This walk was organised and led by me as a private walk:
Tomorrow, Saturday, I’m just going to drive out to TNR to check out the new walks up the back – I’ve recently seen advertising to say that they are open. Might pop up to Camels Hump as well.
2 of us reached the TNR gates at 5 to 9, stopped in to get a brochure, were advised to drive the loop road clockwise as there was a tree down.
See brochure at http://www.tams.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/127462/TNR_Map_and_Guide_Web_version_Oct30.08.pdf. Michael S who worked on them with Conservation Volunteers Australia says they're hot to trot.
Walk
An excellent cleanup of the Mountain Trails car park, which has looked a bit sad since the 2003 fires. Good signage and a lovely benched, rolled gravel walking track heading off from the area. Little drainage dips every now and again filled with coarse blue metal. The sign posts point to the Cascades and Lyrebird walking trails and the track crosses the Camel Back fire trail a couple of hundred metres from the start. Dense regrowth (I remember coming down through here some time ago, before the track was remade!) on either side as it climbs about 100m up a spur between two tributaries to Mountain Creek. Nice new bridges. The track then starts to descend to another tributary which rises up S of Tidbinbilla Peak. Lovely granite slabs across the other side of the creek and a nice granite tor beside the track. Views through the nicely recovering bush to Mt Domain. The creek is heard, then there is a great little turn in to a mossy cascade (see pic 1). BTW, that's granite on the right, but on the left it's the trunk of a gi-normous tree fern. A very pretty little area which can only improve. The track descends further via rock steps to another bridge (unfortunately the creeks in the area are a bit weedy since the fires), then on to a junction to join the Lyrebird Track. Only the northern leg of this track has been redeveloped so far - I wonder if there are plans to do the rest? We ended up back at the car park, the whole jaunt around 2km in 50mins, climbing 150m. This would be an excellent walk for the Parkway Ramblers!
We then decided to wander up to Camels Hump. Lyrebirds played in the regrowth on the side of the fire trail (they should have been down about the Lyrebird Trail); the bush is recovering nicely with black trunks draped in fresh green leaves; we let the snake cross the fire trail in front of us; and stopped for a bit of morning tea at the bottom of Camels Hump. On up to the top, with Eric mildly commenting that he'd "never been up this way before" - I could have chosen a less of a scramble. I did better going down. Excellent views as usual, south along the ridge through Johns Peak bending to Tidbinbilla Peak, with Tidbinbilla Mountain and The Pimple in view (see pic 2). To the SE lay the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (see pic 3). We had another morning tea.
Down and back to the car, chased by threatening showers. Met a couple of blokes, then a couple of girls, going up. We had a look for the start of the Red Hill Trail and Eric found it. This one has not been redeveloped as yet. A third morning tea - or was it lunch, followed by a yummy ice-cream at the visitors centre when we popped in to express our appreciation for all the wonderful work that has been done.
Thanks Eric. I appreciated your company, conversation and wisdom.
Distance: 14.1km Climb: 750m. Time: 9.25am - 1.55pm (4hrs30mins), with 20mins of stops.
Grading: L/E; M(9)
KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: New Trails at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and Camels Hump
