Murrumbidgee - Ginninderra Gorges National Park

Park area and boundaries

Doug Finlayson

The boundaries of the proposed Murrumbidgee - Ginninderra Gorges National Park have been chosen to enclose significant watercourses, gorges, rapids and waterfalls of the Murrumbidgee River and lower Ginninderra Creek, neighbouring surrounding grass land and forest areas, and major hilltops and elevated topographic features. The boundary with the ACT is continuous with the Woodstock Nature Reserve that includes the Murrumbidgee River corridor as far upstream as Uriarra Crossing.

Murrumbidgee River and Woodstock Reserve from Shepherds Lookout looking northwards.

The area of the proposed national park within NSW is about 700 hectares. The Woodstock Nature Reserve is about 200 hectares in area. The combined public park area is thus about 900 hectares. It is proposed that the NSW and ACT parks authorities cooperate in providing cross-border access to both the left and right banks of the Murrumbidgee River corridor within the combined public park areas.

The boundaries have also been oriented such that there is minimum impact of urban infrastructure across the parkland area. However, the visual impact of some existing infrastructure like high tension power lines and pylons is something that will have to be accepted.

The proponents of this national park will oppose the introduction of further large infrastructure features onto the landscape within and near the national park. However, the proponents also recognise that there may be future pressures on the ACT Government and Yass Shire Council for residential suburbs and broad acre developments across this region.

Geology

Introduction

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