Gibraltar Pines: Punch Bowl Creek

General Information

Grading : medium

Distance:  9.8 kilometers 

Total climb:  417 meters

Time taken:  3 hours 30 minutes

Map:  Corin Dam 8626-1N, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  49 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 74894 68592

Destination map grid reference:  n/a

End point:  same as start

Route

 

Description

This walk began at the Smokers Trail car park off Corin Road. We walked up to the top of the hill, then turned slightly right and cut through the bush to another management trail which we followed round to the start of the walking track along Punch Bowl Creek (map reference 55H FA 75649 68431).

We followed the walking track past the two waterfalls on Punch Bowl Creek...

 

...and then continued down to an old gate before turning left and crossing Punch Bowl Creek at map reference 55H FA 76680 68759. From here we hit exploration mode, following an old and rough track paralleling the north side of the creek. We followed this for a few kilometers just to see where it went. We were hopeful that it might climb up the ridge on our left, but it soon became apparent that it most likely just went to the Booroomba Homestead (as it turned out we were right about this) and decided to turn back.

We followed mostly the same route back to our starting point, although we re-crossed Punch Bowl Creek a bit further downstream than on the outward journey.

Port Macquarie Coastal Walk

General Information

Grading : easy

Distance:  8.8 kilometers 

Total climb:  195 meters

Time taken:  2 hours

Map:  Port Macquarie 9435-2S, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  661 kilometers

Route

Description

We started this walk at Town Beach and followed the marked trail to the south along the coastline. This meanders through bushland (including Sea Acres Nature Reserve) and along beaches, with the trail mostly easy to follow and with great views from time to time.

The trail officially ends at the Tacking Point Lighthouse.

We went on a little bit further down Lighthouse Beach so that we could have a brief camel ride along the beach and have a good lunch at the Tacking Point SLSC.

Note: 

I haven't included the return journey as part of this blog posting. We walked back along Lighthouse Road and Pacific Drive, just shy of 6 kilometers and not particularly interesting. Other options include returning via the Coastal Walk or catching a bus from Pacific Drive.

Rob Roy Nature Reserve: Some Waterfalls, the Black and White Mine and Monks Hill

General Information

Grading : medium

Distance:  9.4 kilometers 

Total climb:  521 meters

Time taken:  3 hours 50 minutes

Map:  Tuggeranong 8727-3S, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  29 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 91194 72673

Destination map grid reference:  Waterfalls 55H FA 91349 70137 (approximate)

                                                     Mine 55H FA 91016 71165

                                                     Monks 55H FA 91216 71267

End point:  same as start

Route

 

Description

This walk began at the car park just off Orange Tree Crescent in Banks. Through the gate we started walking up a steep sealed track which turns into a more level gravel track at the top of this first ascent. About 2 kilometers into the walk the track divides, with the track on the right heading towards Monks Hill and the left track heading towards Mount Rob Roy. We went up towards Monks Hill for as short distance, and then went bush following a fence line south until we came to a creek in a deep gully with some small waterfalls.

We then headed back along the same fence line for a while before heading west towards the Black and White Mine.

After inspecting the mine we headed up to Monks Hill to take in some of the views before retracing our route back to the starting point.

Kosciuszko National Park: Charlotte Pass to Guthega [and return]

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:    19 kilometers

Total climb:    660 meters

Time taken:   4 hours 30 minutes

Maps:   Perisher Valley 8525-2S  1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   220 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FV 19089 67358

Destination map grid reference:  55H FV 23213 73018

End point:  same as start

 

Route

 

Description

This new walking trail is the first section of the planned Snowies Alpine Walk.

We started at Charlotte Pass, and at the car park walked down the very steep track towards the Snowy River below. The start of the trail to Guthega begins on the right, a few hundred meters before the river. Much of the initial section is along raised metal causeway following along beside the Snowy River.

After a while the track starts to go up and down and through some nice stands of gum trees

Perhaps the highlight of the walk is the suspension bridge over Spencers Creek.

The track also passes beside the Illawong Bridge over the Snowy River and Guthega Dam before taking you into Guthega itself.

My walking companion (actually my wife) was pretty worn out by the time we reached Guthega, so she stayed behind in the cafe while I walked back to Charlotte Pass to fetch the car. The climb up from the Snowy River to the Charlotte Pass car park was a killer at the end of such a long walk.

Namadgi National Park: Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station Site to Booroomba Rocks

General Information

Grading : medium

Distance:  12.9 kilometers 

Total climb:  405 meters

Time taken:  4 hours

Map:  Corin Dam 8626-1N, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  53 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 79143 60486

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 81967 62279

End point:  same as start

Route

 

Description

This walk began at the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station site car park at the end of Apollo Road. We walked down to the campsite and turned off onto the walking track towards Booroomba Rocks at map reference 55H FA 78928 60481. This is a very picturesque and easy-to-follow track that took us to the Booroomba Rocks car park. We then followed the track up to Booroomba Rocks and took in the magnificent views:

We returned to our starting point by the same route.

This is a great way of extending the otherwise short walk to Booroomba Rocks from the Booroomba Rocks car park. Sadly and inexplicably I failed to take any pictures of the track from Honeysuckle to Booroomba. My bad.

