Hobart Walking Club visit – detailed walk descriptions Version 2 1 Thu-Sun, 6-9 Oct: Nadgee Four-day coastal walk M/M – 4 days A walk along the wilderness coast of Nadgee Nature Reserve, past sheltered bays, serene lakes, rocky headlands and cliff-top lookouts, through forests and heath country dotted with spring flowers and through the amazingly extensive sand dunes of Cape Howe on the NSW/Victorian border. Whale spotting possibilities. All on track, beach or sand-dunes, though some parts of the track may be under water and the sand-walking can be strenuous and sometimes windy. 6 to 8 hours actual walking each day. Although this walk can be self-guided with no prior knowledge, an experienced leader will remove the worry of finding fresh water. One-way transport, by road and by boat, will be arranged from one end of the track to the other, allowing a through-route. Costs – approx. $60 per person for road transfer; $40 per person for boat transfer; plus Nadgee park fees of $10 per person per night. Maps: tba. Part of the Cape Howe sand dunes View from a headland lookout, Nadgee NR 2 Thu –Sun, 6-9 Oct: Budawangs – Clyde River, Holland Creek Circuit M/R – 4 days Route: Yadboro Creek – Castle Gap – upstream on the Clyde River – upstream on Hollands Gorge Creek – up a ridge parallel to Angel Creek – around the base of Tarn into upper Angel Creek – Mt Cole camping cave – slot between Cole and Owen (Interesting!) – Monolith Valley – Yadboro Creek. Mainly off-track. Highlights: natural arch near Castle Gap, rainforest of Upper Angel Creek, cliff-base scenery and a typical Budawangs camping cave, a climb down a tree root, heath country with spring flowers, views and very varied scenery. About six to seven hours walking each day, the main ascents are 450 metres (day 1) and 500 metres (day 3). Map: The Northern Budawang Range (CMW sketch map) 1:50,000 Camping Cave below Mt Cole. Hollands Gorge Creek 3 Sun 9 Oct: Welcome Drinks 5.30-7pm Hosted in a CBC member’s home. Transport will be arranged. $5 to cover drinks and nibbles. 4 Mon 10 Oct. Settlers Track and Waterhole Hut – M/E A circuit through grasslands in Namadgi National Park, visiting historic hut and homestead sites from the 19th and 20th century. The CBC guide is an ACT historian. 9+ km, gently undulating. Depart Canberra 8.30 am, return mid-afternoon. About 1 hour 20 minute drive from central Canberra on bitumen and 2WD gravel road. Waterhole Hut 5 Mon 10 Oct. Mt Gingera from Corin Dam – L/M At 1850 metres, Mt Gingera has excellent views from its granite top. There may be some remnant snow patches near the top and the view is likely to include distant snowy peaks.The route passes through snow gums and alpine meadows, with view points en route, and passes Pryors Hut. Most of the terrain is foot-track, fire trail and footpad. There is about 1 km off-track along a high, open ridge to spot height 1847 for more views, and a steep 200 metre descent back through light scrub back to Pryors Hut. 1100 m ascent and descent – requires good fitness. About 1 hour drive all on sealed road. Map: Corin Dam. View towards Mt Bimberi from Mt Gingera 6 Mon 10 Oct. Lego Land – S/E Walking footpad between granite tors, high above the Orroral Valley. A cave to explore and opportunities to scramble to huge views. More detail to come. 7 Tues 11 Oct. Bike Ride – 30km Using bike paths and shared trails, an approximately 30 km scenic ride around Lake Gininderra and creek. More detail to come. 8 Tues 11 Oct. Temple of Doom – M/R Ascend 400m up a steep ridge and spend the day investigating a maze of granite boulders and knolls hidden by scrub. A meandering route will be followed which eventually drops down to the upper Nursery Creek to visit a small waterfall. Return via the Nursery Swamp track. The scrub is thick, and it will be slow going. Scrub gloves are recommended. A small torch is useful for investigating some of the granite features. The dark hole lower right is the exit from the Temple of Doom cracks and caves 9 Tues 11 Oct. Ettrema in a day – M/R This circuit into Ettrema Gorge, with its cascades, amazingly-clear pools, giant casuarinas and patches of rain forest will delight those who love rock-hopping and varied scenery. We start at ‘the Jumps’, descend Bull Frog Creek, with a scramble past a waterfall, then head downstream on Ettrema Creek and exit via an unnamed side creek with some interesting potholes near the top. Includes