Damn Prospect Dam

[tez001]

Poseur, lol

Yes that is the sight I saw I didn't want to ruin the pose by coming over lol

[QuangVuong]

The dirt and dried mud on the Reconcillation side has been broken up, and moved to the side of the path. Looks fairly new, so I'd imagine someone will remove the lot soon.

Also, there is a random tree on the path near Chandos Rd. I can't recall or see any signs of it breaking, so I think someone dumped it there.


There are about a million other fallen trees on the Orphan Creek path too.

[Hergest]

I did pretty much the same loop this morning and whatever storm went through that area during the week it was a big one with so many trees down. I reckon that one in the photo just got blown out of an adjacent paddock as there's no way you could drag it through the bollards at the path entrance to dump it.

The walkers around Canley Vale were out in force this morning so it was a gentle, slow Sunday morning

[g-boaf]

That would have been the Wednesday afternoon storm, Hergest. Yes, it was extremely severe. About the worse I've ever seen in a long long time. The clouds were so black, just for starters.

I went along Chandos Road this morning, so I don't go the way of that path photographed above. I'd guess a lot of T-way cycling traffic has now stopped completely.

The aforementioned dirt on the entrance to the Prospect dam cycleway looks like it will be gone soon, it is nicely cleared out of the way.

[Hergest]

That dirt is still there so i suspect it might have been a well meaning cyclist or two who drove up there with a couple of spades and broke up the dirt and moved it to the edge. It is starting to encroach onto the path again and a heavy downpour would no doubt have it all over the shop. I don't know who to contact regarding it as i have absolutely no idea whose responsibility the path is there, Holroyd or Blacktown council or Sydney Water or RTA.

[pakula]

I did this tiny section today, and sure it's great that it's opened, but why do they bother locking it overnight?
It seems like there are plenty of Barbed wire fences all the way along it?

[Bunged Knee]

Hi all, long time lurker and my 1st post.
Thanks to all for info of it and I did ride up to check it out last Friday. Agreed with it.

That dirt is still there so i suspect it might have been a well meaning cyclist or two who drove up there with a couple of spades and broke up the dirt and moved it to the edge. It is starting to encroach onto the path again and a heavy downpour would no doubt have it all over the shop. I don't know who to contact regarding it as i have absolutely no idea whose responsibility the path is there, Holroyd or Blacktown council or Sydney Water or RTA.

Had sent a complaint about it to Bikeinfo report the hazard form last week and received a reply from RMS that it had cc`d my message to Blacktown Council today. Still awaiting reply from Blacktown Council soon. So it is Blacktown council responsibility.

Hoping that they will remove the dried mud soon.
Cheers,
Bunged Knee

[tez001]

Gates at the Chandos end closed today when I went through around 10ish

[isabella24]

Gates at the Chandos end closed today when I went through around 10ish

I went through Reconciliation rd around 10ish too and they were most certainly closed.

[QuangVuong]

Hi all, long time lurker and my 1st post.
Thanks to all for info of it and I did ride up to check it out last Friday. Agreed with it.

That dirt is still there so i suspect it might have been a well meaning cyclist or two who drove up there with a couple of spades and broke up the dirt and moved it to the edge. It is starting to encroach onto the path again and a heavy downpour would no doubt have it all over the shop. I don't know who to contact regarding it as i have absolutely no idea whose responsibility the path is there, Holroyd or Blacktown council or Sydney Water or RTA.

Had sent a complaint about it to Bikeinfo report the hazard form last week and received a reply from RMS that it had cc`d my message to Blacktown Council today. Still awaiting reply from Blacktown Council soon. So it is Blacktown council responsibility.

Hoping that they will remove the dried mud soon.
Cheers,
Bunged Knee

When I went through on the 3rd, all the dirt was cleared away. Good thing too, as it was half raining that day. The blocks probably would've flowed right back over the path.