Corin Forest: Smokers Trail to Orroral River

General Information

Grading : hard

Distance:  22 kilometers 

Total climb:  795 meters

Time taken:  5 hours 50 minutes

Map:  Corin Dam 8626-1N, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  51.5 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 73687 67792

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 72960 61299

End point:  same as start

Route

 

Description

This walk began at the Square Rock car park just off Corin Road. We initially followed the walking trail towards Square Rock. At map reference 55H FA 72421 66150 there is a link track off to the left that takes you down to the Smokers Trail, and we followed this. When we reached Smokers Trail we turned right and followed it alongside a creek with a number of small waterfalls. As we neared the ridge above Orroral Valley there was plenty of evidence of damage from the 2020 bushfire.

We descended along Smokers Trail down to the Orroral River at the head of Orroral Valley. While the crossing is rather nondescript, the river itself is quite pretty.

Pausing here for some lunch, we then made our way back up Smokers Trail. Instead of walking back up the link trail to the Square Rock track, we continued along Smokers Trail until we came to a marker directing us back to the car park. This turned out to be a rather interesting walking track, quite narrow and treacherous in some places, but through some very pretty bushland.

This took us back to our starting point.

Namadgi National Park: Mt Tennent

General Information

 

Grading: Hard

Distance:  13.9 kilometers

Total climb:  805 meters

Time taken:  4 hours

Map:  Williamsdale 8726-4N, 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  36 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 87286 66083

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 85340 64040

End point:  same as start

 

Previous Similar Walks

2 April 2016, 7 August 2016

Route

 

Description

It having been some time since I'd climbed Mt Tennent from the Namadgi Visitor Centre, and since the new section of walking trail had recently opened, I decided to try it again. The first section of track, up to the top of the ridge, was unchanged and included the view from Cypress Pine Lookout:

At the top of the ridge I followed the new walking track to the summit. I returned via the old route down the management trail and along the ridge, and then straight back down the mountain again.

Ginninderry Conservation Corridor: Strathnairn to Shepherd's Lookout

General Information

Grading : easy

Distance:  7.1 kilometers 

Total climb:  114 meters

Time taken:  1 hour 20 minutes

Map:  Hall 8727-4S 1:25 000 and Umburra 8727-1S 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  15 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 81451 99526

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 79900 98440

End point:  same as start

Route

 

 

Description

This walk began at The Link Community and Information Centre in McClymont Way, Ginninderry Village. It is along a newly constructed walking trail which is signposted, easy to follow and quite scenic. There are even a few artworks along the way. The best description of the walk is in the pictures:

The track is fairly flat and there are a few stiles to climb over. Parts of the track can also be muddy, I found. You may encounter livestock along the trail too, as the land it passes through is used for grazing: I had to make my way through a large herd of cattle near the start of the walk.

Gibraltar Pines and [Not Quite] Punch Bowl Creek Falls

General Information

Grading : medium

Distance:  7.2 kilometers 

Total climb:  314 meters

Time taken:  2 hours

Map:  Corin Dam 8626-1N, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  49 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 74894 68592

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 76117 68607

End point:  same as start

Route

 

Description

This walk began at the Smokers Trail car park just off Corin Road. We walked straight up the hill from the car park and turned left at the top. This took us on a loop trail through some very nice grassy native bushland.

Looping back around to the southwest, we made our way to Punch Bowl Creek, but due to a navigational error on my part ended up climbing a very steep hill after we had crossed the creek, which we then had to walk down again. At roughly map reference 55H FA 75649 68431 we eventually found the beginning of the walking track down Punch Bowl Creek. This track is quite difficult to find by sight, which is why we ended up unnecessarily climbing the hill.

Making our way along the track we were confronted with a newly-built fence going right across the track.

Assuming that this was a less-than-subtle form of saying "No Access", we decided to turn back short of the falls. [After the walk I asked the Parks people why the track had been closed, only to be informed that it was meant only to keep livestock out, not interfere with walkers, and that a gate allowing access was to be put in. This gate has now been constructed.]

Making our way back to the start of the walking track we decided not to climb that steep hill again, but went up another trail that parallels it on the west. This proved much easier. We then looped back to the starting point along randomly selected management trails.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Spur 1 Trail to Camelback Fire Trail

General Information

Grading : easy

Distance:  9.33 kilometers 

Total climb:  460 meters

Time taken:  2 hours 15 minutes

Map:  Tidbinbilla 8627-2S, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  47 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 73043 74179

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 71866 75588

End point:  same as start

Route

Description

I began this walk at the Koala Enclosure car park just off Tidbinbilla Reserve Road. I walked back along the road until I saw a track off to the left and followed that in a generally northeast direction through a mix of management facilities for the Reserve and some very nice bushland.

This turned out to be the Man on Horse Trail, which I followed until I turned left at the Spur 1 Trail. This trail is relatively steep in some places, but gave some views of the Tidbinbilla Range as I climbed.

Eventually I reached the Camelback Trail, and briefly considered bush bashing my way through to Red Hill, off to the southeast from there. I decided against it due to the fact that I was on my own (never a good idea while bush bashing in unfamiliar terrain where nobody knew I might be going) and thickening scrub.

So instead I walked back down the Spur 1 Trail and the Man on Horse Trail until I reached Tango's Track on the right (this is signposted - photographed below on the way up). 

I followed Tango's Track back to Mountain Creek Road, and from there back to the start point.