Uriarra: Sherwood in Autum

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   8.2 kilometers

Total climb:   245 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 20 minutes

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:   55H FA 72104 95061

End point:  Same as start

Route

Description

I had visited the Sherwood daffodils in October several times in the past, but had always thought it might be nice to visit while the trees were still leafy, and perhaps starting to turn to their autumn colours.

We started the walk at the small parking area off Mountain Creek Road, and having walked up the first hill, we followed the loop in a clockwise direction to the Sherwood Homestead site. There were some autumn colours in the trees along the way, but not much.

 The homestead site looks very different in autumn, and is best described in photos:

We were surprised to find that there were still some irises(?) in bloom under the tree canopy.

We had two young children (aged 5 and 2) on the walk, both of whom are big fans of The Gruffalo. They had a great time strolling through "the deep dark wood" and looking for the fox's underground house, the owl's treetop house and the snake's log pile house. Not only did they find all of these, they even found a nut for the mouse.

We walked back through the pine forest to the carpark.

Namadgi National Park: Rendezvous Creek, Middle Creek and Yankee Hat

General Information

Grading : hard

Distance:  14.7 kilometers 

Total climb:  359 meters

Time taken:  5 hours 23 minutes

Map:  Rendezvous Creek 8626-1S, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  63 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 80599 44237

Destination map grid reference:  no particular destination

End point:  same as start

Route

Description

This walk began at the Rendezvous Creek car park off Boboyan Road. We initially thought we might head towards Middle Creek and see how far up the creek we could penetrate, but really we wanted the walk to be flexible.

We started out by following the walking trail over the bridge to the other side of Rendezvous Creek and up to the rest area. From here we took a pretty much straight line towards the mountain gap where we wanted to join Middle Creek. Some good views along the way of the Rendezvous Creek valley to the north and Yankee Hat to the south west.

After walking through grassland for a while we entered some forest, which was moderately difficult to get through, eventually making our way to the northern side of Middle Creek.

The banks of the creek were quite high, nearly vertical, and too wide to jump. We therefore continued upstream until we found a convenient fallen tree trunk across the creek. Having crossed over we continued walking upstream. It became increasingly difficult to get through the thick undergrowth, so we didn't get too far before deciding to stop for morning tea. At this point we took the courageous decision to leave Middle Creek and see how far we could ascend Yankee Hat North up its northern spur. This proved to be very difficult, with a very steep slope, rock outcrops and thick undergrowth to navigate. Just shy of the 1200 meter contour we found a rock outcrop where we could take in both lunch and the view, which included Mt Kelly, Mt Burbidge and Mt Namadgi.

Although the peak of Yankee Hat North appeared tantalisingly close, we decided against going any further up - it was too steep, too rocky, too overgrown, and we were too tired - and started to go down again by much the same route.

We stayed on the southern side of Middle Creek, intending to cross at the concrete ford on Middle Creek Track at map reference 55H FA 77939 42941. While we could cross the ford easily enough, we were unable to get across the swampy ground on the other side. We therefore had to continue along Middle Creek until we found a spot we could jump across. On the northern side of Middle Creek we made our way to the Rendezvous Creek Trail, which we followed for a while before going back to the start point via the walking track we had followed before.

Tarlo River National Park: Exploration of Areas South and North of Towrang Road

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:   8.9 kilometers

Total climb:   343 meters

Time taken:   3 hours 45 minutes

Map:  Chatsbury 8828-1N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   123 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H GB 69327 69324

Destination map grid reference:  no specific destination

End point:  same as start

Route

 

Description

The Tarlo River National Park is difficult to access, with only one public road (Towrang Road) passing through a small part of the Park's south eastern extremity. A good starting point for walking in Tarlo River National Park north or south of Towrang Road is where it meets the Quarry Trail, only a few hundred metres inside the Park. This is where we started.

We decided to explore the area south of Towrang Road first, and made our way along Towrang Road for about 350 metres before heading into the bush. It wasn't long before we came across the first of the Permian conglomerate outcrops which are a feature of this area.

These can be found around the numerous steep, but easily accessible gullies that pervade the area. The bottoms of most gullies are covered in thick bracken, and care needs to be taken when walking through it as it obscures fallen trees and other hazards.

We headed generally south, going down into one gully and back again up the ridge before the next gully. The ridges were dry forest and the walking around them was very easy.

