After a break from my bush excursions I was looking for something less arduous, as it turned out I was a still a little sore the next day after doing this one.
The first four and a half kilometres was along the long removed Box Vale Colliery train line route. This line operated for eight years, closing in 1896. The line has a 84 metre tunnel on it. At its peak in 1888, 100 tons per week of coal was hauled along the line, that was during a Melbourne coal strike.
The coal seam is 158 metres below the northern terminus of the line, and is 25 feet thick of very high grade coal. The coal was hauled from mine to the line via a steep incline, that incline is part of the route I took.
After a quick stop to take in the view from the Nattai Gorge lookout, I descended the incline using the cable for assistance. On reaching the Nattai river I followed it upstream until the confluence of the Nattai creek, then up the Nattai creek passing Forty Foot Falls. The rest was fire trails back to the car park.
Nattai Creek down below the dam wall
Welby Reservoir, built to supply Mittagong
One of many cuttings along the train line
Looking North along the Nattai Gorge towards the Blue Mountains
The Tunnel
The steep incline connecting the mine to train line and cable to assist walkers
Nattai River
Another tunnel (cave)
Stats,
distance: 13.3 Km
moving time: 2hr, 6mins
Elevation: 513 metres
Calories:1269
