Dunlop Grasslands Nature Reserve

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1800 022 222

ACT State Emergency Service

Emergency help
during flood or storms

Dunlop Grasslands Nature Reserve is a 103-hectare protected area located in north-western Belconnen on the ACT/NSW border. The reserve is largely natural grassland, gently sloping down to the minor floodplains of Gooromon Creek.

Dunlop Grasslands, neighbouring grasslands in NSW and the nearby Jarramlee-West MacGregor Grasslands Nature Reserve form a large, contiguous habitat for threatened, grassland-dependent species such as the Golden Sun Moth (Synemon plana). Connectivity in the landscape is being improved through restoration activities.

Dunlop Grasslands Nature Reserve and the nearby suburb are named after Colonel Sir Ernest Edward 'Weary' Dunlop, AC, CMG, OBE (1907–1993), held in high regard by former World War II prisoners-of-war, both for his exploits as a doctor on the notorious Burma-Thailand railway, and for his work amongst veterans in the post-war years.

Passive, low-impact recreation, such as walking and birdwatching using existing tracks, is compatible with the sensitive natural values of this reserve.

Horse riding and cycling are permitted only on the National Trail, which enters through the reserve's eastern border, traversing westwards to exit at the eastern end of Douglas Waterhouse Drive.

No dogs allowed.

Natural values

Dunlop Grasslands Nature Reserve protects:

a relatively large remnant of critically endangered Natural Temperate Grassland
a medium-sized population of endangered Golden Sun Moth (Synemon plana) – in combination with Jarramlee-West MacGregor Grasslands Nature Reserve and adjacent NSW grasslands, this area forms one of the largest Golden Sun Moth habitats in the region
a small patch (20 hectares) of critically endangered Yellow Box–Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland
one of few known habitats of the rare and locally endemic Canberra Raspy Cricket (Cooraboorama canberrae)
a small population of Water Plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica), a regionally rare plant

Friends of Grasslands works to build community support for grassy ecosystem recovery.

Dunlop Grasslands 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

NO BINS – take your rubbish with you
Walking track/s

Restricted or prohibited

Aircraft landing/take-off prohibited
Camping prohibited
Chainsaw use prohibited
Dogs 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
Metal detector use prohibited
Trailbikes prohibited except on public roads

Horse riding and cycling are permitted only on the National Trail

Ngunnawal Country and People

Dunlop Grasslands 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.

The reserve protects 11 known Aboriginal heritage sites listed on the ACT Heritage Register, including stone artefacts occurring individually and in scatters on the surface, and a number of areas likely to contain buried archaeological deposits. One site contains artefacts of glass modified by Aboriginal people in the years following European settlement, reflecting a period of rapid and dynamic change in the region's history. The reserve is likely to contain further, 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

Henry and Mary Hall settled in the area that is now Dunlop Grasslands Nature Reserve in 1833, naming their property Charnwood. The remains of the house are just outside the reserve, off Shakespeare Crescent in Fraser. The Halls raised 10 children, managed a successful agricultural business involving sheep and dairy cattle as well as breeding Arab horses.

Once the ACT border was defined in 1912–13, the Charnwood estate was resumed and made available for lease by the government.

In 1928, the land was transferred to Frank Southwell, a member of a prominent pioneering family in the district, and the property was named Crowajingalong. Mr Southwell retired in 1956 and moved to Canberra.

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 horse rider
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

Dunlop Grasslands Nature Reserve can be accessed from many places in Dunlop and Fraser.

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