Tidbinbilla Mountain loop

The first thing I would like to mention about this track is how to get there. I relied on Google Maps to show me the way to the start of this track (Mountain Creek Carpark) and everything looked fine, as always. When I was driving, and only about 3.5 kilometers to get there, I realised I could not continue anymore. I got to a dust road blocked by a barrier indicating "Ashbrook Fire Trail (Management Vehicles Only)". I tried to find another way to get there but there is no phone coverage in the area, so I decided to start walking from there and do the additional 7 Kilometres. Don't worry, these extra 7 kilometres are not part of the track I uploaded here. I don't recommend doing this extra 7 Kilometres but having done so I can say this is definitely not a road for cars, not even 4WD cars. So even if there was no barrier I wouldn't go this way with my car. I still struggle to understand why Google Maps took me this way. I checked it some weeks later and still shows the wrong way, even though is not possible and it's even longer.
I added a waypoint to the track named "Wrong parking". If Google Maps takes you through that spot then you know it's the wrong way.
This should be the incorrect Google Maps route starting from Canberra.
And this should be the correct Google Maps route also starting from Canberra. Notice the difference in the last few kilometres.

Another important thing to mention is that this track is inside the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. To enter this reserve you need to stop at the Tidbinbilla Visitors Centre and pay a fee. A day pass for private cars is $15.53 AUD. In their website you can find the information for the fees, opening hours and everything else. Keep in mind that they open at 7:30 am and the park closes at 8 pm (6 pm in Winter).
When I got there the Visitors Centre was closed but there was information at the door indicating how to pay the fees online. As I mentioned above there is no phone coverage in the area although they also explain how to connect to their wifi so you can pay the fees.

Now starting with the track itself, you park your car at the Mountain Creek Carpark which is quite big and many cars can be parked here. I guess this is a very popular area in the Summer. The main attraction is seeing wildlife, including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, platypus, potoroos, bandicoots, wallaroos, echidnas, emus, lyrebirds as per their website. I personally saw lots of Wallabies but nothing else.

I planned this hike as a clockwise loop, starting with the highest summit first, Tidbinbilla Mountain (1617 m), and following the ridge next summiting three other mountains in descending elevation. The summits for the day were:

  • Tidbinbilla Mountain (1617 m)
  • Tidbinbilla Peak (1561 m)
  • John's Peak (1442 m)
  • Camels Hump (1436 m)

The first part of this hike, ascending Tidbinbilla Mountain, is by far the hardest. After about one easy kilometre you make a right turn and start on a quite steep slope. This steep terrain goes for about 2.5 kilometres when you get to a saddle. At this saddle you make a right turn again and it eases from here for the last kilometre when you get to the top of Tidbinbilla Mountain.

After resting a bit and having something to eat while enjoying the views I start the descent following the ridge. While on this ridge keep an eye on the GPS since it's not always obvious which way to go. After a bit less than 2 kilometres I reach the second summit for the day, Tidbinbilla Peak.
The next summit, John's Peak, will be only one more kilometre away. From here the descent gets steeper only for a little bit, and after a flat section the track joins the wide gravel road that leads to Camels Hump. You need to leave this gravel road for the last 300 metres to get to the top of Camels Hump. These last meters are rocky and steep but not difficult at all.

The return is on the gravel road, a very easy 6.35 kilometres walk, all the way back to the Mountain Creek Carpark.



Full description and more pictures at Back from Summit: Tidbinbilla Mountain