[RobboMC]

My work is moving to Cowpasture Rd and I first thought "Oh great" I can ride home through the Reserviour,
which was quickly followed by " Oh no I won't, the damn gates will be locked at 4.30pm or some silly time through winter.

In April 5.30 pm is such a lovely time to be riding home through the twilight.

IMO the best way around the locked gates to the M7 is:

Turn left at Reconciliation Road, over the T-WAY, then make a right at Davis Road, take the bike path along the T-Way up to Victoria Street,
cross at these lights and then right for a bit, then left through the park following the path to Horsely Drive. Cross at the lights, turn right and join the cycle path westwards. This goes to Cowpasture Road, then through Lizard Log picnic ground ( Western Sydney regional park ) Cross the canal bridge ( surface is cinders !!!! Extreme caution here )
then turn right back to Horsely Drive. At the lights ( do not cross here ) turn left up the hill and follow the path to the next set of lights.
Cross here and continue westwards to the M7.

A few sets of traffic lights but bike path ALL the way. ( However the Cowpasture Rd crossing is without traffic lights ) (Hmm I must complain about this )
For me, Chandos Road is too narrow and dangerous during the week.

[RobboMC]

Going to do some more pushing of Fairfield council to get the missing bit of path in between Cowpasture road along Horsley Drive to meet up with the existing Parklands track that we use.
I did see a heck of a lot of bikes along the T-Way this morning and even more slowly grinding away up the Elizabeth Drive climb to the M7. Did that many really previously use the path alongside Horsley Drive (the one you used, Hergest)?

Would be great to see a cycleway up the Horsley Drive from Cowpasture Rd to the traffic lights, so please keep pushin'

In the meantime, there is a safer and only slightly longer route through the Lizard Log playground area, as shown in
my old commute Yagoona to Eastern Creek
It uses a bridge across the water canal that's usually open - downside is that it's gravel surfaced, and you've got
about 20 m or so of grass to cover to get to it, and Lizard Log is locked up overnight (open around 7:30 am IIRC, closed
around 5:30). So not brilliant in wet weather or out of hours.

It has been my experience that Lizard Log is never closed. also IIRC that short bit of grass near the bridge now has some concrete on it after years of complaints.
There is a narrow pedestrian access beside the main gate that does not have a gate.
I will check next time I'm through there but I have been through there quite late at night, like 8pm ish. Maybe I was just lucky.

You can also turn left from the car park and go the long way around the hill to the bridge. The climb is less severe and it's easier to follow, but longer.
It is dark through the park, but isn't that part of the pleasure?

[g-boaf]

Revisiting a thoroughly old topic - my efforts to push the council as quoted above were unsuccessful. It went to someone in RMS and then no further.

I agree with the thoughts on Chandos Road and Trivett Street, both are really bad. I've been using them frequently recently and have had one or two close calls with drivers. I don't know who to push to get a shared pathway put along side it, or even if it is worth trying.

[Bunged Knee]

Got an email today from Blacktown City Council.
Mr Bunged Knee,

I must advise that Blacktown City Council is only responsible for a short section of Reconciliation Rd at northern end,near intersection Reservation Rd is in fact within Holroyd LGA.

A recent site inspection revealed no hazards in the vicinity of "our" section of Reconciliation Rd.


If you are aware that the perceived hazard still remains, I suggest you report the matter directly to Holroyd City Council (hcc[at]holroyd.nsw.gov.au) for it`s action, providing more specific detail regarding the location of the subject problem.

Regards,

David Hayes

Engineer Civil Maintenance

Blactown City Council
Tel: 9839 6000


So it is Holroyd Council that I`m disappointed with my past complaints of the Liverpool rail trail cycleway due to vegetation overgrowth at Yennora. Holroyd CC never had it cleared but only RMS who had done 3 times when I put my complaints to Bike info.

So whoever had cleared the dried dirt is unknown. Possibility by HCC.

[QuangVuong]

Also, a bit further up the path, I find that there's two pavement joints which have raised up, which will definitely cause a pinch flat if you aren't prepared.

