Yass District: Mundoonen Nature Reserve North of the Hume Highway

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:   10.5 kilometers

Total climb:   470 meters

Time taken:   3 hours 40 minutes

Maps:   Jerrawa 8728-3N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   65 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  Jerrawa 55H FB 872782 44043

Destination map grid reference:  Jerrawa 55H FB 87286 47036

End point:  Same as start

Route

Description

The Mundoonen Nature Reserve straddles the Hume Highway between Yass and Gunning. We decided to do the smaller section of the Reserve north of the Hume Highway. Our starting point was the Sheldricks Lane turnoff, about 3.4 kilometres along the Hume Highway from its intersection with Yass Valley Way.

Our first task was to climb up the access road to the summit of Mt Mundoonen. Unfortunately there are only limited views here due to the surrounding forest, but it's another peak to take off my list.

Passing the trig marker we continued to the end of the paved road near the towers in the distance. At the point we turned left to follow the ridge heading a bit east of north. The top of the ridge is easy walking through dry sclerophyll forest.

We followed the ridge until we came to a knoll at map reference 55H FB 87231 45102. Ahead of us was a deep gully with another hill on the other side, so we started to walk down the ridge on the left before heading north again at a lower elevation. We found a couple of mostly dry watercourses which were quite nice to walk along while they took us in roughly the right direction.

At map reference 55H FB 87008 46349 we found the abandoned farmhouse complex which we had heard about, all still in very good condition. We paused there for lunch.

From the farmhouse we made our way to the dam at map reference 55H FB 87196 46802...

...and from there continued north to the boundary fence of the Nature Reserve. We followed the boundary fence to the east, which took us to the hill at the end of the ridge we followed from Mt. Mundoonen.

There were some nice rural views to the north from there

We followed the ridge all the way back to Mt. Mundoonen and our starting point, including this time the steep hill we avoided on the outward journey.

Yass District: Bowning Hill

 General Information

Grading: very easy

Distance:   4 kilometers

Total climb:   220 meters

Time taken:   1 hour 30 minutes

Maps:   Yass 8628-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   73.5 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  Yass 55H FB 66960 49630

Destination map grid reference:  Yass 55H FB 67512 50027

End point:  Same as start

NOTE: Bowning Hill and its access road are on private land. We did the walk as part of a charity event which is held once a year for the benefit of the Yass Valley SPIN Foundation. The Hill is not accessible to the public at any other time without the landowner's permission.

Route

Description

Bowning Hill would be familiar to anyone travelling on the Hume Highway west of Yass: a large, steep hill just to the left of the highway. The starting point for the climb was off Common Road (which is about 8 kilometers past the Yass Service Centre turnoff). The climb was along a bitumen service road that zigzags up the western side of the hill.

As we got near the top we could see a rocky outcrop on the top of the hill, although we found that this is not the highest point.

The views from the top are spectacular. We could easily make out Black Mountain Tower, Mt Gingera and Mt Tennant, but the views in all directions were uninterrupted.

After spending quite a while at the top of the hill (despite the cold wind blowing), we made our way back down the hill by the same path.

Canberra Nature Park: Gungaderra Grasslands Nature Reserve

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   4 kilometers

Total climb:   128 meters

Time taken:   1 hours 15 minutes

Maps:   Canberra 8727-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   8 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  Canberra 55H FB 92425 01103

Destination map grid reference:   n/a

End point:  Same as start

Route

Description

This walk commenced just off the Barton Highway outside the entrance to the 1RPH radio station. We had to climb a barbed wire fence near a locked gate to get into the reserve (we found a few other wire fences during the walk but we were able to find gaps in them).

Proceeding up the track inside the gate our first order of business was to find some ancient gnarly trees that we had heard about. This required some backtracking, but we eventually found the trees one after another in the light forest to the left of the track.

 

After finding the trees we walked up to the top of Gungahlin Hill (map ref. 55H FB 92348 01747) before heading northeast to another hill at the northern end of the grasslands (map ref. 55H FB 92173 02334). There were some nice views across the grasslands from here.

