Harry Walker Tier

Walk Description       The Harry Walker Tier is divided between public and private land. PWS controls the western section whilst the eastern edge is in private ownership. About 498ha, approximately 4km east north east of Elderslie, being known as Harry Walker Tier Conservation Area It is about 2k wide and 4k long (north south) and has a common height of around 400m. It was reserved because it is located within the Elderslie Sandstone Landforms, a very extensive complex of sandstone cliffs and caves in Triassic sandstones, incised by Jordon River and tributaries. The area is valued for trees and other flora and has Inland Eucalyptus tenuiramis forest.

I am unaware of who Harry Walker was, but assume once lived in the area and may even have owned part of the land.

The approach for the walk is west of Dysart The access to the tier is over private property and although it was readily granted, this cannot be assumed. The owner on the eastern side which includes part of the tier is M Jones of Cockatoo Road

There are several options for getting there, but this is one of the easier ways. Initially a paddock is crossed to pick up a 4wd drive track winding up to bush of Harry Walker Tier and eventually passes from the private land into a PWS reserve. The route taken is through open bushland and meets a depression with an ephemeral creek and with sandstone overhangs. Beyond here are some flat shelves of rock of some considerable size overlain by a thin layer of soil, but on top grew an abundance of Baeckea (Euryomyrtus ramosissima), to the exclusion of all else; quite an intriguing site really. The return is along the rocky sandstone top of the tier where some areas have quite a number of small low growing plants together with patches of larger bushes, such as Golden Rosemary. The gums throughout the area are attractive with light silver green leaves. The actual route shown drops below some of the cliffs before ascending again, but the more direct way would be easier.

Map      Elderslie

Last Updated  Sunday, 22 December 2013

Start Point      Cockatoo Road

Hazards      Cliffs

Facilities       None

Route Grade      Moderate

Route Distance Klms       10

Days      1

Access       Cockatoo Road

Time Hours       6

Related Links      

Google Bushwalks Blog

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EveryTrail       for the route