Into the Bush Capital
The Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross Street, Acton (tel. 02/6250 9540), are a must-see for anyone with a passing interest in Australian native plants. The 51-hectare (126-acre) gardens on the lower slopes of Black Mountain contain more than 600 species of eucalyptus, a rain forest, a Tasmanian alpine garden, and walking trails. Free guided tours depart from the visitor center at 11am on weekdays and 11am and 2pm on weekends. The gardens are open daily from 8:30am to 5pm (extended in Jan to 6pm weekdays and 8pm weekends). The visitor center is open daily from 9am to 4:30pm.
Namadgi is the Aboriginal word for the rugged mountains southwest of Canberra, and Namadgi National Park, at 105,900 hectares (261,684 acres), makes up more than half of the Australian Capital Territory. Bimberi Peak (1911m/6,270 ft.) is the park's highest feature and is only 318m (1,043 ft.) lower then Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mountain. The northwest section of the park lies just to the south of Canberra's outlying suburbs. There is a network of public roads within the park that pass through the majestic mountain country, but the unsealed roads are narrow and can be slippery when wet or frosty. (You'll also need to keep an eye out for kangaroos that will dive under your vehicle's wheels without warning.) Much of Namadgi's beauty, however, lies beyond its main roads and picnic areas. There are 170km (106 miles) of marked walking trails in the park, but you will need to be well prepared if you are going to walk into the more remote areas. Before you depart, make sure you sign one of the bushwalking registers located at the visitor center and elsewhere in the park. The Namadgi Visitors Centre (tel. 02/6207 2900), is on the Nass/Boboyan Road, 3km (1 3/4 miles) south of the township of Tharwa, and has maps and information on walking trails.
Another great place to see some Australian wildlife in the wild is at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, a 40-minute drive from the city center along Tourist Drive 5. There are walking trails, ranger-guided activities, great picnic facilities, and prolific wildlife, including koalas and the endangered brush-tailed rock wallaby. The surrounding mountains are of huge cultural significance to Aboriginal people; Tidbinbilla is derived from the Aboriginal word jedbinbilla, a place where "boys were made men." There are lots of Aboriginal sites in the reserve, including the oldest Aboriginal site known in the ACT, the 21,000-year-old Birrigai Rock Shelter. The new elevated boardwalk across the wetlands is well worth taking, especially if you like bird watching. Bush-bird feeding time is 2:30pm daily. Most walking trails take around a half-hour to an hour, although there are some challenging all-day hikes to the mountaintops.
Go Bush Tours (tel. 02/6231 3023) runs tours to the reserve as well as the neighboring Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex for A$120 (US$108/£54), including morning tea and lunch. Or, for the same price, you can go on a tour of Namadgi National Park.
