| PLACES OF INTEREST AROUND BUNGENDORE |
| BYWONG mining TOWN 1895–1906 |
BYWONG
MINING TOWN
35 Bywong Town
Road, Bywong NSW 2621
(02) 6236 9183
www.bywongtown.com.au
Chris Fowler
Bywong Mining Town is a unique educational experience set on an authentic site, an actual town that
existed from 1895-1906. A time capsule that captures the hardship
our early settlers endured, Bywong Mining Town demonstrates the
ingenuity and courage that made this country what it is today.
Experienced and knowledgeable guides are provided for your tour and
visits can be structured to your particular needs. Topics covered
are: social history, geology, mining, bush building techniques and
blacksmithing.
Bywong Mining Town is a great place for school excursions, birthday parties, etc and can be booked by contacting Chris. |
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| Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope |
MILLS CROSS RADIO TELESCOPE
www.physics.usyd.edu.au
The Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) is locally known as the Mills Cross Radio Telescope and is located near Hoskinstown. It is easily seen from the road on the right hand side travelling from Bungendore to Captains Flat.
The Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) is operated by the School of Physics of the University of Sydney. The telescope was constructed by modification of the East-West arm of the former One-Mile Mills Cross Telescope. Construction of the original telescope was begun in 1960 by Emeritus Professor Bernard Y. Mills. In recognition of this pioneering work and other innovative contributions to radio astronomy, Bernie Mills was awarded the 2006 Grote Reber medal.
Photo below courtesy George Warr
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| LOWDEN FOREST PARK AND WATER WHEEL |
LOWDEN FOREST PARK AND WATER WHEEL
http://kingshwytodiscovery.com/our-great-outdoors/bushwalking
http://kingshwytodiscovery.com/our-great-outdoors/nature's-wonders
The Lowden Forest Park Water Wheel is located roughly halfway between Captains Flat and Braidwood. Logging contractors set up a camp there in the 1930's and an old water wheel was used to charge the batteries of their logging trucks and to generate limited electricity. In 1952 the overshot water wheel was returned to the site, restored and in full working order. The water wheel was evidently used at an earlier time to power a sawmill in the Captains Flat area.
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| WOODLAWN WIND FARM |
WOODLAWN WIND FARM
http://kingshwytodiscovery.com/our-great-outdoors/bushwalking
http://kingshwytodiscovery.com/our-great-outdoors/nature's-wonders
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| upper molonglo rail trail project |
UPPER MOLONGLO RAIL TRAIL PROJECT
Unfortunately this Rail Trail Project has stalled as it will take an act of Parliament to proceed with it and that isn't going to happen any time soon. |
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RAILTRAILS AUSTRALIA
For all information on rail trails throughout Australia, Railtrails Australia is the premier website. It shows established rail trails as well as rail trails under construction and proposed projects. |
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| BACKGROUND INFORMATION |
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Since
regular rail services ceased on a number of south east NSW railway
lines interest has grown among cycling, equestrian, tourism and
government bodies and others in adapting rail corridors for cycling,
horse riding and walking. The resulting recreational
trails along the corridors are known as rail trails.
In the Capital
Region the potential rail trails are: Bungendore to Captains
Flat; Queanbeyan to Bombala; and Goulburn to Crookwell. In
adjoining regions proposals are being developed for Tumut to Batlow,
Wagga to Tumbarumba and Oberon to Tarana rail trails.
In light of
rail trails already operating in Victoria (eg. Wangaratta to
Bright and in the Gippsland), SA, WA, New Zealand, the UK and the
USA, the adaptation of Capital Region corridors is obviously possible. |
| WHAT
ARE THE KEY BENEFITS? |
* trails that offer cyclists, horse riders and walkers a variety
of experiences from a stroll with the dog to a 300 km touring
route in southern NSW that are:
* scenic, with stunning views of the Great Dividing Range,
attracting Australian and overseas visitors
*
safe, allowing users to avoid the trucks and other high speed
road traffic
* healthy, giving local residents and all Australians the opportunity
to improve their health and fitness
* environmentally beneficial, by providing a corridor to preserve
remnant bushland and grassland
* fun!
