Canberra Nature Park: Black Mountain Eastern Slopes

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   9 kilometers

Total climb:   320 meters

Time taken:   2 hours

Maps:   Canberra 8727-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   2.4 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  Canberra 55H FA 92069 95473

Destination map grid reference:   Little Black Mountain - Canberra 55H FA 91226 95326

                                                     Lookout - Canberra 55H FA 91100 93563

End point:  Same as start

Route

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

Description

The starting point for this walk was the intersection of Dryandra Street and Frith Road in O'Connor. We started by walking under the Barry Drive underpass and made our way via management trails and faint walking tracks through some very nice forest to the prominent peak at 55H FA 92069 95326, which our guide referred to as Little Black Mountain.

From there we descended again and followed more management trails and walking tracks, generally following the contour of the mountain to a lookout platform at 55H FA 91100 93563, which gave a clear view towards the lake.

Retracing our steps for a bit, and then continuing along the clear walking track, we eventually came to the National Botanic Gardens gate on Black Mountain Road. We entered the Gardens and followed the tracks at the west of the Gardens and made our way back to the starting point.