EASY/MEDIUM WEDNESDAY WALK - Tidbinbilla Visitors Centre to Nil Desperandum Return (BBC)

No bookings required for joint club Wednesday Walks

This Easy to Medium graded walk will be led by John Kelly (0400 581 303) on behalf of the Brindabella Bushwalking Club

The walk to historic Nil Desperandum is on a combination of walking track, fire trial in about equal parts and short section of bush bashing. Starting from the Visitors Centre we initially walk on track, up the valley, through open grassland, then shrublands, and woodland down to the Tidbinbilla River bridge. From there we walk on a combination of walking track and steepish fire trails to a lookout overlooking the Tidbinbilla Valley for morning tea. We then head to the historic Nil Desperandum for lunch at the homestead if unoccupied, or in the garden if it is.  Following lunch, we'll do an optional 20 minute circuit in the vicinity of the homestead to take in the eucalyptus distillation site and the camellia garden. We'll return to the Visitors Centre via a slightly different route which will take us alongside the rock wallaby enclosure and a possible wet crossing of the Tidbinbilla River downstream of the bridge, a bush bash back to the main track and to the cars. 

The distance covered will be about 15km with an altitude gain of about 450 metres.  Please bring warm/wet weather gear, hat, and water. Long pants, gloves and gaiters may prove useful for the short bush bash section of the walk.

Meet at the Lanyon Marketplace near Maccas for a 8:30am departure or at the Tidbinbilla Visitors Centre at 8:50
Transport: $5 per person for 36km return journey.
Weather Forecast:  As of Saturday, the prediction is Temp. -1 to 15  degrees, mostly sunny, with little chance of showers.

Map: Tidbinbilla 1:25000

Those doing their first Wednesday Walk must contact the leader to discuss the level of difficulty of the walk.

There is a mailing list for Wednesday Walks. CBC Members wanting to go on this list can write to wednesday.walks'at'canberrabushwalkingclub.org (replacing 'at' by '@')