The Murrumbidgee Corridor The Murrumbidgee Corridor runs along the western side of southern Canberra and provides walks of various lengths. It is possible to combine two or more of the walks mentioned here or to venture further up or down the river. The corridor allows for walks along high cliffs as well as along the riverside. Wildflowers and bird songs accompany you as you walk. All walks in this chapter follow a part of the Murrumbidgee Discovery Trail and are marked with distance posts. There are swimming and picnic areas with facilities at Point Hut Crossing, Kambah Pool and Casuarina Sands. Swimming area at Pine Island Red Rocks Cliffs 129 26 Pine Island North 26 Pine Island North to Point Hut Crossing Walk directions to Point Hut Crossing The path starts near a signpost to the left of the first parking area at Pine Island 1 North and follows a ridge above the river down to a playground and picnic area. The gravel path winds past the toilet block’s colourful exterior and over a small metal A return trip or as a single journey bridge crossing one of the creeks flowing into the river. in either direction with a car shuffle, At a glance Continue along the path, close to the river the direction taken for this walk Grade: Easy 2 and its sandy beaches, to Pine Island South might depend on the time of day Time: 1.5 hrs where you’ll travel around the edge of a as it is much more pleasant to walk Distance: 4.2 km (one way) mown-grass picnic area before reaching with the sun behind than in front. Conditions: Fairly exposed with a second picnic area. This area is The path follows the Murrumbidgee some shade at either end popular in summer, with plenty of shade under the casuarinas River from Pine Island to Point Opening times: Pine Island car parks open 0800–2100 daily and eucalypts. Go up the Hut, so that the sound of the Getting there: steps towards the end of water is a constant feature of the Car: Enter Pine Island Reserve via the grassed area and walk. The path is well-signposted Athllon Dr and Don Dunstan Dr, along the parking with distances to and from clearly continuing around to the right to area to the gate. marked. Keep an eye out for wildlife the Pine Island North car park as snakes and lizards tend to sun Bus: Routes 18 and 318 (weekdays) depart from all interchanges, themselves on the warm path, bus 63 departs Woden and especially in summer. There are Tuggeranong (weekdays) and 967 picnic areas and places to swim and 968 depart Tuggeranong on at both ends of the walk. This area weekends – all stop on Scollay St, Greenway, leaving a 15 – 20 minute has been revegetated since the walk to Pine Island bushfires of 2003, which destroyed Dogs: Permitted at Point Hut only, a significant part of the plant life on leash, with an area designated along the corridor. for ‘off the leash’ View to the south 130 131 26 Pine Island North to Point Hut Crossing 26 Pine Island North to Point Hut Crossing Walk variation For a shorter walk (approximately 2.5 kilometres one way), start or finish at the picnic area near the gate at Pine Island South. Once through the and there is more shade. damage during flooding. 3 gate the path rises, There is an off-leash dog There is a shady picnic area meandering along above exercise area to the left. as you reach Point Hut. the river before crossing Pass through a gate and Take a look at the Crossing another small bridge. cross over a stone bridge, itself. In times of heavy rain This part of the path is where rock reinforcing it can be dangerous as it through open bush with has been constructed as a may be under water with a the Brindabella Mountains protection against erosion very strong current flowing. dark blue on the western horizon. In spring and summer, flowering native plants add extra colour to the walk. As with most of the walks along the river, small and large burrows – sometimes under the path itself – are a regular feature, housing rabbits and wombats. As the path nears 4 Point Hut Crossing it draws closer to the river Colourful Toilet Block Murrumbidgee River Canberra environment – Eastern Brown Snake The Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis), while highly venomous, rarely bites humans as the snake will usually move away if it is not harassed. Adults range from light brown to almost black with cream to yellow bellies, while young snakes can have dark grey or black bands across their bodies, particularly across their heads. They are active in warmer weather and will often lie on rocks or pathways. They attack from a raised position and are very fast. The Eastern Brown Snake can be found in most, if not all, nature reserves Point Hut Crossing in the ACT. They feed mainly on small rodents, lizards, frogs and birds. 132 133 27 Kambah Pool 27 Kambah Pool to Pine Island North Walk directions to Pine Island North Start from the left Steeper sections are visible below. There are a 1 side of the parking 2 aided by log steps that number of rapids in this area above Kambah Pool have been set at intervals to section of the river, enjoyed One of the best walks along the river, and enter the Bullen aid ascent/descent and to by canoeists and rafters this can be done as a return trip or as At a glance Range Nature Reserve. prevent erosion. Some parts who have given them a single trip in either direction, with Grade: Medium This section winds along of the walk pass through unusual nicknames such the hillside high above open grassland, as the path as Junkyard and Shredder. a car shuffle. Much of the walk takes Time: 2.5 – 3.5 hrs the river, which can be turns away from the river, This lookout gives views of place high above the Murrumbidgee, Distance: 9.4 km one way glimpsed below. The effects some closely hemmed with the Murrumbidgee River, with glimpses of the river below, Opening times: Pine Island car of fire and drought can be wattles. After crossing a particularly after heavy through a variety of landscapes. As parks open 0800–2100 daily seen in the sparseness of longer wooden footbridge rain when the water rushes you near Pine Island the path draws Conditions: Path is sometimes the vegetation on many over a creek, the path through the rapids. close to the river. It is hard to believe rocky and can be fairly steep of the hillsides. The track climbs to a point where a parts with some stepped sections The sound of the winds up and down the detour leads to a lookout that a large town centre and major –little shade rapids can be heard hill, crossing footbridges over Red Rocks Gorge. 3 government offices exist only a Getting there: for quite a while after over creeks and gullies. The cliffs along the river short distance across the fields. The returning to the marked Car: Enter Kambah Pool Reserve have high columns, many track is well-marked with arrows and from Kambah Pool Rd. Take the track, which offers good of which have collapsed Kambah Pool Rd and park in first views of the river before posts every 200 metres giving the into the river, forming parking area on the right – to turning back to the distance remaining in both directions. rapids such start at Pine Island, enter Pine grasslands again. As the The first section has some shade Island Reserve via Athllon Dr as those path turns again towards but most of the walk is in the open. and Don Dunstan Dr, continuing around to the right to the Pine the river, the Red Rocks While rewarding at all times of the Island North car park Cliffs can be seen (just year, the walk is particularly lovely in Bus: No buses to Kambah after the 3 kilometre spring when the different varieties Pool (for Pine Island North see marker) with large of wattle are in bloom. instructions for previous walk) numbers of collapsed boulders at their base. Walk variations For those who wish to walk to Red Rocks Gorge and then return to Kambah Pool (4.4 km in total, a 2 hour trip), walk to the lookout (see waypoints 1 and 2 above) then retrace your steps to Kambah Pool. Pine Island North to Tuggeranong Dry Stone Wall is an easy 5 km return walk (2.5 km each way), Wattle lines the path in Spring taking 1.5 hrs in total. 134 135 27 Kambah Pool to Pine Island North 27 Kambah Pool to Pine Island North Again the path turns, (no track but marked with At one point, as Continue around to the river and into more Take the sharp left turn passing down a gully and arrows at relevant points). 6 the path nears the 7 the right past more open country through on the Pine Island loop up to a gate. Climb through Follow the fences around junction of creek and river, wombat holes. The path grasses (waist high in track to Pine Island North, the gate into paddocks of to the left (Tuggeranong the ‘Hobbiton’ of Canberra is now fairly close to the spring and summer) and following the river at first leased farmland (sometimes Creek runs along the other can be seen on the opposite river, quite sandy and wattles.