Cotter Loop

Australian Capital Territory | 88km

Flanked by the magnificent Brindabella ranges, the Paddy’s River Road and Tidbinbilla Road – which stretch between Tharwa to the south and Cotter Dam run – are the gems of the Cotter Loop. Running parallel to Paddy’s River both roads offer beautiful sweeping corners that travel through sparse alpine grasslands spattered with granite bolder outcrops at the southern end before transitioning to snow gum and eucalypt forest as you near Cotter Dam.

The Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve has a café that offers coffee, cold drinks and hot food, and when you arrive at Cotter the Pit Stop Coffee van is on hand for even more coffee and cold drinks.

That’s settled
Canberra’s oldest settlement, Tharwa was proclaimed in 1862 and many of its historic buildings remain intact including the historic Tharwa bridge which still spans the mighty Murrumbidgee River. The Tharwa Country store offers food, drink and fuel and makes a good base as you wander off to check out the area.

Star gazers
A visit to the Canberra Deep Scape Communication Complex is a must. Tidbinbilla – as the complex is known by the locals – has an array of massive antenna pointed at the sky. Some of these were crucial in tracking NASA’s Voyager 2 journey through the solar system.

Click here to view this route in the Harley-Davidson Ride Planner and start planning your next adventure.

Originally published in 2023.

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