Southern Break Mini Loop

Starting from the car park on Kowen Road, Kowen, this circuit walk gives you a taste of the western Kowen Forest mostly via the Southern Break Fire Trail. Going through a dense forest filled with wildlife, this track can make for a great birdwatching session. The area is home to various bird species such as the Scarlet Robin, Silvereye and the White-eared Honeyeater. You may also run into some cute little sugar gliders that can soar up to an impressive 100 metres between trees. In spite of their acrobatic moves and capabilities, they unfortunately can not swim at all, and drown almost instantly in any body of water. Shingleback lizards reside in the area as well, so try not to step on them as you make your way through the woodland. Keep in mind that motorbikes and 4WD vehicles can not enter the tracks without a permit. Let us begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

Downloads GPX PDF

Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	(-35.3196081,149.2497371)
Mode	Car
Directions	From Monaro Highway, M23 Turn on to Monaro Highway then drive for 670 m Keep right and drive for another 35 m Turn right onto Morshead Drive and drive for another 2.4 km At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Pialligo Avenue and drive for another 640 m At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Pialligo Avenue and drive for another 4.8 km Keep left and drive for another 135 m Turn slight left onto Sutton Road and drive for another 1.4 km Turn right onto Kowen Road and drive for another 570 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the car park on Kowen Road(530 metres east of intersection with Sutton Road), get on Kowen Road and turn left, then pass through/around the gate. Follow the road as it leads you towards the woodland. Stay on the said road as it veers left and enters the woodland to continue along Southern Break Mini Loop.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start.
	After another 8 m (from the Kowen Road) turn left, to head along Kowen Road (a vehicle track). After 45 m head through/around the gate.
	After another 470 m (from the Kowen Road) continue straight, to head along Kowen Road. After another 190 m (from the Kowen Road) continue straight, to head along Kowen Road.
	After another 145 m (at the intersection of Southern Break & Kowen Road) turn right, to head along Southern Break (a vehicle track).
	After another 640 m (from the Southern Break) continue straight. After another 70 m continue straight.
	After another 600 m (from the South Break) turn right, to head along South Break (a vehicle track). After another 850 m head through/around the gate. At the intersection of Molonglo Gorge Road & South Break continue straight, to head along Molonglo Gorge Road.
	After another 180 m (at the intersection of Kowen Road & Molonglo Gorge Road) turn sharp right, to head along Kowen Road.
	After another 50 m come to the end.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Southern Break Mini Loop

Grading

	Class 3/6 Moderate track
Length	3.2 km
Time	1 h to 1 h 45 min

Quality of track	Clear and well formed track or trail (2/6)
Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
Signage	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure	Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (2/6)
Experience Required	No experience required (2/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Canberra Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue
  
  Tuesday 1 July
  
  Rain.
  
  Cloudy. Very high chance of rain. Heavy falls possible. The chance of a thunderstorm along the coastal fringe. Damaging winds possible. Winds southwesterly 30 to 45 km/h.
  
  Alert: Large and powerful surf conditions for the rest of the day are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, swimming and surfing.
  
  Wednesday 2 July
  
  3°C → 13°C
  Rain.
  90% chance of rain
  4 → 20mm
  
  Cloudy. Very high chance of rain, most likely in the early morning. The chance of a thunderstorm along the coastal fringe. Damaging winds possible. Winds southwesterly 30 to 45 km/h turning westerly 20 to 30 km/h in the late evening.
  
  Fire Danger Rating: No Rating
  
  Alert: Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, swimming and surfing.
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection not recommended, UV Index predicted to reach 2 [Low]
  
  Thursday 3 July
  
  3°C → 14°C
  Showers easing.
  80% chance of rain
  0 → 5mm
  
  Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Winds southwesterly 20 to 30 km/h decreasing to 15 to 20 km/h in the evening.
  
  Alert: Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, swimming and surfing.
  
  Friday 4 July
  
  -2°C → 13°C
  Morning frost. Partly cloudy.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Sunny. Winds west to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light during the morning.
  
  Saturday 5 July
  
  -2°C → 14°C
  Morning frost. Partly cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Becoming cloudy. The chance of morning fog in the outer west. Slight chance of a shower. The chance of morning frost in the outer west. Light winds.
  
  Sunday 6 July
  
  -1°C → 15°C
  Morning frost. Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 2mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely later in the day. Light winds.
  
  Monday 7 July
  
  -1°C → 13°C
  Morning frost. Partly cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower. Light winds becoming west to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning.
  
  Tuesday 8 July
  
  -2°C → 12°C
  Morning frost. Shower or two.
  70% chance of rain
  0 → 4mm
  
  Mostly sunny. Light winds becoming northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- ACT Parks alerts
  When planning and before starting your trip please check ACT Parks Website for anything that may impact on your plans. It is also worth checking the Parks Facebook page for more timely information.

Weather Forecast

Alerts