CHASING HISTORY

Cut by hand in 1893 to open up Western Australia's remote goldfields, the Holland Track is now a rich blend of bush heritage, big skies and off-road adventure – and the perfect way to step back into a forgotten chapter of outback history

- WORDS AND PHOTOS KEV SMITH

The Holland Track, out in Western Australia's eastern goldfields, had been on my bucket list for years - and it didn't disappoint.

Following in the footsteps of the legendary John Holland, we traced what's claimed to be the longest single cart track ever cut in WA. Originally carved to open up the goldfields, it slashed weeks off the journey for miners, families and traders heading inland in search of fortune.

Around 1890, waves of hopeful prospectors were landing in Fremantle and Albany by steamship, all chasing the riches of WA's booming goldfields. From seasoned miners to shopkeepers and families, they headed north on foot, pushing barrows or hauling carts. The push for a direct supply route soon followed - a way for local producers and traders to get goods to the goldfields faster.

Several earlier attempts to forge a route failed - one rider vanished without a trace, another party veered miles off course, and others were forced back by the brutal summer heat. Then, in 1893, a 37-year-old bushman named John Holland stepped up.

Holland didn't just want to find a route - he wanted to open it immediately for carts and carriages. With his two brothers and another young companion, Holland set out after summer and, remarkably, cut the entire 500km track in just two months and four days - all without government support. Along the way, they passed rock mounds and granite holes, carving a path past water soaks that would become lifelines for those who followed.