Walking tracks

This is one of my favorite walks in the forest, it has a number of unusual historical features and the creek maintains a couple of areas of standing water in dry times which means there is a good chance of interesting and varied wildlife. I believe it follows an old aboriginal pathway through the forest and an old map marks it as a way from Breelong to Mudgee.

Ranters Track is an old windy logging road roughly following Ranters Creek westward from where it crosses the Western Boundary Trail. The track heads east for about 2 1/2kms before crossing Cashells Trail before petering out about a km from Cashells. The western portion between Western Boundary and Cashells is fairly clear and walkable. The eastern portion is much more overgrown and faint in parts. 

It is one of the best birdwatching and walking tracks in the forest, several uncommon birds having been seen here regularly including Turquoise Parrots and Brown Honeyeaters. Other rarely sighted birds include Glossy Black cockatoos and Olive-backed Orioles. Areas closest to Western Boundary and where the trail crosses Cashells are reliable but anywhere along the track can be fruitful during Spring and Summer.

It is a little more difficult to access than some of the other tracks included here requiring about 12km drive along the dirt Western Boundary Trail, but this trail is generally well maintained. Just pass the Ranters Creek crossing there is an obvious large open area on the right where you can park and begin your walk. The creek is reedy here and there are some large waterholes which contain water for extended periods of time. Superb Kingfishers can sometimes be seen here and there are some large Box gums including a spectacular specimen right at the entrance to the track. This is a recognised Indigenous occupation site with several scarred trees in the vicinity. Occupation sites have been identified all along the track. On the left at the entrance is a large and unusual shallow depression which holds some water after rain but not for long.

Along the track there is a thick undergrowth of small to medium shrubs and a mixture of Box, Ironbark and Red Gum patches. About 250m along you will notice an unusual low wall of stones along the right side of the track. These stones do not seem to be natural to the immediate area and were probably bought in to act as a reserve for an old ford crossing a side creek further down the track.

After crossing Cashells you enter the eastern section of the track which is significantly more overgrown than the western section and eventually degenerates into a single path. This is an interesting part of the track and it is here that Turquoise Parrots and Brown Honeyeaters have been seen regularly. There are some very large Ironbark trees near the beginning of this section. The forest varies significantly along the track with several large open patches dominated by different gums interspersed with areas of dense undergrowth. There are parts where you need to walk through long grass and skirt fallen trees and muddy areas when wet. There is the remains of an old ford here where Lindseys Creek joins Ranters. Eventually the track runs into a patch of Acacia triptera about and cannot be followed.