other times so I put my foot down a little more to help the cause haha.  Unfortunately… I mean fortunately, the trip was uneventful right up to the start of the track.

This site got my attention awhile ago as it is listed as a historic site and there is only about 3 or 4 other mine sites in Tassie that are listed as historic.  We made an attempt to get here about 6 months ago but gave up as the track was very overgrown and it was soaking wet so we thought we would come back in summer.  Turns out it was still soaking bloody wet and extremely overgrown.      This would have to be the worst kind of bush in Tasmania.  It is pretty much just shrubby undergrowth that consists of tea-tree and horrible cutting grass but because the trip was based on finding this mine we weren’t turning back so we kept pushing through.  After about 200m Jacinta got all excited as the track opened up again and came into an old quarry.

Unfortunately, though we still had another Km of hell to go.  After getting cut scratched and soaking wet from the cutting grass for about a km or so the track once again opened up and we finally came across what we were looking for. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a disappointment as the adit was only about 10m long.  There was supposed to be 2 adits in the area so we ventured further up and found a massive trench. Caudrys Prospect was an Osmium-Iridium Mine and was mined in the very early 1900’s.  Info.

I often wonder how on earth they found these areas of minerals 100  to 130ish years ago since all their work was initially done on the surface but I reckon the views they came across also would have had to come into play as most of the mines we come across have got fantastic views. 

After searching the area high and low we decided to head back to the bus but on the way, we noticed some blue streamers so we decided to follow them and we soon went from the worst type of bush in Tasmania (Cutting Grass and Tee-Tree) to the best (Myrtle Forest).  We had no idea where these streamers where going to take us so the mystery was good until they started to go vertically down.   We ended up on the junction of Nineteen Mile Creek and Linger and Die Creek.

Finding the name quite threatening we decided not to linger so we got a couple of photo’s and started the horrible walk vertically back up the mountain once up the top again we came across a couple of things that we missed on the way down. 

Massive tree fungi and 

what I think was a Bassian Thrush.  I have seen these plenty of times before but they seem to disappear silently into the foliage before you even think of getting the camera out.  This time I got him but only just.  From here after been soaking wet for the previous 4 hours we were keen to get back to the Cruiser, change the clothes and head off.  Also if anyone, in particular, a dry cleaner lost their keys a few years ago I have them haha.

Hope you Enjoyed

Cheers

Tassietravelsblog