Bendora - Finally!!

Today I took my poor little laser out on the crazy rock roads to Bendora Dam!!  (Not much dirt - much has been washed away recently - they were even regrading chunks of it).  So averaged probably 40km/h on most of it.

First stop was at Piccadilly Circus to photograph the signs, and some flutterbys

Butterflies

Butterfly

Then onto the dam.  
The dam is still full to overflowing.

Bendora Dam

Bendora Dam

Saw a cool bird.  Possibly an Australian Kestrel.
Edit: according to Chris it's a young Osprey

Australian Kestrel (maybe)

Australian Kestrel (maybe)

Walked down to try and get a view of the front of the dam.  Climbed on a concrete pedestal to get a view over the fence.

Bendora Dam

Bendora Dam

Bendora Dam

Then continued wandering down the road.  
Past some of the water pipes.  Some of our drinking water goes through this.
Water pipes
Further down there's a little causeway that was overflowing.

Cyclist at Bendora Dam

Causeway at Bendora Dam

Went back up the hill and found a stairway under the bridge downstream from the river that went down to the river.
Found a skink that had lost its tail recently.
Lizard at Bendora Dam
And an unobstructed view of the dam.  This place would have been flooded last month when all five spillways were spilling.

Bendora Dam

Bendora Dam

Stopped there for something to eat, and several lizards came out to investigate.

Lizard at Bendora Dam

Lizard at Bendora Dam

My car struggled somewhat getting back to the top of the ridge between the ACT and NSW, but it made it.
Stopped at the old arboretum at the top of the hill.

Arboretum

Bark

Flowers at the arboretum

And when there was a view of Canberra
Canberra from the Brindabellas
And at Cotter Dam

Flowers at Cotter Dam

Cotter Dam

And the Cotter River (which was at much more normal levels than the last time I was there)

Cotter River

Cotter River

Phewf!!  177km later! 3782m ascent, 3286m decent (odd, since I started and finished at home).  Probably won't get out there again any time soon!