Best walks in Sydney

Walk Summary

An easy loop walk around the riverfront areas of Cotter Reserve and along the Cotter Dam Discovery Trail.

Location Canberra, ACT
Distance 4 - 5km

Time 1 - 2 hours
Difficulty Easy

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. Bliss.

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.

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.

Wildlife at Cotter Reserve

Seeing all the native animals and birds was one of the highlights of my time at the reserve. I saw kangaroos throughout the area, a pair of emus on two occasions, a wombat and what what I'm pretty sure was a platypus moving through the water early one morning.

Other wildlife recorded in the area includes goannas, echidnas and a wide variety of birds, particularly waterbirds and woodland species. Early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to walk if wildlife spotting is high on your list.

For recent bird sightings at Cotter Campgrounds and surrounds head to eBird.