Centenary Trail!

gbyzh
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Centenary Trail!

Postby gbyzh » Sun Oct 27, 2013 10:46 am

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-new ... 2w8qo.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So it's finally 'opened'. Too bad I only have a road bike with slim tyres. Won't be attempting the off-road sections then.

lobstermash
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby lobstermash » Sun Oct 27, 2013 1:35 pm

I'd love to ride that. Would be a big day out, but good fun.
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WarrenH
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby WarrenH » Mon Oct 28, 2013 10:14 am

I went on the track yesterday, from Hall. The Centenary Trail is a fantastic short-cut for riders doing the Bicentennial National Trail. Now linking Mulligans Flat and the new campsite at Oak Hill, to the BNT campsite at Hall (13.5 kilometres). For bikes it is just perfect, horses can't fit through the barriers.

Although yesterday, the new track became very dusty, not from bikes but from about 100+ walkers. Riding this section about 2 days after rain, would be perfect. The track looks like it will suffer from the first heavy rains, which should make it even more interesting to ride. Giving the term a flowing track a whole new meaning. The many bridges and the arched cattle grids in this section make for a top ride and have been well done.

Some shots from yesterday.

An expedition cyclist with six interesting rear panniers on the track below One Tree Hill. He had been on the track for a few days already and was finding the Schwalbe Marathons hard going, particularly down South, where he had several punctures. Guys on commuter tyres weren't fairing much better either, for traction, climbing. I talked to several riders yesterday and got the goss.

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The smokey Bush Capital, shot near the turnoff to the walking track at One Tree Hill, at midday. At 9am the visibility was about 3-5 kilometres. Then about 11am the NWesterly started building and clearing the smoke.

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The Autumn Lillies (Tricoryne elatior) were blooming for the Spring opening of the Centenary Trail. The Autumn Lilly is also known as the Yellow Rush Lilly.

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Warren.
"But on steep descending...Larson TT have bad effect on the mind of a rider" - MadRider from Suji, Korea 2001.

"Paved roads ... another fine example of wasteful government spending." - a bumper sticker.

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WarrenH
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby WarrenH » Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:36 am

I'm revising my comment above about the track between Mulligans Flat and Hall being an excellent short cut for the Bicentennial National Trail. Yesterday I went back to see how the trail was without hundreds of walkers and dogs (no dogs allowed signs, have been put up since the weekend) ... but unfortunately yesterday all but three of the gates were padlocked. Including the gate half-way down One Tree Hill was locked. I'm glad that I have hydraulic brakes, I was going a little bit fast and had to hit the anchors. Having to lift the gear over the many locked gates, would drive a touring cyclist bonkers, between Mulligans Flat and Hall. The many locked gates drove me somewhat more mad. From Hall to Mulligans Flat, I've made the distance about 19 kilometres ... 13.5 klicks to the campground from Hall was about right.

Some shots from yesterday. With the flowing sections of track, and there are some good sections (again broken-up by locked gates) I haven't includes images. Nor have I included images of the rougher and stoney sections if track. A rider could piss blood at the end of this ride, if they were on a rigid. If you're on a rigid, someone has taken a horse on the track when the track was still soft and wet ... good luck and wear a kidney belt.

I saw 3 Shingle Backs sunning, on the track. This one I moved onto the side of the track. In the section between Oak Hill and the campground, the wildflowers are prolific beside the track ... they're absolutely stunning (when walking) up Oak Hill.

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It wasn't very smokey yesterday and what smoke that there was, early on, cleared quickly.

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The last of the old Gungahlin State Forest. The track through the forest is excellent.

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Looking towards One Tree Hill.

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A Blakely's Red Gum ... going pearshaped. The track here is the ACT/NSW Border Track. If you lose the Centenary Trail after One Tree Hill, the Border Track joins the Centenary Trail in several places.

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It looks like someone may have nicked several of the trail blazes already ... the poles remain but several blazes have gone, which could cause a rider to miss a couple of less evident turnoffs. Both the Tasmanian Trail and the Bicentennial National Trail, seriously suffer from blaze collectors.

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A couple of klicks from Mulligans Flat.

