Black Mountain has a unique geology when compared to other mountains in the area. It consists of its own mineral deposit, Black Mountain Sandstone. This geological make up is contrasting to the other volcanic and alluvium soils of most mountains in the area. As such, it hosts a wide array of unique wildlife, including 33 rare species of flora. Another key mountain in Walter Burley Griffin’s plan, it is today characterised by the iconic communications tower on it’s peak which opened in 1980.
Before white settlement, Black Mountain and the Acton Peninsula which lies below were common Aboriginal meeting places.
In 1820, a European exploration party climbed the mountain whilst searching for the Murrumbidgee river, which at this point was only known through Aboriginal word of mouth. Likely believing that the Molonglo river was the Murrumbidgee, and not realising that the actual river was just out of their view, they turned back. Fortunately for them, they found the Murrumbidgee when they returned the following year.
In 1832, surveyor Robert Hoddle recorded the mountain as ‘Black Hill’. This was because at the time the mountain was largely burnt as part of the process of Aboriginal land management. Since then the area has retained it’s named, with the word hill substituted for mountain.
Most of Black Mountain is a part of the Canberra Nature Park, a collection of 33 nature reserves in the ACT which are protected by law. The Nature Park allows the regeneration of native bushland, which in many areas had been severely affected by grazing. Photos of Black Mountain from the late 1800s show the area looking extremely bare in comparison to today. The Canberra Nature Park also prevents construction on Canberra’s hilltops.
In 1971, the government approved the construction of the communications tower, which would replace the existing 126-metre-high television mast. As the Whitlam government came into power, they desired to begin construction, although there was a considerable amount of rejection from the local population which was spearheaded by a committee called The Canberra Citizen’s Committee to save Black Mountain. After winning an appeal in the ACT supreme court, construction was halted. The committee cited that as the mountain had been declared a nature park, construction of the tower was questionable. The matter was then taken to the High Court, where it was decided that the Commonwealth had the authority over the land, and construction resumed. This is now reflected in the split of black mountain, with the slope facing the Lake Burley Griffin not falling under the Canberra Nature Park.
Today, there is little vocal opposition to the tower, and it has been accepted by most as an iconic part of the cities landscape.