Reaching as far south as we wanted to go, and wanting to leave some time to explore north of the road, we turned around and navigated to the Yururga Trail which we followed back to Towrang Road and our starting point. Stopping for lunch here, we then went into the northern section and had a bit of a look around. It was also a series of ridges and gullies, but less interesting than the southern section.

After exploring for only a relatively short distance we decided to return to our starting point, although by a different route.

It might be useful in the future to spend a day walking north of Towrang Road to see how far we could get into the main area of the Park. 

Hume and Hovell Walking Track: Along Micalong Creek to Micalong Creek Camp Ground

General Information

Distance:   15.3 kilometers

Total climb:   363 meters

Time taken:   4 hours 26 minutes

Map:  Bobbys Plains 8627-3N 1:25 000

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

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 39856 94716

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 43189 98472

End point:  same as start

Route

Description

This walk starts at the Bossowa Campsite, about 1 kilometer north of Brindabella Road on Micalong Creek. We started the walk by crossing the footbridge over the creek and following the trail around to the north east. Before long we came to a ford with some stepping stones and went back to the original side of the creek. The crossing was not easy as the rocks were irregular and slippery in places.

From here we followed the Hume & Hovell Track signs. At first we were walking along a vehicular trail which paralleled Micalong Creek. Pine forest was on the right, with native bush and views of the creek on the left.

At map reference 55H FA 41486 96674 the rack narrows to a walking trail which winds through a narrow gully above the creek with some great views.

The trail crosses over the creek, normally by a footbridge which was not at its best when we were there:

Nevertheless, we were able to cross and continue following the trail signs to the Micalong Creek Camp Ground, which is right on a very nice part of the creek.

Unfortunately the camp ground itself was a bit disappointing, with structures graffitied and items of rubbish left around.

We returned to the starting point by much the same route, but took the more direct trail at the end.

Canberra Nature Park: The Pinnacle and Mt Painter

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   9.2 kilometers

Total climb:   341 meters

Time taken:   3 hours

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:  Mt Painter - 55H FA 87754 95142

                                                     The Pinnacle - 55H FA 85674 96486

End point:  same as start

 

Route

 

Description

This walk starts at the parking area off Springvale Drive near De Salis Street.

Entering The Pinnacle Reserve, I followed the Bicentennial National Trail to the left and down to Coulter Drive. I walked down  Coulter Drive and then turned off onto the trail up to the summit of Mt Painter. Returning back to The Pinnacle Reserve the same way, I did a clockwise loop around the Reserve, stopping at The Pinnacle itself before heading back to the starting point.

Brindabella National Park: Devils Peak

General Information

 

Grading:  medium

Distance:   4.9 kilometers

Total climb:   268 meters

Time taken:   3 hours 30 minutes

Maps:   Cotter Dam 8627-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   48 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 66441 95586

Destination map grid reference:   55H FA 66448 94353

End point:  Same as start

Route

Description

This walk started at a point on Two Sticks Road under some power lines about 1.5 kilometers from the intersection of Two Sticks Road and Blue Range Road. We headed straight into the bush, which was quite thick and difficult to walk through, with virtually no hope of being able to walk in a straight line.

As we were walking the terrain kept turning us to the right, so we decided to make for the lesser peak to the north west of Devils Peak. This was not a bad decision since it gave us some good views to the north and west.

We then turned south east towards Devils Peak. We arrived at the actual peak itself, but it was thickly forested and gave no decent views. We continued south east, however, until we came to the rock face looking east, and there were great views towards Mount Blundell and Mount Coree.

We returned to our starting point pretty much the same way (but obviously not going back up the lesser peak we had climbed earlier).

Yanununbeyan State Conservation Area: Spring Creek Gorge

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:   10.2 kilometers

Total climb:   407 meters

Time taken:   4 hours  20 minutes

Maps:   Captains Flat 8726-1N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   50 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H GA 13034 63448

Destination map grid reference:  55H GA 12805 60486

End point:  same as start

Route

Description

I had previously done a version of this walk on 14 September 2018 (link), but this later route was considerably easier and arguably more interesting. As on the previous walk, we started at the day use area carpark off Woolcara Lane about 14 kilometers south of Captains Flat Road. We first climbed the ridge to the summit of Corner Hill and followed the Corner Hill Fire Trail to the south. Just before the ridge we were on started to get steeper as it approached the Queanbeyan River, we headed east and then south through some moderately difficult terrain (but not as difficult as the previous route following the river).

