Black Mountain quarry site through the fence

Geocaching Black Mountain with Kambahkid – M/M. Caching for a few more numbers.

Further Information

Probably not much of interest in this little post to readers, except reminders for me.

Hats off to Kambahkid who currently has 1400+ caches logged, but is not a premium member.

Started the day with two very sore feet, finished the day with one very sore foot. Go away sore feet!

Summary

Distance: 10.5km | Climb: 510m | Time: ∼8.00am – 12.40pm (4hrs 40mins), including 20 mins of breaks | Grading: M/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

Walk 1

The track of our first little stroll is an estimate because, for the second time in a couple of weeks, I’ve left my GPSr on all night. Started our wander – flat batteries. A lovely little newly established walking track with some excellent stone architecture. It contours round the base of the mountain. We logged GC388XV Oz Rock – AC/DC: Back in Black and continued to follow it as far as GC409PE Black Meadow, which I’d previously logged. This is a lovely spot, well worth a visit and now sporting a new metal lookout. We returned to the car. wondering where the new track goes.

Walk 2

Drove up to the mid mountain car park. Did a little loop S to log GC158JD Black Burley, NE to log GC388YQ Oz Rock – Midnight Oil: King of the Mountain and W for Kk to log GC2Q7MP Black Glen.

Walk 3

Drove to the top car park. Walked N down the main path for Kk to log GC239F Geocache. Then E along the ‘hat band’ track for a while, then down an open and broad spur to log GC45PCK Paleomagnetic Place at an old explosives storage bunker:

Explosives storage bunker

We were, of course, at the fence of the old Black Mountain quarry. I never knew this was here! Lived nearby at Bruce Hall ANU 1967-1971. The places that TankEngine and geocaching takes one!! The description of the quarry and its use also makes an interesting read – checkout the geocache description.
Next, off-track to log GC31N71 Lucanidae Cachii, a phobic experience. We returned up to the W, crossing the ‘hat band’ track and finishing off on a bit of track where I died on the Cbr100 5-6 Mar 16.

Walk 4

Drove to the northern entrance to Black Mountain Nature Reserve, off the west-bound lane of Belconnen Way. Did a loop to the south, using fire trails, bike trails and off-track to log GC2HH08 Beware the BearWolf, GC16BJ5 Everyone’s A Winner In Canberra, GC6FTXX The Honey (in a honey jar, of course), GC6FTY5 The Pea-Green Boat (cache contains a pea-green boat), GC2WKQB Black Knoll up near the top of Little Black Mountain and GC4AK1H Plucked (cache nearly @#!&ed due to a controlled burn, but still safe). Morning tea back near the car.

Finally, we took our lives in our hands and crossed Belconnen Way to do a little northern loop in the Bruce Ridge Nature Reserve. We logged GC7NP65 Bruce Ridge – They Call Me Bruce, GC7QH2V Bruce Ridge – Robert the Bruce and GC7QH5X Bruce Ridge – Bruce Springstein, then headed for the tunnel. The 2-star difficulty cache here had us looking for quite a while, but we eventually found GC2ZBT0 Tunnel of Terror. Logged GC7PP4X Bruce Ridge – Bruce Willis on the way back.

A coffee at Kambah with Kambahkid rounded off a very pleasant few hours. We plan to do it again.

Track Map

Track

Track

Party

2 walkers – Derek S (Kambahkid) (leader), me (JohnnyBoyACT).