some steep rock scrambling. Some wading is likely (the wading can be avoided but it is slower). Also about 1 km of thick scrub on the tops as we walk out – however in October the ‘thick scrub’ will be full of heath-country flowers. Total of 10 km, 300 m descent and ascent, 8 hours. Depart Canberra 7 am, a 2 hour drive mainly on sealed road, with 10 km 2WD gravel road. Map: Nerriga. Ettrema Gorge 10 Early morning Floriade – vS/E An opportunity to view the flowers without crowds. An 8-9am round led by a CBC member prior to public opening. Floriade without the crowds 11 Wed 12 Oct. National Library maps ‘white gloves’ event A private viewing of historic bushwalking maps such as early editions of Budawangs and Blue Mountains sketch maps, plus some colonial Tasmanian maps. All maps will have been selected specially for this viewing by CBC members and NLA staff. A National Library staff member will be on hand to answer questions. Three sessions of 1.5 hours per session, with a maximum 16 people per session, since crowding can put these fragile maps at risk. Option for coffee or lunch in one of the Library’s cafes before or after the session. Session times: 9.45 to 11.15 am; 11.30 am to 1 pm; 2.30 pm to 4 pm. When you book please indicate your first and second preference for session times and whether you plan to combine the map viewing with one of the other walks offered on the same day. 12 Wed 12 Oct. Design and architecture walk in the suburbs of Bonner and Forde S/E A walk on paved pathways on the fringe of the newish Canberra suburban area of Gungahlin, with hill top views across nature reserves, water features and a section of the historic Old Gundaroo Road (now a walking path). Anyone with an interest in design will appreciate the range of new domestic architecture, the incorporation of walking routes and remnant woodland into the new suburbs, and even the design of the kids’ playgrounds. Meet at the Mulligans Flat parking area, opposite the corner of Amy Ackman Street and Cleggett Street, Forde, at 9.30 am, finish by 12.30 pm with option for lunch afterwards in a local café. Can be combined with the afternoon maps session at the National Library. Walking path on route of Old Gundaroo Road 13 Wed 12 Oct. Apollo Rocks M/R A short, sharp walk in Namadgi National Park, straight up 300 metres from the Apollo Road to an unusual granite outcrop to the south of Honeysuckle Creek. The highlights are the 360 degree view from the top and the devious route to the top of the outcrop – a climb up inside the granite. This final climb has little exposure but includes a stomach-slither that can be rather undignified! Back by a similar route. All off track. About 40 minute drive from south Canberra, all on sealed road. Depart Canberra 11.30 am, should be back by 4 pm. Can be combined with the first of the National Library map sessions. 14 and 15 Wed 12 Oct. Combined Canberra Walking Clubs Wednesday Walk S-M/E-M and M-L/M- H Three Canberra walking clubs cooperate to facilitate two walks each Wednesday. Details are announced by the Monday prior. No need to book. 16 Thurs 13 Oct. Wave Cave M/R The Wave Cave is a dramatic overhang in a sandstone cliff in the northern Budawangs, with a level floor that could fit dozens of tents. From the Nerriga-Nowra road we will cross a plateau area of forest and flowering heath, then descend on a cairned route through a cliff line to cross Bainbrig Creek and climb to the creek’s southern cliff line. We will explore some of the cliff-base scenery before visiting the Wave Cave. Seven to 10 km, depending on how much exploring we do, of which about 2 km is on fire trail and the rest is a very rough mixture of scrub, slab walking, cliff-base boulders and creek. Main descent/ascent 150 metres. Four to five hours actual walking, giving time for photography! About 2 hours drive from Queanbeyan, all on sealed road except for the last 50 metres into the parking spot. Map: Nerriga. The Wave Cave 17 Thurs 13 Oct. Mt Gudgenby L/R One of the ACT’s classic but challenging walks to 1740 metre Mt Gudgenby. The route follows fire trail and a foot pad to the Naas Creek saddle then climbs steeply through mature forest, and some scrub. The final part of the climb is on granite slabs, or, for those less comfortable with exposure, through the scrub on the edge of the slabs. The main Mt Gudgenby peak boasts 360 degree views that include the Snowy Mountains.