20 October 2012 Mt Stromlo and W to Murrumbidgee River

Murrumbidgee River W of Mt Stromlo near confluence with Stoney Creek

Maps: Canberra and Cotter Dam 1:25000

Getting There

This walk was organised and enjoyed by me a private walk:

Saturday 20 October - Mt Stromlo and W to Murrumbidgee River - M/M,ptX. Wander around Mt Stromlo and W to the Murrumbidgee River, in the hope of finding a walk to contribute to the updating of the Mt Stromlo brochure. Maps: Canberra and Cotter Dam.

Gay was at a ladies church function 2-9pm, so the chance for a little walk.

Further Information

Park outside (downhill) of the boom gate if there is any chance that you'll finish after 6pm.

Walk - Track Notes

Mt Stromlo asked CBC for walking suggestions on their hill, to update their brochure. I did this little wander, but I think it's too much for the public.

Parked outside the boom gate and walked up the road to where you turn left to Scope. Continued straight ahead up the road to the Mt Stromlo trig, which is just off the road to the right. Plenty of mountain bike riders about, at the top of Stromlo Forest Park. Nice views over the developing Molonglo suburbs into the heart of Canberra.

Take the concrete path down towards the Mt Stromlo Satellite Laser Ranging Facility, keeping it on your left and swing through the fire trail gate marked V. Head along the fire trail in a N-ish direction to the turn off to the Duffields' grave. A beautiful site (and sight), looking towards Mt McDonald and Mt Coree at the back. To the left is the Cotter Dam site and the Brindabella and Tidbinbilla Ranges. To the right of Mt Coree is Blue Ridge and Mt Blundell in the Brindabella National Park.

Back on the main track, continue through the W gate and down the fire trail, crossing the 'Western Wedgetail' mountain bike track, to a complex intersection before the next knoll. Go through the gate and take the fire trail which heads down the spur to the West.

The 'Pork Barrel' and 'Blacksnake Gully' mountain bike tracks cross the fire trail, which wends down past 'To Deep Creek' mountain bike trail signage and beside a small dam. Curve left along the fire trail where the 'Deep Creek' signage points to the right.

At the bottom of the hill the fire trail meets a fence with gate. Continue to follow the fire trail up to the right, paralleling the fence. I found no evidence of the map-marked structure and, after a bit of faffing around, got back onto the fire trail. Came to more 'Deep Creek' signage again, so I guess if you wanted to flirt with high speed mountain bikes belting down the track, you could follow the 'Deep Creek' bike track from near the dam. Round 100m further N along the fire trail, I turned left through a gate.

From here, a meandering route along fire trails, heading towards the map-marked bridge. It's washed out. Returned N back up the hill because as I came down, I noticed a stile and gate through to the Stoney Creek Nature Reserve from the ACT Forest area.

A more meandering route of 1.7km heading W above Stoney Creek and crossing various drainage lines which fed into it, to within sight (but not blackberry striking distance) of the Murrumbidgee River. Quite a flow.

To return, I headed up a little spur to a knoll, crossing a new fence with great difficulty. Then directly along the boundary fence of the Stoney Creek NR, a better route than the inward one as it skirted the tops of the drainage lines. Another difficult fence to go from SCNR to ACTF.

Next, fire trails generally SE, then finally NE, to the map-marked 'Tower' on the 1st edn Cotter Dam map. You see the building and tank stand and towers when lolling about at the Scope cafe. It turned out to be a Department of Industry Tourism and Resources Space Weather Monitoring Site.

I could see the row of tall pines in the saddle near the boom gate and, with a sealed road heading that way, followed it back to my car.

Probably a bit much for the average punter, a few nasty fences and no doubt snakes in Summer. But a shorter circuit just to the W of Mt Stromlo would be ok. I'll have a look at that if they want me to. Planned one of around 5km.

Distance: 14.6km Climb: 450m. Time: 2.20 - 5.30pm (3hrs 10mins), with 3mins of stops.
Grading: M/M,ptX; M(9)