More of Namadgi

Yankee Hat Trail

Last weekend I did two walks. The Yerrabi Track and the Yankee Hat Trail. The latter provided an opportunity to see some ancient rock art. Both walks were in Namadgi National Park which is 40 km south of Canberra. The park, which takes its name from the Ngunnawal word for the surrounding mountains, was created in 1984.

How to get there
Drive to Tharwa and then continue along the Nas Road. A short distance past the point where the Apollo Road runs into Nas Road, it splits into Boboyan Road to the right and the continuation of Nas road on the left. This is unsealed and leads to a canola farm. Take the right fork you’ll be on Boboyan Road. Continue past Orroral road until you reach the turn off to the old Boboyan road. This is an unsealed road that leads directly to car park where the trail begins.


The walk
The early part of the trail passrs through a cleared area with marshlands surrounding Bagong creek. This area was cleared by pastoralists, creating the grass plains which sustain the many grey eastern kangaroos to be seen in the area near the marsh land.

The three kilometre walk to the foot of the Yankee Hut Mountain takes you to a strange rock shelter. Carbon dating of campsite deposits suggests that the area was first used about 800 years ago. The style of the artwork in the shelter is characteristic of the people who inhabited the southern tablelands of NSW. In the photo below some of the figures are orange. These are the newest paintings, with the oldest and most difficult to discern being dark brown. Other campsites in the surrounding area have been dated back to 1700 bc.

The scenery is striking, the wildlife abundant and the aboriginal art, a real treat. The six kilometre walk to the shelter took about an hour and twenty minutes even though it's rated a two and a half hour walk. Overall the trail is an extremely engaging and very easy walk. However, its too short. It would be good if it was extended to the top of Yankee Hat Mountain.



Pictures
1. Panorama, 2.Bogong creek and Marshlands, 3.Eastern Grey Kangaroos, 4.rock art and 5.Yankee Hat Shelter.