Ngunnawal country
November in Namadgi. Wildflowers erupting all around, from the small orchids at ground level to native shrubs filled with an abundance of blossoms. The day was overcast, and the moisture in the air enhanced the green hues of the foliage as we made our way up Mt Tennent. Recent rain had created puddles and plenty of mud, much to the delight of Mr 5. He relishesd testing out his first pair of proper hiking boots by stomping and squelching through every puddle we encountered.
Mount Tennant is a popular walk in the ACT, and a good option if you want a challenging, but not too challenging, day walk without a long drive. The walk starts from the Namadgi Visitor Centre. It’s a 15km return walk, with an elevation gain of around 700 metres. ACT Parks advise allowing 6 hours. On this occasion I walked it with my 10 and 5 year olds and we took 7 hours, including breaks. Trail runners will do it much faster!
The walk begins from the Visitor Centre. Unless you get a super early start or are one of the aforementioned trail runners, it’s a good idea to park in the area outside the gates, which are locked at 4pm. The track starts behind the visitor centre, and takes you past some interpretive signs and displays about the park’s history, flora and fauna. With a late start and 15km ahead of us, I told the kids we’d check out the displays on the way back. The track then crosses the road, where there is a log book to register your walking intentions and a new boot cleaning station to help protect the environment from any nasty pathogens lurking on boots and hiking poles.
The first part of the walk is easy going, across the plains at the base of Mt Tennent. A gradual climb takes you up to Cypress Pine Lookout, a granite slab where a number of small pines grow. There’s a small bench to rest on and a large round boulder that my kids instantly want to climb. This walk in itself is very pleasant, and provides good views back towards Canberra. It’s a much easier 4.6km return walk.
After a break at the lookout, the ascent becomes a bit more serious. The walk crosses a bridge over a stream (with another seat for resting and contemplating the surrounds), then starts to head uphill. The climb is steep in parts, though not too demanding. The track is well-maintained, with rock steps in the steep sections. When you need to stop to catch your breath, or to let the kids rest their legs, there’s lovely views and a variety of plants to spot. One of our favourite springtime blooms is the ‘egg and bacon’ plant – a type of red and yellow coloured pea-flower that is common in Namadgi.
Eventually you reach a junction, where the Australian Alps Walking Track veers to the right, and the walk to Mt Tennent continues to the left. Until November 2021, this signalled the beginning of the fire trail slog to reach the summit. However, ACT Parks have recently completed a new purpose built walking track for the second half of the walk. This new track hugs the mountain’s edge, providing views of the surrounds, back to Canberra and to the Tinderry Range to the East. There’s a few places to keep an eye on the little people, but nowhere that is really exposed. I really enjoyed ascending a staircase in between moss and lichen covered granite boulders. I thought the track was going to join the fire trial right near the summit, but it actually winds around and approaches the summit from the south-east instead.
Once at the summit, the views over Namadgi are what you come here for. The damage from the 2019 bushfires is very evident, with rocks exposed on the summits, and sad blackened sticks along the ridgelines. However, also evident is the regeneration and renewal of nature. Having moved to Canberra a few years after the devastating 2003 fires, I look forward to seeing the park gradually recover, the trees becoming thicker and the black trunks eventually fading. The funny thing about walking with kids is they don’t really notice or comment on the fire damage. For them, the summit was all about exploring among the boulders. And seeing what snacks I’d packed, of course!
For more info on the Mt Tennent walk and other activities in Namadgi national park: https://www.environment.act.gov.au/parks-conservation/parks-and-reserves/find-a-park/namadgi-national-park/namadgi-national-park