Canberra Nature Park: Aranda Bushland and Mt Painter

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   7.6 kilometers

Total climb:   247 meters

Time taken:   1 hour 40 minutes

Maps:   Canberra 8727-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   6.4 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  Canberra 55H FA 89102 96546

Destination map grid reference:   Tuggeranong 55H FA 87748 95143

End point:  Same as start

Route

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

Description

This walk began at the Aranda Shopping Centre in Bandjalong Crescent. From the carpark at the rear of the shops we followed a paved path through the suburb of Aranda to a management trail passing to the south of the suburb. Carefully crossing Bundubi Street we continued along another management trail to the south of the suburb of Cook, following this around to the northwest to acquire the main trail to the summit of Mt Painter. Although not quite 750 meters high, Mt Painter provides excellent 360-degree views of Canberra and its surrounds, both on the climb up and on the summit itself.

From the summit we descended via an indistinct trail on the eastern side of the mountain to link up again with the management trail behind Cook. When we reached the bitumen path that runs through Cook we headed southeast along it, passing underneath Bundubi Street via an underpass. taking to management trails once again, we passed through some of the prettiest sections of the Aranda Bushland before reaching the suburb of Aranda once again and returning to the carpark at the shops.