Bicentennial National Trail 1 Bicentennial National Trail Georges Creek Brian Taylor Plaque The Bicentennial National Trail (BNT), formerly known as the National Horse Trail [1] is the longest marked multi-use trail in the world, stretching 5,330 kilometres from Cooktown, through New South Wales to Healesville, 60 km north-east of Melbourne. This trail runs the length of the rugged Great Dividing Range through national parks, private property and alongside of wilderness areas. The BNT trail follows old coach roads, stock routes, brumby tracks, rivers and fire trails. It was originally intended for horses, but is these days promoted also for cycling and walking. However is not yet entirely suited to these two activities. [2] History The trail was initiated and planned by the Australian Trail Horse Riders Association. The association spent many years planning and negotiating a route that linked up the mustering, brumby tracks, pack horse trails, historic coach roads and stock routes, thus providing an opportunity to legally ride the routes of stockmen and drovers who once travelled these areas. [3] Trail Marker The development of this image was left to a committee led by R. M. Williams. Dan Seymour was sponsored by R.M. Williams to find a route along the Great Dividing Range, and to promote enthusiasm for the proposal. Dan volunteered to ride the Trail and set off from Ferntree Gully, Victoria in February 1972 with two saddle horses, a packhorse and ‘Bluey’ his blue heeler cattle dog. The Australian Trail Horse Riders Association provided Dan with encouragement during this lengthy journey. His amazing twenty-one month ride finished in Cooktown, Queensland in September 1973. Dan’s journey, which was regularly reported, created increased interest in the formation of the Trail. The development of this image was left to a committee led by R. M. Williams and coordinated and planned by Brian Taylor [4] in cooperation with the Australian Trail Horse Riders Association affiliated clubs, farmers, landowners and government agencies.
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Bicentennial National Trail 1
Bicentennial National Trail
Georges Creek
Brian Taylor Plaque
The Bicentennial National Trail (BNT), formerlyknown as the National Horse Trail[1] is thelongest marked multi-use trail in the world,stretching 5,330 kilometres from Cooktown,through New South Wales to Healesville, 60 kmnorth-east of Melbourne. This trail runs the lengthof the rugged Great Dividing Range throughnational parks, private property and alongside ofwilderness areas. The BNT trail follows old coachroads, stock routes, brumby tracks, rivers and firetrails. It was originally intended for horses, but isthese days promoted also for cycling and walking.However is not yet entirely suited to these twoactivities.[2]
History
The trail was initiated and planned by theAustralian Trail Horse Riders Association. Theassociation spent many years planning andnegotiating a route that linked up the mustering,brumby tracks, pack horse trails, historic coachroads and stock routes, thus providing anopportunity to legally ride the routes of stockmenand drovers who once travelled these areas.[3]
Trail Marker
The development of this image was left to a committee led by R. M.Williams. Dan Seymour was sponsored by R.M. Williams to find aroute along the Great Dividing Range, and to promote enthusiasm forthe proposal. Dan volunteered to ride the Trail and set off fromFerntree Gully, Victoria in February 1972 with two saddle horses, apackhorse and ‘Bluey’ his blue heeler cattle dog. The Australian TrailHorse Riders Association provided Dan with encouragement duringthis lengthy journey. His amazing twenty-one month ride finished inCooktown, Queensland in September 1973. Dan’s journey, which wasregularly reported, created increased interest in the formation of theTrail.
The development of this image was left to a committee led by R. M.Williams and coordinated and planned by Brian Taylor [4] in cooperation with the Australian Trail Horse RidersAssociation affiliated clubs, farmers, landowners and government agencies.
Bicentennial National Trail 2
Medallion presented to those who carried the firstmail on the BNT
In 1978 the first mail was carried along the route, initially known asthe National Horse Trail, from Cooktown by a group of registeredriders. These riders were acknowledged with a commemorativemedallion.The Trail committee proposed that the concept be made a project tocelebrate Australia’s Bicentenary in 1988. The suggestion wasaccepted, and funding of $300,000 was available to research, mark aroute and print guidebooks. In November 1988, this had beenaccomplished and the Bicentennial National Trail was opened. Theoffice in Toowoomba has now closed and the Bicentennial NationalTrail is run from a mobile office, currently in Oberon, New SouthWales. Since the opening of the trail people have travelled all or a partof the trail with camels and donkeys as well as with horses andmountain bikes.
Bicentennial National Trail Riders From Cooktown to Healesville 5330 km & From Healesville to Cooktown5330 km
1989• Ken Roberts and Sharon Muir Watson (south with Horses Cooktown to Healesville)The first horse riders North to
South.1991• Arlene Christopherson, (north with horses Healesville to Cooktown) The first horse rider South to North.• Anthony Mair and Melissa Weeks, (heading north with horses from Healsville to Cooktowwn)1994• Gabrielle Schenk (south with horses Cooktown to Healesville)1995• Darryl(Doc) Eckley and Robyn Surry Healesville to Cooktown1997• Peter Spotswood (Cooktown To Healesville with horses)1999• Geoff Daniel (Healesville to Cooktown with horses)• Ed and Maria Van Zelderen. ( Cooktown to Healsevllle to Cooktown with horses 10000 km) The first Riders both
directions.2000• Urs Marquardt and Karin Heitzmann, (Cooktown to Healesville on Horses)• Dyane Sabourin and Geoft Grundy with daughter Angela and Serena Cooktown to Healesville with horses)2003• Therese Hanna ( Healesville To Cooktown with horses)
Bicentennial National Trail 3
The Trail
In the rainforest with packhorses The Creb track
Remote Kunderang Brook where the BNTfollows the brook from the Macleay River in
Oxley Wild Rivers NP.
