2 November 2010 Tidbinbilla Mountain
Map: Tidbinbilla 1:25000
Getting There
This walk was organised and led by Max S as a private walk:
Folks This is a repeat of a recent Wed walk I could not join – Up a ridge to Snowy Cnr then to Tidbinbilla Mtn, then along the ridge to join the track past John’s Pk and return. I am sure all are aware of what is involved. Weather forecast – Partly cloudy. Scattered showers. Winds westerly averaging up to 30 km/h. Min 4 Max 18 Map- Tidbinbilla Meet at Kambah Shops at 7.30 Usual to apply – 4 walkers required for this to be a sanctioned FBI walk Max S.
The 3 mustekeers met and Max whisked us in comfort to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.
Access all photos here.
Walk
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| Track overview | Track a | Track b |
Driving the TNR ring road a fallen tree blocked our path, so we returned to the Rangers Depot and John McR (with whom I'd been corresponding over the last few days, nice to meet him) dispatched a back hoe to open the road.
With the bush wet from last night's rain, Max reversed his route to give it a chance to dry off, so we set off up the Camel Back fire trail to just shy of Camels Hump, where the old vehicle track takes off to the radio transmitter. 5.8km in 1hr 30mins for this leg. 300m in along the old track we came to the burnt out tower.
We donned out raincoats to keep the scrub from showering all over us and enjoyed the very pleasant and fast developing footpad S and up 1.2km in 40mins to just shy of Johns Peak. A cairn marks the entrance to the short and easy scramble. Clouds were blowing around the peaks.
Here's a chance to emphasise the record. I've heard folk recently call Johns Peak "St John's Peak". Signage on the Church Rock Heritage Loop walk states:
"... named after John McDonald husband of Eliza Webb"
'He' looks across to his wife's hill, Mt Eliza:
"... named after Eliza Webb, the daughter of George Webb, first squatter in this region in the 1830s"
We enjoyed morning tea with huge views to pretty-as-a-picture TNR in between the clouds.
Away again, through another cairn, then steadily climbing generally W-ish through SH1491. Wonderful (and inviting) views 600m down into the N arm of Burkes Creek. The pad/route then turned generally SW and up another 70m to Tidbinbilla Peak. 1.1km in 40mins from John's Peak to Tidbinbilla Peak. A fabulous place, with marvellous views, particularly down into the wild Cotter River valley. There's a small cairn and the timber and concrete remains of a once substantial trig.
Following the footpad, 230m S of Tidbinbilla Peak we struck the SH1556 cairn. This is a well known marker, indicating the turn off to the route SW towards Tidbinbilla Mountain. (Continuing SE from here will take you down the usual spur to the Camel Back fire trail.) We dutifully turned off, following the route (marked by a few small rock cairns) over the humps and bumps (and through the regrowth). Huge views across to The Pimple and the cliffs below SH1196. At 12.20pm, a party member called for lunch ... and the leader pandered to her! At last continuing on, we came to the SH1555 cairn, another well known marker - this time indicating the turn off to The Pimple. Small thoughts of going there, thankfully dismissed by tales of by blistered instep from last Saturday. We continued on and up to Tidbinbilla Mountain. The leg T Peak to T Mountain was 2km in 1hr 15mins (including a wasted 10min pre-lunch break (grin)).
A much better location for lunch (#2 for one), even with the misting showers. Astounding 360° views - Corin Dam 100% full, Ginini Falls marked by white water cascading down were the highlights.
Spoilt, unfortunately, by a small brass plaque glued to rocks on the S side of the cairn, inscribed 'Ken & Kev 2006'. Now I don't know who these guys are, or their circumstances, but I have a photo of a similar plaque glued inside Split Rock, inscribed 'Ken & Kev 2003 ANU', taken on 30 Sep 05 (this plaque has since been removed). Perhaps not an appropriate way to mark something, out in the pristine bush. (PS. I removed it on 18 Dec 10.
Munchies over, we followed our leader plunging off the E side of the hill, down through Snowy Corner. The regrowth is no thinner (actually, it's thicker) since my last visit and Max navigated the best possible route. No footpad in this section. We broke out into an open area S of Snowy Corner which had a cairn in the middle of it, then back into the regrowth. An occasional cairn in the middle of the regrowth then, a few tens of metres further on, an area of yellow taping and cairns defined an easy to follow footpad. Someone's been busy up here. The footpad consumed my sunglasses somewhere (thankfully $9 a pair, but just as bad littering as an expensive brass plaque) and led us around a bend to the 'Snowy Corner' cairn. 1.2km (including a short back track to search for my sunnies) in 1hr 5mins for this leg.
The footpad was clearly defined at the top, but soon not so and we slipped off the crest of the ridge onto a pretty scrubby line down to meet the Lyrebird Trail. A black snake hastened our descent. 1.4km in 1hr 10mins. Perhaps the going is easier on the crest. (PS. It is, see 18 Dec 10.)
We popped round the Lyrebird onto the Cascade Trail and visited 2 waterfalls, wonderful with all the rain.
Thanks Max and Karen. An excellent trip.
Distance: 14.7km Climb: 850m. Time: 8.30am - 4.00pm (7hrs 30mins), with 50mins of stops.
Grading: L/R; H(13)
KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Tidbinbilla Mountain
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This page last updated 23Aug22