Looks like the raised sections have been dealt with. Asphalt was used to smooth out the gaps in both sides, as well as a whole section around one of the drain covers a bit further in.

I don't know who did it, nor who put notified whoever about it, but it's good that we can just ride over it without the need to jump over or slow down.

[tez001]

Looks like the raised sections have been dealt with. Asphalt was used to smooth out the gaps in both sides, as well as a whole section around one of the drain covers a bit further in.

I don't know who did it, nor who put notified whoever about it, but it's good that we can just ride over it without the need to jump over or slow down.

It appeared that was done last Sat or thereabouts. When I went through on Sat the asphalt was still reasonably fresh and was sticking to my types as I went over it

[Hergest]

The gates were closed this morning, frustratingly the first couple of sets of gates coming from Reconciliation Road were open but the one at the very bottom of the dam was shut. A couple of walkers and a good dozen or more cyclists had to turn back. It appears that the water board do not open the gates on public holidays as they were shut last on Easter Sunday but they don't let anyone know about it until you've planned a ride, ridden halfway and had to turn around.

[g-boaf]

The gates were closed this morning, frustratingly the first couple of sets of gates coming from Reconciliation Road were open but the one at the very bottom of the dam was shut. A couple of walkers and a good dozen or more cyclists had to turn back. It appears that the water board do not open the gates on public holidays as they were shut last on Easter Sunday but they don't let anyone know about it until you've planned a ride, ridden halfway and had to turn around.

Do as I did, ride up Reconciliation Road, left at Reservoir Road and then take Peter Brock Drive, then eventually get back to Ferrers Road. On that note, I had no idea there was a shared pathway all the way up to the water park. Just a shame it goes little further than that, so you are forced back onto lumpy, bumpy old Reservoir Road.

[Hergest]

The gates were closed this morning, frustratingly the first couple of sets of gates coming from Reconciliation Road were open but the one at the very bottom of the dam was shut. A couple of walkers and a good dozen or more cyclists had to turn back. It appears that the water board do not open the gates on public holidays as they were shut last on Easter Sunday but they don't let anyone know about it until you've planned a ride, ridden halfway and had to turn around.

Do as I did, ride up Reconciliation Road, left at Reservoir Road and then take Peter Brock Drive, then eventually get back to Ferrers Road. On that note, I had no idea there was a shared pathway all the way up to the water park. Just a shame it goes little further than that, so you are forced back onto lumpy, bumpy old Reservoir Road.

I was riding with Emma on her recumbent trike so taking the back roads even on a quiet day isn't an option. If I was on my own I would have gone another way.

I agree that a path all the way along Reservoir Road would be good. I imagine that whole area will be developed at some point which might mean a path extension.

[tez001]

Think I passed you along the Greystanes canal heading west this morning. Can't be too many ppl out on recumbents along there

[Hergest]

Think I passed you along the Greystanes canal heading west this morning. Can't be too many ppl out on recumbents along there

Yep, that would have been us. I follow a metre behind Emma in her wake.

I had a look at Flybys on Strava and there were about a dozen riders who tried to get through the dam while we were about. One adventurous chap got through and you can see that he stops at either end for a minute or so, so I reckon he must have climbed over or under the fence.

[Hergest]

The bloody Western gate was shut this morning at 7-50 when it should have been opened at 7 a.m. I assume the other end at Reconciliation was shut too. Long weekends and Sundays are a dead loss since the dam reopened with the slack security not being bothered to turn up and do their job.

[tez001]

I went to the western gate at 930 and it was still shut as well

[g-boaf]

Annoying isn't it. I also got caught by that.

Ended up using T-way and then going through Elizabeth Hills.

[Xplora]

Put the complaint in, and send them the link to Strava Flybys to show its not just you being mucked around. 15 minutes, that's a mistake but an hour is ridiculous especially considering there is no alternative off road path to the south.