Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Wednesday 13 August 2025: E-M Wednesday Walk: Yankee Hat Rock Art and surrounding area * – M/M.

We begin by heading up past the Foresters Hut. Turning south we pass to the east side of the knolls south of the car park. Rounding to the west, we visit a ‘brick factory’ site on the way to Frank and Jacks Hut. Walking NW, we cross the causeway over Bogong Creek. Turning N, we pass through the possible area of the last known aboriginal gathering in the ACT, reported by Miss McKeahnie in the Queanbeyan Observer of 11 March 1913. She described 500 aborigines meeting there. 2 or so kilometers N we view the recently reopened Yankee Hat rock art site and its infrastructure, then head E (via a short detour to Sinclairs Hut site) back to our vehicles over the new Bogong Creek walkway and bridge. Around 13km and 350vm with gradings of CBC M/M, BBC M(8) and NPA 2/A. The pace will be easy as I am recovering from pneumonia.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (recorded on Epix Gen 2) – Distance: 13.17km | Climb: 340vm | Time: 3:06 moving + 1:46 of stops = 4:52 | Grading: M/M; M(8). I must admit I was recording on 3 devices today – Epix watch, MAP66i handheld and I’m beginning to use Gaia on my phone. Each have different advantages. The Epix records many more track points than the other devices, so produces more exact measurements of distance and climb. The data fields I have set on the locked display are handy for a quick glance. I have the planned route (more a detailed track) displayed in the handheld and I know how to mark a waypoint on it. I’m new to Gaia. It worked well with my phone i  Airplane mode today, using around 50% of the battery. What I really like is that if you take a photo via the app, it records location and time which can be downloaded. That’s the My Photo – date, time waypoints on the map segment.

Photographs

View photographs here. I’ve done this area to death recently (and going back on Sunday), so there are more pics here.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Maps

Here’s where we went:

Trip Report

I was last at the rock art on 6 Aug 25, having a little look-see so I didn’t embarrass myself today.

A large group of 26, but we managed well and I had an excellent back marker and participant counter in Dick M. A crowded Yankee Hat car park with our 7 vehicles and 3 or so more from another group disappearing along the rock art track as we arrived. We ran into them during the day as they were doing the same round as ourselves, but in the opposite direction.

We stopped first at the Foresters Hut. The cute bush furniture inside has gone; office chairs there now.

We turned south through the regeneration area. Informative signage.

The fire trail continues down the east side of the knolls south of the car park. I was able to tell the story of Smiling Rock and maybe gain a few more converts.

Turning west at the southern extent, I took a lot smarter line into the ‘brick factory’.

I first visited this site thanks to geocacher Tankengine placing an earthcache there (no container and log, learn about geological features and answer questions to log a find).

Our next stop, further west, was Frank and Jacks Hut for smoko.

There’s a picture of my first car on the wall 😂.

The flat area in front of the Hut is, in fact, the site of a Sinclairs (or Greenfields) Hut.

We went on via Frank and Jacks sheep dip. Fire trail took us north-west with great views to the hills in front.

The causeway took us across Bogong Creek to the reported corroboree area. I found a probable artefact and, as is required, returned it to the ground.

A couple of kilometres north-ish had us on the beginning of the steel walkway to the rock art.

Varying opinions, although I think we all could see the necessity to fire-proof the area and prevent footpad erosion.

Lunch overlooking the best rock art in the ACT.

We completed the loop back to the visitors book, then took the Yankee Hat Walking Track back towards the car park.

A short detour to visit Sinclairs Hut and well site.

Over a pretty little knoll with a few stone steps, then across the new walkway and Bogong Creek bridge.

We took a little detour around the next knoll, by walking down the true right side of Bogong Creek to its confluence with Middle Creek.

Up the mown path to the car park.

Some on the hike had not previously visited this area. From the pleasant chatter I think walkers enjoyed the hike.

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

Party

26 walkers.