Montezuma Falls Rail Trail - Trail Description

Features

• 105 M high Montezuma Falls
• Lush rainforest with Leatherwood, Myrtle, Sassafras
• Williamsford mining ton ruins

Description

This trail features the 105m high Montezuma Falls. Traversing lush rainforest with leatherwood, myrtle and sassafras, the trail follows the route of the former North East Dundas Tramway which ran from Zeehan to Williamsford. Williamsford was once a busy mining town but is now slowly being reclaimed by the bush.

The trail is in two sections: walking and cycling is allowed on the 5.5km from Williamsford to the falls; 4WD vehicles are allowed on the 14km between the Melba Flats and the falls.

Williamsford to Montezauma Falls

the start of the trail is well marked at Williamsford. After 500m, a tack on the right leads to the original tramway formation. The trail then descends gently to the Montezuma Falls. Just before the falls, look for an old mining adit driven into the exposed rockface to your left. Soon after you will hear he falls cascading ove rthe rocky tiers. To get to the falls, follow a track to the left just before the bridge. TRake extra care as it can be wet and slippery.

A 50m long curved trestle bridge once once carried the railway over the creek and past the Montezuma Falls. A new steel suspension bridge now allows trail users to cross the valley. Remains of the original timber bridge can still be sen on the other side of the creek. From the falls either return to Williamsford the same way or cross the footbridge and continue to Melba Flats 14 Km away.

Montezauma Falls to Melba Flats

Shortly after crossing the cridge you come to a car park. From here the old tramway formation is used by 4WDs and can be wet and muddy in palces. After about 4km you reach the turnoff and another 4WD road, the Ring River Track. Continue straight ahead aklong the rail trail. You have to cross several creeks with long gone timber bridges, so expect to get wet feet.

Other mining and logging tramways intersected the trail at various points along this section of th trail and you can still see their formations if you look carefully.

Fourteen kilometres from Montezuma Falls, at Melba Flats you reac the Murcison Highway (A10). You can return to the start of the trail the same way or take the highway north back to Williamsfords. If you're ken, continue to Zeehan via the Melba Flats to Zeehan Rail Trail.

For more information on this trail see the book Rail Trails of Tasmania.

Links

West Coast Pioneers' Memorial Museum

Photograph of the railway approaching the falls at the National Library of Australia Photograph Collection

Photgraph of the Montezuma Falls at the National Library of Australia Photograph Collection

May 2011