Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

2025 08 30 A Circuit of Rob Roy Nature Reserve * – M/M. A combined CBC/NPA trip. Visit Mt Rob Roy and Rob Roy Falls.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (recorded on Epix Gen 2) – Distance: 11.36km | Climb: 660vm | Time: 3:02 moving + 2:58 of stops = 6:00 | Grading: M/M; M(10). I must admit I was recording on 3 devices today – Epix watch, MAP66i handheld and I’m beginning to use Gaia on my phone. Each have different advantages. Distances measured only vary slightly, due no doubt to the number of track points recorded. Total ascent varies a little across the devices, probably due to how altitude is recorded (GPS signal, DEM model?) and how often.

Photographs

View photographs here.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Map

Here’s where we went:

Trip Report

I last did most of this circuit on 23 Oct 24.

The last couple of days had been frantic weather. Today dawned sunny with a few clouds. My first text was not from a walker withdrawing, but from Time the Yowie Man suggesting that there might be a little snow on Mt Rob Roy. He was correct.

We were walking at 8.15am, heading down beside the flood mitigation wall to the creek line. A little water flowing after the last 2 days of rain.

A little dribble at the cascades.

A little further on at the next creek junction we left the creek to begin the climb up the spur.

I puffed up the hill. It’s a 100vm climb with a gate aiming point halfway up. I was so glad when Karina responded positively to leading the party up to meet the Banks Steep Track, so I could drag along in the rear. 1 hour for the creek and climb.

On fire trail now, soft from the rain. The first junction is the Banks Steep Track and Big Monks Track. The second, 100m further on, is the Banks Steep Track (which levels out here!) and the Rob Roy Link Track.

From here, it’s a 230vm climb over 2.6km on fire trail, taking us 55 minutes. Lovely views to the west, to the snow-covered Tidbinbilla and Brindabella Ranges.

At around the 1040m contour, we ran into a little track-side snow.

Sent off a snap to Tim the Yowie Man from the top as we had smoko on the SE side of the hill out of the breeze.

Back down the footpad on the fire trail, we descended to through the bush to join the Banks Steep Track. Always a pleasant leg.

Out on the grasslands, we could now see where we were going, and the long view again.

Always flexible, a few changes were made to the planned route and we headed straight for the top of Rob Roy Falls. A careful clamber down the rocky creek line for a look-see over the edge.

A perfect spot for lunch out of the wind.

Back on our feet, we climbed out of the creek a little earlier than planned, but at least there were no falls.

Back out on the grasslands, we skipped knolls 1 and 2 going north. 3 of us took the open way through the pig rooting.

Karina kindly tool the other 7 via knoll 3 and Big Monks, sighting a deer with large antlers.

I made a fool of myself by stopping our small group at a gate (not the usual gate), then wandered up towards Big Monks to pick up the others. I had a vague feeling that all was not right and, of course, had to back track to pick up me pack and two friends.

We came home via the Banks Steep Track (aptly named).

Hope you enjoyed it folks, particularly those who had not walked in Rob Roy Nature Reserve before.

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

Party

10 walkers – Cate B, Hanna B, Kyle B, Evelyn C, Babs F, Karina J, Brig K, John M, Stef P, me.