I had a week long course for work, which I finished today. Fortunately the kids were at after school care, which aforded me some time to go for a ride.
Once again it was in the Mulligans flat area, but I ventured into a different area of the nature reserve.
This time I rode the Pipeline Track, the Border Track, the Dam Track, Mulligans Trail, and went inside the Woolshed for a look.

​Ride Map.

As part of my job, I’m fortunate to have time allocated for physical training, which helps me maintain my fitness. With clear blue skies overhead, it was the perfect opportunity to get outside and enjoy some exercise.

I'm also lucky to live close to Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve and Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary, which means I have easy access to dirt trails right on my doorstep. The route I took winds through both areas and happens to form part of the Canberra Centenary Trail—a loop that encircles the main residential areas, cultural precincts, and rural landscapes of the ACT.

I entered via the Wilay Gate (Wilay, In the Ngunawal language, it means "possum"), and followed the fenceline track running parallel to Horse Park Drive, leading me to the start of the Centenary Trail. Riding along this dirt track meant I could avoid traffic entirely—a definite bonus.

Once on the Centenary Trail, I continued through the nature reserve and into the woodland sanctuary. I was surprised by how many people were out and about—I passed numerous cyclists, runners, and walkers. It felt like Pitt Street in Sydney! I even encountered an ACT Parks worker heading the other way on a tractor.

Along the route, I took a few short breaks to soak in the scenery and snap some photos.

Eventually, I reached the gate of the predator-proof fence at Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary and passed through to continue along the Centenary Trail. Unlike my last ride, where I turned off onto Old Coach Road, this time I stayed the course. As I rode on, I passed more walkers and paused briefly at the Woolshed, only to find eight prams lined up outside—clearly not the best time to interrupt a mothers' group gathering.

A few hundred metres beyond the Woolshed lies the main gate of the predator-proof fence, which most people use to enter the sanctuary. From there, you can either duck into Forde or continue along the trail up and over the hill for about 500 metres to reach the sanctuary’s car park.

I chose the latter, climbing the hill and joining the shared path, where I passed some impressively large kangaroos lounging beside the trail. Once on the shared path, I followed it into the heart of Forde and continued all the way home. On the return leg, I passed Yerrabi Pond before heading east towards Harrison.

Eventually, I followed the shared path to Gungaderra Homestead, passing between the old farm shed and the main house. On the far side, I noticed something I’d never paid much attention to before—the shed has now been repurposed as "The Recyclery." It's run by volunteers who take in donated bicycles, restore them to a saleable condition, and give them a new lease on life.
From there, I continued along the old Well Station Road—a historic track dating back to the late 1800s that once linked the farms at Well Station and Gungaderra Homestead.
In total, the ride was 20 kilometres—a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend time outdoors, surrounded by nature.

Map of my ride.

Wow, it’s been just over three years since I last rode my mountain bike in anger!
In that time, I’ve had three surgeries, and now that I’m finally through the recovery phase, I’m working on shedding the weight I put on — largely from a lack of activity, especially mountain biking.

That said, I have been getting out on the eBike a bit, trying to rebuild some semblance of fitness.

Today, I decided it was time to get the Sentier out and hit some dirt. Lately, the only dirt I’ve ridden has been on my motorbike, so this felt long overdue. Luckily, Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve is only about two kilometres from home, so the pain of riding on the blacktop was mercifully short.

I only had an hour, so my usual longer loop was off the cards — partly due to time, partly due to my current fitness. After passing through the anti-vermin gate, I turned left and followed the fenceline, aiming for the ruins of the old Inglewood Homestead. Along the way, I stirred up a few mobs of kangaroos. My biggest fear is always driving them into fences — they never seem to bound into the wide open fields, but rather straight towards danger. Sure enough, they headed for the fences instead. Sigh.

Reaching the 'Back in Time Trail'* (I think that’s the name — I wasn’t paying too much attention to the sign), I followed it past a few sites of European heritage and onto the Inglewood ruins.

