Murrumbidgee River Corridor: Casuarina Sands to Knoll Lookout

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:   14.9 kilometers

Total climb:   451 meters

Time taken:   4 hours 30 minutes

Moving time:  3 hours 15 minutes

Maps:   Cotter Dam 8627-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   22 kilometers

Start/end point map grid reference:  55H FA 77526 89718

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 79969 84636

Dates walked: 31 October 2025 

 

Route

 

  

Description

This walk starts at the western end of the Casuarina Sands carpark and follows the Casuarina Sands to Kambah Pool section of the Murrumbidgee River Corridor track. For my part I was largely doing this walk to complete the last untrod section of the River north of Point Hut Crossing.

The trail begins at the end of the carpark and soon passes under the road bridge and heads south. Initially it is quite flat, following an alignment about 100-150 metres from the River. It then trends further away from the River, providing only limited views through the trees.

At two points along the track it deviates into private property over fences via stiles, with warning signs to stay on the track and not interfere with livestock. Not a difficult request, but we were bemused as to why these sections of track (which in some places followed the fenceline) were not constructed in the Reserve.

There are quite a few creeks to cross along the way, some of them bridged (the bridge over Bulgar Creek being particularly impressive, and as it turned out, a good place to have lunch) and others with steep steps down and back up again.

 

Just before our destination, the track veers left and through the fenceline once more. From here we could see Knoll Lookout in front of us.

 We climbed up to the lookout, which features elevated views of the Murrumbidgee in both directions.

 

We returned to our starting point by much the same route, stopping at Bulgar Creek for lunch.

Namadgi National Park: Horse Gully Hut

General Information

 

Grading: Medium

Distance: 17.6 kilometers
Total climb: 517 meters
Time taken: 4 hours 25 minutes

Moving time: 3 hours 35 minutes 
Map:  Colinton 8726-3N 1:25 000
Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  80 kilometers
Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 81464 29033
Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 86626 33637

Dates walked: 2 September 2015, 24 October 2025

Route

 

Description

 

This walk starts at the Mount Clear Campground, just off Boboyan Road in the far south of the Australian Capital Territory. The walking trail follows management trails through the Naas Valley which are part of the Bicentennial National Trail. There are a number of points of interest along the track that are marked with numbered posts (there is a published guide that provides information on these points of interest, so it's a good idea to take it with you).

Leaving the campground the track passes through fairly open terrain, past the Mount Clear horse yards and with occasional glimpses of Naas Creek.

About 2 kilometers into the trail there is a bow in Naas Creek which means that it has to be crossed twice, or walked around. The first time I did this walk the water level was quite high so we decided to walk around the bow rather than try to ford the creek twice. This was quite heavy going through thick grass, and was a bit swampy in places, and we were probably lucky not to encounter any snakes. The second time I did this walk I was able to cross the creek with some deft rock-hopping.

The trail continues through more wooded terrain with a lot of climbing up and down.

About 7 kilometers into the walk the trail goes noticeably downhill with some moderately steep sections down to a grassy clearing and Horse Gully Hut.

 

 

The hut itself is a comfortable place to have lunch, with amenities including a table and chairs.

I returned to the Mount Clear camping ground the way I'd come, but on my second walk (October 2025) took a short side-trip along the way to the Demandering Hut ruins. This hut was destroyed in the 2020 bushfires and sadly I never got to see it.

 

Googong Foreshores: Gelignite Crossing via London Bridge Arch

General Information

Grading: moderate
Distance:  11.5 kilometers
Total climb:  470 metres
Time taken:  3 hours
Moving time: 2 hours 25 minutes 
Map:  Hoskinstown 8727-2S, 1:25 000
Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  40 kilometers
Start point map grid reference:  55H GA 04782 67958
Destination map grid reference:  55H GA 07377 67642
Dates walked: 26 September 2025

Route

 

Description

The starting point for this walk is the London Bridge carpark at the end of London Bridge Road, about 3.4 kilometers from Burra Road.

We started off by following the trail to London Bridge Arch.

 

From there we continued along a management trail to the north and followed a few turnings to reach Gelignite Crossing on the Queanbeyan River.

 

 

Rather than retrace our steps back up the hill, we headed south and then east through the bush and eventually found the management trail once more. When we reached the North Urialla Fire Trail we headed south into the Burra Nature Reserve before turning west towards London Bridge Homestead.

 

 From there we headed north back to our starting point.

Canberra Nature Park: Palmerville and Gold Creek

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   14.6 kilometers

Total climb:   152 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 20 minutes
Moving time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Maps:   Hall 8727-4S 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   10.3 kilometers

Start point map grid reference: 55H FA 87709 99827

Destination map grid reference:    Palmerville 55H FB 89814 01432

                                                       Gold Creek 55H FB 89626 03881

Dates walked: 17 September 2025

 

Route

 

Description

This walk started at the McDermott Place carpark on Lake Ginninderra, for no other reason than to make the walk as long as possible. From there I headed to Ginninderra Drive, which I followed to the bridge before turning north and following Ginninderra Creek to the Palmerville Heritage Park.

