Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Sunday 11 September 2022: Dowling trig and Sherwood Daffodils. From Mountain Creek Road we will walk two kilometres gaining 180 metres in altitude to Dowling Trig. We will descend via an open ridge with expansive views. We then proceed to Sherwood Homestead site for morning tea among the daffodils and jonquils. Our return is by a different route. We will be home in time for lunch.

Summary

From Garmin Connect – Distance: 9.32km | Climb: 372m | Time: 2.33 moving + 0:54 of stops = 3:27 | Grading: M/E; E(7).

Photographs

Photographs are available here.

gpx File

The gpx file is available here.

Track Notes

I was last here on 20 Jun 19, 5 Apr 16, 30 Mar 13, 13 Mar 12, 6 Mar 12, 19 Apr 11 and 29 Apr 01. My information about Sherwood is here.

Apparently we have Tim the Yowie Man and the Riotact to thank for recently advertising the Sherwood daffodils, as well as our leader Phillip.

ACT Heritage Council information.

A truly excellently planned and executed walk – a delightful cameo. Phillip put on this trip yesterday and again today, bringing visual enjoyment to around 30 CBC walkers. Other clubs and groups have done the walk too, as well as the large number of individuals and small groups there today. No signs of it being loved to death, just quiet enjoyment by many. I’ve never seen the floral display so lovely.

With the many deciduous trees, it’s a great Autumn trip too. Keep an eye out for Phillip’s return walk in that season.

Shortest and easiest insert from a car park off Mountain Creek Road. Dowling towered gracefully above us.

Not that the direct route was used. After a bit of a gentle puff up the fire trail, we left it for a great approach up a spur.

A quick stop at Dowling trig.

A few steps to the south gave excellent open views.

Our next stop was another example of this well planned walk. A view down to the open area of the Sherwood site.

We ignored the hideous, but necessary, power lines.

Plenty of pine trees about. See the shaken pollen fly.

Again, careful route selection took us above the blackberries in Uriarra Creek to Uriarra weir.

Phillip kindly invited me to share the stories about the Brindabella weirs.

As I said, plenty of pollen about.

We crossed the creek and reached the Sherwood site via a blackberry free approach.

I was really taken by the blooms, as were many others already sitting quietly about.

The signage gave us the story.

Heaps of daffodils …

… jonquils …

… and snowflakes.

Even tiny violets.

A delightful area.

We wandered up Ropers Hill to the Phillips’ graves, plaque and replacement (Phillip says the third) oak tree.

The plaque says:

This plaque was erected on
2 November 2000 by descendants in
memory of
HENRY PHILLIPS
27.4.1823 – 28.1.1913
ELIZA PHILLIPS (nee DOVE)
23.7.1838 – 14.12.1922
and their infant son HENRY (1878)
who lie buried here at ‘Sherwood’

Here’s what the original oak tree looked like in 2001.

Burnt in 2003, here it is in 2019.

Our exit was first north on a fire trail beside dark pine forest.

Then, yet another well planned route,  off-track east along the northern edge of the pine forest. Through a pig rooted area and then lots of gentle undulations.

South across SH747 past a nicely shaped wattle.

Just touched our inward fire trail, then a final off-track leg down to the cars. Still plenty of water about.

Anyone know what the pile of rubble, including reinforced concrete, is near the start?

Thanks to Senior Ranger Darren, a cuppla days later:

“Hey John. That pile is just a pile of stuff we dumped there in the early 90’s. I’m not sure where it came from though, I suspect it was a building somewhere and the roads crew wanted to use it in the road surface.  I watch it as there is a good suite of reptiles, and weeds, (and no rabbits now),  that live in it so we are reluctant to clean it up.”

Track Map

Here’s where we went.

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

Party

14 of us. Phillip S leader.