15 April 2012 Canberra & Region Heritage Festival - Marking the ACT Border - A Ramble

View West from Old Joe Hill

Map: Hall 1:25000

Getting There

This walk was organised and led by me as a CBC walk for the Canberra & Region Heritage Festival:

Sunday arvo 15 April - Canberra & Region Heritage Festival - Marking the ACT Border - A Ramble - S/E. 100 years ago Percy Sheaffe and others marked the ACT border. Hear about their exploits as you ramble to see a border marker in Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve. Led by the Canberra Bushwalking Club. Bookings essential. Limit: 20. Around 7km and 200m climb. Map: Hall. Leader: John Evans - jevans@pcug.org.au, 0417 436 877. Transport: drive yourself.

21 of us met at the appointed time and place.

Further Information

Pretty similar to 10 Jul 10. Wandered around it with TYM on 18 Mar 12.

As this is a Canberra Bushwalking Club event, all participants must be willing to sign an 'Acknowledgment of Risks and Obligations form. This may be previewed at http://www.canberrabushwalkingclub.org/documents/Risk_Acknowledgement.pdf.

Thanks heaps to Tim the Yowie Man who gave the walk a little airing yesterday:

Photographs

You can access all photographs here.

Walk

Track map: thumbnail is active - click for a larger picture

Track

A fabulous group of people from CBC, Parkway church and the public met at the Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve car park on Horse Park Drive. A nice Autumn arvo, a little cloudy, but with plenty of views. Everyone was quick off the mark to introduce themselves around and to chat.

We hopped the fence and circled wagons up the track a little and I shared as much information as I have on the border marking history. We wandered up to the signage, got the real drum on the area, then further up to the gate. Took the little detour towards the Federal Highway, then back down to the main Mulligans Flat-Goorooyarroo management track. N for 500m, then up the hill, past the dam, to the crest. Doubled back S to border marker X4. (No pic this time, so see here.) I tried to drum up a campaign against Tim the Yowie Man's simulacra description of the Commonwealth broad arrow and CT post markings being described as a halloween pumpkin face, but I don't think I'll have much joy.

Time slipping away, so options presented. Everyone was willing to go on. We followed the border fence N and down to the saddle, where we left a couple of walkers. Up on the leg to Old Joe Hill, a couple more decided to enjoy arvo tea there.

The sun was westering from Old Joe Hill, so it was a short break. The amount of tucker and sharing was wonderful. Always a joy to experience this great side of humanity.

A small change from the planned route, we wandered back N down the border, regrouped at the fence in the saddle and sidled back down to the management track. A couple of 'caterpiller' stops on the way. The area is one of the feeding arms of Sullivans Creek which, from its pristine sources, flows through North Canberra, picks up a few students at ANU and into Lake Burley Griffin.

Wandered back to our vehicles via a slightly different route from our entry.

Walks like this really lift my spirit. Lovely scenery, a great little stroll and first class walkers, both old and new friends.

Thanks to Graeme A, Jenny N, Erica M, Steve and Rosemary C, Colin and Gail W, Thomas K and Stefanie E, Chris and Judy R, John and Winifred M, Kylie S, Jillian K, Kim H, John C, Jeff B and Ricahrd and Nicole C.

Distance: 7km Climb: 200m. Time: 2.35 - 5.30pm, with 5mins of stops.
Grading: S/E; E(7)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Marking the ACT Border

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This page last updated 29Aug22