Nunamara - Nabowla - Bridport

Fingerboard sign facing southbound traffic at the junction of Lisle Rd (C827) & Nook Rd, 4km south of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.

Introduced: 1980

Length: 51km

Northern Terminus: Bridport Main Rd (B82) & Bridport Back Rd (C827), 6km west of Bridport

Southern Terminus: Tasman Highway (A3) & Patersonia Rd (C827), Nunamara

Route taken: Patersonia Rd, Bessells Rd, Lisle Rd, Nabowla Rd, Bridport Back Rd

Focal Points: Nunamara, Patersonia, Nabowla, (Bridport)

Responsibility: Local Government (Patersonia Rd, part of Lisle Rd, Bridport Back Rd), Forestry Tasmania (Bessells Rd, part of Lisle Rd)

C827 is an interesting, minor north-south route north east of Launceston, linking Tasman Hwy (A3) at Nunamara with Golconda Rd (B81) at Nabowla and Bridport Main Rd (B82), west of Bridport. It is rarely used from end-to-end and signage changes in recent years have further discouraged its use by stranger drivers. Recent maps issued by TASMAPS have actually, incorrectly, shown the route south of Nabowla as C854.

The route is essentially split into three distinct sections, from south to north. The southernmost 14km, from Nunamara through the Patersonia Rivulet valley, is mostly sealed and serves fertile dairying country. Beyond the junction with Targa Hill Rd (C828), the route loses its sealed surface, narrows considerably and commences a steep and winding journey through the forests. Bessells Rd and Lisle Rd are used by logging trucks, who haul timber from the state forests to the Tasman Hwy (A3). Signage through the forests is practically non-existant and a stranger driver trying to navigate along this route would most likely get lost. Closer to Nabowla the route emerges from the forests into farmland before junctioning with Golconda Rd (B81) just north of Nabowla. A short section of sealed pavement is provided through Nabowla.

The intersection with Golconda Rd (B81) has fingerboard signs pointing north along Bridport Back Rd only. No signage points traffic into Nabowla or further south. Dorset Council has refused requests to erect signage pointing towards Nabowla which leads me to believe that the signage has been purposely removed to discourage stranger drivers from trying to use Lisle Road. North of Nabowla the route follows the unsealed Bridport Back Rd, passing through unremarkable country en route to terminating at Bridport Main Rd (B82).

Signage at Tasman Hwy (A3) originally referred to Patersonia and Nabowla however, during routine sign replacements along the highway, reference to Nabowla was omitted from the new signs. This was done intentionally so as not to encourage stranger drives from using the Lisle Rd. A similar approach was taken at Nabowla, where Dorset Council removed south-pointing fingerboard signs from the junction with Golconda Rd (B81).

