2020 07 30 Mt Painter Arboretum Aranda
This was a recce walk of 9.8Km from Mt Painter to the National Arboretum then back to Aranda Bushland, Canberra, Australia. It was a trial walk to see if we could have a circular walk through these sites
Featured image is a view of Drew and roos as we walked down from Mt Painter in the mist
This was a cool winter misty or foggy morning when I met Drew at a parking spot along Bindubi Rd, Aranda, Canberra. We would normally park there for a walk around Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve
We started around 9.00AM and went straight across the road and walked up a horse trail to reach a trail that runs behind and to the south of the suburb of Cook. We continued along this route until we could climb up a trail that runs south and up to a water tank on the northern slopes of Mt Painter. We then continued though a gate on a formed walking trail that took us to the top of Mt Painter, 743m. At the trig top there is another trail that goes steeply down to the east to join another trail that runs around the east and south sides of the mountain.
We then went further south 100m where there is another lookout which offers great views down south over the Molonglo Valley and over the route we planned to go. Instead of going back we went down 1o the east over mostly grassy slopes to pick up the trail to the east. In the process we came across numerous kangaroos (roos, roobees or whatever you want to call them) which reluctantly scattered as we approached. We dropped around 100m in a distance of 400m so it was relatively steep but quite safe.
As we reached the dirt road around the base we saw an east walk through fence ahead and took it into horse paddocks to the east.
We then walked over the paddocks through some fences and gates for around 750m in a SE and southerly direction ending up near William Hovell Drive, a main road which we had to cross. We know there was an underpass along here but we hadn’t found it. So we walked though another gate and took a route along the fence that ran along William Drive.
After around 500m heading west we came upon another gate which we could now see lead down and through an underpass under the main road. A sign said riders must dismount. So at some time horses must have been allowed to be ridden through here. As we came out the other side we could see an old farmhouse with various other structures but it seemed like no one was around. We went left or east though a gate that allowed us to walk along verges of the main road trying to find a way through the fence and an open access to the south.
We eventually had to climb over a barbed wire fence aided by a fallen tree across the fence. Drew tried to get tangles in the fence but managed to get through with too much damage. We then walked south through the edged of the property and through a gate into the property proper that allowed us to then walk down a long fenceline south. The large paddock we crossed we shared with some very healthy looking black beef cattle. We followed the fence for around 500m to then have to get through another gate, which was OK. It was then an open walk for another 350m to reach the arboretum boundary. We should have walked further east to climb over a stile, but we climbed over a locked gate instead. This section of the walk was through private property, albeit leased land, however we probably should not have been there. However it is understood that the ACT Government acquired the 227 hectares of Glenloch in Jan 2013 as it was rezoned for future urban development.
We then went up the STEP access road but we had to divert east and walk through the STEP Forest as they had dug up an area to the south of the STEP Forest and excavated an area for a pond to be part of future wetlands so that direction was out of question.
However were able to walk though STEP and take a path up to the main access road and then the path around a hill to the Himalayan Cedar plantation, dropping down on a trail through it before walking over grassland and reaching the Cork Oak Plantation. See the Arboretum Map. Arboretum tracks 3 and 2 we had used.
At the end of the Cork Oaks we took the route though another underpass under William Hovell Drive and then turned left or west along a main trail until we could walk over a stile into Aranda Bushland Rserve which we walked on main trails back to the cars.
We think this walk is doable in a small group but it needs some adjustments to avoid the fence climbing as well a coming down Mt Painter in a better route as our ad hoc route upset a large number of roos sunbaking on the eastern flanks of Mt Painter although in heavy mist!!! Interesting also as there was no one working at STEP, maybe as they are older volunteers they have been encouraged to stay home to avoid Corona Virus. Their website confirms this theory.
We reached the cars around 12.00PM, thus taking 3hrs, having walked around 9.8Km. This was a Medium sort of walk, no technical difficulties, some climbing, and not too long
Map of walk | Pictures in Google Photos | files including gps located in Google Drive | STEP Website | National Arboretum
Notes re Maps: GPS map views provided using Garmin Basecamp with map base using OSM Garmin version | The area of the walk is covered by the NSW 1:25,000 topo map CANBERRA.
