Northern entrance to Old Well Station Road


Saturday 8 August 2026: Short Notice – Trigs and NRs #16 – A few northside NRs * – S/E. Short rambles in a couple of northside Nature Reserves. We’ll cover Nadjung Mada, Budjan Galindji and Crace Grasslands Nature Reserves (including Crace trig). Easy grassland and track walking. We should be finished before 1pm. Around 13km and 200vm climb.

Distance: 10.13km

Ascent: 150vm

Grade: S/E; E(6)

Time: 2:26 moving + 0:37 stopped =3:03

Recording device: Garmin H1i+ handheld GPS

Download the gpx file: Here

View the photos: Here

Track map:

Track Nadjung Mada, Budjan Galindji and Crace Grasslands NRs

Trip Report

I was last in the area on 3 Mar 26 (Nadjung Mada).

Nadjung Mada is Ngunnawal, meaning ‘wet land’.

Budjan Galindji is Ngunnawal, meaning ‘water bird’ (in recognition of Lathams Snipe which visit the area).

Crace is named after Edward Kendall Crace (1844-1892), an early European settler and pastoralist in the Gungahlin area. He owned the Ginninderra, Gungahlin and Charnwood properties.

We started just past Bimberi Youth Justice Centre and wandered generally East then West. The central part is open and treeless, the grass kept down by roos and cattle grazing.

Nadjung Mada Grasslands NR

We passed through the cattle yards.

Cattle and sheep yards in Nadjung Mada Grasslands NR

Then west to cross the Old Wells Station Road at Sullivans Creek (where I wooed my future wife on its ANU banks during stuvac instead of studying). Then up to the pleasant ridge that parallels Flemington Road.

From there, north and across Flemington Rd and into Budjan Galindji Grasslands NR.

Budjan Galindji Grasslands NR signage

A small reserve. Some nice signage.

Recovering Landscapes signage in BGGNR

A stop for smoko in the trees in the NE corner.

Budjan Galindji Grasslands NR from smoko

Back over Flemington Rd we walked to the northern entrance of the newly upgraded Old Well Station Road. some good signage.

Nadjung Mada Grasslands NR signage

And artwork.

Rock engravings at northern end of NMGNR

An amble south along the road and back to our vehicles.

We then drove to the southern end of Sandford St in Mitchell, down past the community garden.

Our club walk turned private (as no club walks cross private property without permission) for a quick up to Crace trig.

 

View from Crace trig

A bit of a small lap of Crace Grasslands NR. Must have been some aerials at the knoll at some stage.

Antennae guy blocks

Must ask super sleuth Steve G what was there.

The model airplane flyers were interesting on the way back.

 

Glorious weather after the frost cleared. Trust you enjoyed the morningfolks.

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

Party

6 walkers – Chris D, Pete E, Kat H, Deb M, Judy S, me.