Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Pierce Hill

General Information

Grading: medium
Distance:  14.25 kilometers
Total climb:  675 meters
Time taken:  4 hours 45 minutes
Map:  Cotter Dam 8627-2N, 1:25 000, Tidbinbilla 8627-2S, 1:25 000
Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  31 kilometers
Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 73871 83758
Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 72654 80387
End point:  same as start

Route

 

Description

This walk commenced at the locked gate on the Tidbinbilla Range Road at map reference 55H FA 73871 80387. Proceeding past the gate, we walked along the road to Pierce Hill, slightly off the road to the left. Some nice views along the way.

 

 

Continuing past Pierce Trig to the south we came to a track on the left (map ref. 55H FA 72775 79977) that leads down a ridge towards Oakey Creek. This is quite steep and treacherous initially.

 

 

The track winds through some very nice bushland looking back towards Pierce Hill before entering Pierces Creek Pine Forest.

 

 

We followed forestry trails back to our starting point.

Namadgi National Park: Booroomba Rocks, Blue Gum Creek and Bushfold Flats

General Information

 

Grading:  hard 

Distance: 14.9 kilometers 

Total climb: 606 meters 

Time taken: 7 hours 45 minutes

Maps: Corin Dam 8626-1N 1:25 000, Williamsdale 8726-4N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  56 kilometers 

Start/end point map grid reference:  55H FA 80550 62138 

End Point:  Same as start

 

Route

  

Description

This walk was led by the Brindabella Bushwalking Club. I joined the walk as a guest.

The walk commenced at the Booroomba Rocks carpark and we quickly walked up the track from there to Booroomba Rocks itself. From there we could look down Blue Gum Creek and the route we were to follow.

 

After taking in the views we went off-track along the ridge to the northeast and descended to the unnamed creek at around map reference 55H FA 81508 63972. This was quite a steep and rocky section of the walk.

Finishing our descent we proceeded in a roughly northerly direction down to Blue Gum Creek, where we could look back at Booroomba Rocks from below.

 We stopped along the creek for lunch.

We followed Blue Gum Creek to the northeast, crossing the creek many times and rock-hopping to find the best path. After walking about 2.5 kilometers along the creek we came to a management trail that follows Georges Creek to the south. We followed this to Bushfold Flats, where we took the Australian Alps Walking Track back to our starting point.

Stony Creek Nature Reserve: Stony Creek to Murrumbidgee River

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   8.5 kilometers

Total climb:   297 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 35 minutes

Maps:   Canberra 8727-3N 1:25 000; Cotter Dam 8627-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   16.5 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 82107 92200

Destination map grid reference:     55H FA 79070 91611

End point:  Same as start

 

Route

 

Description

This walk started in Stromlo Forest just off Uriarra Road about 2.5km from the Coaldrake Avenue roundabout (see map reference above). We followed Coopers Fire Trail for about 2km until we reached some power lines. There is a fence here that divides Stromlo Forest from Stony Creek Nature Reserve, and a convenient wooden stile to cross over.

Entering Stony Creek Nature Reserve we made our way through open grassland towards Stony Creek itself.

 

Following the southern side of the Creek its sides became steeper until it ran through a rather nice rocky gorge.

 

We had vague ideas about following the Creek through the gorge, but the steep descent and obvious blackberry infestations turned us off the idea. We later found that there was also a waterfall (at that time dry) which we would have had to climb down.

 

 

Eventually we came to a fence which we were able to cross under where it passes over the Creek, and it was a short distance from there to a very peaceful stretch of the Murrumbidgee.

 

Making our way back to the fence, we climbed out of the Creek bed and headed towards the southern border of this part of the Reserve. We then followed the border fence, with some more views towards the Murrumbidgee, Stony Creek and beyond.

 

Making our way back to the stile we went back up Coopers Fire Trail, but took a detour up TSR Fire Trail (just for a bit of variety) and back to our starting point.

