http://users.qldnet.com.au/~eachist/ The Eacham Historical Society Inc.
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RUSH TRACK PROJECT ATTRACTIONS
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ATTRACTIONS
As well as its historical importance, the Rush Track features several attractions of scenic and environmental interest.
The Anniversary Falls
The Anniversary Falls are located on Grant Creek just west of Herberton. The water cascades 20m down to a picturesque swimming pool at the bottom of the falls. The Rush Track crosses Grant Creek at the top of the falls and a short side track is used to access the swimming hole.Stone pitching
One of the best examples of stone pitching in the area can be seen from the track. It is on Grant Creek abut 300m below the Anniversary Falls. On close inspection one can see this to be part of what was once a man made channel that diverted water from a side branch of the creek. It was associated with panning for alluvial tin. It is still possible to find specks of alluvial tin in this creek.The Great Dividing Range
The track crosses the Great Dividing Range where it becomes a small treeless plateau. The plateau is the lowest point of the Great Divide in the region. The plateau is formed from acid volcanic soils covered with heath type vegetation. It is one of only two such heath areas in the district and is noted for its diversity of heath plant species.The magnificent broodfrog
A colony of the rare magnificent broodfrog (Pseudophyme covacevichae) was discovered adjacent to the Rush Track late in 2000. The frog is found only in the Ravenshoe district and at the time of discovery the Rush Track colony was the most northerly known.The colony lives in a seepage area at the head of Grant Creek.
The saddle
The Rush Track passes through a very distinctive saddle in the Empress Range, dividing the Toy Creek and Surveyors Creek catchments. The saddle affords a magnificent view of the Walsh River valley and surrounding hills. The aboriginal boora ground is clearly visible from this lookout.Boora ground
The section of the Rush Track to be marked terminates at a spot adjacent to a clay pan that is devoid of any vegetation. The Bar-Barrum people consider this to be a former boora ground and it remains an area of significance for them. They have requested that visitors refrain from traversing this small area or otherwise interfering with it.The Bar-Barrum people claim that the path taken by the Rush Track was used by their people to travel from the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range in what today is the Herberton area to the boora ground. Thus their use of this route predates European use by several centuries at least. An investigation of pre-European use of this route is part of the Rush Track project.
