Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Saturday 21 April: The Highs and Lows of Booroomba Rocks – M/M-R. The Booroomba Rocks cliff top is a great vantage point, with views over Blue Gum Creek to Blue Gum Hill and further into Canberra. But what lies above and below? We’ll follow the footpad north-east to SH1353 above the northern buttress, then return to the central cliff and enjoy the easy scramble south-west up over granite slabs through SH1372 to SH1396. A great spot for morning tea. We’ll then descend and take another easy pad (with a scramble or two) beneath the southern buttress of Booroomba Rocks. Grand views up the monstrous cliff faces where rock climbers ascend. Returning the way we came, we’ll then descend the Middle Rocks area. This is below the cliff top view point and, although there is a little exposure below, the footpad is indeed wide and easy. It’s quite a thrill to get down under the northern buttress with its massive cliffs. We return the same way, huffing and puffing slowly up across Booroomba’s Middle Rocks. Scene-ed out, we’ll walk back down to the Booroomba Rocks car park on the walking track. Around 9km and 600m climb. Map: Corin Dam. Leader: John Evans 047436 877 john@johnevans.id.au Transport: ∼$8. Limit: 12.

Further Information

Last here 17 Feb 18, but today we got a bit further along under the northern buttress.

Summary

Distance: 7.5km | Climb: 700m | Time: 8.20am – 1.30pm (5hrs 10mins), including 45 mins of breaks | Grading: M/R,ptX; M(11)

Photographs

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Video

Waypoint and Track Files

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Track Notes

Yet another beautiful Autumn day for our ‘slow walk’. We gathered opposite my old folks home and motored to the Booroomba Rocks car park.

The sign says that the walk up the track to the edge of the cliff takes 30 minutes. We did the 1.3km in 35mins. At one point, a proliferation of little stone cairns as rock art (sigh, these are getting a bit much even for me). As always, wonderful views from here, although a bit hazy/smoky today:

Phillip, always the helpful gentleman, escorted two visitors on their first Booroomba Rocks walk along the track to SH1353, up to the NE of the cliff. We followed at a leisurely pace. This vantage point gives a wonderful view back down to where the walking track comes to the cliff top:

Phillip also took the opportunity to scout a bit of the exit NE down from the area. I’d come up here on 24 Oct 06, the first ever Tuesday walk.

We returned to the central area, crossed the walking track and, thanks to Phillip and Terrylea leading, had a very enjoyable trip up to the high point of Booroomba Rocks.

We stopped at SH1372 for morning tea, at 25mins the longest I’ve ever had on my walks. Then with the two expert guides, we continued up to the wonderful granite slabs around SH1396 and had a bit of a wander down below:

Returning down to the central area, we turned left onto the climber track that goes down and around under the southern buttress. A wonderful place, necks cricking from gazing up:

We followed the track to where it peters out, near the Jamming the Line geocache site. Returned up the track, passing a couple of rock climbers from ANUMC. We tackled a couple of metres of scrub and had lunch at the start of the Middle Rocks route.

Refreshed, most of the party set of down the track, sidling down and across the Middle Rocks. Perhaps just below the start is a little daunting. Great views:

Much to my joy, we got further round than our previous find of the Vertical Bushwalking geocache. Quite a well rounded northern butt, with more climbers above us:

We discussed the possibility of continuing on, on another trip, to join up with Phillip’s NE exit from SH1353. Looking at our track map, a real possibility. Plus TL called out to the climbers, who confirmed that the route continues east along the base of the granite dome.

Time to turn back and retrace our steps (except for where I lost the pad). You need to take a sharp left at this point:

Back up the top, we regrouped and walked back down to the cars. So many people coming up – wonderful to see this location being enjoyed by so many.

Thanks all for your company, old friends and new.

Repeating this little walk on Saturday 19 May. Wanna come?

Track Maps

Track

Profile

Google Earth snip

Party

11 walkers – Jenny A, Megan C, Cynthia C, Trevor L, Ming L, Salih O, Trevor P, Terrylea R, Rachel S, Phillip S, me.