Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Tuesday 17 March 2026: Fishing Gap and Mt Domain * – L/M. Fishing Gap was so named because old timers used to head over and down to the Cotter River to fish. Marmaduke Rothschild has a 10 metre fishing pole, but not for fishing fish. Join us if you dare to go ‘fishing’ for several geocaches on Fishing Gap Road in Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. You’ll need to be patient as there will be long ‘fishing’ stops. We’ll go on the climb to Mt Domain for luncheon views. Around 13km and 750vm.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (recorded on Garmin H1i Plus handheld) – Distance: 12.9km | Climb: 790vm (seems a bit high, AllTrails says 732vm) | Time: 3:54 moving + 3:21 of stops (lots of fishing!) = 7:15 | Grading: L/M; M(11).

Photographs

View photographs here.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Map

Here’s where we went:

Trip Report

I was last on Mt Domain on 22 Mar 25.

During the day we found the final GZs of GCBGX6Q A Gap on Fishing Gap FT – 2 and GCBGW4J Location. Location. Location.. So as not to give these away, you will not find the final GZ waypoints on the map.

We did not attempt GCBGX7A A Gap on Fishing Gap FT – 5. The hint was “11m up, technical gear needed.”!

This trip and the finds would not have happened without Roger (Marmaduke Rothschild) and his geocaching tool of the trade (TOTT) and great friend Brigitte (SA). Thank you!

Away just before 8am and ducked round the corner for a quick find and log of GCB18K6 Tidbinbilla – Wandarawari Track. I can find difficulty 2 out of 5 caches.

We set off up Fishing Gap Road, Roger carrying his fishing pole.

A grey, mizzling day, raincoats needed at times.

The 4.2km to Fishing Gap took 1 hour 45 minutes, because there was some fishing to do. GCBGX74 A Gap on Fishing Gap FT – 4 and GCBGX70 A Gap on Fishing Gap FT – 3 were traditional caches.

Somewhere up the road we went fishing. The ‘cast’ and ‘reel-in’ were relatively simple and we logged GCBGX6Q A Gap on Fishing Gap FT – 2. But it was ‘catch and release’ and the ‘release’ took some time. I had a try and failed.

Next we found GCBGV02 A Gap on Fishing Gap FT – 1. The hint is “4m up. You may need a boost to get into the tree”. Roger did the climbing ’cause he’s SES trained; I did the boosting.

The next geocache was a fishing traditional. Both the catch and retrieve artfully managed by Roger for GCBF1T6 Highest Mint Tin in Tidbinbilla.

From Fishing Gap we headed up through the ferns.

GCBF1T4 Fishing on the rocks was the last fishing traditional cache which Roger managed admirably. He was able to leave his fishing pole trackside – no point carrying it up to Domain.

It took us 2 hours 22 minutes to climb the 2.6km to Mt Domain. 2 reasons – it was up and the mizzle made the rocky path quite slippery (even more coming back down). And there were 2 more caches – the final GZ of GCBGW4J Location. Location. Location. was somewhere on this leg and a traditional  GCBF0PY Celebrating Mindjagari’s Views.

Wayhu had not been to Domain before, so she led us to the top.

We went on for the open view but it was too windy and cold. Retreated back down into the lee of the hill for lunch, as I’d forgotten to stop for smoko.

An uneventful trip back down. A nostalgic tree, remembered from one of my first trips to Mt Domain, maybe 2004.

To Fishing Gap 1:42 and Fishing Gap to the car park 0:55.

A very successful day, thanks to my caching mates and bushwalking friends.

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

Party

4 walkers – Roger E (Marmaduke Rothschild), Lisa Q, Wahyu S, me (JohnnyBoyACT).