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

Farrer Ridge Nature Reserve is a 185-hectare protected area featuring a gentle ridge that forms a divide between the Woden and Tuggeranong Valleys. The reserve is popular for walking, running and cycling.

The reserve is part of an extensive landscape of remnant woodland vegetation that provides a wildlife movement corridor through to NSW in the east, to the Murrumbidgee River in the west, and to the southern ACT through Tuggeranong Hill and Rob Roy Range nature reserves.

Horse riding is permitted on marked equestrian trails only. Cycling is permitted on management trails only.

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

Natural values

Farrer Ridge Nature Reserve protects:

nationally critically endangered Yellow Box–Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland over about one third of the reserve
a diverse, intact understorey that provides habitat for rare plant species, including Hoary Sunray (Leucochrysum albicans)
rocky areas that provide habitat for the vulnerable Pink-tailed Worm-lizard (Aprasia parapulchella)

Farrer Ridge ParkCare, established in 1989, undertakes weed and erosion control, interpretive walks, vegetation mapping, and propagation of native plants from local seed.

Farrer Ridge 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
Metal detector use prohibited
Trailbikes prohibited except on public roads

Dogs are permitted on-leash on a track or trail only
Horse riding is permitted on marked equestrian trails only
Cycling is permitted on management trails only

Ngunnawal Country and People

Farrer Ridge 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.

Farrer Ridge Nature Reserve protects 3 known Aboriginal heritage sites on the ACT Heritage Register, including stone artefacts occurring individually and in scatters on the surface. 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

Pastoral settlers came to the Canberra region in the 1820s. The remnants of a cottage on the western side of Farrer Ridge is known as Grady's House.

The reserve was established in 1993.

Farrer Ridge Nature Reserve was extensively burnt in the 2003 Canberra bushfires. The reserve's trees are now regenerating, mainly from lignotubers beneath the ground, as the fire killed many tree stems.

Before you go/How to get there

Before you go

Explore Farrer Ridge Nature Reserve with Google Trekker.

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

Farrer Ridge Nature Reserve is accessible from Sulwood Drive and Erindale Drive on the south side, and from numerous points in Farrer.

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:

Due to a payment gateway issue, online bookings are currently unavailable.

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

Farrer Ridge 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