Campers, start your engines: Final amenities block on the Bridle Track completed

Four-wheel drive enthusiasts, bushwalkers, fishers and campers will now be able to enjoy the historic Bridle Track between Bathurst and Hill End to its fullest and in greater comfort after the NSW Government completed the last of a series of recent improvements to the site.

A final upgrade has seen the $139,000 installation of two unisex toilets and a rainwater tank at the Root Hog Reserve, which is one of twelve Crown land reserves along the track. 

Previously, this section of the Bridle Track did not have amenities. To access toilets, visitors had to cross a river. This made it difficult for anyone who did not have immediate access to a four-wheel drive and limited the reserve’s use as a recreation spot. 

Visitors will now be able to enjoy everything Root Hog Reserve has to offer, including swimming, fishing, camping and convenient ‘pit-stop’ facilities whether you are passing through or staying overnight. 

Crown Lands has now completed $415,000 worth of improvements at the various recreation reserves along the track. Previous enhancements have included repairing and shaping access roads, fixing uneven surfaces, stabilising erosion, drainage work, cable fencing to control vehicle access in sensitive areas, new signage, and rainwater tanks for five other toilets on other reserves along the track. 

The Bridle Track was established between Bathurst and Hill End in the mid-1800s as a horse route and transport corridor for punters who were looking to find gold in the area.

The track gradually grew into a popular recreational spot due to the area’s rugged beauty and historical significance. The upgrades will improve recreational access, the visitor experience and help prevent environmental damage to the adjoining land. 

Crown Lands’ completion of upgrade work follows the historic track’s reopening in February, after repairs to fix a landslide that required the track’s closure at Monaghan’s Bluff. 

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said: 

“The construction of unisex toilets at the Root Hog Reserve represents the final significant upgrade to the historic Bridle Track. Intrepid four-wheel drivers and campers can now stay at any of the designated campsites along the route knowing they have easy access to amenities.” 

“The track is now fully open ensuring holiday-goers can enjoy the great outdoors along the gorgeous 50-kilometre route while providing a welcome boost to local tourism in the area.”