General Description: This area is somewhat more remote and has fewer tracks than the northern part of the Brindabella Range. It is a rugged area containing the highest peak in the ACT (Bimberi Peak) and many of the rides in this area involve some heavy climbing. It is not an area for easy one day trips but is excellent for relatively easy extended rides.
Maps: 1: 100 000 Topographic Map of the Australian Capital Territory; Corin Dam, Rendezvous Creek (1:25 000).
Getting There: Access is usually made via the bitumen roads to Corin Dam, or the old space tracking stations at Honeysuckle Creek or Orroral Valley. Alternatively you can drive into the north of the area via the Mt Franklin Rd - this is a good quality dirt road when it's dry, but virtually impassable in bad weather. The former roads bring you into the area at an altitude of about 1100 m, while the latter follows the top of the range and lands you at about 1600 m near the top of Mt Ginini. Depending on which part of Canberra you depart from, it takes somewhere between thirty minutes and an hour by car to get into the area. There is no public transport, apart from an occasional bus which visits the ski resort on the Corin Rd at certain times of the year.
Suggested Starting Points: Mt Ginini is a good starting point for extended trips into the range and places to the west such as Blue Water Holes. It is also a good point for in-and-out ride/walk combination trips (but remember that cycling is currently not permitted in the Bimberi Wilderness). The Corin Dam Rd offers a few spots for in/out day rides or for the more intrepid rider some circuits which involve some heavy walking/climbing with the bike off fire trails. The old space tracking stations make reasonable start points for short circuits or in/out trips.
Road Conditions: The marked fire trails may be few and far between but in general are in excellent condition. In order to do round trips in this area you may have to carry or push the bike along some pretty rough walking tracks.
Suggested Roads: Favourite roads in this area include: Mt Franklin Rd, Smokers Trail, Cotter Hut Rd, Yaouk Trail, Murray Gap Trail and Lone Pine Trail.
Special Features: Spectacular mountains! Great views across to the main range (Kosciusko). Corin Dam. Oldfields and Pryors huts. Beautiful forests and abundant wildlife. Gateway to points south (Adaminaby and Kosciusko) and west (Blue Water Holes and Yarrangobilly).
Land Tenure: Apart from a few small private blocks the area is either in the Namadgi (ACT) or Kosciusko (NSW) National Parks.
Water Availability: There is usually plenty of water throughout the year.
Warnings: Many of the trails are covered by snow for periods during winter. The road to Mt Ginini can be difficult for two-wheel-drive vehicles at any time of the year after rain.
Places to Camp: There is an organised campsite on the Orroral River where it is crossed by the Orroral Rd, and at Mt Clear in the southern end of the ACT. Oldfields and Pryors huts. Bush camping is allowed in any areas except the Cotter River catchment (this is part of the Canberra water catchment).