Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Tuesday evening 17 January 2023: Evening summer time stroll – Mt Painter and The Pinnacle Nature Reserves * – S/E. I know this is Diana’s territory and it has recently been on as a CBC evening walk, but I have to finish the 39 NRs in CNP. From the car park between 57 and 61 Mackellar Cres in Cook at 6.30pm, climb Mt Painter via a footpad to the trig for great views. Head NW to visit The Pinnacle and Bunny Hill. Around 8km and 300vm. Bring a head torch. No need to book, but appreciate it if you do. Help a pedantic pensioner walk the penultimate pair of the 39 NRs in the CNP. Qualifies for RU⇧4it with a P!
Sunset at 8:14pm, civil twilight (just see) 8:44pm.
Canberra Nature Park – a breath of fresh air for busy walkers. There are 39 Nature Reserves in the Canberra Nature Park. How many can we walk in? These are numbers 36 and 37. 

Summary

From Garmin Connect – Distance: 8.73km | Climb: 332m | Time: 2:05 moving + 0:15 of stops = 2:20 | Grading: S/E; E(6).

Photographs Photographs are available here.

gpx File The gpx file is available here.

Track Notes

I was last in this area on 12 Jun 22. However, being a list ticking pedant, this penultimate pair of the 39 Nature Reserves in the Canberra Nature Park had to be walked again, facilitated by me. 

There are other reasons for this little stroll.

The Canberra Bushwalking Club runs Tuesday evening walks every Tuesday till March. Check out the Activity Program. Guests are also welcome, they are often ‘no booking required’ so just turn up, and they are a great way to wind down after your day’s activities.

They also often qualify for the Club’s January-June personal challenge, RU⇧4it, just a bit of fun to encourage us to get out and walk a bit more.

A great crew of old and new friends met at the appointed time and place. I was very glad that Diana and Mac came, as this is their backyard. With them providing guidance, it gave me the opportunity to chat with lots of folks and count to 15 at every checkpoint.

We took a little footpad route for a puff up to Mt Painter and enjoyed the uninterrupted views (top photo).

It was then down the main track, around the reservoirs and down to Coulter Drive. Much chatter. Up the east side of the road and, each taking their life into their own hands, crossed the road.

Then generally west around the reservoirs near Springvale Drive, mostly on hard fire trail.

Diana found us a nicer footpad up to The Pinnacle and shared the story of the big tree there, now blown over.

Thank goodness lovely friend Cloe was with us, so a few more photos.

I like going down. Laeli sent me a pic.

A detour through the Cassinia and Bursaria to visit a very unimpressive Bunny Hill. 

The rest of our route was a shallow southerly arc on fire trails, then back to join our inward track to return. Diana took us on a nice level footpad across the back of Cook houses, to avoid a climb and descent.

Some more of Cloe’s photos.

So that’s CNP NRs #36 and #37 out of 39 done. Just two in the north, 

Track Map

Here’s where we went. On TopoView2006 NSW mosaic displayed in OziExplorer.

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

Party

15 walkers – Adam B, Zdenka G, Laeli H, Nathan H, Peter J, Cloe J, Diana K, Mac K, Ming L, Quentin M, Lauren O, Daniel P, Marie S, Tilly T, 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.