Woodstock Reserve

The walk starts at the Shepherds Lookout carpark - on Stockdill Drive - the road that leads down to the Lower Molonglo Water Treatment Facility.

The sign at the carpark shows the extent of the reserve.

Here's today's walk - in total 9.4 kms with a common stretch in the middle.

Its basically downhill to the river to start with, and back uphill to finish.

There's a good track (bitumen!) from the carpark.

The first highlight is Shepherd's Lookout - built out over a sizeable drop.

It provides a great view looking down the Murrumbidgee River valley.

A path that breaks away from the Shepherds Lookout loop marks
the start of the descent down to the river.

Its easy going - downhill always is!

There plenty of good views of the river on the way down.

Our route will circumvent that green hill in the middle right
of the picture, returning along the line of trees.

A neat little foot bridge provides a dry crossing of the Molonglo River.
Just discernible are some stones on the 2nd set of planks spelling out
"PLACE STONES ...". No idea quite how to finish this!?

Views upstream were quite serene.

A short uphill climb from the river.

Looking down the Molonglo to where it feeds into the Murrumbidgee.

A sandy track followed the river bank. Our "tour leader" tells me the last time that they did this walk the grass was so tall that only the shiny dome of one of the walkers was visible above the tall grass - but today was a little ahead of the main spring growth.

The river looks quiet, but there was a fairly good flow - perhaps
boosted by some showers on the preceding day.

Some of the wombat burrows would have been large
enough for a Cornish miner to walk down without stooping!

The Uriarra picnic area is a good stop a little past the half-way point.

A good time for morning tea - especially given the availability of
shelter for an approaching light shower.

The picnic area is well maintained with good facilities.

The return walk starts up the road leading into the picnic area - the
road's wet, but the shower has passed.

Some pleasant rural views on the way up the aforementioned "green hill".

That's the Lower Molonglo water treatment facility in the distance, and Shepherds Lookout on the LHS before the hill drops away down to the river.

A civilised way to enter a paddock full of cattle who haven't yet
quite worked out how to navigate such opportunities.

They were immediately curious and came over to investigate - no
doubt we were a bit of excitement to break the monotony of a boring day.

Not many folk pay as much attention to me as these cattle did!

Almost back to the Molonglo River crossing.

Looking downstream from the foot-bridge.

Wayne Cassidy makes the crossing - with Mark Rogers packing away
his rain shell in the background.

The sun is out again - just in time for a hot climb uphill

These little Californian Poppies were blossoming all around.

The track back alternated between flat stretches and
steeper climbs, with steps set into the track.

Back on the Shepherd's Lookout loop and a short walk back to the
carpark to finish the walk in an even 3 hours.