Mayford spur track, victorian high country.
Submitted: Sunday, Nov 17, 2002 at 01:00
ThreadID:
2384
Views:
9313
Replies:
3
FollowUps:
9
This Thread has been Archived
matt
Has anybody ever travelled on the old mayford spur track from
dinner plain track to mayford valley?
The track has been closed for a number of years now but I am interested to hear about what it was like. Have you travelled it?
When i visited mayford I could see the old track heading straight up the
hill, looked pretty challenging & dangerous.
Any information or reports would be greatly appreciated,
Matt
Reply By: Raymond Charlton - Sunday, Nov 17, 2002 at 01:00
Sunday, Nov 17, 2002 at 01:00
Hi Matt
The Mayford track has been closed for many years. It was an extremely dangerous track. You had to winch alot of the way up the track. Unfortunately many who attempted it did not use tree protectors and damaged many of the trees. Many vehicles rolled on the track. Next time you are there take a walk up the track for awhile and
check it out. Last year some idiot cut down the
gate and winched up it, hopefully the
gate has been repairs
Ray
Remember to Tread Lightly
AnswerID:
8606
Follow Up By: Oziexplorer - Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Raymond have you been to the Mayford 'town' site?
FollowupID:
4205
Follow Up By: Raymond Charlton - Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Hi Matt
Yes I have had the pleasure of camping at Mayford. We came into Mayford on Kings Spur Track, which at that time was a medium 4WD track. The township which was developed in 1863 is all gone, only the cleared area and the fact that there are English trees and fruit trees tells you of the towns exsistance. Michelle may have a book in her exploreoz bookshop on the area. It was a beautiful area to
camp. The old Mayford Track is impressive, and one wonders how the original pioneers ever got down it. Several of the tracks in the high country had huge blocks and tackle to lower the cart down the
hill
Ray
FollowupID:
4212
Follow Up By: Oziexplorer - Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Raymond it always amazes me these tracks the pioneers built. How they built them, and what gear they would have used. There appears to be little history done on these tracks. Actually, I don't know I have seen any. I am interested in Crawford & Co; which was the coach company in North East of Victoria, and have been looking for the coach routes. I am amazed at some of the tracks they used to take coaches up and down. It interests me how they braked the coaches. Unfortunatly, there is no work to my knowledge on Crawford & Co. The coach routes followed the gold discoveries, and it is a pity that to my knowledge no work had been done on Crawford & Co; as so much has been done on Cobb & Co, but Cobb & Co. did not run in North Eastern Victoria. I believe Hiram Crawford was a personal friend of Cobb, and that is why Cobb left Eastern Victoria predominantly to Crawford. I travel extensively around East Vic looking for gold mining history etc. Have 4WD, 250cc off -road motorcycle and two good feet to work when I cannot drive to
places.
FollowupID:
4216
Follow Up By: Matt - Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Thank you for the information Ray, I will go for a walk up it next time &
check it out.
I met a camper at Mayford & they told me a yarn that when they were developing a turbo charger kit for the 60 series, they used the
hill to
test it out, travelling up & down a number of times & would hold it in low second all the way to the top.
I did hear some stories obout rollovers as
well, there is a
plaque on a
rock to remember some people that were killed, it must have been a challenge!
matt
FollowupID:
4225
Reply By: OziExplorer - Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
It sure is steep and dangerous. If you post an e-mail address, I will send you a 3D map to show you how steep it is. It rises in roughly 2km 350 metres. Not for the faint hearted. I have come down it on my motor cycle when I had just put new tyres on, and with disc brakes front and rear - thankfully. I stopped twice for a break on the way down to take a breather and question my sanity. However, I have been up and down worse on my motorcycle. In a 4WD - no go. I know my limits and when to bail out.
I would like to have seen how and what equipment they used to originally construct the track. Any idea what year it was done?
AnswerID:
8634
Follow Up By: Voxson - Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Hi Ozi,, I would like to see that map...
voxson@bigpond.net.au
FollowupID:
4206
Follow Up By: Truckster - Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
Monday, Nov 18, 2002 at 01:00
yea Id like a copy too!
td42t AT optusnet DOT com DOT au
FollowupID:
4218
Follow Up By: Truckster - Tuesday, Nov 19, 2002 at 01:00
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2002 at 01:00
It doesnt look that bad to me!
FollowupID:
4238
Follow Up By: Voxson - Tuesday, Nov 19, 2002 at 01:00
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2002 at 01:00
thanks ozi
FollowupID:
4239
Follow Up By: Andrew - Tuesday, Nov 19, 2002 at 01:00
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2002 at 01:00
G'day Ozi, not to late for a picture is it ? purcyspage@hotmail.com
FollowupID:
4258
Reply By: desert - Friday, Nov 22, 2002 at 01:00
Friday, Nov 22, 2002 at 01:00
My sources tell me the Mayford track was pushed in by the then Forsets Commission about 1972, using a D5 cat. I have camped at Mayford on two occassions, the last time it rained all-night and we needed to fit chains to get out the next day up the King Spur, which I believe is now a cake walk. My friend drove a Landrover LWB up Mayford before it was closed off, said it was pretty heart topping. Most LWB vehicles with double diff locks can do it OK. Would not like to attempt it in a shorty.
Desert
AnswerID:
8826