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Warren.
Last edited by WarrenH on Thu Oct 31, 2013 11:01 am, edited 7 times in total.
"But on steep descending...Larson TT have bad effect on the mind of a rider" - MadRider from Suji, Korea 2001.

"Paved roads ... another fine example of wasteful government spending." - a bumper sticker.

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TonyMax
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby TonyMax » Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:47 am

That's a shingleback not a blue tongue. Beautiful creatures.

That trail looks good, I don't have a suitable bike but the pictures look amazing.
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DaSchmooze
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby DaSchmooze » Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:49 am

Enjoying the photos Warren. Can't wait to get down there to ride the track.
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lobstermash
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby lobstermash » Thu Oct 31, 2013 10:31 am

TonyMax wrote: That's a shingleback not a blue tongue. Beautiful creatures.
Actually, shinglebacks are blue tongues... We've got three blue tongues that you commonly see along the river, including shinglebacks, eastern blue tongues and blotched blue tongues.

That sucks re the locked gates and 'collected' trail blazes.
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TonyMax
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby TonyMax » Thu Oct 31, 2013 10:41 am

lobstermash wrote:Actually, shinglebacks are blue tongues... We've got three blue tongues that you commonly see along the river, including shinglebacks, eastern blue tongues and blotched blue tongues.
I shall consider myself edumacated today, I didn't know that :).

I miss having a big backyard in Sydney that backed onto the bush, I don't find anywhere near as many interesting things in my backyard here as I did then (although currently having two dogs probably doesn't help).

Anywho, enough of a thread hijack.
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WarrenH
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby WarrenH » Thu Oct 31, 2013 11:53 am

Thanks for the rewarding comments. I'm glad that you like the shots and took time to comment.
TonyMax wrote:
lobstermash wrote:Actually, shinglebacks are blue tongues... We've got three blue tongues that you commonly see along the river, including shinglebacks, eastern blue tongues and blotched blue tongues.
Anywho, enough of a thread hijack.
Tony, and lobstermash, G'day and thank you both. I changed the caption to the Shingleback, because it is more pictorially descriptive.

Tony, I do not view this as hijacked. It is very interesting. Cheers.

The way the cattle grids have been done to allow easy passage, is excellent. That's why I don't understand, why the gates have been locked. I'll ring the Northside Senior Ranger and find out what's going on. I certainly wouldn't mind doing the entire trail as a off road tour. Having done the majority of the trail, when the route was on levee banks and unformed roads. I expected to jump lots of fences then, especially at the reserve perimeters ... but not still jumping fences now inside the reserves.

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Something else I don't understand ... is why when there is wheelchair access blazed on the toilet door at the camping ground, how is a wheel chair bound traveller going to get across the cavalletti (the low horse rails) at Mulligans Flat firstly, then over a locked gate near the summit of Oak Hill, then down the steep Oak Hill track on a track hardly wide enough for a wheel chair, with just one wheel on the soft edge and they'll be tumbling down into the gully ... after doing all that, they'll get wheel chair access to toilet? They wont need wheel chair access to a toilet if they cant get access to the trail.

I did a loop yesterday back to Hall after reaching Mulligans Flat. Through Gungahlin on the pond's cycle paths, and then along Clarie Hermies Drive back towards Hall. Around about 36 to 40 klicks in total, I'm guessing the loop was.

Warren.
Last edited by WarrenH on Thu Oct 31, 2013 12:17 pm, edited 5 times in total.
"But on steep descending...Larson TT have bad effect on the mind of a rider" - MadRider from Suji, Korea 2001.

"Paved roads ... another fine example of wasteful government spending." - a bumper sticker.

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WarrenH
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby WarrenH » Sat Nov 02, 2013 1:16 am

During the last couple of days I've had a chance to talk to the Trail Managers and one of the landowners who's property the trail crosses.

The gates are to remain locked because of weed spraying, ongoing problems with boofheads and their motorbikes (boofheads is my word, the land managers were far more diplomatic about the problems caused by boofheads). The property owner, told me about several recent issues with boofheads, that he has had ... like discovering 4 Kangaroos that were shot and left on the trail. 4 Roos shot, is not a bad effort for the trail's first week, hey?

