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

13 25 00

Caution

Strong currents

Shallow water

Deep water

Submerged rocks

No lifeguard on duty

Translation services

Swamp Creek is a picnic area located at the intersection of Uriarra Road and Fairlight Road on the western side of the Murrumbidgee River.

The area is particularly popular with birdwatchers and there is plenty of birdlife to discover, including the colourful Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus), birds of prey, and waterbirds.

Toilets are available.

Dogs are welcome off-leash unless signposted otherwise. Dogs must be under effective control at all times. Dogs are not permitted within 10 m of any fireplace or barbecue that is in use.

What you'll see

View from Shepherds Lookout.

What you'll see

At Swamp Creek, you can see:

a wide variety of bird species
the adjoining Woodstock Nature Reserve
Murrumbidgee River
Molonglo River nearby
Shepherds Lookout nearby

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

Things to do

Activities

Features

Canoe / kayak entry point
Dogs off-leash
Dog exercise area
Fireplace (communal)
NO BINS – take your rubbish with you
Picnic tables
Shelter
Toilets
Walking track/s

Restricted or prohibited

Camping prohibited

Dogs are not permitted within 10 m of any fireplace or barbecue that is in use
Cycling is permitted in Woodstock Nature Reserve on management trails only

Walking tracks

Stay alert for slippery surfaces and trip hazards when walking or running near waterways. For more tips on how to reduce your risk around waterways, visit the safety page.

Woodstock Nature Reserve

Distance: 4.6 km return
Time suggested: 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

Dogs are not permitted in Woodstock Nature Reserve, except on the Shepherds Lookout track from Stockdill Drive (an off-leash exercise area).

Start this walk 800 m from Swamp Creek on Fairlight Road. The track takes you to the river's edge and the remains of Giorgio's Sandwash, a sand mining operation that continued until the early 1980s.

This reserve is popular with birdwatchers, with many birds of prey living in the cliffs across the river. Look out for the colourful Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus) – which breeds here in summer – hovering birds of prey, and waterbirds.

Cycling is permitted in Woodstock Nature Reserve on management trails only.

Ngunnawal Country and People

The waterways on Ngunnawal Country have sustained all life including their people, the plants and animals. The Murrumbidgee is part of Ngunnawal songlines, and pathways throughout Ngunnawal Country.

Songlines are the memory code that gives Ngunnawal people information from the landscape to tell the stories of vital knowledges, cultural values and wisdom.

Before you go/How to get there

Before you go

Prepare by:

understanding safety
checking alerts
checking water quality before swimming

Remember:

mobile phone reception may be unreliable
bring your own drinking water
camping is not permitted
abide by campfire usage guidelines:
- bring your firewood with you
- only use constructed fireplaces provided
- do not light a fire a on a day of total fire ban
- keep 3 metres around the fireplace clear of flammable material
- remain in attendance at all times
- completely extinguish the fire before leaving
you can bring your own gas barbecue
check the recreational fishing rules

Swamp Creek is part of a Special Purpose Reserve protected under the Nature Conservation Act 2014. Thank you for taking care of the natural environment.

How to get there

Swamp Creek is at the intersection of Uriarra Road and Fairlight Road, 25 minutes' drive north-west of Canberra's city centre.

Parking is available.

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

There are other dog-friendly areas in and nearby the Murrumbidgee River Corridor at:

Uriarra East and Uriarra West picnic areas
Murrays Corner
Point Hut Crossing

Find out about:

the Murrumbidgee River Corridor

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

Swamp Creek

What you'll see

Things to do

Activities

Features

Restricted or prohibited

Walking tracks

Woodstock Nature Reserve

Ngunnawal Country and People

Before you go

How to get there

More information