This Trail links eighteen of Australia's national parks and more than 50state forest providing access to some of the wildest, most remotecountry in the world. [5] The Bicentennial National Trail is suitable forself-reliant horse riders, walkers and mountain bike riders. Parts of theTrail, such as some of the Jenolan Caves to Kosciuszko section, aresuitable for horse drawn vehicles.[5] Most of the trail route is not opento motorised vehicles or trail bikes, and pets or dogs are not permitted.The trail is divided into 12 sections, of 400 to 500 kilometres, eachwith a corresponding guide book.
1. Cooktown to Gunnawarra; the trail passes through rain forest, goldfields and historical tin mining towns.
2. Gunnawarra to Collinsville, through the grazing country of far northQueensland.
3. Collinsville to Kabra4. Kabra to Biggenden5. Biggenden to Blackbutt6. Blackbutt, Queensland to the New South Wales border at Cullendore7. Killarney to Ebor; this is a rugged remote section that follows theGuy Fawkes River through Guy Fawkes River National Park[6] andacross Waterfall Way.
8. Ebor to Barrington Tops, is another rugged remote section thatpasses through Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. After passing Eborthe trail crosses the Point Lookout Road before it passes brieflythrough Cunnawarra National Park. It then runs on the east of GeorgesRiver until it crosses the Armidale to Kempsey road. The track is mostly unmarked as it follows the Macleay Riverpast the historic East Kunderang homestead in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. Following Kunderang Brook itwinds its way to mustering huts at Left Hand Hut, the remote Middle Yards Hut, Youdale’s Hut and to Cedar Creekon the edge of Werrikimbe National Park. After crossing the Oxley Highway the trail passes through the MummelGulf National Park. This section takes at least five days to travel and all food and equipment has to be carried. Thereare numerous creek and river crossings, with some steep ascents and descents.
9. Barrington Tops to Jenolan Caves10. Jenolan Caves to Kosciuszko
The start in Cooktown
11. Mt Kosciuszko to Omeo, including the Tom Groggin Track12. Omeo to Healesville, near Melbourne
National Mail Relay Ride
Alan Rideout handing the National Mail Relay Ride saddlebags toBrian Taylor at Callide, having just completed a 108 kilometres for theday from Mt Morgan (1978). Allan Rideout features in the story 'OneOf A Few'.
Bicentennial National Trail 4
References[1] Bicentennial National Trail (http:/ / www. nationaltrail. com. au/ ) Retrieved 2009-10-10[2] http:/ / www. john. chapman. name/ bicent. html[3] "Bushwalking the Bicentennial National Trail" (http:/ / www. john. chapman. name/ bicent. html). . Retrieved 2008-04-10.[4] http:/ / www. aswagofmemories. com/ aboutauthor/ trail[5] The Bicentennial National Trail, Welcome to One of the World's Great Natural Adventures[6] NSW WILDERNESS (http:/ / www. colongwilderness. org. au/ RedIndex/ NSW/ guy2. htm) Retrieved on 8 December 2008
External links• Bicentennial National Trail Guidebooks (http:/ / home. vicnet. net. au/ ~bnt/ guides. htm)• The Long Riders Guild (http:/ / www. thelongridersguild. com/ )• Trans Canade Trail (http:/ / www. tctrail. ca/ contactus. php)• John Chapman on The Bicentennial National Trail (http:/ / www. john. chapman. name/ bicent. html)• Mountain Bikes on the BNT (http:/ / www. nationaltrail. com. au/ bikes. html)
Article Sources and Contributors 5
Article Sources and ContributorsBicentennial National Trail Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=416275162 Contributors: Cgoodwin, Crusoe8181, Dana boomer, Downsize43, IamCanadianEh, JaGa,JustAGal, Kathleen.wright5, Longhair, Mhockey, Shiftchange, Stevage, Thelongyard, 12 anonymous edits
Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsImage:Georges Creek.N.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Georges_Creek.N.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: ThelongyardImage:Brian Tayler Plaque.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Brian_Tayler_Plaque.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: ThelongyardImage:National Horse Trail Marker.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:National_Horse_Trail_Marker.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors:ThelongyardImage:BNT medallion.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:BNT_medallion.JPG License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: User:CgoodwinImage:In the rainforest with packhorses.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:In_the_rainforest_with_packhorses.JPG License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: Neurolysis, ThelongyardImage:Kunderang Brook.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Kunderang_Brook.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:User:CgoodwinImage:Ed in Cooktown.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Ed_in_Cooktown.JPG License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: Thelongyard
LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unportedhttp:/ / creativecommons. org/ licenses/ by-sa/ 3. 0/
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