Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Wednesday 28 February 2024: Wednesday Walk: Red Hill * – E/M. No, not that one. If you were walking last century, you may have been to Red Hill at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. There was a track which was obliterated in the 2003 bushfires and never reestablished. We’ll walk the western side of the loop, which includes a delightful creek line. From Mountain Creek car park, walk up the Camelback Fire Trail, turn onto Spur 1 Fire Trail and drop down through the bush. There is quality scrub (wattle regrowth, not shrubs), but we can take the less than 3km descent route very slowly. Plenty of shin high star pickets to bang into. Gaiters and scrub gloves. Around 5km and 200vm. Grading CBC S/R, BBC M(8), NPA 1/AD. If more is required, we can do the scenic Cascade Track (around 3km and 50vm) and the Congwarra Trail (around 4km and 50vm). Home in time for a late lunch and cooler afternoon.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (MAP66i) – Distance: 6.54km | Climb: 310vm (Elev Corrections Enabled) | Time: 1:40 moving + 2:04 of stops = 3:44 | Grading: S/R; M(9).

Photographs

View photographs here.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Map

Here’s where we went.

Trip Report

I was last investigating the old Red Hill track alignment on 14 Nov 23, 4 Nov 23 and 29 Jan 23.

14 of us met at Lanyon Marketplace and shared transport to Mountain Creek car park at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

Away at 9.15am. We stopped at the Tidbinbilla Warning Siren to share its story, then covered the 1.9km up the Camelback Fire Trail to the Spur 1 junction in 40mins. The cloud base, initially low, began to lift and the sky cleared. Whether by luck or good management, our walks were in the shade.

We went down Spur 1 FT a hundred meters or so, then headed into the bush. 20 mins for 430m across the ground, down to star picket E01.

Much excitement (well, from me) in the upper part of the old track following, as additional star pickets were discovered. Just goes to prove the old adage “many hands eyes make light work new discoveries”.

If you’re as excited as I am, have a look at the photos for New star picket 03AW New and New non-star picket very near 03AW New. There were several more new discoveries, not recorded or photographed as my interest waned.

We ran into the first of the tree ferns at around the 970m contour.

A little further on we came across a tinkling creek with full shade beside – a perfect spot for smoko.

Handrailing the creek south, we came to the huge tree I’d previously seen.

It’s just above the delightful creek crossing.

No more star pickets past this point. We continued to handrail the creek, now on the true right side. A visit to the Stinging nettle field, a turn W-ish and we popped out at the car park.

A car load of 4 left us here. The remainder did a quick walk along the Cascade Trail to the tree ferns and cascade. Some in the party had not been to this wonderful spot before.

Lost another 2 walkers here, they stopping for lunch.

The remaining 8 returned the quickest way, via the Shortcut track, to the car park. Arrived at 1pm.

I trust my companions enjoyed the area, if not the star picket hunting. Else no one will walk with me again.

Party

14 walkers – Lou A, Becky B, Robin C, Peter C, Gavin F, Linda G, Leigh H, Andrew L, Quentin M, Mike S, Glenn S, Wahyu S, Zoe S, me.

AllTrails

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

Johnny Boy’s Walkabout Blog FaceBook Page

I’ve started up a FaceBook page. Each trip report posts to it. It’s another way to get some info to get out and breathe a bit of fresh air. Why not pop over and Follow the page, or give a post a Like.