In the Belconnen Mine

Tuesday 16 December 2025: Belconnen Mine ! – S/R. A mate and local boy, Damian S, took me there.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (recorded on Epix Gen 2 watch) – Distance: 3.98km | Climb: 165vm | Time: 0:59 moving + 0:26 of stops = 1:25 | Grading: S/R; E(7).

Photographs

View photographs here.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Map

Here’s where we went:

Track Belconnen Mine

Trip Report

On a recent CBC trip my good friend Damian S mentioned this site. I confused it with the ventilation shaft site east and downhill from Shepherds Lookout. “No,” he said. “Check out Google Maps.”

And there it is, so I’m not giving anything away.

We met at the Shepherds Lookout carpark and walked in past the signage.

Shepherds Lookout signage

We took the direct route to the Lookout, passing through a deafening cicada chorus. Alway a grand view of the ‘Bidgee.

View from Shepherds Lookout

I’d done a map recce, but Damian had local knowledge. So we walked the track to down past the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre (aka the sewerage works) and down beside the gully below the coffer dam before we did a 180.

A bit of a footpad took us along a flat route towards the mine.

On the footpad

The entrance is behind a tree.

In the entrance of Belconnen Mine

A real head banging experience, the horizontal mine shaft is pretty low.

Belconnen Mine

Forgot to bring a torch, so this is the most natural photo via mobile phone torch.

Belconnen Mine

The floor was pretty muddy, footwear sinking in in places.

The muddy floor of Belconnen Mine

I guess we went in around 20m before the head banging turned us around.

We exited around the east of the mine entrance and took a more direct route back up to the walking track. It was a bit of a clamber and I’d recommend ascending the direct route, rather than descending it.

Back to our cars and home. A nice little jaunt to a new location for me. Big thanks Damian.

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

More Information

Some more info at mindat.org and on reddit.

Speaking of poo farms … like to know a little more? Some dirty talk 😂. A 52 minute presentation here.

Party

2 walkers – Damian S, me.