Experience a newish trail in the southern section of Aranda Bushland. It is named after Ian Loiterton, a long-term member of the Friends of Aranda Bushland, who established this walk last year. We will walk a loop track of approx. 2.5 km with a gentle gradient, passing through woodland, native grasslands, swamps and a stony ridge. The walk starts at the same point as the Aranda Snow Gums trail. If we have time we may also walk part of that trail. We are likely to see bush and smaller birds, and hopefully a selection of summer migrants. The walk will take 1.5-2 hours.
Meet at 8.30 am at the stile on Caswell Drive; access is via William Hovell Drive, city bound left lane. If driving from north Canberra, drive south down Bindubi Street, turn left into William Hovell Drive and turn left into the access road signposted for Black Mountain just before Glenloch Interchange.If coming from south Canberra, turn left from the Tuggeranong Parkway into William Hovell Drive, then after 100 metres or so turn right into the turning bay marked Black Mountain car park, then turn left into the access road.
Limited parking is available (4-6 cars) opposite the stile, or drive into the car park on the left hand side of Caswell Drive, which exits onto Caswell Drive, and walk back to the stile.
Please bring a hat, water and wear sturdy shoes.
Register with Julie at julie.hotchin@gmail.com. Provide name and mobile number and the name and mobile number of an emergency contact.
On a glorious morning, despite the early predictions of rain, 13 people joined me to explore this new trail in the south-eastern section of the Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve. We had a blend of new and experienced members together with a visitor from Finland.
There was lots of bird activity throughout the walk, often heard rather than seen. Numerous Grey Fantails, Superb Fairy-wrens, Weebills and Yellow-Faced Honeyeaters were calling at the start of the walk as we followed the bush next to the open grassland. A very loud and vocal female Rufous Whistler was eventually located. Several species were more easily seen in a lightly wooded area with large old gums, including good views from a distance of a Striated Pardalote at a nest hollow, two very active female Golden Whistlers gleaning bugs and an Eastern Yellow Robin calling. A pair of Gang-gang Cockatoos graciously flew closer towards the group and settled in a tree, allowing for good views. A short side trip brought us to an apple-box grove, a fine example of how young trees can form a circular grove as they grow around the mother-tree. Some in the group shared their knowledge of the growth pattern of the apple-box and the characteristics of several old yellow-box trees.
As we walked through the woodland section and the trail along the lower slope of the ridge, we had good views of Brown Thornbills and Silvereyes feeding in the canopy and of Australian Ravens, one of which was carrying food. At the top of the chert ridge was a family group of ten White-Winged Choughs, as well as more thornbill species and Superb Fairy-wrens. The calls of several summer migrants accompanied us during the morning, including Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Olive-backed Oriole and White-throated Gerygone. A fine view of a solitary Australian Pelican flying over the arboretum greeted us as we returned to the grassland at the end of the trail.
Our collective bird list for the walk was 39 species, highlighting the avian richness of this section of Aranda Bushland. Many thanks to Margaret Robertson for keeping track of the bird list.
Julie Hotchin
