Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

The Long Weekend Rocks! (Part 3) – Mt Ainslie quarry and Labyrinth – S/M. Enjoy a sleep in before commencing the walk from the BBQs at the base of Mt Ainslie at 10am. Follow a fire trail around the Quarry Track Loop East, and then a footpad to the quarry. Until 1994, the rock wall was used by climbers. After some poking around, we will continue on the footpad to the top of Mt Ainslie. The footpad is very steep and slippery in places. Around 2.5kms from the BBQs to the top with a 200m climb. We will then head to the Northern side of Mt Ainslie, following the road down for a short while before hitting a fire trail for approximately 1.5kms. This will take us down to an interesting work of art known as The Labyrinth. Around 110m climb back up to the top of Mount Ainslie. We will follow the bitumen path back to the cars. Total distance: around 8kms. Allow 3 hours. Leader: Lauren O.

Further Information

The third of three walks led over this Reconciliation long weekend by new CBC leader Lauren.

Summary

Distance: 9.2km | Climb: 450m | Time: 9.35am – 1.00pm (3hrs 25mins), including 10 mins of breaks | Grading: M/M; M(6)

Photographs

Photographs are available, where you can start a large sized slideshow.

Waypoint and Track Files

Download the gpx file for this trip (if your browser does not automatically download the file, it will open the gpx file in a new window and you can then save it). To use in Google Earth, do File, Open… and select Gps or All files as the File Type.

Track Notes

I took the opportunity to start a little earlier and drove part way up the Mt Ainslie Road to visit area 4 of the earth cache GC5G2PJ Mt Ainslie. Returned to the back of the War Memorial, parked, and wandered over to do area 1 and area 2 of same. Met Lauren and the others down at the barbeques.

A short, but very pleasant, walk followed. Instead of battling the crowds up the sealed walking track, we were led to the east, then north up a fire trail and footpad to a sign at the bottom of the quarry area. A bit further up, we arrived at the wall:

Congrats to Bec and Lauren who did the work of cleaning up the rubbish left at the base of the quarry wall:

Love this leader who offered a choice of ways to leave the quarry base – (1) a likely death-producing vertical climb; (2) a little scramble; (3) the footpad. 3 of us chose option 2.

Up on the road near the Mt Ainslie lookout and beacon, I had the opportunity to gather some information for the multi-cache GC4AY6A The Old Road.

We headed (a little too far) down the fire trail to the north of the Mt Ainslie summit, but arrived at the labyrinth and had morning tea nearby. I’d visited this location before in 2012, but not know its exact history. Today, the central repository revealed:

Let’s hope this location continues to be respected.

We retraced our steps to the top of Mt Ainslie. During this leg I was able to find and log the final GZ of GC4AY6A The Old Road (the track map/gpx file does not reveal this position).

Lots of people on the sealed track going down, but at least we were going the right way (down, not up). Great to see this track so well used. Nice views over Canberra. We could hear the sounds of the Reconciliation Day celebrations in Glebe Park.

A detour off the track for me to area 3 of GC5G2PJ Mt Ainslie then, most appropriately, we called in at the aboriginal war memorial.

Back down, it was thanks and good byes. Yet another great walk, great old and new friends, great leader. Thanks all!

Track Map

Track

Party

8 walkers – Bec, Coral D, Richard H, Lauren O (leader), Beverly O’S, Jacqui R, Steven S, me.