Mount Pleasant Nature Reserve

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Mount Pleasant Nature Reserve is a 57-hectare protected area located east of central Canberra not far from the head of Lake Burley Griffin. The reserve extends to the north-east of Mount Pleasant, including land on both sides of Northcott Drive.

Mount Pleasant Nature Reserve is part of an extensive area of forest and woodland in the northern ACT providing important, connected habitat and enabling wildlife movement through to the Majura Valley, the Molonglo River valley and into NSW.

Mount Pleasant Lookout near the summit offers views over the reserve itself, Lake Burley Griffin and Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve across the Molonglo River.

The Duntroon Dairy, the ACT's oldest standing building, is within the reserve, on the base of Mount Pleasant's southern slopes. Follow the interpretative signage as part of the Canberra Tracks Heritage Network:

Track 3 'Looking at Canberra' located at the summit
Track 2 'The Limestone Plains' located at Duntroon Dairy

Cycling is permitted on management trails only.

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

Horses are not allowed.

Natural values

Mount Pleasant Nature Reserve protects critically endangered Yellow Box–Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland. The threatened bird species, the Little Eagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides) and Speckled Warbler (Pyrrholaemus saggitatus), have been recorded in the reserve.

Mount Pleasant ParkCare undertake volunteer environmental activities on the western side of the reserve with an emphasis on controlling woody weeds and other invasive plants.

Mount Pleasant 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
Lookout
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
Cycling is permitted on management trails only

Ngunnawal Country and People

Mount Pleasant 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.

Mount Pleasant Nature Reserve protects 3 known Aboriginal heritage sites, including stone artefacts occurring individually or in small scatters. The reserve likely protects other, 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

In 1826, James Ainslie arrived on the Limestone Plains bringing a flock of sheep owned by Robert Campbell. Campbell subsequently built the 'Duntroon' homestead, now part of the Royal Military College east of Mount Pleasant.

Around 1832, the Duntroon Dairy was built above the fertile Molonglo River floodplain to provide milk and butter for the many people living on the estate. Dairying continued into the 1960s.

Duntroon Dairy is the ACT's oldest standing building and an important reminder of a self-sufficient way of life on what was then a remote pastoral property.

A plantation of mixed species on the lower western slopes of Mount Pleasant was established under the supervision of Charles Weston as part of the Burley Griffin's plan to reafforest Canberra's denuded central hills.

Mount Pleasant Nature 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

Mount Pleasant Nature Reserve can be accessed from Northcott Drive and from numerous points in the suburbs of Campbell and Russell.

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