http://users.qjdmñ›áµ.au/~eachist/ The Eacham Historical Society Inc.
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RUSH TRACK PROJECT HISTORY
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In April 1880 tin was discovered by Willie Jack, John Newell and party near Herberton. Within days of the first cmalžW W~g registered, there was a rush of miners from the Hodgkinson gold field seeking their fortune on the Herberton tin field.
The track that the miners, storekeepers and others followed from the HoddknÝ`éŒo Herberton became known as the Rush Track. The last section of this track crossed the Walsh River at Planted Tree Crossing, just above the present Collins Weir, and then crossed it again just above the Natural Bridge. It then followed toÖ G´°´hern side of the river for about 6 kilometres until near Bussy Creek it left the river and continued east south east towards Herberton.
Later in 1880 rich tin deposits were discovered at Western Hill and the surrounding Watsonville district. With the need for a mill close by to treat the ore, work soon started on the Bischoff Mill. The mill was located on the southern bank of the Walsh River, just upstream from where Bussy Creek#fkîdt£å~to it, on what is now private property.
The mill was operating by 1884, although it may have started a year or two before this date and continued to operate until October 1917. The mill treated tin ore to produce a concentrate which was 70% tin. Output peaked in 1885 at 487 tons, although in most years the output was much lower than this. Copper ore was also treated at the mill.
Since the Bischoff Mill, by coincidence, was located close to where the Rush Track had passed, this track now saw a new lease of life as the link between the mill and Herberton for the carriage of people, provisions and of course tin. From the early 1880s until 1917 teams of mostly pack horses but also mules used this track to carry the tin and'chñL2~Concentrate from the mill to Herberton. All of the tin was exported.
There is some doubt as to whether the track used for packing the tin from the mill to Herberton was indeed part of the original Rush Track, although it does today bear this name, and is the name used by Glenville Pike, the well known author and historian. It certainly follows the quickest route, however it was strictly a pack track and could not take wheeled vehicles.
A likely possibility is that this track was a short cut available to pack animals and pedestrians, with wheeled vehicles being required to take a slightly longer route. Thus on this section the Rush Track existed as two branches. Whilst this appears likely, an inspection of maps and records of the period does not permit a definite conclusion to be drawn.
In any case the historical significance of the track is in its connection with the tranport of tin from the Bischoff Mill, and any connection with the Herberton tin rush is an added bonus.
