News location:

Canberra Today 26°/29° | Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Bendora Arboretum heritage track officially opened

THE ACT Government has opened the Bendora Arboretum heritage track, which takes visitors on a gentle walk through a mature conifer and deciduous forest and offers insight into the historical and natural value of the last high altitude arboretum in our region.

“Bendora Arboretum is a popular bushwalking spot in Namadgi National Park, with all the splendour a mature arboretum has to offer,” ACT Parks and Conservation Service ranger, Brandon Galpin, said.

“The heritage track enhances the combined values of the Bendora Arboretum and Namadgi National Park and was developed with the assistance of funding from the ACT Heritage grants program.

“New signage, seating and other minor improvement works will complement the new path, which was completed in April 2015. The new track is expected to bring more visitors to the site and make it even easier to navigate.

“The new signage includes a helpful map of the track, information on the tree species planted at the arboretum and historical and geographic information on the Arboretum. A new permanent table and seats were installed, making the arboretum even more appealing as a spot for a remote picnic or as a place to stop on a bushwalk.

“The Bendora Arboretum was established in 1940 and is the sole surviving arboretum in the Brindabella Ranges. It was established to determine suitable softwood species for industry in the region.

“Located on Mount Franklin Road, five kilometres from Bulls Head in Namadgi National Park, the site is now home to some of the best examples of mature conifer trees seen anywhere in the world.

The Bendora Arboretum recently had another exciting addition when National Arboretum Canberra staff, rangers and volunteers from the Friends of the ACT Trees replanted Clanwilliam cypress (Widdringtonia wallichii) seedlings, which were taken from a tree originally planted at the site in the 1940s.

“The replanting was a great step in re-introducing the species at Bendora Arboretum, especially given that all the original Clanwilliam cypress at the site were thought to be dead. The new signage will make it easy for visitors to find the new seedlings.”

For more information on the Bendora Arboretum, visit tams.act.gov.au

Who can be trusted?

In a world of spin and confusion, there’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in Canberra.

If you trust our work online and want to enforce the power of independent voices, I invite you to make a small contribution.

Every dollar of support is invested back into our journalism to help keep citynews.com.au strong and free.

Become a supporter

Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

Share this

Leave a Reply

Related Posts

Follow us on Instagram @canberracitynews