While the sun highlights the golden bark of a stand of scribbly gums (Eucalyptus rossii), making their trunks appear as if they are glowing embers, in the undergrowth a family of White-winged choughs (Corcorax melanorhamphos) scratch around searching for a breakfast of insects. Above, the sky is filled with melodious calls of Crimson Rosellas (Platycercus elegans).

However, as I traipse up a set of stone stairs a sound of a different, less agreeable kind interrupts the serenity — cars and trucks hurtling city-bound along Parkes Way. Just like the bush, the city is waking up too.

I'm stepping out along the brand new Bushland Nature Trail in the Australian National Botanic Gardens, part of its much-lauded 20-year Master Plan released two years ago.

While most of us are aware of the Gardens' core site on the northern corner of Clunies Ross St and Black Mountain Drive, this new walk winds through a 40 hectare parcel of the gardens perched just above busy Parkes Way.

This is the second time I've walked the trail. My first foray along the 2.2km (return) purpose-built trail was earlier in the week. It was one of the many scorchers we've had this summer and with the partial canopy closure providing little shade, the walk was far from rewarding, almost a chore. I don't think I saw or heard one single bird or any other creature for that matter. No doubt all were too sensible to venture into the midday heat, unlike your foolish akubra-clad columnist. Talk about mad dogs and Englishmen.

I'm glad I returned to give the trail a second chance, for by comparison to the middle of the day, walking in the relative cool of the morning as the forest awakens is a real eye-opener.

The trail traverses a number of gullies with a series of rust-coloured metal bridges which blend into the landscape. Just before the first of these crossings (water only runs here during a storm) I count at least 35 butterflies fluttering amongst the shade of a native cherry tree (Exocarpos cupressiformis), while from the next bridge you can glimpse Lake Burley Griffin's Springbank Island and framed by a pair of Red Stringybarks (Eucalyptus macrorhynca), the flag pole of Parliament House — a reminder that we really are the bush capital.

At the end of the trail is a viewing platform which commands even better views over the lake and beyond. Featuring an information panel adorned with historic images of Black Mountain before the construction of its landmark tower, it's an ideal spot to stop, pour a cuppa from the thermos and to contemplate the changing face of our city.

Bushland Nature Walk: The entry to the new 2.2 km (return) trail is in the Australian National Botanic Gardens' Black Mountain Bushland Precinct, located on the southern side of Black Mountain Drive near its intersection with Clunies Ross Street. Parking is available in the Gardens' car park (open 830am – 5pm only). The walk is of easy to moderate difficulty with some uneven ground, a few steps and some short steep sections.

More: www.anbg.gov.au/

Best bits: The hidden gullies and environmentally sensitive way the track winds through the landscape. Oh, and not to forget those views of the lake and the Parliamentary Triangle, unseen by many until now.

What I'd change: Due to its easterly orientation, the best time to explore this patch of bush is early morning. Unfortunately the Gardens' car park doesn't open until 830am, meaning that unless you park illegally off Black Mountain Drive, to enjoy sunrise on the trail you have to park some distance away at the Australian National University.

Did You Know? With the help of helicopters (for the bridges and viewing platform) and motorised wheelbarrows to move rock, the track took Darren Stewart of Makin-Trax four months to construct.

City oasis: Black Mountain is the most diverse nature reserve in Canberra, with more than 650 species of plants, including more than 60 orchids.

Watch-out for: Stage Three of the Gardens' Master Plan includes the development of eco-tourism opportunities in its 40 hectare Black Mountain Bushland Precinct, including eco-lodges, a tree-top ropes course and the track linking all the way to the national arboretum. I'd like to see that.

Lorraine Ovington, of Fisher, has weighed in on the debate over the nation's whitest sand (White-out, January 7)

"It started in 2009 with the claim that the Whitsundays had the whitest sand in Australia, so I collected a sample," reveals Ovington, who was then "so impressed by the blinding sparkle of the sand at Bay of Fires on a visit to Tasmania in 2011", that she also scooped up a small sample of sand there as well. Finally, in 2012, the somewhat obsessive Ovington reveals she "could not resist collecting powdery-white sand from the infamous Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay."

As to the verdict? "Looking at them side by side, Whitehaven is the whitest and clearest — Hyams Beach and Bay of Fires sand appear greyish by comparison," claims Fisher who keeps her samples stashed away in old IXL jam jars in the back of her bathroom cupboard.

Mike Crisp, distinguished biologist about town has taken exception to the nick-name Rita Corbett attributed to the tree laden with dozens of empty wine bladders which she recently stumbled upon in Glendambo, South Australia (Thong trees January 28)

"The "wine bladder tree" at the outback outpost, which Corbett dubbed "Casuarina Silvas Baggus" is not a Casuarina at all" informs Crisp, adding, "it's an Acacia, most probably A. papyrocarpa, also known as a Western Myall.

With the influx of Y number plates having peaked in seaside hamlets for another holiday season, this week is the last opportunity this summer to test your knowledge of the south coast. From next week onwards, the mystery locations in this photo quiz will return to be much closer to home, but not necessarily easier to identify…

Clue: A wet wicket at high tide.

Degree of difficulty: Medium - Hard

Last week: Congratulations to Wally Eliaschewsky, of North Narooma, who was first to correctly identify last week's photo as the southern end of Currarong Beach, on the northern tip of Beecroft Peninsular. The marker in the centre of the photo marks the mouth of Currarong Creek. The coastal location stumped many regular entrants with only a handful of readers, including Lynda McPadden, of Hackett, and Les Powell, of Cook, who has enjoyed an annual break at the beautiful beach "every summer, for over 50 years", submitting correct entries.

How to enter: Email your guess along with your name and address to timtheyowieman@bigpond.com. The first email sent after 10am, Saturday February 4, 2017 with the correct answer wins a double pass to Dendy cinemas.

CONTACT TIM: Email: timtheyowieman@bigpond.com or Twitter: @TimYowie or write c/- The Canberra Times, 9 Pirie Street, Fyshwick. You can see a selection of past columns online.