Blythburn Cottage and Booroomba trig

Maps: Tuggeranong, Corin Dam, Tidbinbilla and Williamsdale 1:25000

Walk Description

This walk was organised and led by me as a CBC walk:

Saturday 14 September: Booroomba trig and Blythburn Cottage - L/M. From the Tidbinbilla Rd north of Castle Hill, walk through the 'Booroomba' property to Booroomba trig (which is nowhere near Booroomba Rocks). Steeply down to cross Blue Gum Creek and visit Blythburn Cottage, built around 1885 (the site of an all-female dairy!). Exit via track into Namadgi National Park, crossing Blue Gum Creek again and so to the northern end of Bushfold Flats. Join the AAWT and ascend to the north ridge of Mt Tennent and down to the Namadgi Visitors Centre. I would encourage walkers who wish to extend their day walking to join in. We have nearly 12 hours of daylight and can take the walk at a moderate pace. Around 20km and 800m climb. Maps: Tuggeranong, Corin Dam, Tidbinbilla and Williamsdale. Limit: 12. Leader: John Evans - john@johnevans.id.au, 0417 436 877. Transport: ~$10 per person; car shuttle required.

10 of us drove from Canberra in 3 vehicles to the gate in the W side fence on Tidbinbilla Road nearly opposite the entrance to Miowera Pine Forest.

Further Information

Previous trips in the area on 17 July 07 and 19 Feb 08. There is excellent information on Blythburn Cottage here, including the fact that Elizabeth McKeahnie developed an all female dairy and cattle station there.

Permission has been obtained from property owners to walk on their land.

From the gate on the Tidbinbilla Rd, follow the powerlines for 2km to cross Booroomba Rd; 0.8km on 194°M and 170m climb to a nice clear conical hill; generally 2.2km SW down to a saddle, around a knoll and 200m climb to Booroomba trig; 240m down and 1.5km on 242°M to cross Blue Gum Creek (may have to detour downstream a bit if it's too swampy) and so to Bylthburn Cottage; then fire trail generally SE into NNP, 6.7km and 170m climb, crossing Blue Gum Creek again and up to the AAWT at Reads 1-stand shearing shed site. The option of an off-track detour N to Dunns hut site and then SE to rejoin the AAWT (an extra ~1.5km and a bit of scrub); otherwise follow the AAWT 1.8km and 200m climb to the T-intersection N of Mt Tennent. Perhaps the option of a quick visit to Mt Tennent, a round trip of ~4km and 280m climb. Descend 4.7km via the AAWT to the Namadgi Visitors Centre.

Photographs

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Track Maps

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Track overview

Track 1

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Google Earth

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Track Notes

The day unfolded according to plan, with the opportunity to include all options. Rather than curing my cold it made it worse, so I spent a day or so in bed afterwards.

Summary

Distance: 26.8km (showed 28.34km on the new Garmin Oregon 650, so who knows or really cares) Climb: 1100m. Time: 8.10am - 4.35pm (8hrs 25 mins), with 1hr of breaks.

Grading: L/M; H(14)

Walk Participants

10 walkers - Mike B, Cassie C, Peter C, Chris F, Linda G, Jack J, Robert M, Darren R, Ian W, me.