Central Basin Circuit

1 h 15 min to 2 h
20 min to 1 h

5 km
circuit

↑ 28 m
↓ -28 m

Easy track
Central Basin Circuit starts in front of the Gallery of Australian Design, Parkes, exploring the foreshore between Kings Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue. This bridge to bridge route is packed with landmarks like The Canadian Flagpole and can be a great way to get to know Eastern Canberra. If you want to enjoy the views of the city with the refreshing breeze of the Molonglo River hitting your face, this walk is a suitable choice. Stop anywhere near the river and observe the busy city, and maybe envy the simple lifestyle of the swans swimming before you. Let us begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
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Safer Bushwalks
Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.
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Getting There
Transport options and directions
Start (-35.2971581,149.1348481)
Mode Car
DirectionsFrom Federal Highway, A23, Watson.
  • Turn on to Federal Highway, A23 then drive for 8 km
  • Keep left onto Commonwealth Avenue, A23 and drive for another 1.5 km
  • Keep left and drive for another 45 m
  • Keep right and drive for another 100 m
  • Continue onto King Edward Terrace and drive for another 265 m
  • Turn left onto Parkes Place West and drive for another 630 m
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Track Notes
Turn by turn instructions & maps
Turn map Directions & comments
Start.
After 45 m pass the "Speaker’s Square" (20 m on your left).
After another 10 m continue straight, to head along LBG.
After another 75 m pass the "Waters Edge Restaurant" (15 m on your left).