With the locked gates in the Northern Region, the Trail Managers are monitoring the concerns of the immediate landowners and cyclists. The trail is still a work in progress. If you have concerns or suggestions, please contact the Centenary Trail website and leave a comment. The Managers are interested to know what you think and what you may have found, that could be improved.

I rarely post, without posting an image or two, so here's a few more from the Northern most section of the trail.

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There's always someone watching.

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Warren.
"But on steep descending...Larson TT have bad effect on the mind of a rider" - MadRider from Suji, Korea 2001.

"Paved roads ... another fine example of wasteful government spending." - a bumper sticker.

lobstermash
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby lobstermash » Wed Nov 20, 2013 11:56 am

I was hoping to go in the Centenary Trail Blaze, however my riding buddies have other committments that weekend...

Anyway, for those interested, website is http://centenarytrailblaze.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. I don't know if other people think it's pricey, but I thought it was fairly reasonable.
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DarrylH
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby DarrylH » Mon Nov 25, 2013 5:09 pm

The pictures show what looks like nice easy sections, hope there a lot like that - I tried the Black Mtn and Mt Majura sections and they ain't easy!

gbyzh
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby gbyzh » Fri Nov 29, 2013 10:31 pm

Do you reckon a road bike with kevlar tyres would be able to ride the trails?

DarrylH
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby DarrylH » Sat Nov 30, 2013 5:31 pm

Did the southern section today - 101km by the time I got to the start and home again - and will have the same tomorrow.
I woudn't be taking a road bike near it with any tyres. Saw a couple of CX bikes doing it but they seemed to be walking a lot of hills. Don't know what gearing they were running but I run a triple with a 32 on the back and granny gear got quite a lot of use. Roadie would only be appreciated at the many gates we had to lift the bikes over - did any count how many?

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WarrenH
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby WarrenH » Sat Nov 30, 2013 7:42 pm

DarrylH wrote: ...the many gates we had to lift the bikes over - did any count how many?
Across Goorooyaroo and Mulligans Flat Nature Reserves, up Old Joe, through the Northern campsite to Hall, I counted, six locked gates, five unlocked gates (two at the Mulligans Flat animal enclosure, another unlocked at the entrance of the Northern campsite and two unlocked in the old Gungahlin State forest) and one cavaletti.

Tomorrow I'm going to ride the new section of trail on Isaacs Ridge to Red Hill.

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I still can't fathom why the old trail on Isaacs Ridge closest to Hindmarsh Drive (photo above) or the track that heads west to the top of Dalrymple Street and to Mugga Way aren't part of the Centenary Trail ... rather than the trail routed along suburban streets in Red Hill.

... but I guess that, at $165 per metre for the new trail sections, wiser heads know it is money well spent making new trail ... even when the existing tracks, that are far more interesting at times, and close by, could have been used. A prime example is the excluding of the Northern Border Track (now closed to cycling, which many of us have ridden) in Eastern Mulligans Flat. It is one of the most interesting tracks in the Northern district. But, supposedly its too dangerous to be on.

This bit of new track below Old Joe (photo below) cost a lot obviously, not counting the totally unneeded signage here. When you're this far along the track below old Joe ... this sign is a total waste of taxpayers money. Only perpetuating my thoughts that Canberra is the Uber unnecessary signage Capital of the world.

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It is a good trail, but the financial wastage when/or if you know what excellent tracks have been bypassed, the wastage appears to be huge.

Warren.
Last edited by WarrenH on Sat Nov 30, 2013 9:10 pm, edited 6 times in total.
"But on steep descending...Larson TT have bad effect on the mind of a rider" - MadRider from Suji, Korea 2001.

"Paved roads ... another fine example of wasteful government spending." - a bumper sticker.

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skull
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby skull » Sat Nov 30, 2013 8:31 pm

The section from Isaacs ridge to red hill is easy. You could easily do that on a cx bike.