Eventually we found ourselves on a ridge line taking us due south towards our destination. This was easy walking through dry forest. The most interesting sight was a rusty old truck in the middle of nowhere partly crushed by a fallen tree.

Eventually the ridge we were on fell down towards the river and with a bit of a final steep descent we were in the Spring Creek gorge.

We paused in the gorge for lunch and then climbed out the same way we had climbed down. We made our way to another ridge further to the east of the one we had followed to get to the gorge, and this took us north to Woolcara Lane. We walked along Woolcara Lane back to our starting point.

Namadgi National Park: Gorilla Rock

General Information

Grading : medium

Distance:  6.6 kilometers 

Total climb:  176 meters

Time taken:  2 hours 30 minutes

Map:  Corin Dam 8626-1N, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  53.3 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 78933 60480

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 78676 62527

End point:  same as start

Route

 

Description

This walk starts from the Honeysuckle Creek Camping Ground near the end of Apollo Road. We first followed the walking track towards Booroomba Rocks. At map reference 55H FA 79161 61901, where the track crosses a creek, we headed bush pretty much in a straight line towards Gorilla Rock (which can't be seen until you are close to it). The bush wasn't too bad to fight through, and we eventually found what we were looking for.

 

After a look around, we headed back the same way we had come.

 

Uriarra: Blue Range

General Information

 

Grading: hard

Distance:   18.2 kilometers

Total climb:   737 meters

Time taken:   4 hours 25 minutes

Maps:   Cotter Dam 8627-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   37 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 70471 92950

Destination map grid reference:   no specific destination

End point:  Same as start

Route

Description

This walk started at the locked gate before the Blue Range Hut Camping Ground. We started by heading north, intending to visit the Sherwood daffodils, but after we turned off to the right we found that the Sherwood area was closed due to feral animal culls and we had to retrace our steps to One Stick Road. We then started climbing up towards Blue Range, at first to the west and then veering round more to the north-east, following whichever trail looked to be promising. Crossing the ACT/NSW border we found ourselves eventually on Genges Trail, which meanders along Blue Ridge. We followed Genges Trail for some distance until it ended at Blue Range Road, which we then followed back down the range. There were some great views to the east along the way from both Genges Trail and Blue Range Road.

We then followed whatever trails seemed to take us in the right direction until we came back to our starting point. 

Uriarra: Two Sticks Hill and Lower Blue Ridge

General Information

Grading: hard

Distance:   16.5 kilometers

Total climb:   717 meters

Time taken:   3 hour 50 minutes

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:   55H FA 71375 95817

End point:  Same as start

Route

Description

This walk started at a small carpark just off Mountain Creek Road 1.5 kilometers north of Uriarra Road, my usual starting point for the Sherwood Daffodils walk. Proceeding through the gate at the carpark I climbed to the top of the ridge. Passing the dam and the fence I turned off on to the rougher track to the right through the trees:

 

This track took me to the power lines and gave some good views to the south and east.

Past the power lines the trail follows the border of the pine plantation and becomes less distinct. Recently fallen pine trees cover the trail in a number of places. After a short distance the trail turns sharply to the west and I gradually made my way back to Sherwood Road, which I followed past the turnoff to the daffodils and over the locked gate. Keeping to the right I followed the track on the western side of Two Sticks Hill, looking for a place to climb to the summit. At map reference 55H FA 71059 96088 I found this place, which looked promising enough to try:

 

It was a very steep climb, but it did take me up to the NSW/ACT border marker, and past that to the rather unimpressive summit of Two Sticks Hill.

 

I descended the same way, which was quite tricky and treacherous given the gradient and loose surface. Back at the main track I continued north to a locked gate where I turned left up a very rough and steep trail, where I had a rare sighting of a lyrebird. This trail turned around to the south, following the base of Blue Ridge. At first the track was rough, steep and slippery, but soon became a well-maintained management trail. This trail proved to be one of the highlights of the walk: beautiful native bush and all I could hear was birds and my own footsteps. It helped that by this time the sun had come out.

I continued south along this trail until I came to map reference 55H FA 70149 94632, where I turned left and followed that trail to One Stick Road and West Knob Road, which took me back to Sherwood Road and my starting point at the carpark.