Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Wednesday 11 October 2023: E-M Wednesday Walk – Nursery Creek – NS3 and NS1.

Was supposed to be: Help re-establish the route from Nursery Creek towards Rendezvous Creek – many feet make light work. Walk to the end of the Nursery Swamp Walking Track for morning tea overlooking the swamp. Return to near the Nursery Creek bridge and head west, most of the way towards the saddle above Rendezvous Creek. Then north to cross Nursery Creek and visit the indigenous rock art site, NS2. Return east-ish off-track to rejoin the NSWT and exit. Around 12km and 400vm. Track walking and off-track through shrubby and scrubby forest.

Instead we did: Visited NS3, walked to end of NSWT for smoko, then continued on down the swamp to NS1.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (Epix Gen 2) – Distance: 15.45km | Climb: 450vm (Elev Corrections Enabled) | Time: 3:50 moving + 2:00 of stops = 5:50 | Grading: M/E-M; M(9).

Photographs

View photographs here. There are more photos in the album.

gpx file

Advertised walk: Download the gpx file here. If you open the gpx file with a text editor and find the waypoint NS2, you’ll get its location if you want to visit. Many walkers have been there. It has a nearby (now fried) visitors book.

Actual trip: Download the gpx file here. The contributing waypoints and track have been modified to not show the location of NS3 and NS1.

Track Map

Here’s where I planned to go.

Here’s where we went.

Trip Report

I was last in this area on 9 Sep 23.

I contacted NVC to ask who I should ask about visiting/advertising these rock art sites. They said the traditional custodian team. I did so on 14 Sep 23. Disappointed to receive no response. Still, I’ll continue to not advertise the locations, but will visit them.

Away at 8.45am, heading up the Nursery Swamp Walking Track. Track side flowers. Had a plant expert, Lois, in the party, so I’m sure of the ids.

The track improvement works were in full swing.

We regrouped at the crest of the track above Nursery Creek and visited NS3.

Had Scott, a geological expert in the party, so we may get future information as to whether the marks are ochre or mineralisation. However, with the close excavation site and photos matching those in reports on NS3, this is the site.

An amble down the side of Nursery Swamp to the end of the track for morning tea. A nice pool in the swamp.

An option was presented here. Instead of the advertised walk, we decided to head further down the swamp. My first whoopsie here, heading for lunch I went up the wrong drainage line under Nursery Hill.

Somewhere around here, we visited NS1.

Here’s the ACT Heritage Council’s schematic of indigenous rock art sites.

After lunch we returned down towards Nursery Creek, near where it starts to drop down to the Boboyan Road.

I have a new rule. When a plant expert gets excited, get excited. So when Lois got excited about a plant, I got excited. Anchor plant, quite rare in the ACT.

Quite a few in a little patch. I’d hunted this plant near Honeysuckle Creek on 29 Jul 08. It’s mentioned in the old NCDC Sites of Significance in the ACT, Site G1, Honeysuckle Creek Swamp.

We returned to the NW, back to the seats at the end of the NSWT. Views to the NE ridge which I’m sure I’ve walked yonks ago.

A water stop, then out the track. Orchids on the way out.

Nice trip with old and new friends. Trust everyone enjoyed it.

Party

11 walkers – Lou A, Cynthia B, Roger H, Phillip H, Jen H, Stephen J, Scott N, Lois P, Chris R, Mal W, me.

AllTrails

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

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