Lunchtime selfie (photo Richard H)

Saturday 11 July 2026: Geodetic Observatory via a b-line from the Tracking station – Trigs (and NRs) #11 * – S/R. Climb to the Geodetic Observatory from the Orroral tracking station site through the bush. It’s around a 400vm ascent over 2.5km. Bag NMC 106. Enjoy the tors on the crest to the NW and amble back down the track. Around 7km and 450vm climb. Best suited to walkers who enjoy off-track through the scrub. Back at the carpark, we’ll bag the nearby Orroral LaPlace trig.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (recorded on Garmin H1i+ handheld) – Distance: 7.9km | Climb: 495vm | Time: 2:28 moving + 2:44 of stops = 5:12 | Grading: M/R; M(9).

Photographs

View photographs here. More photos in the album than are embedded in the trip report.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Map

Here’s where we went:

Track Geodetic Observatory via the bush

 

Trip Report

I last did similar trips on 9 Oct 23, 12 Jun 23, 26 Jan 16, 14 Dec 11. Either I’m getting older or the bush is getting scrubbier.

Away at 8.40am across the frosty flat country SW of the Orroral Tracking Station carpark.

Setting off along the frosty flat

It didn’t take too long to get into the scrub.

Into the scrub at 1070m contour

As usual at the moment, many fungi.

Coral fungus

As sometimes is the case, alternating areas of taxing scrub, wombat tracks and the occasional open area for 10 metres.

The going at 1220m contour

I was grateful when my companions suggested smoko #1. Good decisions after that, with first Michael, then Richard making the going. And there were others in reserve, Leon helping an old man over a large log.

Old man gets a helping hand over a tree (photo Jo H)

Steve G had pre-armed me with the locations of secondary survey markers, so we visited them at the top.

LLR Pillar 2

Here’s where they are (although you can’t miss them).

Secondary survey marks around NMC 106

We had smoko #2 just beside NMC 106 trig, of course bagging it. Great views down to the valley!

View over the Orroral Valley

A bonus as we went to the nearby Geodetic Observatory.

Geodetic Observatory

The stairway door was open, so we were able to visit the first and upper floors.

Top floor of the geodetic observatory (photo Richard H)

How’s your first aid?

Got your first aid on?

Then onto the top leg of the Granite Tors Walking Track. It really is a magnificent area.

Tors beside the Granite Tors Walking Track

We took the little detour to the SE end of Lunar Laser Rocks for lunch.

Luncheon views for Johnny Boy (photo Jo H)

Grand views.

 

All over bar the shouting now, as it was all downhill. More great fungi.

Fungi on the Granite Tors Walking Track (photo Richard H)

A pleasant descent down the track.

View back up to lunch

Being on a trigs and Nature Reserves kick atm, there was one more objective to subject my friend to. We made a short visit to the PCS trig-pointing (bagging) site Orroral LaPlace. Disappointing at first.

Orroral LaPlace trig

But a dig around produced a little more evidence.

Orroral LaPlace trig ‘Survey’

I guess PCS put in in their list because it is right beside the track to Orroral Homestead. Seems like I visited this ‘trig’ on 14 Dec 11 when I waypointed it as Orroral Astro Ecce.

Here’s a map of the other walks I’ve done up to the dome.

Track Geodetic Observatory via the bush – some previous trips Blue – today

Thanks all for holding my hand. Trust you enjoyed the scrub bash.

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

Party

7 walkers – Michael C, Immi F, Richard and Jo H, Karina J, Leon S,me.