Turning back we headed for a third hill in the grasslands (map ref. 55H FB 92933 01600), also with some nice views.

 From here it was a short walk back through grassland and light forest back to our starting point.

Canberra Nature Park: Black Mountain Circuit (2)

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   7 kilometers

Total climb:   350 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 40 minutes

Maps:   Canberra 8727-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   3 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  Canberra 55H FA 91816 94932

Destination map grid reference:   n/a

End point:  Same as start

Route

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

Description

Another loop walk around Black Mountain. The starting point was the carpark near the electricity sub-station on Frith Road. From there I really just explored any tracks and paths that looked interesting, following the Kids Lookout Trail, climbing over Little Black Mountain and coming back around to the Black Mountain Summit Walk. Rather than go to the summit I walked around the western side of the Forest Loop Walk. From the picnic area on Black Mountain Drive I headed bush straight down a spur to the Botanic Gardens Trail which follows the fence line of the Botanic Gardens back to Frith Road.

Uriarra: Sherwood Daffodils (2)

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   8.6 kilometers

Total climb:   249 meters

Time taken:   3 hours 10 minutes (including a long break at the daffodils)

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

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

Description

This walk was similar to the one undertaken on 10 September 2019 (link), at least in terms of starting point and destination. The difference was that about 1.6 kilometres into the walk we turned north into the pine forest to loop around towards Two Sticks Hill before heading south towards the daffodils site. We returned the same way we had taken last year.

Canberra Nature Park: Aranda Snowgums

General Information

Grading: very easy

Distance:   2 kilometers

Total climb:   18 meters

Time taken:   45 minutes

Maps:   Canberra 8727-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   6 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  Canberra 55H FA 89746 94098

Destination map grid reference:   n/a

End point:  Same as start

Route

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

Description

This walk started at the Black Mountain carpark near Glenloch Interchange. We walked down to the stile over the fence leading into the Aranda Snowgums and followed a loop pretty randomly around the area. A short walk for a little bloke.

Canberra Nature Park: Goorooyaroo Nature Reserve - Old Joe Hill and Gooroo Hill

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:   9.4 kilometers

Total climb:   290 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 20 minutes
Maps:   Hall 8727-4S 1:25 000

             Sutton 8727-1S 1:25 000 

             See also (link)
Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   13 kilometers
Start point map grid reference:  55H GB 98346 01230
Destination map grid reference:   Old Joe Hill 55H FB 99407 03215

                                                      Gooroo Hill 55H GB 00037 04192
End point:  Same as start

Route

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

Description

This walk commenced at the Goorooyaroo Nature Reserve carpark off Horse Park Drive. We started by going through the gate and following the management trail north for a bit, taking a right hand turn at the first intersection we came to. Following this second track for a short distance we then went bush and climbed Gecko Hills where we could get some great views.

From there we followed the border fence up Old Joe and Gooroo Hills. From Gooroo Hill we followed the track back to our starting point. This was definitely the less interesting part of the walk.

Namadgi National Park: Boboyan Valley

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:  17.65 kilometers 

Total climb:  219 meters 

Time taken:  4 hours 5 minutes 

Map:  Yaouk 8626-2N, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  81 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 79942 30000 

Destination map grid reference:  Boboyan Homestead ruin 55H FA 78620 31278

                                                     Lutons Crutching Shed 55H FA 75795 33510 

                                                     Lone Pine Homestead ruin 55H FA 74859 32454  

End point:  same as start

Route

 

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

Description

The starting point for this walk was the locked gate on Old Boboyan Road, about one kilometer from Boboyan Road.

Passing through the gate we followed Old Boboyan Road through Boboyan Valley with Naas Creek on our right and views of snow-capped mountains.

At about the 2 kilometer point we reached the Boboyan Homestead ruin just off the road on the left. There is not much left of the early-1900's homestead apart from foundation stones and the chimney, but it is in a beautiful elevated position above Naas Creek.

We continued along Old Boboyan Road until near the point where it crosses over Naas Creek.

