Oak Hill

A short easy walk for a hot day - that's Oak Hill up there somewhere, possibly the one with the tower (though its actually in NSW).

The loop comprises a clockwise circuit with a spur along the ridge. Keep going along this spur and you'll end up at Hall (eventually).

Nothing too strenuous - but we elected to take the steeper ascent whilst it was cooler. The homeward stretch is pretty much all downhill.

There are a few dams to start with - but no significant signs of life.

The track up is gentle and wide - here we crossed an "ant highway" where there were so many ants following the same route that they'd carved a track in the grass.

Looking back down the hill, the carpark where we started is beyond the dam and just a little to the left.

I don't really need more pictures of telecommunications structures, but can't resist.

From Oak Hill you get a panoramic view of Gunghalin ... with the Brindabella mountains in the background.

That's Black Mountain (and Telstra Tower) more or less in the centre.

Once the ridge-line is reached, its easy walking - with the need to keep an eye open for the occasional mountain bike rider.

This is a "split lock" - two lines of rocks that intersect
at a point where the ACT/NSW border changes
direction. Many of the marker pegs at this point have
rotted away, but the stones remain.

Just a little further over the ridge you can see the "Northern Campground", accessible only by foot.

We stopped and retraced our steps when reaching
this tree with an impressive nest - characteristic of
a Wedge-tailed Eagle (though no occupants evident).

Another view as we head back towards the "circuit".

Carpark dead centre of this picture.

Looking back on the track that wends its way along the ACT/NSW border through open woodland.

Bill, Wayne and Mark were along for the walk.

This bearded dragon didn't welcome our intrusion on his morning walk. When I got close to take this picture, he took a leap at my camera - then rocketed off at speed between my legs. My natural protective instincts came to the fore and I jumped to distract him from the others (who were laughing helplessly on the sidelines)!

The final stretch back to the carpark. All up about a 7km walk with about a 140m altitude gain.

Goorooyarroo to Mulligans Flat

This walk is loosely part of the Canberra Centenary Trail - starting at a
carpark near the intersection of Horse Park Drive and the Federal Highway

In order to do it "one way", we left a car parked at the Amy Ackman Drive entrance to Mulligans Flat, before driving in the 2nd car to the starting point. This put the climbs at the start rather than end of the walk!

It's all generally open woodland, bordering on the suburbs of Gunghalin on the one side, and NSW on the other. You can just see the main centenary trail starting at the little loop we did near the bottom, and running more or less straight up the valley to intersect with our track later. We opted to climb a few extra hills.

Here's the profile of the walk - in all, just over 13 kms
taking 4 hours at a leisurely pace (with some stops).

The first small climb is "Black Stump" hill, in the upper left of the picture.

You can see the carpark (where Leon's car is parked) on the
mid-line of the picture, 2/3rds the way across.

Its now obvious how the hill got its name!

We met a couple of ladies climbing this hill from
the Goorooyarroo carpark, doing it in style
with a cup of coffee in hand.

That's "Old Joe" (the largest of the hills) in the distance, between the two trees. Looks easy from here ... but first the "Gecko Hills" (off to the right).

Typical of the rocky hilltop terrain.

The views get better as you climb - Black Stump hill is starting
to look trivial from here (but it didn't feel like it earlier).

Turning 180 degrees, and there's still a way to go to the top
of the Gecko Hills, but its more gentle from here.

There are views ...

... and more views.

From here, we amble down to the fence-line that marks the
ACT/NSW border. At the corner is one of the surviving original
survey markers left by the surveyors who set the border in this
area based on the watershed (so that rain landing on the ACT
side would flow down into the ACT and vice versa).

Old Joe is the most significant climb of the day - not too
difficult with a few short brief rest stops to regain breath.

Can't resist taking a picture of yet another radio
tower - I believe this one supports Netspeed's wireless
broadband service in Gunghalin.

Sweeping views in every direction.

Leon snaps a few pictures.

Its me ... its me ... its me! (picture courtesy of Leon)

The views (on the ACT side) go from the airport through
to the Northern-most suburbs of Gunghalin

Leaving Old Joe, its more or less all down hill back to the main track.

With the temperature warming up, shinglebacks
are out looking for food and mates!

We're back on the main track here - gentle undulating woodland.

Here's the boundary between Goorooyarroo ...

... and Mulligans Flat.

Signs give a bit of the history of the area.

Mulligan's Flat features a number of dams - this one with a bush seat.

The old woolshed provides lots more information ... but its a bit hot under the tin roof (and the ambient temperatures in only around 20 degrees today).

This echidna scampered for cover as we approached.

Almost finished - the entry gate to Mulligan's Flat at the Forde end of the walk.

Relief! My car is still here waiting for us.