Mount Arthur Reserve, Wellington
Located on Wiradjuri lands, there are several trail options that wind through Mount Arthur Reserve near Wellington, ranging from an easy 3.5km loop to a longer 6.5km return, leading through cypress pine and eucalypt bushland to sweeping views over the Wellington Valley. Some sections are flat and well-marked, others steep and unimproved. Allow one to four hours depending on your route, pack your own water as there's none on site, and keep an eye out for native wildlife (and the odd goat).
Great all year round, but best to go in spring or early summer for the best wildflower displays.
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A reserve with its own rules
Not a National Park, and it doesn't try to be one. Here's one woman's take on the trails around Mount Arthur, the terrain, and the view at the top.
Aside from Burrendong Dam and the Wellington Caves, Wellington has its own parkrun and golf course for the outdoor enthusiast, as well as several hiking trails around Mount Arthur.
At 50km east of Dubbo, the Mount Arthur Reserve is popular with Dubbo-based walkers and runners who are preparing for a long hike and looking for somewhere close to home that offers a bit of elevation, without a long drive. There are several trail options – most of which can be completed in under two hours.
Mount Arthur is a Crown reserve covering just over two hectares and reaching 563m above sea level. It is managed by the Mount Arthur Reserve Trust – so don’t expect the kind of path you find in a National Park. While most of the trails are generally gentle, we followed a partially unimproved trail that was soft and tricky to navigate in parts. I may have described it as only suitable for mountain goats at one stage – about five minutes before we actually spotted two goats!
The reserve is home to mature stands of cypress pine, dotted with eucalypts and interesting rock formations. There are also many smaller plants and wildflowers that you will know to look for if you read the signs along the path. You won’t see many other people on this hike, but you will be rewarded with scenic views, native bird sounds and a big dose of fresh air. There are also seats so you can stop for a break to spot native wildlife.
The details
The best place to start is the Scenic Drive car park – follow Showground Rd at Wellington for about 1km then turn right onto Scenic Drive and head 1.2km up the hill.
While there is a large map at the carpark and signage along the way, there are lots of options along this track and we ended up taking a path with about 1km of relatively steep and unmaintained track. The Apex trail has good signage and is a circular trail that takes in the Summit Ningana (rest) lookout and the Binjang lookout, where you can see across the town and the Macquarie River valley.
From the Binjang lookout, we took the Man-of-the-Mountain route, which gave us views over the showground and Bell River, but was tricky underfoot at times and needs a reasonable level of fitness. A good option without the fear of falling down the mountainside would be the Bundari (haunt of the kangaroo) trail. Starting at the Scenic Drive car park, this option takes the Apex trail to the summit lookout then the Burrungee trail and Bundari trail. It ends with a walk of about 500m along Scenic Drive back to the car park. This option covers about 4.3km over 90 minutes.
Be prepared
If you stop at the Wellington Visitors Centre beforehand you can grab a copy of the Mount Arthur Reserve Trails brochure, which describes all the options.
Mobile reception is reasonable along the hike, but there are some steep drops, so make sure to pack the usual first aid supplies, water and snacks.
Wellington has some good coffee shops to fuel up before your hike. We finished with a cold beer and a tasty lunch at the Cow and Calf, but there are several other pubs to choose from, as well as the Wellington Soldiers Memorial Club.
Photos: Donna Ambler
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