Namadgi National Park: Blue Gum Hill

General Information

Distance:   13.7 kilometers

Total climb:   536 meters

Time taken:   6 hours  50 minutes

Map:   Corin Dam 8626-1N 1:25 000

Guide:  n/a

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   52 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 73676 67772

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 78527 64994 (not reached)

End point:  same as start

Route

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Description

We started this walk at the Square Rock Carpark just off Corin Road. We walked up Smokers Trail South to Smokers Trail which we followed until it turned west at map reference 55H FA 75124 65892. At this point we headed bush.

Initially walking up towards the hill at map reference 55H FA 75153 64874 we then started down the steep slope through thick scrub to Blue Gum Creek.

This provided some clear terrain to move through for a while, though the tussocky grass, well dug up by wild pigs, presented its own challenges. We then headed for the hill marked 1412 meters on the map (reference 55H FA 77362 64572), again crashing through dense scrub and occasionally having to dodge large rock formations and fallen trees. Towards the top we found the large rock shelf shown as a clear area on the map. This was pretty easy to traverse, and we decided to have lunch there with a clear view back to the west.

Still 1.5 kilometers short of Blue Gum Hill, we decided we'd had enough and decided to make our way back. We headed straight down the hill through some very dense scrub and back to Blue Gum Creek, where we had an excellent view back towards the hill we had just descended.

We then set a course to bisect the two peaks at 55H FA 75542 65913 and 55H FA 75734 66588 respectively. This part of the walk wasn't too difficult as we were approaching the climb laterally rather than going straight up. We also found some pig trails which we could follow, and there were other occasional clear patches which made moving easier. Eventually reaching the crest we found our way back to Smokers Trail and returned to the car.

Hume and Hovell Walking Track: Micalong Swamp Flora Reserve

General Information

Distance:   14.2 kilometers

Total climb:   110 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 15 minutes

Map:  Bobbys Plains 8627-3N 1:25 000

Guide:  Graeme Barrow, 30 Family Bushwalks in and around Canberra (2002), pp.35-37.

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   90 kilometers (via Brindabella)

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 39676 937606

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 37790 88299

End point:  same as start

Note: Much of this walk follows a section of the Hume & Hovell Walking Track.

Route

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Description

I began this walk on Micalong Road near where it intersects with Brindabella Road, about 28 kilometers west of Brindabella. I followed Micalong Road south along the east side of the Swamp to an intersection at map reference 55H FA 39482 92757 (it's possible to shorten the walk by about 2 kilometers by driving to this point instead of walking). I then followed the side track to the right which led me to a boardwalk crossing to the other side of the Swamp.

 

On the other side of the Swamp I continued south along management trails which were muddy and sometimes covered by large puddles.

The views across the Swamp were very pleasant though. At one point there was even some residual snow from falls the week before.

The trail eventually led to another boardwalk crossing, this time of Chinamans Creek, a tributary of Micalong Creek.

Continuing on to the southern end of the Swamp I turned north to make my way back to the car.