Namadgi National Park Walking Trails

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Posted 2013-08-16 by Diana Tan ⇒ follow

Walking plays an essential role in my active lifestyle and I'm always on the lookout for best places to get my boots soiled. Whilst having a conversation with a colleague, I was told of a national park not far from where we work. Several clicks on the internet for the exact location and walking trail maps and I was already on a mission to give it a go on that weekend.

I hit the road early as I was planning to do at least 2 walks that day. It was an easy 40 minute drive to the visitor centre of Namadgi National Park, a must-stop for those who are not quite familiar with the area. Being an adventurer, I headed out to my first location following the directions from my own map.

I reached the car park for the Booroomba Rocks trail and was all pumped up. 30 minutes walk shouldn't be that hard right?

For those who are reasonably fit, you should have no trouble reaching the top with the steep ascent. If you're a bit out of shape, you might find yourself gasping for breath every so often, so I suggest taking breaks in-between. This walk really will put your physical form to the test.

Upon reaching the famous Booroomba Rocks summit, the muscle soreness and pains were all forgotten. With a magnificent view overlooking the Australian alps, its definitely worth pushing yourself to the limit.

Booroomba Rocks is a granite climbing area within the national park. Unfortunately I didn't see any action that day. Maybe some other time.

Next on my list was the Orroral Valley Heritage Trail. This is a 6 km walk starting from the Orroral camping ground, passing through bushland and pastures to the old Orroral tracking station site.

The heritage walk is an average 2 hour one way journey and there are clearly marked signs along the trail as a guide, though I got off-course a couple of times and had to retrace my steps to the previous marking and start out again. Such a daunting experience especially if you're all alone in this vast open area of the valley. If you get caught in a similar situation, the key is to focus on your current whereabouts to overcome the emotions building inside of you.

Halfway through the walk I passed by the Orroral Homestead which was built in 1860 and is one of the oldest relics of European settlement in the area. I had the pleasure of taking my packed lunch and much needed respite from the heat of the sun at the balcony of this well-preserved historic house.

It was a great triumph reaching the old tracking station after a few miscues. The site has a collection of memories that narrates its history and significance in NASA's space program which I found so informative.

Just a reminder that mobile reception in this part of the valley is very weak, possibly none at all. In any case if you will be doing the walk by yourself, which I did and would normally do, be mindful of the time and how far you still have to go to make a safe return as your attention can be easily drawn away with all the interesting sights along the trail. I didn't realise I was going towards the opposite direction because of these beloved roos - all perfectly positioned for me to get that perfect shot.

There are still several walks that I have yet to accomplish and I'm looking forward to take on the challenge. I just love the adventure that comes with it and the awe-inspiring feeling afterwards - I just feel so alive. As my grand finale, a well-deserved break for all the hard work.