Whats this Tunnel then….. Willow Court the plot thickens

On a lazy Saturday afternoon spent down in Dover, one of my wife’s friends came down for a visit. My wife’s friend brought her partner (let’s call him John) along with her and we sat down in front of the fire and had a cuppa and just relaxed.

John has lived on the mainland for most of his life but lived in the North of the State for several years, moved back to the mainland and recently moved back down in Hobart.

I got talking to John.  Knowing that we are from New Norfolk he told me he was working there, on the Old Banjo’s site removing the old concrete slab.

I told him that I was familiar with the site and what was planned for there.

He told me that because the old Harris Scarfe site had asbestos they had to assume that the slab could have some traces so they had to inform the neighbouring businesses. He told me he was talking to a neighbour and they said to be careful digging up the bottom right hand corner of the slab because there is a tunnel down there that could fit a few man down.

At this point John has no idea of my involvement in Willow Court/ Tunnel and the can of worms he was about to dig up (pardon the pun).

I began quizzing him on what he knew and saw.

He stated that he seen the tunnel once they carefully removed the slab. He told me the bottom of the tunnel was about 6 metres below the surface; it was big enough to walk in and seemed to be carved out of the earth. He told me there were some more modern pipes in the tunnel. He said the tunnel appeared to go off on angle towards Burnett St.

I showed him the Willow Court Tunnel video and he said it looks something similar to the below photo.

He told me he had orders to fill in the entrance to the tunnel once the slab and works were completed.

At this point I was amazed and in disbelief. I was thinking what is the tunnel, Does to connect with the drain, why is it there, what’s its purpose, why haven’t we heard about it, could there be others???

I also began to think, why are they covering it up? I began to think of the partnership with Flinders University Archaeology Unit, wouldn’t they like to explore or study this tunnel.

I don’t have any answers to this tunnel, but it raises a lot of questions. Hopefully someone is able to clear things up.

Whats your thoughts?