In a life threatening emergency dial Triple Zero (000)

Emergency Contact

triple zero 000

ACT Public Hospitals

Canberra Hospital

6201 6111

Mental Health

Call Mental Health Triage on

1800 629 354

(free call except from mobiles or public phones) or

6205 1065

Poisons Hotline

For a poison emergency in Australia call

13 11 26

Drug and Alcohol Help Line

The Drug and Alcohol Help Line is available 24-hours, 7 days a week on

5124 9977

Health Protection Service

For after hours urgent public health matters including environmental health, radiation safety, food poisoning and communicable disease management phone:

1800 022 222

ACT State Emergency Service

Emergency help
during flood or storms

Kowen Escarpment Nature Reserve is a 466-hectare protected area adjoining the Molonglo Gorge Nature Reserve and close to Queanbeyan in NSW. The reserve is part of the Queanbeyan Fault Scarp, which rises abruptly from the floodplain of the Molonglo River.

Kowen Escarpment is part of a significant regional wildlife corridor that follows geologically uplifted land, connecting woodland and open forest in the vicinity of Googong Dam with woodlands in the north of the ACT and surrounding NSW, and linking to the Southern Flyway – a connection of woodland vegetation across the ACT and the southern slopes and central west of NSW.

The reserve includes a small number of management trails. Please keep to these management trails when bicycle riding.

Picnic facilities and a walking track are available at nearby Molonglo Gorge Nature Reserve.

Dogs are permitted on-leash on a track or trail only.

Natural values

Kowen Escarpment Nature Reserve protects:

an important corridor of forested land along the Queanbeyan Fault Scarp used by a number of threatened woodland bird species
small populations of critically endangered Canberra Spider Orchid (Arachnorchis actensis), endangered Hoary Sunray (Leucochrysum albicans) and vulnerable Pale Pomaderris (Pomaderris pallida) as well as another 4 rare plant species
a small area of critically endangered Yellow Box–Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland
a sparse population of vulnerable Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), recorded in the wider Kowen–Majura Training Area

Kowen Escarpment Nature Reserve is protected under the Nature Conservation Act 2014. Thank you for taking care of the natural environment.

Add a sighting to the NatureMapr or visit the Canberra Birds website.

Things to do

Activities

Features

Dogs on-leash
NO BINS – take your rubbish with you
Walking track/s

Restricted or prohibited

Aircraft landing/take-off prohibited
Camping prohibited
Chainsaw use prohibited
Domestic animals (other than dogs) prohibited
Off-road driving prohibited
Driving on management trails prohibited
Drone use prohibited
Fires prohibited
Wood and timber collection prohibited
Horses prohibited
Metal detector use prohibited
Trailbikes prohibited except on public roads

Dogs are permitted on-leash on a track or trail only

Ngunnawal Country and People

Kowen Escarpment Nature Reserve is located on Ngunnawal Country, an ancient and diverse landscape managed and cared for by Ngunnawal people for tens of thousands of years.

For time immemorial Ngunnawal people have maintained a tangible and intangible cultural, social, environmental, spiritual, and economic connection to these lands and waters.

Under previous management arrangements several Aboriginal stone artefacts were recorded within the reserve and removed. The reserve is likely to contain as-yet-unrecorded Aboriginal heritage sites.

All Aboriginal places and objects in the ACT are protected under the Heritage Act 2004 and must not be disturbed. Aboriginal places and objects within reserves are additionally protected under the Nature Conservation Act 2014. Anyone finding an (unregistered) Aboriginal object or place has an obligation to report it to the Heritage Council.

European heritage

Pastoral settlement on the adjacent Kowen plateau began in 1831 and several historic heritage sites can still be found in this area. The Glenburn precinct heritage trail (398.4 KB) highlights the sites that remain.

Pine plantations on the adjacent Kowen plateau were planted from 1927.

Kowen Escarpment Nature Reserve was too steep for pastoral or plantation activities and its native vegetation remains in relatively good condition.

The reserve was established in 1993.

Before you go/How to get there

Before you go

Prepare by understanding safety and checking alerts.

Respect Canberra Nature Park reserves by:

staying on the tracks to minimise your impact
taking your rubbish home with you
leaving what you find, including plants, animals, rocks and timber (dead and alive)
respecting our heritage - leave cultural sites undisturbed
riding safely and following trail etiquette as a bicycle rider
collecting and responsibly disposing of your dog's droppings (where dogs are permitted)
cleaning your outdoor gear, including bicycles, to avoid spreading weeds and disease

Remember:

bring your own drinking water
carry a mobile phone, especially if you are on your own
let someone know where you are going and when you'll return
be bushfire alert - on total fire ban days some reserves may be closed

How to get there

Kowen Escarpment Nature Reserve is accessible from Sutton Road.

Parking is located at Molonglo Gorge Nature Reserve.

Boundary mapping is indicative only.

More information

If you notice any issues during your visit:

report maintenance issues to Access Canberra
report vandalism or other illegal activities to the police on 131 444
in an emergency, call 000

Find out about:

In a life threatening emergency dial Triple Zero (000)

triple zero 000

5124 0000

6201 6111

1800 629 354

6205 1065

13 11 26

5124 9977

(02) 6205 1700

1800 022 222

13 25 00

Kowen Escarpment Nature Reserve

Natural values

Things to do

Activities

Features

Restricted or prohibited

Ngunnawal Country and People

European heritage

Before you go

How to get there

More information