Not a trig: Great walk #3 - Goorooyarroo Reserve

I’d been sitting down all day in a professional learning course so I felt like a nice walk. I found Old Joe Hill trig on a map and thought I’d see if I could find it. It looked like I might be able to get to it via Goorooyarroo Reserve, so I headed over there.

I parked just off Horse Park Drive, and entered through the big gate. There is a big, wide fire trail right from the start, so nice level ground, though there were quite  few big puddles from the recent rains.

The Reserve appears to be completely (electric) fenced all the way around, I think mainly because of the legless lizards that live in there. I seem to recall bettongs live out that way too, though I didn’t see either. There actually wasn’t much wildlife to be seen at all; a few birds (magpies, rosellas, peewees and cockatoos) and a very small mob of kangaroos. There were signs on the gate about shooting, so perhaps they were even in danger...

I walked along the main trail for a while, turning off at a small depot-type site and up a bit of a hill until I hit the eastern fence. I walked north along next to that up another small hill, 

where I was rewarded with some very lovely views over Gungahlin and back towards the city. 

I eventually came to corner in the fence where it turned back towards the west. Just beyond the fence was the big hill (which was on the other side of the fence). I couldn’t immediately see a way through and a trail up the hill (the legless lizard signs had warned about staying on the trail, and I’m absolutely a rule follower!😬), so I started walking back towards the main trail. I had already walked 2km by then and my knee was sore so I decided to just loop back to the car.

Despite giving up on the trig, it was a really lovely walk, with views that were even better on the return journey. The trail is wide and unless you choose to take some more hilly parts, quite flat. There are also some magnificent trees that have obviously been there a very long time. I’m a bit of a fan of trees. 😊

(This tree looked like it might have had a big tantrum and thrown its branches down in disgust!)

I will definitely go back, and perhaps try for the trig again, but there is enough of interest in the reserve to come back when I’m on that side of town!