Photos of route C827
	AD sign southbound on Tasman Highway (A3) approaching the junction with Patersonia Rd (C827) at Nunamara. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	AD sign northbound on Tasman Highway (A3) approaching the junction with Patersonia Rd (C827) at Nunamara. Source: Peter Renshaw, November 2007.
	A3 fingerboard signs at the junction of Tasman Highway (A3) and Patersonia Rd (C827), Nunamara. Source: Peter Renshaw, April 2007.
	C827 fingerboard sign at the intersection of Tasman Highway (A3) and Patersonia Rd (C827), Nunamara. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking south to the junction with Tasman Highway (A3) at Nunamara. Note the war memorial cairn on the left. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking north near the junction with Prossers Forest Rd (C824), 0.8km north of Tasman Highway (A3). Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Fingerboard sign assemblies at the junction of Patersonia Rd (C827) & Prossers Forest Rd (C824), 1.2km north of Tasman Highway (A3). Source: Peter Renshaw, April 2007.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking south, 600m north of Prossers Forest Rd (C824). Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking south at the bridge over Patersonia Rivulet, 3km north of Nunamara. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking north into the small village of Patersonia. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking south through Patersonia. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking north, north of Patersonia, with Mt Arthur as a backdrop. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Fingerboard sign assemblies at the junction of Patersonia Rd (C827) & Pecks Hill Rd (C829), 2km north of Patersonia. Top photo: Peter Renshaw, April 2007. Bottom photo: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking south across the intersection with Pecks Hill Rd (C829), 2km north of Patersonia. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking south approximately 750m north of the junction with Pecks Hill Rd (C829). Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Entering the forests - Patersonia Rd (C827) looking north approximately 1km north of Pecks Hill Rd (C829). Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	North of Pecks Hill Rd (C829), Patersonia Rd (C827) loses its sealed surface - this view is looking north approximately 500m from Targa Hill Rd (C828) with a short section of sealed road visible on the crest ahead. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking north at the unusual triangular junction with Targa Hill Rd (C828), 7km north of Patersonia. Source: Peter Renshaw, June 2007.
	Fingerboard sign assembly on the apex of the triangle at the junction of Patersonia Rd (C827) & Targa Hill Rd (C828). Note the unusual wooden sign which reads 'Lisle Road C827. Golconda Nabowla >' - it is a little premature as Lisle Road does not begin until deep within the forests. Source: Peter Renshaw, June 2007.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking south towards the junction with Targa Hill Rd (C828) at the top of the crest. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking north, 1km north of Targa Hill Rd (C828). Note the 'road narrows' warning sign in the background - a sign of things to come. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Patersonia Rd (C827) looking north to the junction with Bessells Rd (C827), 2km north of Targa Hill Rd (C828). This is the beginning of the rather 'interesting' 27 kilometre drive through the state forests to Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Fingerboard sign facing southbound traffic at the junction of Patersonia Rd (C827) and Bessells Rd (C827), 27km south of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Fingerboard sign facing northbound traffic at the junction of Patersonia Rd (C827) & Bessells Rd (C827). Note the unusual sign restricting truck movements along Bessells and Lisle Roads. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Close-up of the unusual sign restricting trucks from using Lisle and Bessells Roads during certain periods. Launceston City Council were unable to tell me why this sign had been installed, although did advise that because it is near illegible it would not be enforcable. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Bessells Rd (C827) looking east to the junction with Patersonia Rd (C827). Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Bessells Rd (C827) 2km north of Patersonia Rd (C827), amongst the pine plantations, showing a large pothole that has been filled in. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Bessells Rd (C827) looking north approximately 4km north of Patersonia Rd (C827) showing a very narrow carriageway and rough surface. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Dilapidated fingerboard sign at the intersection of Bessells Rd (C827) & Faulkners Rd, 16km south of Nabowla. Note that the sign actually does not face Faulkners Rd. This sign was removed in either late 2007 or early 2008. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Bessells Rd (C827) looking north crossing Bessells Ridge before descending to the 'Proclaimed Town of Lisle', which nowadays constitutes a handful of intersections and a creek crossing deep in the State Forests. Note the extremely stony road surface. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Bessells Rd (C827) looking north on the descent from Bessells Ridge towards Lisle, showing the poor surface and narrow formation. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Bessells Rd (C827) looking south at the bottom of the descent from Bessells Ridge, near the junction with Virginia Rd, with Mt Arthur as a backdrop. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Bessells Rd (C827) looking north to the junction with Virginia Rd at Lisle. Note the absence of fingerboard signs telling C827 traffic to turn right. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Makeshift wooden fingerboard sign without any reference to C827 at the junction of Bessells Rd (C827) & Virginia Rd, Lisle. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Bessells Rd (C827) looking south at the junction with Virgina Rd (to the right) showing the lack of direction signage to guide motorists. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Bessells Rd (C827) looking north across Bessells Creek at Lisle. The junction at the end of the straight marks the beginning of Lisle Rd. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	The junction of Bessells Rd (C827), Lisle Rd (C827), Old Lisle Rd & Watts Rd, just north of Bessells Creek, has no signposting to speak of so intrepid motorists must make an educated guess on which route to take. This view of Lisle Rd (C827) north from the junction doesn't exactly inspire confidence that you've chosen the correct route! Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking south as it descends to the Lisle valley alongside Lisle Creek. Note the extremely narrow carriageway but better surface condition. