Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Saturday 10 April 2023: Eastern Hills of Goorooyarroo NR * – M/E-M. CBC is partnering with ACTArchives to facilitate a walk to the ACT/NSW border during Heritage Week. I’d like to do a final recce so I don’t make a fool of myself. Come along for a half-day wander if you’re free. POIs include border marker X4, Old Joe Hill and Gecko Hills. Around 4 hours walking.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (MAP66i) – Distance: 8.85km | Climb: 443m | Time: 2:18 moving + 1:02 of stops = 3:20 | Grading: M/M-R; M(8).

Photographs Photographs are available here.

gpx File The gpx file is available here.

Track Notes

I was last through here on 5 Dec 22 and a bit on 15 Mar 23.

Not since I last led a walk have I experienced such shocking navigation. But perhaps better to make a fool of myself today than on Friday. First, chatting away tibmin (that’s thumb in …. mind in neutral), I thought I’d missed a turn off the CCT towards the crest. So we doubled back. Wrong turn off, had the wrong planned route with me. Phillip kindly suggested that we walk the predator-proof fence up to the Maga Maga gate.

But my good companions and I could not remain out of sorts on such a lovely day. Great Autumn weather for walking – cool, sunny, mostly blue sky.

We reached the crest and turned south. Most of the bottom of the fence line on the border in this area is lined with rocks to prevent animals burrowing under, but I reckon possible border markers were identified where the lockspit stone arrangements were slightly away from the fence. The first was the 13 Mile marker.

You can’t miss border marker X4, our main objective, a little further on.

From here, we did a 180 and walked north, first gently down then steeply up to Old Joe Hill. Possible identification of border corner lockspits at W4, V4, U4 and T4, again either because they are slightly off the fence line or because of change of direction of the border.

Smoko (with Easter eggs) on rocks in the sun near Old Joe trig.
We descended NW from Old Joe and through the Bura gate. The small dam and drainage line to its ENE is the start of Sullivans Creek. Third error, as I was talking again. Instead of continuing west through the grass to the planned ‘Join CCT’ waypoint, I wandered SW down the fence. No real matter as we ended up on the CCT.

Forth error as I turned off the CCT too soon, but on a vehicle track route. The plan was to go back to X4 and exit via Gecko Hills. A lovely tree trackside.

Got that route right. Beaut views from the open knolls, over the northern suburbs and out to the western ranges.
Fifth error out the Baray gate, heading south down the fence instead of W to the CCT. To finish off, Phillip (who knows this area better than I do) led us through the long grass to the Mandawari gate and our cars.

Great gang of walkers. One wouldn’t be dead for quids. Thanks all.

Track Map

Here’s where we went.

The AllTrails map is here, where you can pan and zoom.

Party

12 walkers – Jenny A, Andrea C, Elizabeth C, Joanne H, Richard H, Lisa M, Stephen M, Quentin M, Lam S, Phillip S, Michael W, me.

Johnny Boy’s Walkabout Blog FaceBook Page

I’ve started up a FaceBook page. Each trip report posts to it. So it’s another way to get some info to get out and breathe a bit of fresh air. Why not pop over and Follow the page, or give a post a Like.