Murrumbidgee Corridor North of Kambah Pool (1)

General Information

Distance:   9.2 kilometers

Total climb:   unknown

Time taken:   3 hours

Maps:   Tuggeranong 8727-3S 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   19 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 82696 81011

Destination map grid reference:   55H FA 80388 83533 (not reached)

End point:  same as start

Route

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

Description

We started this walk from the Kambah Pool carpark and found the track leading off to the north off Kambah Pool road. The track is very clear and even has distance markers. It starts by heading down into a gully which has to be climbed out again on the other side. before the next gully we changed direction and climbed cross-country to the peak of Forster Hill to take in the view. Coming down Forster Hill on the other side of the gully, we reacquired the walking track and continued on until we had travelled about 5 kilometres. At this point, as our time was limited and I was struggling a bit in the heat, we headed back towards Kambah Pool without getting quite as far as we had intended, following the walking track the entire way back. Just off the track at one point is a rocky outcrop to the west which offers some views over the Murrumbidgee River.

Canberra Nature Park: Davidson Hill Trig and Red Hill

General Information

Distance:   8.2 kilometers

Total climb:   300 meters

Time taken:   2 hours

Maps:   Canberra 8627-3N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   12 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 91628 86904

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

End point:  same as start

Route

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

Description

This walk commenced at The Garran Shopping Centre. The first part of the walk was through suburban Garran Streets to Astley Place, where we were able to access the Red Hill Nature Reserve. Following tracks we ascended Davidson Hill which offered good views of surrounding Canberra.




Continuing on the ridge from Davidson Hill we climbed Red Hill before descending down its western side to the Federal Golf Club. We then did a loop around the Golf Club before returning to Garran Shops via Brereton Street.

Brindabella National Park: Goodradigbee River/Flea Creek Area

General Information

Distance:   9.8 kilometers

Total climb:   570 meters

Time taken:   4 hours 45 minutes

Maps:   Cotter Dam 8627-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   56 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 59838 86629

Destination map grid reference:  exploratory hike - no specific destination

End point:  same as start

Route

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

Description

Our starting point for this exploratory walk was originally going to be the camping area at Flea Creek near its confluence with the Goodradigbee River. This campground is accessed by Gentle Annie Trail off Brindabella Road. Gentle Annie Trail is a very steep and bumpy gravel road, and about halfway down it I had had enough and decided to walk the rest of the way to the campground, and while this added some distance to the walk we were in no particular hurry.
Following Gentle Annie Trail past the Flea Creek campground we continued on to the Goodradigbee River with the intention of following it for some distance if possible. The river at this point is very clear and peaceful, good for swimming and (apparently) fishing.



We first attempted to walk upstream, but were soon thwarted by rocks that we would have had to climb around. Then heading downstream we found it quite scrubby and difficult to negotiate and soon turned back from there too. It became clear that in order to follow the river on the Brindabella National Park side we would have had to move further up the slope, away from the river itself, where it looked like there would be some clearer terrain. Alternatively, the other side of the river seemed to be relatively flat and clear.
Returning to the campground, we started up the Webbs Ridge Trail to Webbs Ridge. This trail is also very steep, gaining 200 meters in the first kilometre of winding road. We had views of the western side of the Brindabella Range, with the cliffs on the southwestern side of Mount Coree prominent.

Eventually climbing above 700 meters elevation, the trail flattens out a bit as it follows Webbs Ridge.



At this stage we decided to head back: a steep descent back down Webbs Ridge Trail and another steep ascent up Gentle Annie Trail back to the car.

Tallaganda National Park: Mt Palerang

General Information

Distance:   3.2 kilometers

Total climb:   336 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 10 minutes

Maps:   Bombay 8827-3S 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   60 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H GA 35921 77365

Destination map grid reference:  55H GA 35938 76213

End point:  same as start

Route

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

Description

This walk commenced at the intersection of the Mulloon, Gourock Range and Palerang fire trails in Tallaganda National Park, about 20 kilometers east of Hoskinstown. We had no particular walk in mind except that we wanted to climb Mt Palerang (1264m). We began by walking south along the Palerang Fire Trail, and after only 100 meters walking we came across an unexpected (and unmapped) walking track which seemed to be heading in the direction of Mt Palerang. Naturally we decided to follow this track which climbed quickly up one of Palerang's spurs. When we were nearing the 1200m elevation mark we noticed an indistinct track heading off in the direction of the summit, and after some discussion we decided to follow it rather than the more distinct track that we had been following. This took us up to the narrow ridge at the top of Palerang which we followed south through some moderately thick brush to the relatively impressive Palerang trig.



