“Damn Denniston
Damn the track
Damn the way both there and back
Damn the wind and
Damn the weather
God damn Denniston altogether.”
(Anonymous)
Blasted, picked and shovelled out of a steep hillside, the Bridle Track was opened in 1884. People no longer had to trudge up and down the Incline. Now they had to trudge up and down a track, but the danger of being struck by railway wagons on their journey was eliminated. Slips often blocked the track, leaving the people on the plateau isolated for short periods. Some disliked the track at any time while others thought nothing of travelling it in any weather. At night some used a ‘bush lantern’ – a candle stuck in a bottle with its bottom removed and held upside down by the neck.
For those who lived on the Hill, completion of a vehicle road in 1902 was a great occasion. Development of transport led to the decline of the towns on top of the Plateau, as workers could commute daily to the mines from down by the sea. From a population peak of around 1,500 in 1911, the community registered eight in 1981.
A journey that was a grind for people of the late 19th and early 20th centuries can be enjoyed for its bush and views today. Be aware that it is steep, particularly toward the top, with an uneven surface most of the way. It descends from here, approximately 600 metres in altitude to near sea level. Wear sturdy footwear, carry warm and waterproof clothing to cope with sudden weather changes, and take something to eat and drink.
Track times are 3 hrs up, 2 hrs down
Total distance 5 kms one way
Brakehead to Mile Log 1 hr 20 mins
Mile Log to Conns Creek Road 40 mins
The Denniston Bridal Track has been closed for the last few years due to a slip between Middle Brake and Mile Log but closure signs have been removed both from the track and DOC’s website it is now open completely from the Denniston Brakehead all the way down to Conns Creek.
To find this bonus cache you only have to go a short way down the track (nowhere near where the slip was) and you will get the coordinates by completing the Denniston Brakehead Walk Adventure Labs.
The cache can be found at S 41° 44.ABB' E 171° 47.CDE'
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