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

Tumblong State Conservation Area

Location, access and how to get there

Tumblong State Conservation Area (SCA) is located 30 kilometers northwest of Tumut, around 180 kilometers from Canberra GPO (2 hours drive away). There is no public vehicular access to the Park and it can only be accessed by walking through private property, for which landowner permission is required.

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

Bushwalking opportunities

Day walking is allowed, but note access issues.

Camping and other facilities

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

Features

Size
746 hectares.
Natural features

There are no distinct peaks in the SCA, which is located on the northeastern side of a ridge. Altitude range within the SCA is from 300-588 meters. Six distinct forest ecosystems have been identified within the SCA.

Heritage features

Survey work has identified one Aboriginal heritage site, but further sites may still be discovered. There are no significant historical sites in the SCA.

References

Tumblong State Conservation Area Plan of Management (2008) - link

National Parks and Wildlife Service - Tumblong State Conservation Area 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

Mudjarn Nature Reserve

Location, access and how to get there

The Mudjarn Nature Reserve is located 15 kilometers north of Tumut off Brungle Road, about 180 kilometers from Canberra GPO (2 hours drive). There is no public vehicular access to the Reserve. Pedestrian access is complicated. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service tells me that there are Crown road easements going into the Reserve off public roads (presumably Brungle Road), but no track exists along these easements. The easements can be located on the relevant parish map, but then they would then have to be located "on the ground". They advise seeking landholder permission prior to attempting to access the Reserve.
Note that the 2008 Plan of Management for Mudjarn noted plans to work with Tumut Council to provide car parking and pedestrian access from Brungle Road, but this has not happened yet.

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

Bushwalking opportunities

Walking is permitted in the Reserve, but note access issues above. There are no walking tracks and only one management trail along the eastern side of the Reserve. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service tells me that walking in the Reserve is difficult due to the density of the callitris pines.

Camping and other facilities

The Reserve Plan of Management notes that it is used for camping, but makes no mention of whether this should be allowed. There are no visitor facilities in the Reserve. 

Features

Size
591 hectares.
Natural features

The highest peak is Pine Mountain Peak at 691 meters. A number of small creeks drain out of the Reserve. It has a heavy cover of callitris pine and kurrajong that give it a distinctive dark appearance.

Heritage features

There are a number of recorded Aboriginal heritage sites and a number of historical sites including mine sites and old post and rail fences.

References

Mudjarn Nature Reserve Plan of Management (2008) - link

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