The views from the top of Palerang are limited by the surrounding bush, but in our case were even more limited by the weather conditions: mist and low cloud. Still, it was a great place to be, with no sound apart from birdsong and some beautiful bush surrounding it.




After lunching on the summit we headed back down, intending to take the spur to the southwest and eventually link up with the Palerang Fire Trail. As sometimes happens (at least to us) a rather cavalier attitude to navigation took us back to the walking track we had started on. Bowing to the inevitable, we decided to follow the track back down to the car.

Although the walk ended up being a lot shorter than we had planned, we decided not to do any more walking. Instead we decided to drive around the Tallaganda National Park and the Tallaganda State Conservation Area fire trials to scout out other walking opportunities. There seem to be plenty of options there, so it is likely that we will be back at some time soon.

New Zealand: Togariro National Park, Taranaki Falls Track

General Information

Distance:   6.2 kilometers

Total climb:   104 meters

Time taken:   1 hour 30 minutes

Route

Google Maps

Description

This walk starts in Whakapapa village in Tongariro National Park at the end of Ngauruhoe Terrace. This is a loop walk, and for no particular reason we decided to start along the lower track and return by the upper track. It seemed that most people we came across were going the other way, however, so there may have been some local knowledge at play.

The track is wide, easy to follow and very well maintained. It passes through alpine scrub...

...before reaching Wairere Stream, which is more forested terrain.


 

In time we reached the Taranaki Falls.

The trail then took us to the top of the falls before returning to Whakapapa. There were some alpine views along the way, but these were limited by low cloud.

New Zealand: Huka Falls Walkway

General Information

Distance:   6.4 kilometers

Total climb:   45 meters

Time taken:   2 hours

Route

Google Maps

Description

This walk commenced at the day use carpark at the end of County Avenue about 2.8 kilometers from the centre of Taupo. There are two alternative tracks to follow: a walking only track that follows the Waikato River or a slightly longer mixed use walking and cycling track a bit further to the east. We decided to take the shorter, and probably more picturesque riverside track.

We first followed the track down a path through a beautifully lawned area...



...to a thermal pool running into the Waikato River. This pool was full of bathers so we only stayed long enough to have a look.

Continuing on, the track rises above the river, giving some excellent views along the way.




The track itself is wide and perfectly maintained.



Eventually we arrived at Huka Falls, only to find it packed with sightseers who had taken the easy path over the bridge from the car park on the west side of the river. Nevertheless the canyon and falls were quite spectacular.




While it was open to us to return via the mixed use track, we decided that we would return by the same path.

Yanununbeyan State Conservation Area: Spring Creek Gorge

General Information

Distance:   10.6 kilometers

Total climb:   478 meters

Time taken:   4 hours  40 minutes

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

Source:  http://www.johnevans.id.au/wp/19-april-2018-queanbeyan-river-and-spring-creek-gorge/

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   50 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H GA 13034 63448

Destination map grid reference:  Corner Hill 55H GA 12316 63828
                                                    Queanbeyan River 55H GA 12436 62396
                                                    Spring Creek Gorge 55H GA 12805 60486

End point:  same as start

Route

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

Description

This walk commenced at the day use area carpark off Woolcara Lane about 14 kilometers south of Captains Flat Road. We started off by heading west towards some very thick scrub which we were obliged to go around to the left. Having cleared the scrub we veered northwest and started our climb up a ridge to the summit of Corner Hill.

Near the summit a quite indistinct track (Corner Hill Fire Trail) can be found leading down the hill to the south.

We followed this for about 800 meters before heading bush again towards a series of pools along the Queanbeyan River. Unfortunately the place where we approached the river was particularly steep, and although we were able to scramble down we could have made it easier on ourselves if we had gone down a much gentler ridge slightly to the east.

Where we met the river, however, was a particularly picturesque spot that we would probably not otherwise have seen.

