Text and photosIan Smith

View from Gibraltar Peak

By tourism standards, it’s fairly well known, despite its semi-remoteness.

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The name Tidbinbilla conjures up starry, starry nights, radio telescopes that probe deeply into space and are closely linked to NASA and some fascinating information about space probes from a multitude of countries. For instance, the Indian, Japanese, European, Chinese and other explorations are all going full steam ahead. I found it fascinating to see just how much they had achieved, since all we basically hear about is NASA.

However, my main interest on two trips I’ve done there was to visit the sanctuary. Money has been spent here. There’s a national park's office where you can get information and food. Oh, and you can also pay for the privilege of getting inside the national park which houses the sanctuary a few kilometres away.

Early Nancy

Signs on Gibraltar Peak Walk

On the way to the top of Gibraltar Peak

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It is also the home of Gibraltar Peak, an 8.2km return climb I had pencilled in, and a climb it was. The sort that deters your average Joe but which true bushwalkers thrive on. I’m somewhere in the middle but, being a keen snapper, I had to go and see it.

It’s one of 22 walks in the reserve and is rated 18 on the list in terms of hardness.

The initial rise is to a saddle whereupon you turn right and that’s when the steps begin. Rising through the carved granite, you eventually find yourself in something of a maze at the top. It’s a bit of a puzzle trying to work your way through the creviced barricade but the sky is your guide as you navigate through the cracks, eventually reaching the panoramic views over the valley and a massive lump of isolated round-topped granite in the immediate foreground. It’s an unforgettable reward but there’s still the sanctuary to look forward to.

Stone stairs on Gibraltar Peak Walk

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White browed scrub wren in the sanctuary

Silvereye

Yellow faced honeyeaterin the sanctuary

A picture-winged fly (Delphinia picta)

Back in the car I headed deeper into the reserve, eventually reaching the scenic loop road that contains the nature reserve and a few other walks. Hanging Rock I managed to do on the second trip. A short, pleasant uphill stroll in an area once frequented by indigenous peoples, though I’m still trying to work out where the supposed hanging rock was.

The Sanctuary Loop is nearby, a circular route around a series of pondages deliberately set up to encourage wildlife, with educational areas featuring diagrams and seating.

There was, according to the sign, the possibility of seeing a platypus. Well, having been to many places over the years where platypus were supposedly on show, my scepticism was nigh. Yet, no sooner had I stopped by the upper reservoir than presto, there they were, all two of them, which made

Platypus in the sanctuary

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a grand total of three I’d now seen. Of course, they were coming and going, rolling along the surface and not getting out of the water but hey, that hardly dimmed my excitement.

After watching for a while I moved around the other side of the pondage and, lo and behold, there was a fine specimen of a red-bellied black snake. Not something many of you want to come across I realise, but it got my adrenalin going in more ways than one as it slithered cautiously through the leaf litter, with at least one eye on me all the time.

There were more things as well, birds I’ve yet to identify and lots of eastern long-necked turtles sunbaking on logs and one

View from Gibraltar Peak

Eastern long neck turtle in the sanctuary

Red bellied black snakein the sanctuary

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Tidbinbilla

of my favourite subjects, order odonatan, or dragonflies and damselflies as they’re more commonly known.

I got my first shot of a rockmaster dragonfly here and a tau emerald as well that had actually stopped for a moment. They are usually flying most of the day, unlike others that frequently stop. You’ll often be near a body of water and see a dragonfly but, when you tarry awhile, you start to notice others and there’ll be up to eight different species where earlier you only noticed one.

It was time to leave and cruise down the scenic road to the exit and reflect that the Tidbinbilla area gives in so many ways. You might like to try it next time you’re in the A.C.T.

Grey Guinea flower

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