Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Saturday 14 October 2023 * – M/E,R,ptX. Nursery Swamp is one of the outstanding fens of its type on the Australian mainland. The open plain bordering it is treeless due to cold air drainage from the surrounding heights. There is...

Saturday-Sunday 16-17 September 2023: Navigation #4 – M/R. Tag along on Navigation #4 – A weekend pack walk navigating off track in the Namadgi NP in the region around Sentry Box Mtn. Summary From Garmin Connect (MAP66i) – Distance: 13.28...

Saturday 17 June 2023: Orroral Valley recce ! – L/M,W. Up the middle, return true left side of Orroral River. Summary From Garmin Connect (MAP66i) – Distance: 21.74km | Climb: 400vm | Time: 5:12 moving + 1:39 of stops =...

Saturday 3 June 2023: Eastern Rim of Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve * – M-R/R,ptX. Climb to Devils Gap via the Devils Gap Fire Trail. Summit The Pyramid via a 170vm steep climb and visit a great tor nearby. Return to Devils Gap...

Monday 29 May 2023: McKeahnie trig * – M/M-R,ptX. Reconciliation Day public holiday – what better way to celebrate the caring for country by traditional owners than a walk in the bush. McKeahnie trig was built in 1896 by Surveyor...

Wednesday 24 May 2023: Eastern Rim of TNR recce ! – L/M-R. A spur of the moment decision to do a little recce. Summary From Garmin Connect (Epix Gen 2) – Distance: 14.45km | Climb: 695vm (Elevation Correction enabled) |...

Tuesday 9 May 2023: Geocaches South of Fishing Gap – M/R. Follow the fire trail to Fishing Gap and then head in the opposite direction of Mt Domain to some knolls often referred to, but not officially named as, Mt....

Saturday 22 April 2023: Blythburn Cottage * – L/E. The Blythburn Cottage area has a history dating back to before 1839. The current stone building was built around 1885. Elizabeth Julia McKeahnie established an all female dairy and cattle station there around 1900....

Saturday 18 March 2023: Mt Blundell adit * – M/M-R. POI include an adit and associated mining pits (I’m into holes at the moment) and the heritage listed remains of a World War II Italian internment camp. It’ll cost you walking on lots...

Sunday morning 8 January 2023: Morning summer time stroll – Mt Rob Roy (and Lanyon Falls added on the day) * – M/M. Key features are a detour up a creek line and open spur instead of the Banks Steep Track,...

Saturday 10 December 2022: Mt Domain * – M/M. Mt Domain is located towards the southern end of the Tidbinbilla Range. Its two spurs and the level ridge in between are clearly recognisable from many parts of Canberra. Let’s bag it for wonderful...

Saturday 3 December 2022: Snowy Flat Creek Cascades via Stockyard Spur. Our walk starts from Corin Dam car park where we ascend the challenging track up Stockyard Yard Spur Firetrail to the Helipad. After a break to get our breath...

Wednesday 23 November 2022: Rob Roy Nature Reserve wander ! – M/E-M,ptX. A wander around Rob Roy NR.  Summary From Garmin Connect – Distance: 12.51km | Climb: 786m | Time: 3:48 moving + 1:10 of stops = 4:58 | Grading: M/E-M,ptX; M(11). Photographs Photographs...

Wednesday 16 November 2022: Tidbinbilla Peak and beyond ! – L/E-M. In via Camel Back Fire Trail, cut the corner, Johns Peak. Out via the south-east exit from just south of Tidbinbilla Peak. Summary From Garmin Connect – Distance: 11.13km |...

Saturday 12 November 2022: CBC Canberra Centenary Trail Section 5 – Black Mountain to Stromlo Forest Park, including Black Mountain and Aranda Bushland Nature Reserves * – L/E-M,ptX. Begin with a walk around ‘Little Black Mountain’. On through a detour in...

Saturday 29 October 2022: Canberra Centenary Trail – Section 7 – Tuggeranong to Parliament House * – L/E,ptX. Highlights include Fadden Pines, Isaacs Ridge, Mt Mugga Mugga and Red Hill Nature Reserves. Lowlights include quite a bit of urban walking through Tuggeranong suburbs,...

Saturday 15 October 2022: Canberra Centenary Trail – Section 1 – Federation Stone to Horse Park Drive * – L/E,ptX: Walk past buildings of national significance and across Kings Avenue bridge. At Blundells cottage turn up Anzac Parade. Visit the indigenous war memorial...

Sunday 4 September 2022: Cooleman Ridge, Mt Taylor and Oakey Hill Nature Reserves * – L/E-M,ptX. Warm up by a climb to Narrabundah Hill. Then south to walk Cooleman Ridge including Cooleman and Arawang trigs. Great vistas to the west,...

Sunday 21 August 2022: Rob Roy Nature Reserve * – M/M,ptX. Follow a rocky stream up to join a short section of fire trail to Mt Rob Roy and its trig. Descend off-track to the W to avoid the leased...

Sunday 14 August 2022: Kowen Escarpment and Molonglo Gorge Nature Reserves * – M/M,ptX. Canberra Nature Park – a breath of fresh air for busy walkers. There are 39 Nature Reserves in the Canberra Nature Park. How many can we walk...