We tried to follow the river upstream, but finding too many obstacles in our way we decided to gradually climb above the river, at first in an easterly direction and then south. This was not an easy part of the walk either, with prickly scrub to avoid and numerous deep gullies to climb down and then back out of. Eventually we found the spot where Spring Creek meets the Queanbeyan River.

The Spring Creek gorge is just 100 meters or so above the river.

We climbed out of Spring Creek to the south and immediately veered east before heading north towards the ridge that parallels Woolcara Lane. We followed the ridge north and then linked up with Woolcara Lane, which we followed for the last 2 kilometers to the carpark.  

Gigerline Nature Reserve: An Exploratory Wander

General Information

Distance:   9.4 kilometers

Total climb:   384 meters

Time taken:   3 hours  30 minutes

Maps:   Williamsdale 8726-4N 1:25 000

Guide:  n/a

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   36 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 88439 66291

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 89277 64520

End point:  same as start

Route

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

Description

This was an exploratory hike in an area my fellow hiker and I had not been before. We did not have a particular route or destination in mind, so the destination point specified above is really just the most prominent feature we came to.

Starting from the Tharwa Sandwash carpark we followed the Murrumbidgee River upstream for about 700 meters before crossing a dry creek at map reference 55H FA 89118 65976. From there we started up a ridge paralleling the river, which gave us a nice aspect downriver towards Tharwa in one direction and to the distant Tinderry Range in the other.




Not far up this ridge we came to the first of many annoying barbed wire fences that still criss-cross the Nature Reserve. Having wormed our way under a gap in this particular fence we continued in a generally southern direction and gaining elevation as we went. Eventually we saw the unnamed hilltop at map reference 55H FA 89277 64520, and decided to make towards it, believing that it would help us orient ourselves and look for more places of interest. This proved to be an excellent decision, with the hilltop affording views all around.





From the hilltop we decided to head back towards the Murrumbidgee heading down the hill to link up with a track we could see below us to the east. We followed this track around, hoping to find a side-track off to the left that would take us to the river (as marked on the map retrieved from http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/). We never did find this side-track, so it must have been obscured over time. This left us with the job of descending a steep slope through relatively thick scrub to get to the river, but we made it quite easily in the end and found a very nice spot for lunch.




After lunch we climbed out way back from the river and soon after reacquired our outbound trail which we followed back to the carpark.

Rob Roy Nature Reserve: Mt Rob Roy

General Information

Distance:   14.1 kilometers

Total climb:   775 meters

Time taken:   3 hours  40 minutes

Maps:   Tuggeranong 8727-3S 1:25 000

Guide:  n/a

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   26 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 92172 74091

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 93088 69956

End point:  same as start

Route

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

Description

The hike started from a carpark across the road from 18 Callister Crescent, Theodore. Initially I was part of a large walking group headed for the hill overlooking the Royalla solar farm, but I intended to go further and climb Mt Rob Roy after the group turned back. Unfortunately it was a dark and dreary day with light rainfall threatening most of the time.

We started from the carpark and followed the track east until we came to an intersection with a gate which could be climbed through. We then followed the track south around Callaghan Hill until we came to another gate at map reference 55H FA 93408 72472. We followed the fence line south and eventually arrived at a hill (map reference 55H FA 93608 71823) which gave us our view of the solar farm. Here I left the group and made for the long ridge heading up to the Rob Roy Range. This was through lightly forested ground, mostly clear of annoying undergrowth although a bit rocky in parts. There were some early wildflowers in bloom in the more sheltered spots. There were some views to the east on the way up the ridge.



At the top of the ridge I struck the vehicular track heading towards Mt Rob Roy until I found the walking track to the summit, marked by a small stone cairn on the side of the vehicular track. 



The summit was only a few hundred meters from that point. While the summit is clear and rocky, tree growth all around the crown meant that views were limited, particularly in the gloomy conditions.




After a light lunch on the summit I headed back towards the carpark via the vehicular track. This was very steep in a number of places and with a sandy surface could be quite treacherous. Luckily I managed to keep my footing. When I got back to the gate at map reference 55H FA 93408 72472 I left the vehicular track and walked down a dry gully to eventually find the vehicular track again further down. From here I retraced my steps back to the carpark.