On the Murrumbidgee opposite the Red Rocks

Map: Tuggeranong 1:25000

Walk Description

This walk was organised and led by me as a combined CBC and Eternity church Young Adults ramble:

Sunday arvo 8 December: Murrumbidgee River Corridor ramble - S/E. A ramble from Kambah Pool up the Murrumbidgee River Corridor along the new Canberra Centenary Trail. We will visit the river lookout and turn around opposite the grand Red Rocks gorge. Bring a little arvo tea to share. All on track except for a very short walk to the river's edge. This short ramble is to see if the Eternity church Young Adults like a wander. CBC walkers very welcome. Around 8km, taking 2-3 hours. Map: Tuggeranong. Leader: John Evans - john@johnevans.id.au, 0417 436 877. Transport: Drive yourself to meet at Eternity church car park, cnr Sulwood Dr and Tuggeranong Parkway, at 1.00pm. We can car pool from there. But please let me know if you need a lift to the meet point.

11 of us met at Eternity church and car pooled to Kambah Pool.

Further Information

Everyone, from CBC and Eternity, is most welcome.

This short ramble is to see if the Eternity Young Adults like a wander. If they do, there will be plenty more longer walks to come.

Wear closed-toed shoes, a hat and clothing suitable for the day. Bring water and a little arvo tea (I like chocolate) to share, in a back-pack. Contact me if you have any enquiries.

Photographs

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Track Maps

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Track

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Track Notes

11 of us met in the Eternity church car park - 5 from CBC and 6 from Eternity. Shattered that so many of the Young Adults from church wimped out, but the Senior Minister's wife made up for hundreds with insane energy, unending conversation and being an all-round great girl. With David, Davo, Daniel and Jenny, it was a great team. However, Stephen and Lisa (with choc/orange biscuits to share), Gavin (demonstrating the wisdom of many years of walking with a fly net - they are getting annoying) and Kath (putting her fancy GPSr to use and finding a geocache just up behind us at the arvo tea/swimming spot) were not outdone.

We parked in the top old car park at Kambah Pool (it's been severely truncated) just because I always do. Down the road to where the Canberra Centenary Trail and Kambah Pool to Point Hut Crossing Walking Track signage indicated that one turns.

A pleasant stroll up-river along the walking track. Warm, but a few zephyrs in places. A few flowers about, including some Australian bluebells (Wahlenbergia stricta) and possibly some Royal Bluebells (Wahlenbergia gloriosa), the ACT's floral emblem. Much chatter.

A stop at the newly refurbished Murrumbidgee River lookout for views up into Red Rocks Gorge.

A few bikers politely roaring past on the CCT.

Demonstrating my usual highly tuned navigation skills, I passed by a significant cairn on the track and continued on ~200m to a gate where I followed the fence line down a feeder gully towards the river. Had to double back on animal pads and through a bit of wattle. At the time it was the 'bush' in this 'bush walk', but I'd best own up now to poor route finding. Thankfully, no snakes disturbed as we wandered along, via a little cliff, then down a gully scramble, to the edge of the river just opposite the Red Rocks.

The guys (fully clothed) were quickly in the water, the gals (also fully clothed) followed in a more feminine manner. With my morbid fear of water, I watched on with envy as they frolicked - but enjoyed a choc/orange biscuit.

3pm was leave time. A more direct, open climb out to the walking track - of course coming out at that cairn I'd ignored.

We wandered back to the cars.

With presence of mind (very doubtful) or guided by HS (very probable), I asked my companions to quickly share one thing that they enjoyed and one thing that they learned. So pleased to hear several, from both 'camps' say "meeting, walking and talking with new friends". Bingo!

Summary

Distance: 7.8km Climb: 270m. Time: 1.20 - 4.00pm (2hrs 40 mins), with 25mins for arvo tea and an impromptu swim.

Grading: S/E; E(6)

Walk Participants

11 walkers - David B, Gavin F, Leon H, Kath H, David H, Stephen and Lisa M, Debbie R, Daniel R, Jenny W, me.