The Tidbinbilla landscape is real bush. At the foot of the Brindabella mountain range on the outskirts of Canberra, the Nation’s Capital, this area is on the brink of the Australian highlands, leading to the snowy mountains.
Today, however, it is the hight of summer. It’s hot and dry. We’re told that this area is primarily granite, the had rock that is formed from magma when it erupts underground and cools slowly. Around 500 million years ago this area was under sea. The river sediments drifted out to sea and compressed into rock in the seabed over the granite for 100 million years. Then, around 30 million years ago, the water levels dropped and the rock became exposed with the softer rocks eroding to expose the granite which weathered and cracked over time due to the continuous exposure to rain and ice.
Ngunnawal Country
This area is known as Ngunnawal Country. The Ngunnawal are the indigenous people of the region that we now know as Canberra. There is a prickly history for the indigenous people from around the 1820’s when they began to be displaced by graziers taking over their land.
Now this country and particularly this area, Tidbinbilla, is recognized as important to the Aboriginal people. The locals would come to the mountains in the summer months to conduct business, trade, initiation and marriage ceremonies. It was a crucial journey for young boys as during this time, they were made men. There is evidence here that the Aboriginal people were living here up to 21,000 years ago in this harsh and unforgiving land. Yet its beauty is unforgettable, its danger undeniable.
Canberra Tracks
There are six self drive routes around the city and surrounds called the Canberra Tracks. Today we follow Track 1 which takes us out past the Cotter Reserve to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. We tumble out of the cars on arrival at the visitors centre and then pile back in for the short drive to the Sanctuary walk, an easy 2km loop that we’re told takes around 90 minutes. Then, after that, we’ll go on to the Koala Loop, a 20min (700m) stroll where we should be able to spot some napping koalas in their favorite trees.
As we drive along we spot a court of wallabies nibbling the grass in a clearing alongside the road.
The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary offers some fabulous opportunities to experience Australian flora and fauna. The wetlands ecosystem here is surrounded by bushland, fenced off from predators and criss crossed by a pathway and boardwalk that provides viewing access to the interconnected ponds. The ponds are a safe refuge for a range of native animals including reptiles, migratory birds and the one we are here for in particular, the platypus. There are also rock wallaby and echidna around, if you are really lucky.
As we enter there is a large warning sign on the gate to beware of snakes. ‘Sure’ I think to myself, believing it unlikely to see them slithering around out in the open. I know of people who have seen snakes in the wild in Australia – my uncle’s house backs on to some reserve lands and he’s had one or two in his backyard over the years. Sometimes you hear of people on bush walks that may have come across one, but other than that, the only snakes I have ever seen have been in zoos or shops, despite the raging fear of snakes that foreigners have when they think about visiting Australia. Besides, I’m here for the platypus and hopefully a kookaburra or two.
We set off along the path, the kids running ahead and then lagging behind. It’s beautiful here in the dappled light with the smell of the hot bush filling my lungs and the sounds of the birds and insects all around.
There are shouts from ahead. It hasn’t taken long, a little way up the track, the kids have spotted a snake in the grass on the side of the track. We stop to watch. We are all weary, the snake unperturbed. He slinks along the dirt and over the fallen leaves.
We watch him slither across the path and back into the brush on the other side of the path. He crosses the path again and zigzags back again to disappear in the undergrowth.
After a good 20 minutes of watching the snake and making sure he’s well away from the path, we continue on. By now it is nearly 11am and the heat of the day is setting in. We have been overtaken by a few people as we straggled behind and as we approach the platypus ponds, the noise the children are making leaves me with little hope, despite having heard that the group in front of us spotted them.
We stop at a bench and read the engraving before congregating around the pools and watch and wait. There is a little skink in the rocks and the cockatoos are screeching in the trees but the only movement on the water is caused by insects. We move along to the next pond but by now it is impossible to keep the children quiet and mine have started asking for food.
A little further along in one of the bigger pools we spot some swans and turtles. There are various birds around but no platypus. We watch the swans bob up and down on the water. Lazily, they tip themselves up and their tail feathers wiggle in the air as the forage for food under the water. Then the tip themselves up again, gobble whatever it is they have found to snack on and glide along a bit further to repeat the process together.
The turtles are hard to spot. The water is brown and murky. Although this is supposed to be wetlands, the water level is low. The pools are stagnant and rely on rain to top them up. There is not too much of that around at the moment. Australia is in the worst drought for decades. Some say a century or more.
We continue the loop. Although lucky to have seen the snake and some cockatoos, a kookaburra and rosella, the platypus as well as echidnas and rock wallabies have remained undetected on our little adventure.
The kids are keen for some food and somewhere to run around. We head back up the road to the playground and recreation area. Here we share the snacks and drinks that we have brought with us and sit around in the shade for a bit. Although I would like to retrace our steps and go back to the Koala Loop we decide to head home, the day is hot and the kids are tired.
Good To Know
The Tidbinbilla Visitor Centre at the Nature Reserve is open 9am – 5pm year round. You need a permit to enter the reserve which are available at the Visitor Centre. Ensure you take hats, sunscreen and water and the paths are best tackled with closed toe shoes.
Arrive early for the best chance of spotting platypus, koala and wallabies.
Would I Return?
Yes. There is plenty to see and do out here at Tidbinbilla. There are walks and hikes ranging from easy and wheelchair accessible (like the Sanctuary walk) through to the 19km Camel’s Hump which starts at the Visitor Centre and weaves its way along through the Nature Reserve for great views and a little bit of everything else Tidbinbilla has to offer.
The children’s playground and BBQ area make a great spot to stop and spread out a picnic.
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