 

I took a stroll through the Heritage Park and then continued along Lake Ginninderra until the Barton Highway. From there I went through the Gold Creek village area and stopped at one of the excellent cafes there for a rest before heading back to the starting point by much the same route.

Canberra Nature Park: The Pinnacle and Kama

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   12.2 kilometers

Total climb:   367 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 35 minutes
Moving time: 2 hours 12 minutes

Maps:   Canberra 8727-3N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   9.4 kilometers

Start point map grid reference: 55H FA 86284 96432

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 83460 95004

Dates walked: 19 August 2025

 

Route

 

Description

This walk starts at the parking area off Springvale Drive near De Salis Street. From there I walked southeast and then southwest around the edge of The Pinnacle Reserve. At map reference 55H FA 85379 96011 I turned off down the track linking The Pinnacle and Kama Nature Reserves. Passing under William Hovell Drive through the underpass, I walked roughly southwest down as far as the Molonglo River.

 I did some further exploring around the river and a bit downstream...

 ...before heading back to the underpass and the beginning of the link trail. From there I turned left and completed a loop back to the starting point via The Pinnacle itself.

Queanbeyan: Queanbeyan Riverside

General Information

Grading: easy
Distance:  7.3 kilometers
Total climb:  95 metres
Time taken:  1 hour 45 minutes
Map:  Canberra 8727-3N, 1:25 000
Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  16.5 kilometers
Start point map grid reference:  55H GA 02027 86724
Destination map grid reference:  none
End point:  same as start

Route

 

Description

The starting point for this walk is the Queanbeyan Railway Station. We first walked down to the Queanbeyan River railway bridge...

 ...and then on to the Queanbeyan Riverside Cemetery, where we spent some time exploring. From there we followed the river as far as we could before turning back. On the return journey we crossed over the Queanbeyan Suspension Bridge...

 

...and walked for a short distance along the eastern side of the river before returning back to our starting point by much the same path.

Narrandera: Flora and Fauna Reserve

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   6.7 kilometers

Total climb:   37 meters

Time taken:   1 hour 250 minutes

Maps:   Berembed Weir 8228-S 1:50 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   341 kilometers

 

Route

 

 

Description

This walk commenced on Melbourne Street East where there is a footbridge over the canal. Crossing the footbridge I wandered down Oakbank Street to the Flora and Fauna Reserve entry. From there I headed south to a beach on the Murrumbidgee River.

 Following the river I walked through some nice forest and river views to a second beach.

 

From the second beach I headed north, watching the tree canopy for koalas (supposedly quite numerous there) but without luck. So I continued to the edge of Lake Talbot before heading back to the reserve entry.

 

Uriarra: Tongs Hole and Downstream Molonglo River

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   2.6 kilometers

Total climb:   180 meters

Time taken:   1 hour 10 minutes

Maps:   Umburra 8627-1S 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   20 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 79466 97509

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 79510 97031

End point:  Same as start

 

Route

 

  

Description

This walk starts on Stockdill Drive, just before the gates into the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre. We first followed the walking track down to Tong's Hole, which is quite a nice spot on the Molonglo.

 

From there we continued off-trail down the Molonglo, hoping to get as far as the Molonglo plank bridge. Unfortunately, however, we came across a rather robust outfall from the Water Quality Control Centre which we could not cross. Crossing to the other side of the Molonglo River to pass this by was also not an option, so we had no choice other than to turn back. We took a higher route back to our starting point, which gave us some compensating views down the river and westwards.

 

Overall, the walk was a bit of a disappointment. 

 

 

Rob Roy Nature Reserve: Mt Rob Roy

 General Information

Grading: medium

Distance:   11.5 kilometers

Total climb:   594 meters

Time taken:   3 hours  40 minutes

Maps:   Tuggeranong 8727-3S 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   29 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 91197 72691

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 93088 69956

End point:  same as start

Route

 

Description

The hike started from Orange Thorn Crescent in the suburb of Banks. We proceeded up past the water tank and the steep climb to Big Monks Hill. We retraced our steps from Monks and then followed the trail south to the southern spur of Mt Rob Roy. A nice view to the west along the way.

 

 

The track divides at map reference 55H FA 93273 69075 and there is a locked gate there with a no trespassing sign. Rather than risking the landowner's ire, we just went north through the bush until we came to the track leading up the southern spur of Rob Roy. We had a break at the summit before heading back along the management trails to our start point.

 

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.