2020 09 24 Black Mountain & ANBG Circuit with MelbaShed
This was a 5.7 Km walk from a parking spot behind the Evo Energy Civic Zone sub-station on Frith Road behind the main CSIRO offices just west of the ANU. It was an energetic walk with some climbing, some flat sections and steep descent through an alternate type of environment. Some good views over Lake Burley Griffin and Canberra City were seen. This was Melba Shed walk No 239 of 24th Sep 2020.
Featured image – View of the Guys on the Viewing Platform part of the ANBG Nature Walk
I led this walk with 6 walking. We all met at the Shed by 8AM & drove to the Civic Zone Electricity Sub-Station behind the CSIRO on Frith Rd. Access is either off Barry Drive coming from Canberra City (Civic) or off Dryandra St, O’Connor, turning into an underpass under Barry Drive for those coming from Belconnen or north side of Canberra.
Then from 8.28AM we started walking up a road which was at the back of the ANBG, then took a road to the ANU facility that is in the old Black Mountain quarry. We didn’t go up the main trail but at the gate to the ANU facility we took a footpad that started just to the north of the gate & followed it up the steep rocky path until we reached the Forest Trail that goes right around the upper parts of the mountain.
Whilst climbing we came a upon a concrete structure as well as getting views of the buildings in the quarry as we walked along its northern fenceline. Up around the Forest Walk levels we noticed a lot of Sulphur Crested Cocaktoos as well a large number of Rosellas, Crimson Rosellas I believe, many seemingly nesting in some of the trees.
At the southern side of the mountain we left the forest trail & took a trail that goes around this area of the mountain & which contains 6 various lookouts. At the 4th lookout we took a break & then went down a trail that took us across the main road up to the mountain top.
We then went through a walkers gate and took a vague at times footpad down along the line of an old fence until we came upon a main trail which we then took east & followed it down until it met with an official ANBG track named the “Bushland Nature Walk”. The section along the main trail was very different to the previous parts of the walk with some green and wetter vegetation clinging to a very steep drop down to Parkes Way. We had to walk carefully around some trees and over some stumps as there was a steep drop off to our right. The walk was reasonably safe although with any fear or phobia of heights should probably not take this section.
At the “Bushland Nature Walk” we stopped at a viewing platform offering views south over the lake and south Canberra. We then followed this right down to near the junction of Clunies Ross and Black Mountain Drive.
Here we crossed the road and went through a formal gate into the Australian National Botanical Gardens (ANBG). We walked though the lower section until we reached the Pollen Cafe. Here we purchased take away drinks from a side window & then being cagey old fellas we conned our way into using one of their dine-in tables, although it was on the verandah.
After a lengthy break we wandered through a little of the ANBG until we found our way to the CSIRO gate and walked up along its length until we met Frith Rd and then to the cars.
Coming out of a gate as we walked up the fence we came across a whole lot of very small children, probably kindergarten age with one of the teachers having a devils time trying to control them.
We finished around 11.38AM thus having taken 3hrs 10m including breaks.
It was a Medium Walk of 5.7Km in 3hrs 10min.
This walk was based on a previous walks around the same area between 2010 and 2020.
Walkers: Bob Salmond, Harry Angel, John Edge, Neville Viney, Steve Mawer, Greg Hutchison
Drivers: Steve, John Edge
Map of walk | Pictures in Google Photos | files including gps located in Google Drive | Bushland Nature Walk | Pollen Cafe
Notes re Map: GPS Map View provided using Garmin Basecamp on map base from OSM | The area of the walk is covered by the NSW 1:25,000 topo maps CANBERRA.