* significant local employment opportunities through projects
like Work for the Dole and Greencorps
* a crucial ongoing contribution to the economic sustainability
to towns and villages along the route through the provision
of tourism and hospitality services
*
access for landcare, bushfire control and bush and grassland
conservation work
* important local links: cyclists could extend their riding
to places like Lowden Forest Park and to Majors Creek and Braidwood
in the east and to Michelago and Burra in the west
* wider links: Bicentennial National
Trail, Australian Alps Walking Track, East Gippsland Rail
Trail, and the Bicycle Federation of Australia’s National
Cycle Tourism Network. |
WHAT DOES A BUNGENDORE TO CAPTAINS
FLAT
RAIL TRAIL INVOLVE? |
In brief, creating a 30km rail
trail from Bungendore to Captains Flat involves:
* a rail trail group assesses feasibility and addresses concerns
of landholders, councils and others
* council or other bodies assume responsibility for obtaining
capital funding and initiating works
* capital works involve path or an on road lane from Bungendore
to where the old line first crosses the road and then utilising
the rail corridor to Captains Flat by lifting the line or filling
between the rails so there is either a hard packed dirt or bitumen
path, or a combination of each.
The
rail trail offers to residents opportunities for walking, relaxation,
exercise, nature appreciation or simply walking the dog. Residents
do use these trails: in Mundaring Shire WA, 63% of residents used
walking and rail trails in the twelve months before being surveyed,
nearly half used them in the previous four weeks.
An economically sustainable project like this would see a growth
in demand for accommodation and supplies at Bungendore, Captains
Flat. Majors Creek and Braidwood would benefit if a signed
route linked these towns to the rail trail. There is no doubt
that the rail trail would attract commercial tour operators and
guides, as they have in NZ’s Otago Rail Trail in particular,
making a further contribution to the wider economy. |
| DEMAND WILL GROW FOR ... |
* accommodation - farmstays, pubs, B&Bs, motels, camping
grounds, cabins
* meals - cafes, bakeries, take-aways, counter meals and sit
down celebratory meals
* shops - food, clothing, camping supplies, bicycle and horse
riding equipment
* transport - trains, buses or vans to ferry trail users to a
starting point, and back home or to their cars
* commercial tours - bicycle, horse riding and walking tours
* guided or specialist activities - including bird watching,
photography and painting groups. |
| VISITORS DO COME ... |
* 238 cyclists and 81 walkers were counted on one day at Bright
on the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail in Victoria, with the
majority staying 1 – 4 days
* over 180,000 visitors from Perth used the Mundaring trails
in a year. |
| AND THEY SPEND ... |
* visitors to the East Gippsland Rail Trail spent an average
of $69 per day
* Victorian trail users spent between $109 and $154 on food and
beverages during their visit
* Mundaring trail users inject as much as $10m annually into
this WA Shire’s economy. |
ACCESS TO THE RAIL TRAIL
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| Canberra, Goulburn and Queanbeyan would be major access points. Cyclists
and walkers could gain access at Bungendore railway station, Canberra bus terminal,
and Canberra airport. |
WHAT
NEXT?
|
Residents of the area surrounding the trail have formed a steering
committee to assess the potential for a rail trail and to build
community support. So far, Bungendore Rotary, Captains
Flat Community Association, representatives from the Hoskinstown
Region Community Association and Sustainable Bungendore support the
concept and are represented on the committee. The Scout Group and
Public School P&C
Association from Bungendore have also expressed support.
We are now consolidating community support. Next we
will seek endorsement of the project from the Eastern Capital
City Regional Council for undertaking a feasibility study.
If this proves positive and Council agrees, it could initiate
negotiations for the use of the corridor with the NSW Government
and seek funding to begin the capital works.
A Bungendore to Captains Flat rail trail group would not be
alone. It
can draw support from other groups in the region. Pedal
Power ACT has raised the proposal to develop a Monaro Rail Trail
in the Queanbeyan to Bombala corridor. It is currently concentrating
effort on the Queanbeyan –Williamsdale section. A
Goulburn group is seeking to raise interest in a Goulburn to
Crookwell rail trail. A group from Wagga and Tumut is well
advanced on securing support for a Riverina Highlands rail trail.
The work they have done will be a great help in securing State
Government support. |
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