Canberrans will be able to reconnect with some of their favourite nature and wildlife spots when Namadgi National Park’s Orroral Valley reopens on Saturday.

The area was closed after devastating bushfires and floods in 2020. The fires burnt more than 80 percent of Namadgi National Park, and intense rainfall caused significant flood damage across the fireground, destroying Rocky Crossing amongst the 86,000 hectares of land impacted from the bushfires.

• $6 million to help ACT parks recover from 2020 bushfires (16 December 2022)
• Inquiry into Orroral Valley bushfire delayed again (11 April)

“The ACT Government has been working hard to rebuild the roads and infrastructure that was lost in the fires,” Mick Gentleman, ACT Minister for Planning and Land Management, said. “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.

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 next 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. 

“For everyone planning to come and visit the area, please remember to take all necessary safety precautions,” Mr Gentleman said. “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.”

For more information on Namadgi National Park, visit the ACT Parks website.