This walk was organised and led by Doug F as a Wednesday walk:

Wednesday 15 October - Mt Franklin and Mt Franklin Flats  - Medium 8 km, 450m climbing total. Leader - Doug F. From the Mt Franklin car park we will walk up to the top of Mt Frankin and then go cross-country down a ridge to Mount Franklin Flats. From there we head for the Parrot Road and then climb back up to Aggies Gap. A bit of exploration involved so may not be as easy as it sounds. Short car shuffle. Map: Tidbinbilla. Cars: 160 km ($16)  Meet at: Weston shopping centre rear car park, 8.30am.  Weather: Fine; partly cloudy, 5-19 deg. C.

14 of us met and drove via Brindabella Rd and the Mt Franklin Rd to Aggie Gap. We left one car there and drove on to the Mt Franklin car park.

Walk

A lovely morning, mild and no breeze. Up the Mt Franklin Walk to the new Franklin Shelter and we had a poke around. Not sure of how much shelter it would provide in a stiff blow. Nice signage which I photographed and brought home to read through at my leisure. Then on up to the Mt Franklin Trig with sweeping views to the SE over the grey-green of the burnt and dead Snow Gums and Mountain Ash and recovering regrowth. Water tumbled down Upper Ginini Falls with the open Ginini Flats above them. The W spurs of the Tidbinbilla Range stood out and rocky Mt McKeahnie was easily identified.

Regrouped, Doug led us generally NE down the spurs from Mt Franklin. Relatively easy going through the grassy Snow Gum regrowth. Nice to wander along with little responsibility and chat with new and old friends. Plenty of advice for my rapidly deteriorating knees. Morning tea was found at the appointed time.

A rocky knoll at GR62967253 got our heads above the scrub and we enjoyed views across to Tidbinbilla Mountain (see pic 1) and down the course of the Cotter River valley. From this point Doug turned a little W of N, down the last spur, across a nicely running little creek which ends up plunging down into Bendora Dam and out onto Mt Franklin Flats (see pic 2).

Just after 12.30pm, so the appropriate time and place (except for the little blank ants which seem to really enjoy such open flats) for lunch.

Given our 5 minute warning, we dutifully shouldered packs and angled round and down to the NW to cross Franklin Creek (see pic 3). Crystal clear water, but I think someone already has the patent on Mt Franklin bottled water. Up the other side to land on Parrot Road.

Gaiters off, we strolled back up the road, past a couple of tractors (one with a side-arm slasher!). At one point Aggie Gap looked tantalisingly close, but the way zigged and zagged back and forth up and around an arm of Franklin Creek. A later map check revealed that the road has been realigned. New signage at Aggie Gap, too. Again, I photographed it for later consumption. We drove back to pick up the other cars from the Mt Franklin car park.

A very pleasant little stroll, thank you Doug and thank you old and new friends.

Distance: 9.2km  Climb: 450m.  Time: 9.50am - 2.30pm (call it 4.6hrs), with 45mins of stops.
Grading: M/M; M(9)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Mt Franklin and Mt Franklin Flats (GPS batteries carked it at one stage, so a bit patchy)