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      girraween > history > a glimpse of girraween > chapter 3


Keeping on Track


From 1966, Tom and the Goebel brothers commenced construction of walking tracks, so that visitors could safely experience the most spectacular parts of the park.


The Pyramid track
During the early days people would find their own way up the First Pyramid, sometimes traversing private or leasehold property to get there. During 1966, a track was constructed, but it wasn't until 1984 that the current walking track was installed. The concrete bridges were built across Bald Rock Creek in 1968 and the metal bridge at the base of the Pyramid was installed in 2003.


Granite Arch
The walking track to the Granite Arch came about in 1967, linking the Granite Arch feature with the existing Pyramid track. Bill Goebel and Tom Ryan simply used rakehoes to dig the drains out, pull soil up on the track and push down the vegetation. Nowadays, rangers use mechanical wheelbarrows and other machinery to cart soil, rocks and steps, but the trusty rakehoe is still the essential tool used by a track worker!


The Circuit track
The Circuit track was created to provide a short walk along which visitors could see some of the park's beautiful wildflowers. The current track still does this, as well as link the Bald Rock Creek camping area and day-use area with the northern walking tracks.


The Junction track
Originally, The Junction track was on the western side of Bald Rock Creek. During the early 1970s, Tom Ryan, Trevor Vollbon - Queensland National Parks Wildlife Service planning officer, and the Girraween workcrew developed the present day track on the eastern side. The change in location was because it was easier to build and maintain the track on the eastern side, where the landscape is mostly granite pavements.


Castle Rock track
In 1967/68 Tom Ryan, Bill and Hock Goebel and Johnny Rogers commenced construction of the Castle Rock walking track. (Back then, Castle Rock was known as "Little Castle Rock" and Mt Norman was "Castle Rock".) The original track stopped well short of where it goes today and visitors had to find their own way up to the summit of Castle Rock. Six years later, the current walking track was constructed.

Building this track was hard going. Bill Goebel recalls a good week was when you developed "28 chains" of track. (One chain is about 22 m - the length of a cricket pitch - therefore 28 chains is over 600 m of walking track.)


Mt Norman track
Bill Goebel and, later, Peter Haselgrove and Brett Roberts joined the Mt Norman track on to the already constructed Castle Rock walking track.


Dr Roberts' Waterhole track
Probably the oldest of the walking tracks, Dr Roberts' Waterhole track was used by the workers of Paddy Ryan's saw mill during the 1920s to access the waterhole and the diving board that stood there at the time. The track has had much work done to it since being reinstated and a signed lookout was installed in 1998.


Underground Creek track
During 1958, blackbutt and stringy barks were felled from private properties near Underground Creek. The wood was used to fire the Wallangarra meatworks' cookers and freezers. At least three quarters of the present day Underground Creek walking track was a vehicle track used by the wood carters.


Turtle Rock track and the track that never was...
In 1975, the park's managing body - then the Department of Forestry (Passchendaele) - wanted to develop a new walking track. It was to branch from the current day Castle Rock track and head west towards a large area of rocky outcrops along Ramsey Creek, then east to Turtle Rock and eventually join back on to the original Castle Rock track. However, as work progressed, they decided to abandon the section of track along Ramsey Creek. The section that was completed takes visitors to The Sphinx and Turtle Rock.



Not just a walking track...

For the last 10 years, a huge emphasis has been put on maintaining and improving Girraween's walking track systems. A track team is employed to build steps, maintain the longevity of the easily washed away decomposed granite surface and ensure that the park's tracks continue to adhere to the Australian Walking Tracks Standards.




  One of the concrete bridges that spans Bald Rock Creek.
One of the concrete bridges that spans
Bald Rock Creek.



The sturdy metal bridge installed in 2003 on The Pyramid track.
The sturdy metal bridge installed in 2003
on The Pyramid track.



Castle Rock walking track sign.
© Girraween National Park, 2009.
Castle Rock walking track sign.



Constructing the Dr Roberts' Waterhole track and lookout.
© Girraween National Park, 2009.
Constructing the Dr Roberts' Waterhole track
and lookout.



Track workers and their trusty rakehoes.
© Girraween National Park, 2009.
Track workers and their trusty rakehoes.




© Vanessa and Chris Ryan, 2009 | Copyright Details and Disclaimer
Last updated: 7th May 2014