Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Saturday 24 May 2025: Nil Desperandum and surrounds * L/E. A suitable ½ day hike for the forecast weather. After crossing the Tidbinbilla River, walk easy fire trails to Nil Desperandum, a restored pise cottage built in the 1890s. Nearby there is a eucalyptus oil distillery, an old swimming pool on Hurdle Creek and a camellia garden. We’ll go a little further (maybe 1km return) to investigate the Ashbrook site. Around 9km and 400vm. Home for a late lunch.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (recorded on Epix Gen 2) – Distance: 12.54km | Climb: 500vm | Time: 2:55 moving + 1:10 of stops = 4:05 | Grading: L/E; M(9).

Photographs

View photographs here.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Maps

Here’s where we went:

Trip Report

A lot of my recent trips are reminiscing older ventures. I was last at Nil Desperandum on 1 Jun 19 and having first ventured there on 5 Dec 06. There have been some changes, including the more recent rerouting of the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve Nil Desperandum walk. Another reason for some walks is to introduce walkers to historic sites. My route planning was based on the 2019 trip, so I was in for some surprises.

We were walking by 8am, having parked above the Greens picnic area and walked down through the beaut picnic spot. Roos enjoying it as we entered; a family or two as we returned. There is some obvious signage down near the river for the Congwarra Trail. Plenty of flow after a day or two of rain.

We turned right and in a few tens of metres crossed the bridge.

The next 360m of the track is delightful. It closely parallels the river through damp areas to join fire trail.

Here was my first sort of surprise. I’d planned our route from my old walks, where we used to turn right here on an around 4km trip into Nils. I’d seen a southern loop on the latest Tidbinbilla walking track brochure but dismissed it. However, the dark green/olive arrows of the Nils Track were to be obeyed, so we endured fire trail taking us south away from our objective. Why?, I mused – later to find out why.

We endured 1.2km of fire trail until I had another epiphany – we were at the Man on a Horse turn off that we’d visited on 5 Apr 25. We popped up to the tors. Disappointingly, some of my companions could not appreciate the simulacra 😂.

Another 600m of fire trail had me wondering about this ‘new’ route. But all was forgiven as we followed a footpad off the fire trails for 1km.

A lookout point is included.

Back on fire trail, we ran into the Jedbinbilla Safe Haven fence, our route taking us left of the enclosure.

Another 1.5km of fire trail had us at a junction. Two ways to Nils – a shorter way via the Nils Trail or longer via Gilmore Rd. We took the latter as I suspected it would bring us into Nils via Hurdle Creek and the old koala enclosure.

That it did and there was opportunity to look up to the still cloud shrouded Camels Hump. I didn’t have the waypoint with me for the old koala enclosure, but we did pass the signage.

Coming in from this direction, we first visited the eucalyptus oil distillery.

Don’t believe anything I say – read the signage.

A lovely (new to me) little track goes directly up to the back of Nils.

Again, here’s the good oil.

We were going to have morning tea on the verandah but, noticing a car out the front, suspected there may be people staying there. Through the front gate and nearby there was more track signage.

The little track from the distillery to Nils (and more) was Eric and Elsie’s loop.

There was no one ‘at home’ at Nil Desperandum, but the sign on the gate said it all.

We had a quick smoko in the breeze at a bench up away from the fenced Nils.

Beside the gate there’s a sign put up in 1997 by the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and Tidbinbilla Pioneers Association Inc.

We next visited the swimming pool on Hurdle Creek. A few holes!

A nearby footpad via a metal crossing of the creek leads to the Camelia garden.

Initially pondering how to get to our final site (which I’d last visited on 1 Nov 11), a handy vehicle track took us all the way!

Many changes in the last thirteen and a half years at Ashbrook, although the Elms still look great.

Signage tells the story.

The Ashbrook hearth didn’t impress some.

But the colours did impress.

Back to the unimpressive quince tree.

That was the extent of our walkabout. I was determined to return via my planned, shorter route. The beginning included a steep fire trail hill. But round a corner we ran into the Jedbinbilla Safe Haven fence and our fire trail paralleled the fence. Near SH865 was fire trail signage, the top trail sign removed.

The view opposite explained why.

I should have twigged why there was a ‘new’ Nils Track. Further on my old planned route came to an abrupt end as the fire trail passed through a gate in the Safe Haven fence.

So all we could do was to plod on and up, hoping for a bend in the fence. Electric fences on both sides, so we were on the straight and narrow.

Views to the NE at the top of the hill, over the Tidbinbilla property and to the Tidbinbilla Deep Space Tracking Station nestled beside the Bullen Range.

To our right, through the high fence, were probably the tors of the ‘monster rising’ that I’ve hankered to visit for years and now cannot.

However, much joy when we found an unlocked gate which took us onto the first fire trail we’d traversed.

A quick scoot up it and we were on the footpad beside the Tidbinbilla River.

Across the bridge.

Back through Greens to our cars.

A couple of little showers during the morning, but one party member putting a raincoat on as usual drive them away. As forecast, the weather cleared to a sunny arvo at home.

Four hadn’t been through here before, so I hope it was an enjoyable trip.

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

Party

7 walkers – Denis H, Richard H, David J, Cathy K, Di McD, Charity M, me.