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking south at another unsigned junction, this time near Fiona's Picnic Ground (Peter thinks Fiona must have had a real need for solitude if she was picnicking out here!), 3km north of Lisle. Lisle Rd (C827) goes to the left, despite the wheel tracks suggesting most traffic is to/from the right. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking south north of Fiona's Picnic Ground showing the crappy surface and poor alignment. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	1km north of Fiona's Picnic Ground, Lisle Rd (C827) emerges from the State Forest into beautiful agricultural country, 7.5km south of Nabowla. This view is looking south towards the State Forests, showing the deplorable condition of the pavement. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking south with state forest on the left and dairying country on the right. Note the very stony surface. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Close up of the stony pavement, looking north from near the same spot as the above photo, 7km south of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	S-bend 1.2km south of Nook Rd, showing widening on the inside of the curve but no clear indication of which line to take. The road gets significantly better from here for northbound traffic, however this is a warning of what's to come for southbound traffic! Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	An attractive avenue - looking south on Lisle Rd (C827), 1km south of Nook Rd. Bottom: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking north to the junction with Nook Rd, 4km south of Nabowla. Fingerboard signage marks the left turn at Nook Rd - this is the first signs since leaving Patersonia Rd 17km to the south. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Fingerboard signs at the junction of Lisle Rd (C827) & Nook Rd, 4km south of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking south from Furlongs Rd to the bridge over Little Forester River, 3.5km south of Nabowla. Note the significant improvement in the surface quality since we left the state forest. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking south across Valentine Creek, 2.8km south of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking south across the Little Forester River valley, 2.1km south of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking south from near the end of the sealed surface at Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking north into Nabowla. Note the speed restriction sign - rather ironic given that most motorists would have been lucky to average 40km/h for the past 20 kilometres! Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking south at the southern outskirts of Nabowla. Note the 100km/h sign! Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking north through the once thriving village of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking south through the once thriving village of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Lisle Rd (C827) looking south from the junction with Nabowla Rd (C827) at Nabowla. Note the level crossing of the currently disused North East Railway. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Fingerboard sign facing southbound traffic at the junction of Nabowla Rd (C827) & Lisle Rd (C827) at Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Fingerboard sign facing northbound traffic at the junction of Nabowla Rd (C827) & Lisle Rd (C827) at Nabowla. Note the absence of focal destinations on the sign. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Nabowla Rd (C827) looking southwest towards the junction with Lisle Rd (C827) at Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Fingerboard sign assemblies at the junction of Golconda Rd (B81), Nabowla Rd (C827) & Bridport Back Rd (C827) at Nabowla. Note the warning of log trucks and a rough surface on Bridport Back Rd which is in a much better condition than the route south of Nabowla. Also note the absence of any C827 fingerboards pointing south. Representations have been made to Dorset Council to provide a C827 fingerboard but a satisfactory response has not yet been received. Top photo : Peter Renshaw, July 2007. Bottom photo: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Golconda Rd (B81) looking east to the junction with Bridport Back Rd (C827) & Nabowla Rd (C827) showing the absence of any fingerboard signs pointing traffic south along C827. Source: Peter Renshaw, July 2007.
	Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking south 1km north of Nabowla, showing a recently cleared forestry plantation. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking north to the junction with Fullbrooks Rd, 3km north of Nabowla. Fullbrooks Rd is a dead-end, so I wonder why there is a south-pointing fingerboard at this junction. It is possible that the sign has been relocated following a reconstruction and realignment of the intersection. Given the lack of a focal destination, it may have originally pointed northwards. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Close-up view of the fingerboard sign at the junction of Bridport Back Rd (C827) & Fullbrooks Rd, 3km north of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking south near Erics Rd, 4.5km north of Nabowla, with Blumont in the distance. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking north as it crosses a branch of the Little Forester River, 5km north of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking south on the descent to the bridge in the above photo, 5km north of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking south with Blumont in the distance, 5.5km north of Nabowla. The next 6km or so are pretty nondescript as the route meanders through forestry land. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking south through a burnt-out section of forestry plantation, approximately 7km north of Nabowla. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	The start of the descent from the plateau to the coastal plain - Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking north, 10km north of Nabowla (5km south of Bridport Main Rd). Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking north, 4km south of Bridport Main Rd (B82), showing a large dam on the Bowood property. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking south, 3km north of Bridport Main Rd (B82), with Blumont in the distance. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking south across the Bowood property, 200m south of Bridport Main Rd (B82). Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Bridport Back Rd (C827) looking north to the junction with Bridport Main Rd (B82), 6km west of Bridport. Source: Peter Renshaw, September 2007.
	Fingerboard sign assembly at the intersection of Bridport Main Rd (B82) & Bridport Back Rd (C827), 6km west of Bridport. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.
	AD sign westbound on Bridport Main Rd (B82) approaching the junction with Bridport Back Rd (C827), 6km west of Bridport. Source: Peter Renshaw, March 2008.