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wozza
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby wozza » Mon Dec 02, 2013 8:34 pm

I did the trail on a CX bike. Running Schwalbe Sammy slick 35's I was very wary of sharp rocks, but the tyres were surprisingly grippy going up the hills. The gearing was also fine unless I got stuck behind someone and had to slow down that little bit too much. Miraculously I had no punctures but next time I will take a mountain bike so I can relax more. In some places the trail is very rough and uncomfortable without big tyres and suspension.

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TonyMax
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby TonyMax » Fri Jan 15, 2016 9:02 am

WarrenH wrote:I'm revising my comment above about the track between Mulligans Flat and Hall being an excellent short cut for the Bicentennial National Trail. Yesterday I went back to see how the trail was without hundreds of walkers and dogs (no dogs allowed signs, have been put up since the weekend) ... but unfortunately yesterday all but three of the gates were padlocked. Including the gate half-way down One Tree Hill was locked. I'm glad that I have hydraulic brakes, I was going a little bit fast and had to hit the anchors. Having to lift the gear over the many locked gates, would drive a touring cyclist bonkers, between Mulligans Flat and Hall. The many locked gates drove me somewhat more mad. From Hall to Mulligans Flat, I've made the distance about 19 kilometres ... 13.5 klicks to the campground from Hall was about right.

...

Warren.
Hi Warren and others,

I live in Casey and have been gazing longingly at One Tree Hill for a few years now wondering what the view would be like up there. I enquired a few years back in Hall about it before the CT opened, and was told that it was private property and if I was found up there walking my dog the land owner would shoot my dog. "He's shot a lot of dogs".

Anywho, now that I'm a more active cyclist I'd love to give the very northern tip of the CT a go (without my dog), something like this starting and finishing in Casey:

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I don't have a MTB but what I do have is a hybrid bike with triple chainrings and 700C/35 tyres. I don't want to set the world on fire with my pace or be a daredevil on the downhills, so apart from the locked gates would the route above be suitable for a one off trip on my Hybrid?

Cheers In Advance,


Tony
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Ruckednee

Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby Ruckednee » Fri Jan 15, 2016 6:15 pm

Absolutely. I've done it plenty of times on a crappy old steel framed mtb. Just be ready to walk your steed up a couple of steep bits and yes, there are 3 or 4 gates to lift over. But the view from the top of the hills and the descent into Hall are worth it. Oh, and keep an eye out for the thistles!

joingler
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Re: Centenary Trail!

Postby joingler » Fri Jan 22, 2016 8:41 pm

TonyMax wrote:
WarrenH wrote:I'm revising my comment above about the track between Mulligans Flat and Hall being an excellent short cut for the Bicentennial National Trail. Yesterday I went back to see how the trail was without hundreds of walkers and dogs (no dogs allowed signs, have been put up since the weekend) ... but unfortunately yesterday all but three of the gates were padlocked. Including the gate half-way down One Tree Hill was locked. I'm glad that I have hydraulic brakes, I was going a little bit fast and had to hit the anchors. Having to lift the gear over the many locked gates, would drive a touring cyclist bonkers, between Mulligans Flat and Hall. The many locked gates drove me somewhat more mad. From Hall to Mulligans Flat, I've made the distance about 19 kilometres ... 13.5 klicks to the campground from Hall was about right.

...

Warren.
Hi Warren and others,

I live in Casey and have been gazing longingly at One Tree Hill for a few years now wondering what the view would be like up there. I enquired a few years back in Hall about it before the CT opened, and was told that it was private property and if I was found up there walking my dog the land owner would shoot my dog. "He's shot a lot of dogs".

Anywho, now that I'm a more active cyclist I'd love to give the very northern tip of the CT a go (without my dog), something like this starting and finishing in Casey:

Image

I don't have a MTB but what I do have is a hybrid bike with triple chainrings and 700C/35 tyres. I don't want to set the world on fire with my pace or be a daredevil on the downhills, so apart from the locked gates would the route above be suitable for a one off trip on my Hybrid?

Cheers In Advance,


Tony
I regularly cycle the track from Forde to Hall (I live in Crace which is just down the bottom of the hill from Hall).

I regularly did it on a cheap $200 Kmart bike with no major issues so you should be fine. I've now upgraded to a proper mountain bike and have found it awesome.

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