Exploring the South Tallaganda Region

Rick Kidston had a cunning plan for us to explore the southern reaches of Tallaganda. I rode my DRZ400E, while Rick rode his CRF450, and together we tackled a loop that took us past some fascinating sites: Lowden Waterwheel, Sawpit Gully, the BoM weather radar, an unnamed trig point, and Cronin Summit Firetower.

​Close Calls and Narrow Escapes

​Along the way, my front wheel washed out on me no less than three times! Somehow, I managed to save it each time, though one was particularly close to a nasty spill. Adrenaline was definitely pumping as we continued our adventure.

​Lowden Forest Park

Lowden Forest Park is well worth the ride from Braidwood or Canberra, with historical relics dating back over 170 years. The park contains remnants from its days as a logging camp in the 1830s, including a remarkable waterwheel originally used to generate electricity. The sights here take you back in time, providing a unique glimpse into the area’s past.

BoM Weather Radar

Visiting the BoM weather radar had been on my bucket list for a while, and I convinced Rick to add a 4km detour to check it out. Located at the lowest point of our route, the radar was well worth the extra kilometres. We took a break here, enjoying a snack before heading back north towards our starting point.

Heading Northbound

As we turned north, we made an unexpected stop at an unnamed trig point. A quick rock scramble gave us some excellent views to the south and west, looking towards Captains Flat, partly hidden by a small mountain range.
Shortly after, Rick had an off on the rutted Middle Road track, where his wheels decided to follow separate ruts. Not long after, I ended up on the wrong side of the track and got stuck in a rut trying to cross back. Both mishaps had us helping each other back on track, laughing off the challenges as part of the day’s fun.

​Cronin Summit Firetower and Final Challenges

After navigating the tricky section, we made it to Cronin Summit Firetower. Two enduro riders were already at the summit, but they left shortly after we arrived, leaving the place to ourselves.
The final leg of our journey involved navigating two tracks out of the area. The first ended at a gate to some farming properties, and the second we were unsure as to whether it was impassable, so we backtracked, as the day was drawing to a close and we weren’t keen on more bike recovery. We left the single track to the enduro riders.
In the end, it was a brilliant day, finishing with two very muddy bikes and a few stories to tell.

Ride map.