Cotter Reserve, Canberra
Cotter Reserve is a great place to immerse yourself in nature and disconnect. You have little choice really, as there is virtually no phone reception, which I loved.
I recently took myself off car camping to Cotter Campground and spent a couple of days exploring the reserve and surrounding trails. It was late April which meant cold mornings and nights, but also beautiful autumn colour and plenty of wildlife.
This easy loop explores the riverfront areas of Cotter Reserve before linking up with part of the Cotter Dam Discovery Trail. Along the way you'll discover local wildlife, riverside scenery and learn a little about Canberra's water supply history.
Summary
Distance: 4–5km
Time: 1–2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Highlights
Riverside scenery
Autumn colour throughout the reserve
Wildlife including kangaroos, wombats and emus
Excellent picnic and playground facilities
Great camping facilities and dark skies for stargazing
Trail Tips
Walk early or late in the day for the best light and the greatest chance of seeing wildlife.
The reserve can become busy in the middle of the day, especially on weekends and during school holidays.
Toilets are available throughout the reserve.
No dogs are permitted.
There is no mobile phone reception so download the map before you arrive if you plan to rely on it.
Bring your own food and drinks as there are no cafés nearby.
Getting to Cotter Reserve
Cotter Reserve lies south-west of Canberra and is less than thirty minutes’ drive from the CBD.
You can start and finish the walk at several points. Parking is available at both the campground (off Cotter Road) and within the reserve itself (via Paddy's River Road).
Walking the Trail
I began the walk from the campground, heading west along the access road past the caravan sites, barbecue area and toward the reserve. From this elevated section you'll be looking down over the Cotter River and across to the surrounding bushland.
The trail here is not signposted, but the well-worn path is easy to follow. It leads down onto a grassy section where you can see and hear the river flowing before climbing gently back into the bush and joining a sealed roadway that leads into the reserve proper.
Head down from the parking and picnic facilities toward the bend in the river known as Cotter Bend. A wide pool and sandy beach mark the meeting of Paddy and Cotter Rivers and create a popular swimming spot. It's also a lovely place to watch a misty autumn sunrise.
As you round the bend look, for the crossing that takes you over to the other side where you turn right.
This area between Paddy's River Road and the river is where I twice saw a pair of emus late in the day, so keep an eye out as you pass through.
Continue through Cotter Bend Park toward Cotter Road. Cross here and head toward the playground at the end of the road. This is a great playground and if you have kids with you, they’ll almost certainly want to stop. If not, continue on.
Cotter Avenue Playground
There is a lookout over the dam here and a crossing that leads to a path up to the Cotter Dam Viewing Platform.
The original Cotter Dam was completed in 1915 and played an important role in Canberra's early development. The current enlarged dam was completed in 2013, significantly increasing water storage capacity for the ACT.
If you’re interested, a number of interpretive signs here explain the history of the dam and the engineering challenges involved in its construction.
Leaving the viewing platform, continue on the winding path that leads down toward the river.
Follow this path back into the reserve and retrace your steps, heading back toward the campground. Look out for the path down to the river for an alternative route back to the start (as shown on the map).
I’ve added a small section (in blue) to the trail that leaves the loop and passes through an area where kangaroos, birds and other wildlife is often active, particularly later in the day.
Wildlife
And speaking of wildlife, there is plenty here. Seeing all the native animals and birds was one of the highlights of my time at the reserve and campground.
I saw kangaroos throughout the reserve, plenty of birdlife including emus, as well as a wombat and what may have been the shadow of a platypus moving through the water early one morning.
Kangaroos doing the boxstep ;)
Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to walk if wildlife spotting is high on your list.
Camping at Cotter
The campground makes an excellent base for exploring Cotter Reserve and beyond. There are cooking facilities and fire pits (BYO wood), and the toilet block with hot showers are cleaned regularly.
The lack of phone reception may put some people off, but I found it a bonus. I could immerse myself completely in my surrounds, enjoying the clear autumn days and dark starry nights, without the usual distracting buzzes and pings.
The only downside was occasional traffic noise from the nearby road.
Cotter Campground
In the Area
Around the corner from the dam is Casuarina Sands another reserve with barbecues, picnic tables, a playground, swimming area and amenities.
Another beautiful off-grid spot, only thirty minutes from Cotter Reserve is Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. There are over twenty different trails to choose from at Tidbinbilla but for an easy introduction to the reserve and its flora and fauna, try The Sanctuary Loop Walk.
If you’re heading back towards Canberra and have the time, a walk around the Jerrabomberra Wetlands is another great one for seeing birds and other wildlife.