Ginninderry Conservation Corridor: New Track to the Murrumbidgee

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   8.9 kilometers

Total climb:   264 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 15 minutes

Maps:   Umburra 8627-1S 1:25 000

Ginninderry walking tracks information: https://www.ginninderry.org/corridor-walking-tracks

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   17 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 81450 99525

Destination map grid reference:   None

End point:  Same as start

 

Previous Similar Walks

23 November 2021, 22 May 2024, 28 May 2024, 16 June 2024

Route

Description

A new section of the Ginninderry Conservation Corridor walking track has recently been opened northwest of the swing bridges and down to the Murrumbidgee River. We decided to check this out.

Starting at The Link on McClymont Way we followed the pink trail up to Woodland Lookout and then down to the other side of the swing bridges where the new section of track begins (shown in dark blue on the Ginninderry walking trail map). We followed this up to Jahli's Lookout and then down to the river, where a nice swimming area has been designated.

We followed the blue track back to the pink track and then back to The Link by the usual route.

Yass Distrct: Mundoonen Nature Reserve South of the Hume Motorway

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:    15 kilometers

Total climb:    733 meters

Time taken:   4 hours 25 minutes

Maps:   Jerrawa 8728-3N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   65 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FB 87265 44055

Destination map grid reference:  none

End point:  Same as start

 

Previous Similar Walks

14 November 2020

Route

Description

This was very similar to the walk done in 2020 (link above).

 

Canberra Nature Park: Red Hill, Davidson Trig and Mt Mugga Nature Reserve

General Information

Grading: easy

Distance:   12 kilometers

Total climb:   428 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 50 minutes

Maps:   Canberra 8627-3N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   9.3 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 91054 87473

Destination map grid reference:  Red Hill 55H FA 92384 88494
                                                    Davidson Hill 55H FA 92290 87556

End point:  same as start

 

Route

Description

This walk was identical to the one completed on 25 June 2019 (link).

 

Yass District: Bango Nature Reserve

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:    9.9 kilometers

Total climb:    416 meters

Time taken:   3 hours 10 minutes

Maps:   Tangmangaroo 8628-1S 1:25 000 and Yass 8728-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   73 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FB 80613 54409

Destination map grid reference:  None

End point:  Same as start

 

Route

Description

The Bango Nature Reserve is about a 12 minutes drive north of Yass. It is accessible to the public only via a 250 meter frontage along Blakney Creek Road South. When travelling north from Yass look for a gate and a NSW National Parks sign on the right - this should be about 13 kilometers from the intersection of Laidlaw and Orion Streets in Yass. There is a small area suitable for roadside parking just near the gate. Unfortunately the gate is locked and there is no way to enter the reserve without climbing over either the gate or the fence.

Our plan was to explore the Nature Reserve by doing a loop around it. We first headed for a peak (55H FB 81576 54242) pretty much due east of our starting point. This was quite an easy climb, with the only obstacle being a fence a few hundred metres in, but there is an unlocked gate that can be used to get through. From this first peak we followed the ridge to Hawkins Trig (55H FB 81824 53582), which dates from 1887.

 

 

We paused for morning tea atop the trig before continuing along the ridge and making our way to the eastern border of the Reserve. We passed by a few grass trees at one point along the way:

We hit the eastern border at around map reference 55H FB 82704 52537. This gave us some great 180 degree views over the adjacent pastoral lands and a nearby wind farm (which we had earlier caught glimpses of through the trees).

We followed the fenceline for a while to see what other views presented themselves. At one point we could get a view taking in the nearby Mundoonen Nature Reserve (including Mt Mundoonen) and the distant Brindabella Range. Mt Tennent was clearly discernible about 90 kilometers away.

We then left the fenceline and descended a very steep slope down to the southern border of the Reserve before turning back to try and find the old farm track that cuts through the Reserve from the Bango property. We found this track relatively easily, but it was faint and difficult to follow. We passed through some very nice gullies on the western side of the Reserve.