We headed up Sams Creek Firetrail through to the 1960's-era Lutons Crutching Shed, where we paused for a break.

From here we decided to look for the Lone Pine Homestead ruin, taking a shortcut through the bush to Grassy Creek Firetrail. Although we were looking in the right place we didn't manage to find the ruin. We suspect that it may have been obscured among the fallen trees and  bushfire damage, but maybe we just didn't look well enough.

We started our return journey back the way we came along the Grassy Creek Firetrail with Sheep Station Creek on our left. The Creek was particularly spectacular.

After passing through the forested are on our right we cut across country back to Old Boboyan Road which we followed back to our starting point.

Most of the area we walked through was not affected by the 2020 bushfires, although the area north of Sheep Station Creek was burnt. To get through to this part of Namadgi National Park, however, we had to drive through almost constant severe bushfire damage south of Apollo Road.

Canberra Nature Park: Black Mountain Circuit (1)

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   11.1 kilometers

Total climb:   299 meters

Time taken:   2 hours 40 minutes

Maps:   Canberra 8727-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   6 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  Canberra 55H FA 89742 94000

Destination map grid reference:   n/a

End point:  Same as start

Route

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

Description

The starting point for this walk was the Black Mountain Reserve carpark near Glenloch Interchange. I followed the cycle path south from the carpark passing under Caswell Drive /Gungahlin Drive and making my way to the gate marking the entrance to the Black Mountain Reserve. I followed the Woodland Trail for a bit before I headed bush, intending to walk in the bush above Parkes Way around to the lookout I visited a few weeks back (link). Although steep, this is very nice bushland to walk through and has some excellent views to the south. Just be careful of your footing.

After a steep climb up to around 650 meters elevation I pretty much followed the contour at that elevation around the south side of Black Mountain. This eventually brought me almost perfectly to the lookout I was seeking. From there I followed the walking track back to the Botanical Gardens where, after a coffee break at the cafe there, I had the opportunity to have a bit of a look around while making my way to Black Mountain gate.

Passing back out into Black Mountain Reserve I followed the Powerline Trail until I found a trail heading southwest at map reference 55H FA 91133 96004 which I followed. At around map reference 55H FA 90099 95429 I found a walking track to the right which I decided to follow. Unfortunately I took me nowhere I wanted to go so I made my way back to the management trail I had been following. I passed under Caswell Drive/Gungahlin Drive into the Aranda Bushland. After a short way down a management trail I found a walking track on the left with ribbon markings leading me back to where I started. Some nice pictures on the way.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Jedbinbilla

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:  8 kilometers 

Total climb:  238 meters 

Time taken:  2 hours 20 minutes 

Map:  Tidbinbilla 8627-2S, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  43 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 74538 75990 

Destination map grid reference:  n/a 

End point:  same as start

Route

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

Description

This walk started at Blewitts carpark. Our first challenge was to get across the Tidbinbilla River at Blewitts since there is no bridge and the water level was quite high after recent rain. After some exploration we found a fallen tree which I was able to balance-walk across, although my less agile co-walker took the lower branch which enabled him to balance with his hands on the main trunk.

Across the river we found the River Road and followed it south for a bit before we found a walking track on the right which we followed up to another management trail which we followed southwest, west and north until it became the Man on the Horse Trail. At around map reference 55H FA 73690 75953 we found a walking track on the right which we decided to follow to see where it went. This took us through some rather nice bushland with views to the east and the Tidbinbilla Range to the west.

The walking trail eventually led us to a point near the intersection of the Spur 2 Firetrail and Split Rock Trail. We followed Split Rock Trail and it was here that we first came across the new wallaby enclosure fence.

We followed Split Rock Trail until Gilmore Road, which we started to follow back to our start point. There was a gate in the wallaby enclosure fence on Gilmore Road which we had to pass through. We followed Gilmore Road until it met the Boundary Trail where we turned right and found the beginning of the river walking track. Although this is a short track it is well worth following and was a highlight of the walk.

The trail took us through to Blewitts where we finished the walk with a nice lunch and an excellent bottle of wine.