We-Su 12:00-15:00,18:00+
After another 25 m pass the park (25 m on your left).
After another 65 m pass the toilet (9 m on your right).
After another 30 m pass the water tap (15 m on your right).
Continue straight, to head along LBG.
After another 190 m pass the car park (25 m on your left).
After another 25 m pass the sign (on your right).
Continue straight, to head along LBG.
After another 145 m continue straight, to head along LBG.
After another 5 m pass the "Canberra Peace Park" (5 m on your left).
After another 65 m continue straight, to head along LBG.
After another 50 m pass the "Patrick White Lawns" (10 m on your left).
After another 15 m pass the "Patrick White Terrace" (80 m on your left).
After another 130 m continue straight, to head along LBG.
After another 20 m continue straight.
After another 35 m continue straight.
After another 20 m head up the concrete steps (about 25 m long)
Turn right.
Then cross the bridge (about 330 m long)
After another 325 m pass the "Henry Rolland Park" (40 m on your left).
Continue straight.
After another 35 m pass the picnic table (45 m on your right).
After another 20 m pass the water tap (55 m on your right).
After another 60 m continue straight.
After another 9 m pass the car park (on your right).
After another 30 m continue straight.
After another 45 m turn left, to head along RG Menzies Walk.
After another 35 m continue straight, to head along RG Menzies Walk.
After another 145 m pass the cafe (65 m on your left).
After another 45 m pass the "Walter Burley Griffin Terrazzo" (75 m on your left).
After another 25 m pass the "Canberra and Region Visitors Centre" (50 m on your left).
Then pass the toilet (65 m on your left).
After another 35 m come to the "Regatta Point Lookout" (55 m on your left).
After another 140 m continue straight, to head along RG Menzies Walk.
After another 45 m pass the "Australian Citizenship Affirmation" (15 m on your right).
After another 65 m pass a seat (55 m on your left)., has no backrest.
After another 30 m pass the picnic table (50 m on your left).
Continue straight, to head along RG Menzies Walk.
After another 7 m cross the bridge (about 35 m long)
Continue straight, to head along RG Menzies Walk.
After another 60 m pass a seat (on your left)., has a backrest.
Then pass the "Robert Menzies" (on your right).
After another 6 m pass the picnic table (25 m on your left).
After another 55 m pass the water tap (5 m on your left).
After another 15 m pass a seat (6 m on your left).
Then pass the picnic table (5 m on your left).
After another 75 m pass a seat (30 m on your left).
Then pass the water tap (on your left).
This water tap is wheelchair accessible.
After another 5 m (at the intersection of RG Menzies Walk & LBG) continue straight, to head along RG Menzies Walk.
After another 35 m pass a "Pioneer Women of Australia" (40 m on your left)., has a backrest.
After another 70 m pass the "Sybil Howy Irving" (50 m on your left).
After another 20 m pass a seat (4 m on your left)., has a backrest.
After another 330 m pass the picnic table (30 m on your left).
After another 55 m continue straight, to head along RG Menzies Walk.
After another 45 m pass a seat (5 m on your right)., has a backrest.
Then pass the water tap (on your left).
This water tap is wheelchair accessible.
Continue straight, to head along RG Menzies Walk.
Then pass a seat (5 m on your right).
After another 120 m pass the car park (20 m on your left).
Continue straight, to head along RG Menzies Walk.
After another 50 m pass a seat (5 m on your right)., has a backrest.
After another 115 m pass a seat (on your left)., has a backrest.
After another 230 m continue straight, to head along RG Menzies Walk.
After another 115 m pass the water tap (on your left).
This water tap is wheelchair accessible.
Then pass a seat (on your left)., has a backrest.
After another 20 m pass the BBQ (55 m on your left).
Then pass the "Maria's Cafe-a-Roma" (25 m on your left).
After another 20 m pass the toilet (35 m on your left).
After another 30 m continue straight, to head along RG Menzies Walk.
After another 50 m pass the "Aspen Island" (75 m on your right).
After another 20 m pass the car park (on your left).
After another 110 m turn left.
After another 65 m turn right, to head along LBG.
After another 20 m continue straight, to head along LBG.
Keep left.
After another 40 m continue straight, to head along LBG.
After another 255 m pass the "Grevillea District Park" (40 m on your left).
Then cross the bridge (about 275 m long)
After another 15 m turn right, to head along LBG.
After another 50 m continue straight, to head along LBG.
After another 210 m continue straight, to head along LBG.
After another 90 m pass a seat (about 7 m ahead).
Turn left, to head along LBG.
After another 105 m pass the "Sculpture Garden" (on your left).
Then pass the "Gandel Hall" (60 m on your left).
W:www.thebiggroup.com.au
After another 15 m pass the "Sculpture Garden Restaurant" (70 m on your left).
After another 15 m pass the "Heads from the North" (55 m on your left).
After another 5 m pass the "Hill Arches" (50 m on your left).
After another 30 m pass the "Slit drums" (80 m on your left).
After another 7 m pass the "Temple Gate" (35 m on your left).
After another 6 m come to the viewpoint (10 m on your left).
Then pass the "Domestic Turf" (20 m on your left).
Then pass the "Fog Sculpture" (50 m on your left).
Then pass the "Steel" (20 m on your left).
Continue straight, to head along LBG.
After another 9 m pass the "Pukumani tutini [funerary posts]" (40 m on your left).
After another 7 m pass the "On the beach again" (70 m on your left).
Then pass the "Orangutan Foot" (35 m on your left).
After another 25 m pass a seat (20 m on your left).
After another 15 m pass the "Cones" (55 m on your left).
Continue straight, to head along LBG.
After another 35 m pass a seat (10 m on your left).
After another 9 m pass the "Angel of the North" (10 m on your left).
After another 15 m pass the "Penelope" (65 m on your left).
After another 20 m pass the "Ik ook" (75 m on your left).
After another 30 m pass the "Virginia" (25 m on your left).
Continue straight.
After another 30 m continue straight.
After another 75 m pass the "Number 751" (65 m on your left).
Continue straight.
After another 75 m continue straight.
After another 55 m continue straight.
After another 105 m pass the park (25 m on your left).
Continue straight.
Then pass the water tap (on your left).
After another 10 m pass the "Ferries and Events Information" (4 m on your right).
After another 25 m pass the toilet (6 m on your left).
This toilet is wheelchair accessible.
After another 15 m pass the "Dom’s Coffee Bar" (6 m on your left).
After another 15 m come to the end.
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Terrain
Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Central Basin Circuit


Grading
Class 2/6
Easy track
Length 5 km
Time 1 h 15 min to 2 h
Quality of track Smooth and hardened path (1/6)
Gradient Gentle hills with occasional steps (2/6)
Signage Clearly signposted (2/6)
Infrastructure Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (1/6)
Experience Required No experience required (1/6)
Weather Weather generally has little impact on safety (2/6)

Some facilities on route
Shelter: There is one 2.2 km from the start.

Toilet: There are 4 on route, on average they are 990 m apart with the largest gap of 1.7 km.

Seat: There are 14 on route, on average they are 330 m apart with the largest gap of 1.9 km.


Order of key facilities on route
ItemFrom StartName & link to notes
Toilet
220 m[toilet]
Toilet
1.6 km[toilet]
Seat
1.9 km[seat]
Seat
2 km[seat]
Seat
2.1 km[seat]
Seat
2.1 km[seat]
Seat
2.2 kmPioneer Women of Australia
Shelter
2.2 kmSybil Howy Irving
Seat
2.2 km[seat]
Seat
2.7 km[seat]
Seat
2.7 km[seat]
Seat
2.8 km[seat]
Seat
2.9 km[seat]
Seat
3.3 km[seat]
Toilet
3.3 km[toilet]
Seat
4.4 km[seat]
Seat
4.5 km[seat]
Seat
4.6 km[seat]
Toilet
4.9 km[toilet]
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Weather & Alerts
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