| Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve Australian Capital Territory | |
|---|---|
  Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve | |
| Coordinates | 35°27′47″S 148°54′48″E / 35.46306°S 148.91333°E |
| Established | 1971 |
| Area | 54.5 km2 (21.0 sq mi) |
| Managing authorities | Territory and Municipal Services |
| Website | Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve |
| See also | Australian Capital Territory protected areas |
Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is a 54.5 square kilometres (21.0 sq mi) protected area, on the fringe of Namadgi National Park. Tidbinbilla is a short drive from the capital city of Australia, Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory.
The nature reserve consists of a large valley floor, the Tidbinbilla Mountain and the Gibraltar range. The sides of the valley are steep and relatively undisturbed. The lower slopes of the valley are partly cleared and have a significant history of Aboriginal and European use. Tidbinbilla Mountain is believed to have been used for Aboriginal initiation ceremonies. The word 'Tidbinbilla' is Aboriginal in origin and comes from the word Jedbinbilla – a place where boys become men.[1]
Known sites of Aboriginal significance at Tidbinbilla include the Birriagi Rock Shelter, which is the oldest Aboriginal site within the Australian Capital Territory. Bogong Rocks is a shelter where the oldest evidence of Aboriginal occupation was found at a bogong moth resting site.
The nature reserve is classified as an IUCN Category II protected area.[2] It is the traditional Country of the Ngunnawal people.
- ^ Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Australian Alps National Parks Archived 22 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Terrestrial Protected Areas in ACT (2014) (see 'DETAIL' tab)". CAPAD 2014. Australian Government - Department of the Environment. 2014. Archived from the original on 7 May 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2015.