ACTEA has discovered that the BNT route in the Arboretum is presently cut not long after you enter the back gate from the Molonglo River Corridor by a long, fenced, trench-like structure stretching from River Road near the Parkway to Boundary Road on the western edge of the facility. After days of argy-bargy with the Arboretum they have finally agreed that they are doing this work additional to the paving of the River Road and a couple of other internal roads. The paving of these roads is to make getting the tourist bus around the facilities in all weathers and to reduce wear and tear on the bus.
The additional works will also be a road but will be a single lane service road, not open to the public, designed to facilitate the movement of Arboretum staff. It also will be sealed. Once it has been completed there will be no further interruption to the BNT other than you will have to practice your road crossing rules when you use it. Why it was so difficult to get this information out of the Arboretum is a mystery, but it seemed like a state secret for a while there.
While completion of this service road is being delayed by the weather you can detour up the hill to Boundary Road, go around the works and come back down to the BNT on the other side. Here is a map. There has been signage installed for cyclists but apparently the Arboretum has been assuming all horses will enter through the Zoo Pines. Apparently, it has not registered that the Molonglo has been impassable for weeks. We have asked the Arboretum to get contractors to park any machinery away from the BNT route.
You can also ride into the Arboretum via the Zoo underpass where you will be guided by fencing to travel along the River Road to the south where a horse crossing of River Road has been designated and you can turn up the alley past the dam to get to the BNT. If you use this entrance you will miss the fenced works referred to above altogether.
If there are any issues please contact the BNT the Section Coordinaton at jenny.costin@outlook.com,if possible with photographs of the issue.
