Released 08/04/2021
The last of the closed areas of Namadgi National Park will re-open this Friday well ahead of the original timeline.
Minister for Planning and Land Management Mick Gentleman encouraged the Canberra community to get back out into the Park and experience the areas that have been closed for over 15 months.
“Most of Namadgi will reopen to the public once again, except for the Yankee Hat Rock Art Site, the Orroral Campground and some roads,” Minister Gentleman said.
“I would like to welcome Canberrans back to areas including:
- Mt Tennant and the Australian Alps Walking Track
- Honeysuckle Ridge including the campground and Booroomba Rocks
- Orroral Valley, Nursery Swamp, the Geodedic Dome and the tracking station
- The Bimberi Wilderness Area.
“Our teams have worked hard to make the park safer for the community to get back into the Park well ahead of schedule, with a focus on critical issues with infrastructure and along public roads into the park.
“Recovery work was able to progress faster than originally anticipated thanks to a combination of favourable weather conditions and the hard work of the recovery team, Roads ACT and various volunteer groups from within the community.
“Because of the heavy rainfall in late March some public roads remain closed, which may restrict vehicle access in areas of the park. During that week over 200mm was dumped on the Orroral Valley in less than 36 hours.
“The Yankee Hat Rock Art Site remains closed as we work on upgrades to the site with the Ngunnawal people to integrate their values, lore and knowledge into this work. This will take some time, but it is important that we have new infrastructure, signage and experiences that respects and values the Ngunnawal culture and celebrates the cultural significance of this site.
“For many Canberrans, they will be heading into Namadgi for the first time since the Orroral Valley bushfire in January 2020. The bush is still recovering, and the safety hazards brought about by the fires haven’t completely gone away.
“Many tree branches are still very fragile, so we ask that you avoid walking in fire affected areas on windy days. Always keep to the tracks because after a wet spring and summer there’s a lot of thick regrowth if you head off the marked path.
“Before heading out into the Park, make sure you revisit our safety information and familiarise yourself with what you need to pack and drop into the Visitor Centre to stock up with water and nourishment and get the latest news from the friendly staff.”
Visit our website for information on what’s open and safety advice
- Statement ends -
Mick Gentleman, MLA | Media Releases