Majestic Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve holds special memories for many Canberrans

First set aside for nature appreciation in 1939, the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve offers an opportunity to encounter wildlife in a natural setting.

If you are anything like me, Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve will hold a special place in your heart. I, like many Canberrans, have many great memories of the reserve.

I hope one day my children will also look back fondly on their time spent at Tidbinbilla.

But Tidbinbilla also weaves a fascinating narrative around the many chapters that is our collective history, with significant Aboriginal sites and European homesteads dotted across the valley landscape.

All of which tells an engaging story about the rich tapestry of human occupation and use of the area; a vital reminder and insight into the heritage of our bush capital.

The name Tidbinbilla is derived from the Ngunnawal word "Jedbinbilla" which translates into "a place where boys were made men".

It is thought that the area around Tidbinbilla was highly prized for the delicious bogon moth, which were collected from under rocky overhangs, then roasted.

There is evidence Aboriginal people lived in the Canberra region for at least 21,000 years, including the Birrigai rock shelter, considered one of the oldest rock shelters in the region, and the magnificent granite tors at Hanging Rock, which were used as a shelter by Aboriginal people.

Also of note are xanthorrhoea, which grows in the area. These ancient-looking plants were used to make glue and a vast array of other products by Aboriginal people passing through the area.

Tidbinbilla also reflects European history of the area. Century-old rammed earth cottages and evidence of farming and eucalyptus oil distillation provide reminders of the pioneers who tried to make a life here from the mid 1800s.

Tidbinbilla occupies what were the former Hatcliff and Blewitt family properties in the Tidbinbilla Valley.

You can still visit the restored ruins of historic Rock Valley Homestead built by George Green and George Hatcliff in 1895.

Those looking to really experience the European heritage can stay overnight at the Nil Desperandum homestead.

It is available for short-term stays as the perfect base from which to engage in bushwalking, bird watching, stargazing, reading or relaxation.