Corin Dam Run

03 November 2017 / Words and Photos: Barry Matson

The objective was to admire a couple of Dams and to have a leisurely lunch at the Corin Forest Resort.

I was not expecting a great turn-out for this run because it was only a Saturday afternoon trip, and we had done most of it several times recently. Nevertheless, eleven cars showed up at the first starting point under the Eagle at Russell, and another four joined in later. The sky was overcast and slightly threatening as we set off around the airport and on to Queanbeyan.

Our first stop was at the Googong Dam, which is one of four reservoirs in the ACT and adjacent NSW catchment area. After admiring the view I asked Mike Guina to take the lead in his black NA. We pressed on and were soon headed into the country on the MX5-friendly Old Cooma Road. On reaching the junction with the Monaro Highway, we back-tracked towards Canberra and turned into the far southern suburbs of the Tuggeranong Valley. Soon we were back on country roads and approaching the picturesque village of Tharwa over its elderly bridge across the Murrumbidgee. The Tidbinbilla Road is always a treat as the winding road and scattered hills gradually reveal the quintessentially Australian vista of the eucalypt clad Brindabella Mountains and rolling sheep pastures.

Too soon, we turned left into the road leading to the Corin Dam through the thick bush of the Namadgi National Park. The road was more fun than I remembered from previous trips in the family wagon, and Mike increased the pace up the winding hills to maximise our MX5 benefits. We were enjoying this so much we neglected our planned visit to Gibraltar Falls, and soon arrived at the Corin dam at the very end of the road. The small car park could barely take our fifteen MX5s and perhaps the other visitors were a little shocked to see the natural beauty enhanced by an array of colourful sports cars.

I led the way down to the Corin Forest Resort and we arrived just in time for lunch. Although the rain had held off and it was not very cold, we enjoyed our meals and socialising by the log fire for an hour or two, and then made our own way home.