Eventually we found the western fenceline which we followed back to our starting point.

While technically this walk was bush bashing, it was extremely easy walking through light forest and short grass. Although the Reserve is relatively small (441 hectares) it can easily provide three or four hours of excellent walking. There are no clear views from the highest peaks, but there are views all along those parts of the border fenceline that we walked along.

Uriarra: Two Sticks Hill, Sherwood Daffodils and Dowling Trig

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:   10.9 kilometers

Total climb:   544 meters

Time taken:   4 hours

Maps:   Cotter Dam 8627-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   32 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 74137 95543

Destination map grid reference:     Two Sticks Hill    55H FA 71374 95813  

                                                        Sherwood Daffodils   55H FA 72104 95061

                                                        Dowling Trig   55H FA 73523 95090

End point:  Same as start

 

Route

 

 

 

Description

As usual, this walk started at the small parking area off Mountain Creek Road. We followed the track up to the top of the ridge, and just past the fence we headed off to the minor track on the right, travelling north at first and then turning west. Where the track turned south again we continued west, following a  trail through some nice native forest.

Eventually we came to the road on the east side of Two Sticks Hill, and turning right we followed the road up to the ridge. This was very steep and required a few short rest stops. The pictures don't do justice to the steepness of this trail.

 

At the top of the ridge we followed a clear walking trail, past the NSW/ACT border marker to the summit of Two Sticks Hill. From the summit the walking trail continues to the south, but eventually turns 180 degrees back to the north east. This caused us some confusion, and we debated continuing south through the steep and thick bush before deciding to follow the trail and see where it took us. As luck would have it, the trail actually goes back to the same road we used to climb up the hill at map reference 55H FA 71665 95625. We followed the track south to the Sherwood daffodils.

After a break among the daffodils we cut across the creek and followed an animal track to link up with the initially steep trail to Dowling Trig. Some nice views from this trail.

From the summit we went bush down the northern side of the hill. This was reasonably steep, but easy walking. Getting back to Sherwood Road by this route, we walked back to the starting point.

North Cotter Reserve and Mount McDonald

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:   9.5 kilometers

Total climb:   386 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 30 minutes

Maps:   Cotter Dam 8627-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   26 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 77061 90367

Destination map grid reference:  Mt. McDonald 55H FA 76550 91170

End point:  Same as start

Route

Description

This walk was similar to the one I completed on 19 October 2022, but it did not include the Stony Creek section.

Hume and Hovell Walking Track: Mt Wee Jasper

General Information

Grading:  hard 

Distance:  15.6 kilometers 

Total climb:  1008 meters 

Time taken:  5 hours

Map:  Couragago 8627-4S, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  88 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FB 52524 10232

Destination map grid reference:  55H FB 48996 07860

End point:  same as start

 

Previous Similar Walks

26 February 2015

Route

 

 

Description

We started this walk from the Fitzpatrick Trackhead, off Wee Jasper Road about 4 kilometers south of Wee Jasper. The walk can be shortened by about 2.6 kilometers by starting at a point about 2.2 kilometers further along Wee Jasper Road from Fitzpatrick Trackhead (map reference 55H FB 51293 11000).

The track up to Mt Wee Jasper is pretty much a relentless uphill climb, but the track is in great condition and is well-marked all the way. The first section parallels Wee Jasper Road for about 1.3 kilometers before turning south through farm paddocks to the Wee Jasper State Forest.

Once in the State Forest the track meanders through numerous gullies and up spurs to the summit of the mountain. We found a bit of residual snow above 1000 meters before we reached the summit, which is 1122 meters.

Not much of a view from the summit, but back down the track a bit there are some views of the western side of the Brindabellas.

We went back down the track the way we'd come until we found a sunny spot for lunch with views to the north.

We then returned to the starting point.