Branching Out: Explore the Geoheritage Trail at Mulligans Flat

Feeling the cold during Canberra's second month of winter? Did you know that around 430 million years ago, Canberra was beneath a warm, shallow sea teeming with early marine life?

Imagine yourself far from winter, wading through those ancient waters with geoscientist Megan Lech as she guides us along the Mulligans Flat Geoheritage Trail she developed, revealing fossils and rocks from that distant past that can still be seen today.

Along the trail, Megan will show us evidence of Canberra's geological history and explain how features such as the Gungahlin Fault, ancient volcanic flows, and the chain-of-ponds system found within Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary have shaped the landscape we see today.

Bring your lunch to enjoy during a rest stop along the trail!

WALK DETAILS

• Friday 24 July 2026

• 11:30am to approximately 3:30pm (dependent on speed of walking and number of questions)

• Lunch break included (BYO lunch)

• 7kms, well formed track, elevation 623m

MEETING LOCATION

Wildbark carpark

25 Rosenberg Street, Throsby, ACT

https://maps.app.goo.gl/7eaSQzHdxF6aeBcSA

WHAT TO BRING/WEAR

• Wear long pants, enclosed shoes, and a hat

• Depending on the weather - jacket, beanie, gloves

• Sunscreen

• Lunch snacks

MORE INFORMATION

• Introduction to the Geoheritage Trail: https://www.wildbark.org/geo0-1

• Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve: https://www.parks.act.gov.au/find-a-nature-park/canberra-nature-park/mulligans-flat-nature-reserve

• Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary: https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/

• Walk and Conservation Council enquiries contact kelly.allison@conservationcouncil.org.au

MEGAN LECH BIOGRAPHY

Megan Lech is a local geoscientist with a passion for bringing Earth’s deep history to life. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Geology from ANU and an MSc in Petroleum Geoscience from Royal Holloway, University of London. During her career at Geoscience Australia, Megan worked on national geochemical surveys, petroleum prospectivity, and CO₂ storage assessments. Since retiring in 2020, she dabbles in nature conservation and geoscience outreach.

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This walk was made possible with assistance from the ACT Government under the ACT Environmental Grants Program.