Colour in the bush beside Mt Budawang Rd

Saturday 12 October: Mt Budawang – M/M. After the drive through Braidwood we park the cars then it’s all on track up a graded fire trail to the fire tower at the top of Mount Budawang for lunch and panoramic views of Curockbilly Mountain, Pigeon House, the Castle and beyond. Around 13km and 430m climb: Map: Braidwood. Leader: Terrylea R.

Further Information

Last trips here for me were 16 Oct 12 (when I did see the views) and 12 Jun 13 (when it was wetter and as view-less as today.

Summary

Distance: 14.0km | Climb: 550m | Time: 9.30am – 2.05pm (4hrs 35mins), including 40 mins of breaks | Grading: M/E-M; M(9)

Photographs

Photographs are available, where you can start a large sized slideshow.

Waypoint and Track Files

Download the gpx file for this trip (if your browser does not automatically download the file, it will open the gpx file in a new window and you can then save it). To use in Google Earth, do File, Open… and select Gps or All files as the File Type.

Track Notes

Met at Spotlight car park in Queanbeyan and motored via the Kings Highway to Braidwood, then Little River Rd to Mongarlowe and Budawang Rd to the intersection with Mt Budawang Rd. A little over 1hr.

Our walk leader gave us a very good briefing, as all walk leaders should.

I think that finger was shaken at the photographer (grin)

It was cold, mizzly and muddy as we tromped down the hill and through the cow paddocks. But the conditions not only had our hands in our pockets, but drew our attention to things close at hand.

Tree ferns beside Mt Budawang

The track-side bush was alive and glossy in the damp.

Track-side vegetation

Colour was in abundance.

Mixed colour in the bush

We stopped for morning tea at 10 past 10am, at the entrance to Budawang National Park and where we to emerge on our homeward leg. 3.1km in 40mins to here.

Budawang National Park signage

It was a continuing upward pull to the top. We arrived to no distant views (although I’m sure I caught a glimpse of snow on Currockbilly Mountain) and Terrylea’s encouraging marshmallows. From cars to top was 7.2km in 2hrs 5mins walking.

We took a lap around the Mt Budawang Radio Facility. Impressive infrastructure.

Mt Budawang infrastructure

Homage was paid to the original trig marker vanes, discarded nearby as at many other sites.

Mt Budawang old trig vanes

Having taken our fill of very little, we retreated downhill to where a non map-marked old fire trail headed west-ish then north-ish for lunch.

Softer on the feet with a few broken branches to step over, it made quite a lovely different way back.

An old fire trail not map-marked gave us a slightly different way back

We passed area of lush grass trees.

Glossy grass trees on our return loop

We popped out at our morning tea spot and wandered back to the cars.

A nice arvo tea in Braidwood on our return drive.

Every walk is a good walk and one can’t control the weather. Thank you Terrylea and all. Great leadership and great company.

Track Map

Track

Party

14 walkers – Meghan B, Gavin F, Peta H, Meg McK; Quentin M, Lauren O, Mark P, Noelia P, Terrylea R (leader), Dan S, Ian T, Ana V, Robert W, me.