Kambah Centenary Trail

Kambah Centenary Trail is part of the Canberra Centenary Trail route through Canberra’s western and southern landscapes. The section described by Parks ACT runs from Stromlo Forest Park towards Pine Island, taking walkers and riders through Cooleman Ridge Nature Reserve, Kambah Pool, the Murrumbidgee River, Bullen Range Nature Reserve, Red Rocks Gorge and Tuggeranong Wall. It is a substantial outing rather than a short suburban stroll: the walking route is approximately 27 kilometres, with an estimated walking time of nine hours, while the cycling route is about 26 kilometres and takes around three hours depending on terrain and riding speed.

There is plenty to look for along the way, including the Mount Arawang trig station, one of the ACT’s distinctive white metal surveying structures. The station was established for surveying the Tuggeranong sewer tunnel, and the broader trig-station network reflects the surveying infrastructure used across the territory from the 1970s. The trail also passes landscapes shaped by the Murrumbidgee River, which once marked the edge of legal pastoral settlement in the region. Bullen Range Nature Reserve, now part of the Murrumbidgee River Corridor, offers a quieter setting for appreciating the changing scenery around Canberra.

Walking, running, cycling and mountain biking are all listed activities. The section between Kambah Pool and Pine Island has an intermediate rating for cyclists, with some steep sections of up to a 20 per cent grade and areas of rocky or loose trail surface. A reasonable level of fitness is recommended, and riders should be prepared to get off their bikes if a section feels beyond their ability. Along the route, visitors may see laughing kookaburras, platypuses and common wombats, with trailhead signs providing information about local flora and fauna.

This suits walkers, runners and riders who are comfortable planning a longer, self-supported outing, whether tackling the full section or choosing a manageable part of it. Bring drinking water, suitable clothing, a map or information sheet and a way to arrange transport between the start and finish points. Mobile reception can be unreliable, bins are not provided, and conditions or fire restrictions may affect access. The trail is on Ngunnawal Country, cared for by Ngunnawal people for tens of thousands of years. The venue has a 4.6 Google rating from 48 reviews.