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.