European Heritage:
Sheep grazing began in this area in the mid-1820s, with continuous stocking in large, fenced paddocks from the 1860s onwards. Between 1920 and 1925, old and dead trees were felled for firewood to supply the Canberra market. Some pasture improvements also took place from the mid-20th century.

After stopping to read the sign, take some photos, and have a bit of a wander, I continued on into the inner sanctum of Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary. Passing through another layer of defences (aimed at keeping out cats, foxes, dogs, and rabbits), you enter an area rich with endangered or reintroduced native animals. Interestingly, all the gates in Goorooyarroo and Mulligans are named after local flora and fauna.

Rather than following the Centenary Trail as signposted, I turned off towards the Old Coach Road — a more scenic, quieter route through the area. In fact, I didn’t pass another soul. After enjoying the most picturesque section, I diverted over to the Centenary Trail where it skirts Mulligans Woolshed. The historic woolshed is a must-visit whenever I ride out this way, and as usual, I stopped for a photo.

From there, I followed a singletrack behind the woolshed, cutting back across the Old Coach Road and heading towards Echidna Flats. I then turned right, passed through another gate, and continued along the trail towards the wetlands. After stopping to take in the view and snap another photo, I headed towards Wildbark via the Orchid Gate and the raised walkway.

From Wildbark, it was a shared path pretty much all the way home.

It felt amazing to be back on the Sentier, and my love for mountain biking has been reignited. Expect more rides as my fitness improves! 🚲

Map of ride.

After yesterday’s rain, I was hoping for a chance to go out for a ride this morning, as the forecast predicted a few showers throughout the day. Fortunately, the morning turned out to be clear, though there was a bit of a breeze coming from the south.
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Most of the ride followed shared paths, but I also got to ride some single track along the edge of the Barton Highway. It was a nice change of pace, and I enjoyed stopping for a quick break at Patrick White Pond on my way home.


Map of bike ride.

On March 4th, I was riding my bike home, and after cycling 16 kilometres, I realized that I had lost my pannier. I was frustrated, but I knew exactly how it happened. My Ortlieb pannier has a cam locking system, which can be unlocked by pulling up the handle. The issue is that if you pull the handle to check if the pannier is securely locked, you unintentionally unlock it. Additionally, the locking system doesn't provide a clear indication that it’s locked properly. So, I must have failed to lock it properly, and it came off during the ride.

I still had to pick up the kids from after-school care, so I drove back along the same route to see if I could find it, but no luck. Then, I had to wait for my wife to return so I could ride along the bike path to retrace my steps. Again, no pannier.
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I posted about it on Facebook, hoping someone might have found it, but I didn’t hear anything. Over time, I gave up on the idea of getting it back and reluctantly accepted that I’d need to buy a new one eventually.

Today, I received a call from the guard box at Fairbairn, telling me someone had found my pannier and handed it in. I couldn’t believe it! But, I was puzzled as to how it ended up about 3 kilometres in the opposite direction from where I’d ridden home.

When I went to pick it up, the guard told me it had been found hanging on the airport fence, and someone had brought it in. Strangely, I only pass near the airport fence for about 100 metres, roughly a kilometre from my starting point. Very odd!
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Still, I’m just thankful to have my pannier back with all its contents. Today’s a good day!

Today we went for a ride out to the inlet breakwall at St. Kilda (SA). The conditions were so calm, that the reflections were sublime. I have never before seen it so calm out on the water at St. Kilda.

Map of ride.

Doing what Salisbury Council should've done and installed reflectors on dangerous hazards, which cyclists may not see until it is too late, when riding at night.
Subsequently, I would do this little community service, every time I came across a hazard.

It was a tough day yesterday, so I rode the shortest route back home.

​We all started together, but we soon all went our own way, depending on fatigue, time, or destination.

Ride Map.

Another bikepacking trip into the Adelaide hills.

Ride Map.