Thark Ridge Reroute Options
The beginning section of the Thark Ridge track crosses a very wet area from Big Bend to the woodland at the base of Thark. This has become quite braided and in fact two distinct and separate tracks have developed from several starting points and join into one part way over the plain.
The Wellington Park Management Trust track strategy 2003 recommends that the start be rerouted to avoid the wet area where environmental damage is evident (page 22 and item 5 page 47).
Three slightly different route options have been looked at, all using the harder area to the north of the existing tracks.
The central of the three options seems to be the better from the point of being on mostly hard ground, often with slabby rock which is easy to walk, minimal shrub clearance required and very little boulders to cross. At the time of checking the area had been subjected to reasonable amounts of rain and although the plain was quite wet there were very few puddles present on the suggested routes.
This central option has been marked with pink tape and a record kept of each marker point. On the map file a waypoint with a pink tape marker is shown ending in "P". See file http://trackdetails.blogspot.com/2010/06/thark-ridge-reroute-options.html
The following is a description of the central option. Photos of the ground conditions are at http://trackdetails.blogspot.com/2010/06/thark-photos-new.html
1 Initially it heads north from the car park over a low scrub with some areas of pineapple grass. Some 250 metres or so of this may need to be hardened with rock. Photo 3657
2 A short section of about 3 metres ascends over a few easy to manoeuvre modest size only boulders. Photo 3656
3 Follows along a contour on mostly hard ground through eucalypt woodland. Photo 3654 3655
4 Crosses a short open area with low shrub cover but firm soil then shortly becomes rockier, but not bouldery. Photo 3653 and 3652
5 Enters a section of eucalypt woodland with Ozothamnus understory Photos 3651 3646
6 Crosses an open shrubland with very frequent flat rock and slab rock Photos 3647 3648 3649
7 Enters woodland again close to the junction with the existing track. Photo 3650
General comments
Very little vegetation clearance is required, probably only the first 250 metres may need hardening, marker poles will be needed to show the way for walkers and would best be the same style as used elsewhere on Thark, a sign would be needed for the start and end to direct walkers and closed for rehabilitation signs placed on old track starts also indicating the whereabouts of the new start.
The track strategy also mentions making a track from this area down to Mt Arthur from this location (strategy page 23) and it may be feasible to use the initial section of the proposed reroute as part of that.
Below is satellite map of the area with the location of the photos shown. It can enlarged by clicking the image and then using the magnifying icon.
Map with the route options and including the existing track
Below is the recommended route with waypoints shown, where a P is shown it indicates a pink tape at the waypoint.
The Wellington Park Management Trust track strategy 2003 recommends that the start be rerouted to avoid the wet area where environmental damage is evident (page 22 and item 5 page 47).
Three slightly different route options have been looked at, all using the harder area to the north of the existing tracks.
The central of the three options seems to be the better from the point of being on mostly hard ground, often with slabby rock which is easy to walk, minimal shrub clearance required and very little boulders to cross. At the time of checking the area had been subjected to reasonable amounts of rain and although the plain was quite wet there were very few puddles present on the suggested routes.
This central option has been marked with pink tape and a record kept of each marker point. On the map file a waypoint with a pink tape marker is shown ending in "P". See file http://trackdetails.blogspot.com/2010/06/thark-ridge-reroute-options.html
The following is a description of the central option. Photos of the ground conditions are at http://trackdetails.blogspot.com/2010/06/thark-photos-new.html
1 Initially it heads north from the car park over a low scrub with some areas of pineapple grass. Some 250 metres or so of this may need to be hardened with rock. Photo 3657
2 A short section of about 3 metres ascends over a few easy to manoeuvre modest size only boulders. Photo 3656
3 Follows along a contour on mostly hard ground through eucalypt woodland. Photo 3654 3655
4 Crosses a short open area with low shrub cover but firm soil then shortly becomes rockier, but not bouldery. Photo 3653 and 3652
5 Enters a section of eucalypt woodland with Ozothamnus understory Photos 3651 3646
6 Crosses an open shrubland with very frequent flat rock and slab rock Photos 3647 3648 3649
7 Enters woodland again close to the junction with the existing track. Photo 3650
General comments
Very little vegetation clearance is required, probably only the first 250 metres may need hardening, marker poles will be needed to show the way for walkers and would best be the same style as used elsewhere on Thark, a sign would be needed for the start and end to direct walkers and closed for rehabilitation signs placed on old track starts also indicating the whereabouts of the new start.
The track strategy also mentions making a track from this area down to Mt Arthur from this location (strategy page 23) and it may be feasible to use the initial section of the proposed reroute as part of that.
Below is satellite map of the area with the location of the photos shown. It can enlarged by clicking the image and then using the magnifying icon.
Map with the route options and including the existing track
Below is the recommended route with waypoints shown, where a P is shown it indicates a pink tape at the waypoint.
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