Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve

Having been thwarted by bad weather and minor health niggles in recent weeks, I finally succeeded in going for a ramble yesterday. Out of a number of possibilities I chose Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, about 35km or 20 miles south of the city centre. The reserve was badly damaged during the 2003 firestorm and it's wonderful to see what a great recovery it is making. Hubby and I arrived at the carpark for the wetlands and I almost didn't recognise it, the area has become a forest! Is it really so long since we've visited? We took the shorter loop round the wetlands, though the sign pointing to platypus was tempting. I have in fact seen a platypus on the short loop, my only sighting anywhere in the wild ever, and it lasted just long enough for me to think "oh, a water rat... no, it's a platypus!" We'd only set out mid-afternoon so didn't want to spend too long on the walk and the possibility that we might catch a glimpse of the elusive creatures was not quite enough to justify the detour this time. I love the quotes set into some of the boardwalks. The walk was indeed "soothing and healing".

On the way home I took a few more photos, of a rather nice silhouetted scene, a gorgeous eucalypt trunk and finally the sunset from Mount Stromlo.