Canberra & Queanbeyan

View of Mount Ainslie, Canberra ACT.

A fully planned city, Canberra was originally designed by American architects Walter Burley Griffin and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin in 1913. Look down from the Mount Ainslie Trail today and you can see the fruition of their vision; a city geometrically set out in a wheel and spoke pattern, with a land axis and a water axis. Mount Ainslie marks the northernmost point of the land axis. The Australian War Memorial, the Parliamentary quarter, Lake Burley Griffin; all seem perfectly placed and are perfectly viewed from here.

And while the city views are eye-catching, the trail is not without its natural beauty too. In Spring and early summer you'll see everlasting daisies and bluebells, and at dusk some scurrying possums and maybe even a sugar glider. The trail is sealed and well sign posted, and just to really entice you there is usually an ice-cream van at the summit!

Looking down from the summit of Mount Ainslie.

What? Molonglo Gorge

How hard is it? Easy to moderate.

Backgrounder? The trail starts at the Molonglo Picnic Area - where there are toilets, wood BBQ's and a children's climbing frame. The track starts off following the gently flowing Molonglo River and quickly ascends high above the river giving you spectacular views. On the hillsides you'll see eucalypts, acacia and black cypress pines, ferns, and if its been a wet season lots of moss. After about an hour you'll reach a small grassy area with BBQ's and picnic tables called the Blue Tile Picnic Area - this is a great place to rest and refresh before you begin the return journey! There is no drinking water at this picnic area though so make sure you've carried enough in - its not advisable to drink the river water as it still has a high mineral content from the days when up-river was a mining area. There are no bins either so make sure you take your rubbish with you.

If you're feeling energetic you can extend the walk by continuing on after the Blue Tiles Picnic Area to the historic ruins of 'Glenburn" homestead in the adjacent Kowen Forest.

Walking alongside is the best way to capture the beauty of the Molonglo Gorge, Queanbeyan NSW.

Sailing on the dam at Googong Foreshores, Queanbeyan NSW.

Short walks at the northern end:

• Black Wallaby Loop
  2.6 km, easy
  Start downstream at the picnic area – walk alongside Queanbeyan River to the dam wall – great views of Cascades Gorge – fern gullies to dam – return on road.
  
  
• Cascades Walk
  200m, easy
  Takes you down Cascades Gorge to water holes – Cascades Lookout & Dam Wall Lookout.
  
  
• Shoreline Walk
  4 km, easy
  This popular walk runs close to high water mark between the car park and the Shannons Inlet. Good walk for spotting trout, perch, and waterbirds.
   

Short walks at the southern end:

• Dhurrawarri Buranya Walk    
• 4 kms, easy
  This walk starts and ends at London Bridge – moves along Queanbeyan River – branches off toward Washpen Crossing then back along the river to the junction with Burra Creek – return via Old Boundary Fence or (when river is low) cross nearby Drawdown Crossing and return via fire trail.                                                                     
• London Bridge
• 3.4 kms return, easy
• Start at London Bridge Car Park – cross London Bridge Arch – to Homestead – return along fire trail.
  

The London Bridge Arch, a natural wonder at the Googong Foreshores that can be explored on foot.

• Western Foreshores Walk/Ride
  19.7 kms return, moderate
  This walk can be accessed from either north or south end - north, Foreshores Car Park and south, Tin Hut Car Park – walk through grassland and open woodlands with terrific views of dam and Queanbeyan escarpment.
  
  
• Bradley's Creek Walk
  14.2 kms return, moderate
  Starts at downstream picnic area – walk skirts northern shore of dam before steeply climbing up escarpment to Gorman Trig – easy walk to Bradley’s Creek – then to Googong Lookout.
   

Long day walks and bike rides at the southern end:

• Queanbeyan River Walk
• 18 kms return, moderate difficulty
• Starts at London Bridge Car Park – crosses London Bridge Arch then branch's onto fire trails – finishes at Flynns Crossing – 3 access points to river, Washpen, Gelagnite & Flynns - return via same route.
  
• Queanbeyan River Loop Ride
  19.7 km return, difficult
  Starts London Bridge Car Park – to London Homestead – continues to Burra Creek – eastwards through to Flynns Crossing – loop back to Gelagnite Crossing –  back to London Car Park. Trail markers define the route. This ride covers some steep grades and two crossings of the Queanbeyan River, so be prepared.
   

There is a Ranger Station at the northern end of the park, Ph: 02 6207 2779 Fishing: 02 6226 3867. For more information on Googong Foreshores click here

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Nearly all the info presented here was gleaned from 'Googong: Map & Guide'. An excellent publication produced by ACT Parks, Conservation & Lands & The ACT Government.


* Image Acknowledgements - credits page