Distance: 6 km
Road Conditions: All shared paths.
Route: This ride passes the National Library , the National Science and Technology Centre , Commonwealth Place, the High Court of Australia , the Australian National Gallery and its Sculpture Garden , King’s Park, the Carillon , historic Blundell’s Cottage , Commonwealth Park, the National Capital Exhibition and the Captain Cook Memorial and Water Jet .
Map: Canberra Cycleways Map , Central Basin section of Bikely map and Central Basin section of detailed route map .
Starting Point: Mr Spokes Bike Hire , Barrine Drive ACTON - between Commonwealth Avenue Bridge and the Acton Ferry Terminal. As this is a circular route, you can start from any point along the route.
From Mr Spokes , turn left onto the shared path towards Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, with the lake on your right. After about 200 metres, turn left across Barrine Drive and follow the shared path up over Commonwealth Avenue Bridge. At the end of the main span of the Bridge, take the shared path back down to the lakeside. Under the south end of Commonwealth Avenue bridge, up some stone steps, are two large stones from London’s historic Waterloo Bridge.
Continue eastwards, keeping the lake to your left. Several decades of “Australians of the Year” are commemorated here on plaques beside the lake. The National Library appears on your right, followed immediately by the National Science and Technology Centre .
Commonwealth Place features the “Waters Edge” restaurant, a giant map of Australia that leads to Reconciliation Place, and mobile bike hire from Row’n’Ride .
Next stops are the High Court of Australia and the Australian National Gallery and its Sculpture Garden . Between 11.30am and 2pm you can go carefully along the garden path through the fog sculpture.
Just after the National Gallery, at Bowen Place, turn right away from the lake to cross King’s Avenue Bridge. After the bridge, the path turns left into King’s Park. The Carillon on Aspen Island has recitals between 12.30pm and 1.20pm on Wednesdays and Sundays. Continue past the HMAS Canberra memorial and Merchant Navy memorial to Blundell’s Cottage which was built in 1860 and is open on Saturdays from 10am to 3pm.
Pass the National Emergency Services memorial and several plaques honouring the Battle of Trafalgar, Prime Minister Stanley Bruce and the Pioneer Women of Australia. You are now in Commonwealth Park, which between September and October is the site of Floriade , “Australia's celebration of spring.”
Cross a small bridge at Nerang Pool and take the gravel path left around Regatta Point, where you can look up to the National Capital Exhibition and see the Captain Cook Memorial and Water Jet .
Continue under Commonwealth Avenue Bridge and back to the starting point.
