Community & Business
17 November, 2022
Yungaburra historical walking track revived
A NEW walking track at Yungaburra will be built on the same path as an original Bicentennial Walk which was established in 1988 with the hand of a popular local landcare group.
The Allumbah Heritage Walk will provide locals and visitors to Yungaburra, an alternative walk apart from the existing Petersen Creek walking track which is maintained by Yungaburra Landcare.
The original bicentennial walk has fallen into a state of disrepair and the many signs that used to populate the walk and provide people with information about the region’s history have become dilapidated or vanished.
Tablelands Regional Council decided to allocate $21,151 ($4885 implementation and $16,266 whole-of-life-costs) from the community project budget to the walking track.
Paul Burnell was the main driving force behind the project and is pleased the funding for the track got approved.
“The three things that were clearly identified that the walk will showcase is the indigenous culture that is evident in the Yungaburra area, the local history of the area and the beauty of the local fauna and flora,” he said.
“There will be signage, brochures, leaflets and QR codes for people to use and learn more about the area and its history.
“The original track has fallen through the cracks and what we are really doing is reimagining the original track.”
The 4.5km walk will feature about 30 new signs and encourage visitors to further explore the village and its history and to stay in the town for longer.
It will also have educational benefits for schools and other groups wanting to learn about Yungaburra’s natural and cultural history.
President of Yungaburra Landcare David Blair is excited to add the Allumbah Heritage Walk to the existing walking circuit.
“The Allumbah Heritage Walk to a great extent uses existing tracks and roads, with the walk linking places with historical significance for the white settlement of Allumbah, which was renamed Yungaburra around 1910,” he said.
“On the other hand, the Peterson Creek tracks have always tried to emphasise the natural world and indigenous uses of the area, while not ignoring the sites on the creek that were important for the development of Yungaburra.
“Parts of the track network set up by Yungaburra Landcare years ago are also included in the Allumbah Heritage Walk. These are the Casuarina Walk and the Wallaby Track.
“The addition of the Allumbah Heritage Walk means there is going to be a varied and extensive interlinked set of tracks, offering environments ranging from creek-side strolls in restored rainforest to open woodland.”
The project will commence within the next couple of months depending on the availability of supplies and materials.
