Namadgi National Park's Orroral Valley will reopen on the weekend following the bushfire and flooding events in 2020 that damaged Rocky Crossing and other infrastructure.
Minister for Planning and Land Management Mick Gentleman said the government is reopening the Orroral Valley to allow the community to reconnect with some of their favourite nature and wildlife spots in Canberra.
"I am pleased to announce that areas Orroral Valley will reopen on Saturday after the devastating bushfires and flooding events of 2020," Minister Gentleman said.
"The bushfires in 2020 burnt over 80 percent of Namadgi National Park which was followed by intense rainfall causing significant flood damage across the fireground, destroying Rocky Crossing amongst the 86,000 hectares of land impacted from the bushfires.
"The ACT Government has been working hard to rebuild the roads and infrastructure that was lost in the fires. The rebuild at the Orroral Valley has been done carefully to protect and restore the environmental values impacted by these climatic events, while also strengthening the resilience of the area against any future extreme events.
"Although bushfire recovery across Namadgi will be ongoing for many years, the reopening open Orroral Valley represents another milestone in the recovery journey and I thank the public for their patience.
"For everyone planning to come and visit the area, please remember to take all necessary safety precautions. Dress warmly, tell someone where you are going and when you'll return, and check road conditions before you head out. Once you arrive at the national park, it's worth dropping into the Namadgi Visitor Centre for an update on conditions and walking tracks."
The following areas will be accessible via vehicles from 8.00am on Saturday, 27 May:
- The Orroral River Picnic Area
- Nursery Swamp Walking Track
- Orroral Homestead carpark,
- Orroral Tracking Station
- Orroral Heritage WalkHeritage Walk
- Granite Tors Walking Track, including the Geodetic Dome
Orroral Campground will remain closed until further notice while the amenities block is upgraded. Amenities are available at the day use area adjacent to the campground and at the Orroral Valley Tracking Station.
The Yankee Hat rock art site remains closed while work is conducted to finalise upgrade plans and designs with the Ngunnawal community.
