Every Wednesday three of the ACT walking
clubs have a combined walk; this week two Hobart
Walking Club members went along as well.
The walk co-ordinator signs
the book at Dalsetta car park in Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve before we
set out on a walk up the fire trail to Gibraltar Peak.
A bike path leads some of the way upward before we reach a steep fire trail. That's Gibraltar Peak there, right in the middle of the photo.
A feature of this walk is an extensive area of Xanthorrhoea or grasstree. Lots of them flowering after a fire |
Suitably impressed, we trudged up to the top of the hill. There we rested for morning tea, with a nice view of the Brindabellas, before picking our way down a steep gravelly slope to the foot of the path up to Gibraltar Rocks.
At the beginning of the path a sign informs us that
Gibraltar Rocks is revered by Ngunnawal people as a sacred men's site – a place of teaching for the initiated and a site of cultural lore . . . Campfires would have been lit at Gibraltar Rocks to send a message to people entering Ngunnawal Country that the senior men were in residence and the teaching or lore was taking place.
In 2012 a new track to Gibraltar Peak
was opened. It includes these nice granite steps that lead you all
the way up.
Brindabellas from the path up Gibraltar Peak |
This is the spot for a view
|
and this is the view.
|
Off there in the distance we could just
make out the Tidbinbilla Tracking Station
|
There are still these rocks towering
above us, waiting to be explored.
|
A narrow passage between them
|
– and this is what we just walked
under!
|
the view from the other side is well
worth it.
|
A very nice, well-built track zig-zags downhill between boulders and
rocky outcrops.
charred logs make a stark contrast with
the light-coloured granite gravel
|
After a lunch-stop at the Mt Eliza saddle,
where there is a nice circular picnic table, we had a short downhill
walk into cleared land and back to our cars.
Another very pleasant walk - great scenery, easy (if slightly steep) walking, fine cool weather and congenial company. What more could a girl want?