Balfour.

[tazz]

I just spent a few days camping at Arthur river and exploring the general area. This is the third time I have been there. What a wonderful spot.http://eheritage.statelibrary.tas.gov.a ... =CHH_00358 Here is a link with images of the cemetery in 1935.

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Last edited by tazz on Thu 21 Jan, 2010 7:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Drifting]

We are just about to head over there. Where did you stay? Was it busy?

[tazz]

I stayed at the Arthur river cabin park.about one kilometer before Arthur river , not many people there . I was the only one who pitched a tent.

[tazz]

Frankland river

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Frankland river

rain forest

suspension bridge

[tazz]

Don,t forget whoever visits Balfour take the treck down to the Frankland river,follow the old pack track.Also stop at the link road junction and read the sad story of the young girl buried in the Balfour cemetary.

[kanangra]

Tell me more about the area? Old cemetry in the bush looks interesting.

[tazz]

Balfour was an old copper mine town dating between 1902 to 1912. As usual the copper petered out and the town died. I think there was about 400 people buried at the cemetary but there are only four marked graves, one is a 15 year old girl another is the town doctor. Typhoid took its tole on the population in 1912. A pack track was built from Smithton to Balfour and a swinging bridge built over the Frankland river hence the steel cables spanning the river in one of my photos. The river is a forty minute return walk from the old town.

[tasadam]

Love that "rain forest" image. Did you use a polarizer filter for that?

[tazz]

Yes I used a polarizer on that one Tasadam, certainly makes a difference without the glare on the water.

[nanlrider]

have you taken any pictures of/in the Balfour track?? its a fair bit before the Airplane runway, i think its a 2hr return walk. If you want to get to the bottom faster then a Mountain Bike is very good down that way, very fun. Also doesnt do any or much damage to the tracks

[tazz]

I rode my motor bike from Temma to Balfour Via the Balfour track a few years ago.This time I drove into Balfour from the Western explorer road In my 2wd ute.This area would be great for mtb riding.

[MrCAMEL]

Has anyone on here explored the deeper Balfour town area on foot?
I have been into Balfour twice in my Dirty Commo and there is only 1 or 2 places where the floor bangs on rocks.
The first time I did not know to go around the biggish hill, so I made it up the hill. The second time, despite knowing to drive the road to the right around the hill, I could not get up the steep hill .
When I walked to the cemetery the noises and atmosphere felt like one of those end of the world zombie movies. It was quite eerie and intense. Then, half the way back to the awesome C249, I met a current Balfour resident who I had a brief chat to and it was not at all scary

The area has a diverse and interesting history and since moving to C.H 3 years ago and exploring a bit myself, there seems to be very few people that know the historical significance of the area.

Young Tazz, where is that old suspension bridge?

[tazz]

Just follow the track down to the river, instead of entering the cemetery keep to the right , It is a fairly open track with a few fallen trees over it in places.

[dancier]

This area would be great for mtb riding.

I'm planning a ride along the Western Explorer in two years time so I'll explore the area in detail when I'm there. Not sure which bike to take, probably the touring but I had thought about the MTB a few times because of the terrain. Love the photo's.

[tazz]

Mtb might be better on the gravel roads. It would also make it easier to ride into places like Balfour.

[charles05]

We have just bought a camping van and want to test it out locally, we live in Wynyard. I would love to visit this area, Balfour, but am a bit confused with information.
We want to stay in Julius River for two nights.
I want to do a walk to the old township of Balfour and see the cemetery. Some websites say it is a four wheel drive track. That is not what I want.
Is the walk to Balfour a walking track or a four wheel drive track? I read in Family Walks in NW tasmania that it is suitable for my family but this book was printed last century, 1994.

[flyfisher]

Couple of years ago we drove into Balfour in a Hi Ace van with no bother. Just got a run up at the big hill, and drove to the big old tree where the track to the cemetry starts. Beautiful spot.

FF