Conservation Volunteers Australia Newcastle team leader Steve Travers, left, puts in some shovel work to guide Anthony Sanders, of London, Forests NSW community programs forester Andrew Ford, Young hoon Lim of Korea and Julien Crochard of France.

It seems incredible  to think that timber from a largely hidden State forest on the lower north  coast of New South Wales has played a part in a far wider history of Australia.

But it has. Timber from Wang Wauk State Forest, near Bulahdelah, made  its way into the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and even further  afield into the Melbourne docks, where the turpentine and tallowwood was much  favoured for its worm and rot resistance.

  Now the humble railway that was constructed to extract the timber is  itself a piece of history.

The Wootton Railway was in use between 1890 and 1944, and included many  large timber bridges to traverse the difficult terrain. Parts of the railway  line are still intact.

The Wootton Historical Railway Walk is a 6km walking track that follows  the railway into the heart of Wang Wauk State Forest. The local tourist  attraction aims to increase the awareness of these important historical  artefacts.

To preserve it, Forests NSW has partnered with Conservation Volunteers  Australia and the Wootton Community Network to help with track maintenance and  clearing of exotic vegetation.

  “The volunteer teams engaged in this restoration camp nearby overnight  and spend the day in the forest,” said community relations forester, Andrew  Ford.

“The walk starts off at Sam’s Camp Picnic Area and follows the remnants  of the old logging railway bridges and cuttings, passing by waterfalls and  creeks, through rainforest gullies and regrowth flooded gum forest.”

  The walk is classed as medium difficulty, takes three hours one way and  is suitable for people with an average level of fitness, but it does contain  some steep grades.

For  more information on volunteering programs like this visit  www.conservationvolunteers.com.au or freecall Ph: 1600 032 501.

This article appears in the Winter 2008 edition of Bush Telegraph Magazine.