Ulandra Nature Reserve

Location, access and how to get there

Ulandra Nature Reserve is located 25 kilometers southwest of Cootamundra, near the village of Bethungra. It is around 190 kilometers from Canberra GPO (2 hours 20 minutes drive). Access to the Reserve is via Mahomets Road from Bethungra. The alternative road that enters the Reserve from the southwest (off Bethungra Road) is a private road with a locked gate. Similarly, fire trails entering the Reserve at various points are through private property and not accessible to the public.

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Bushwalking opportunities

Walking is allowed in the Reserve "for the appreciation and enjoyment of its wildlife and natural environments". There are no walking tracks, but there are around 30 kilometers of management trails within the Reserve boundaries. A three kilometer private road links the Reserve's southwestern boundary to the summit of Mount Ulandra. A walk from Mahomets Road entry to Mount Ulandra along management trails and the summit road is about 20 kilometers return.

Camping and other facilities

The now rather dated (1994) Plan of Management for the Reserve does not indicate whether camping is allowed, although it would generally be expected that it is not. Check first with the National Parks and Wildlife Service Tumut office (02 6947 7025). Fires are definitely not allowed. There are no public use facilities within the Reserve.

Features

Size
3,934 hectares.
Natural features

The Reserve is dominated by Mount Ulandra (761 meters), which is 450 meters above the surrounding country. A television transmission tower is on the summit of the mountain. The terrain within the Reserve is "a series of ridges, hills and valleys running roughly north-south". A number of creeks flow out of the Reserve. The Reserve is open forest, and was established to protect stands of Cootamundra wattle.

Heritage features

A number of Aboriginal heritage sites have been identified in the Reserve. Remains of past grazing, agriculture and forestry use of the Reserve may also be seen.

References

Ulandra Nature Reserve Plan of Management (1994) - link

National Parks and Wildlife Service - Ulandra Nature Reserve website - link
Wikipedia - link

Ellerslie Nature Reserve

Location, access and how to get there

Ellerslie Nature Reserve is located 17 kilometers northwest of Adelong, around 200 kilometers from Canberra GPO (2 hours drive away) via the Hume and Snowy Mountains Highways. Public walking access to the Reserve is from the Snowy Mountains Highway about 9.5 kilometers south the Hume Highway, where there are a limited number of parking spaces.

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Bushwalking opportunities

Day walking is allowed in the Reserve. There are no walking tracks in the Reserve, but there are around 45 kilometers of management trails within or adjacent to the Reserve boundaries, mostly following ridges.

Camping and other facilities

Camping and solid fuel fires are not allowed. There are no public use facilities within the Reserve.

Features

Size
1,877 hectares.
Natural features

There are no distinctive peaks in the Reserve, which is characterised by steep creek gullies and ridges above these. Blanch Creek and Jimmys Creek are the main watercourses flowing through the Reserve. Six distinct forest ecosystems and eight threatened fauna species have been identified within the Reserve.

Heritage features

Survey work has identified a number of Aboriginal heritage sites, but further sites may still be discovered. Some historical sites have also been identified.

References

Ellerslie Nature Reserve Plan of Management (2010) - link

National Parks and Wildlife Service - Ellerslie Nature Reserve website - link

Minjary National Park

Location, access and how to get there

Minjary National Park is located 10 kilometers northwest of Tumut, around 185 kilometers (a 2 hour 10 minute drive) from Canberra GPO via Hume Highway and Gocup Road. The park is accessed via McGrath Trail (possibly also known as Burnie Trail) which runs off Gocup Road to the right about 25 kilometers south of Gundagai and enters the Park from the north. There is a gate where McGrath Trail enters the Park, and since there is no public vehicular access within Minjary, cars should be parked at the gate.

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Bushwalking opportunities

Walking is allowed in the Park and there are about 18 kilometers of management trails within the Park boundary, including one to the summit of Minjary Mountain, which the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service tells me  is worth a visit although views are limited by the vegetation. About one kilometer southwest of the Minjary Mountain trig, a little to the right of Minjary Trail, however, there is an old hang gliding ramp and there are excellent views from that area to the west. National Parks and Wildlife warn, however, that the ramp itself should not be stepped on due to its dilapidated state and the risk of falling through.

Camping and other facilities

Bush camping is permitted in the Park.

Features

Size
1,462 hectares.
Natural features

The highest peak is Minjary Mountain at 763 meters. Seven forest ecosystems have been identified within the Park which is part of the Murrumbidgee River catchment. Seven threatened species of fauna have been identified.

Heritage features

There are some Aboriginal heritage sites within the Park, and historical sites relating to the Park's former status as a State Forest.

References

Minjary National Park Plan of Management (2004) - link

National Parks and Wildlife Service - Minjary National Park website - link