LANDCARE TOUR DE CREEK : GINNINDERRA CREEK
Grade: E - X
Distance: 22km
Road Conditions: 22 kilometres of lake and creek-side cycle paths on the banks of Ginninderra Creek. See what community Landcare groups do for the environment. Learn about the wildlife, ecology and history of Ginninderra Creek.
Ginninderra or Ginnin-ginnin-derry - 'Sparkling, throwing out little rays of light" Bishop, W 1928 Aboriginal Dictionary manuscript, Mitchell Library 499 -01.01, quoted in Gillespie, L Aborigines of the Canberra Region page 27.
Map: Canberra Cycleways Map and here
Starting Point:Start at the carpark at Diddams Close, Belconnen. Ride south along the bike path which follows the lake edge.
How long will it take: The main Tour (Stops 1-9) will take around three hours by bicycle or in-line skates. You can add to this the Extension (Stops A-D), or travel it as a shorter alternative in around an hour. Allow at least four hours to complete the entire ‘Tour de Creek’. You may prefer to complete a section of the Tour on foot, studying the creekside environment in more detail. Toilet facilities, BBQs and parking can be found adjacent to Stops 1 and 2 at Lake Ginninderra. Other BBQs can be found near Stops 3, 4, 6 and 7.
LOOK FOR THE FROG ON THE CYCLEPATH TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR WAY
Description:
Stop 1: A versatile lake
Construction of the 17 metre earth-filled wall across Ginninderra Creek was completed in 1974 and Lake Ginninderra soon filled to its current 9.7 km shoreline. Planned as the central scenic and recreational focus for the Belconnen Town Centre, the lake was also designed to contain stormwater runoff from the suburbs. The lake deals with pollutants in the run-off by virtue of its natural biological processing systems, including its reedbeds and submerged water plants, so improving the water quality.
This peninsula was once a lucerne paddock. It was planted with trees and shrubs before the dam wall was constructed (look for different kinds of eucalypts including a stand of southern blue gums further along the path) and is now inhabited by birds, lizards and other wildlife.
Continue around the shore until Stop 2, which is near a lakeside playground.
Stop 2: Watching waterbirds
Many different waterfowl and other birds are drawn to the lake’s diverse habitats of open water, dense reedbeds, sandy beaches and grassy tree-lined foreshores. Some waterbirds (eg. pelicans, herons & cormorants), feed on fish, yabbies and other crustacea; others on submerged water plants (eg. coots, swans) or crustacea and water plants (eg. black duck); while wood ducks prefer to graze on dry land or on emergent water plants. Feeding methods include diving, dabbling, reaching, grazing and wading. If you stroll down to the lake you may see some of these water birds.
Cycle under the bridge and follow the lake shore for about 300m until you see a tall vent pipe. Turn left here. Go through the underpass, turn sharp left and follow the path through another underpass, then some distance to Stop 3.
EXTENSION
Cycle past Stop 2 and go under Ginninderra Drive follow the path as it winds its way along the edge of the water.
Stop A: Quiet backwaters
As you cycle towards the first stop you will follow the upstream arm of the lake to where Ginninderra Creek flows into Lake Ginninderra. You will notice this arm of the lake is quieter and if you look carefully you should see an even larger number of waterbirds than at Stop 2. Species you may see include the Purple Swamphen with their glossy black feathers and their bright orange-red beaks. These birds can be seen grazing on grassy areas, but they prefer young reed stems. They live in groups of 2 to 10, often with dependent young. You will most certainly see the dusky moorhen with its grey feathers and lighter orange beak. These are some of the most common waterbirds in Canberra and live in groups of 2 to 7. Females usually have 1 to 3 males in hot pursuit. At night they roost in the reeds or in trees or shrubs above the water.
Continue along the path. Just before you cycle under the road you will see an underpass to your left. Take this underpass until you are overlooking the wetland.
STOP B: A constructed wetland
This is a constructed wetland that was built to take over from an existing wetland further to the north/west of this site, which will be filled in for residential development. The Ginninderra Wetlands Care Group were concerned about the future of the frog species in the existing wetland and lobbied to have the wetland constructed. Volunteers of the Ginninderra Catchment Group regularly monitor the frogs in the wetland to ensure the species diversity and population numbers continue to increase in the area. Since its completion in early 2000, the wetland has already begun to attract water birds, yabbies and a number of frog species. The log in the middle of the wetland was placed there to provide a safe landing site for waterbirds moving between the lakes and wetlands.
Go back under the underpass and turn left, continue under Baldwin Drive and along the path to the roundabout.
Stop C: Bringing back the habitat
If you look to the right you will see a natural ‘in-line’ wetland that is part of the Ginninderra Creek. Pest willows were removed from this area in February 2001. You will notice the garden beds on either side of the wetland, these are part of the Ginninderra Catchment Group’s/Urban Parks and Places revegetation program which revegetates the Ginninderra Creek with native species. Some species being planted in this area include Casuarinas (She Oaks), Acacias (Wattle), Eucalypts and Bottlebrushes. If you look at the wetland itself you will see an amazing array of birdlife - from wood ducks, to coots, swamp hens and even possibly black swans and pelicans. The island in the middle of this wetland and the thick reeds on either side provide a safe habitat for these birds. This wetland is an important link in a chain of waterbodies, which includes the Ginninderra Lake, the constructed wetland and the lakes and ponds in Gungahlin further upstream. This chain is regularly used by larger waterbirds such as the pelicans and swans.
Continue along the path and under William Slim Drive, cycle across the car park towards the red gravel track. This track leads you over a small wooden footbridge to the National Landcare Forest.
Stop D: Memories of people and Palmerville
This is the National Landcare Forest where people have planted Eucalyptus trees in memory of a special person. Take some time to wander through forest.
If you wish you can continue along the gravel path and cycle or walk through the area
that was once part of the Palmerville property, established by George Palmer in 1826.
Palmerville, also called Ginninderra, boasted the first police station, post office,
school, store and Roman Catholic Church in what is now the Australian Capital Territory.
The path ends quite abruptly at the edge of the Ginninderra Creek. This is the site of the
original bridge, which was part of the wagon road that led from Palmerville to Queanbeyan.
This is the end of the Extension, follow your way back to Stop 2 to rejoin the main Tour, or back to the Start at Diddam’s Close.
Stop 3: Working to conserve biodiversity
The North Belconnen Landcare Group, in partnership with other volunteers and the ACT Government, is restoring habitat (homes for wildlife) on both sides of the creek.
Working together they:
This means....
Follow the cycle path, still on the north side of the creek, pass under Copland Drive and follow the creek to Stop 4.
Stop 4: What about water quality?
The creek’s health is at risk due to pollutants in urban stormwater. If you walk down to the creek you may notice turbidity or muddiness caused by minute soil particles suspended in the water. Water quality testing in the past at this site indicated that the water was high in dissolved nitrates and low in dissolved oxygen, and that the range of small aquatic animals was poor. This indicates that the water quality in Ginninderra Creek could be better. Through Waterwatch, the community is monitoring these problems and working with Landcare groups to improve water quality.
Cycle a short distance along the creek and at Kingsford Smith Drive cross the bridge, turn sharp left to loop under the bridge, then take another sharp left turn to cross over the same bridge on the downstream side. Stop 5 is on the north side of the bridge.
Stop 5: How a Landcare Group built a wetland out of recycled materials
After crossing the bridge on Kingsford Smith Drive, leave the cycle path and walk about 70m downstream to the tall she-oak trees and a gully, which runs into Ginninderra Creek. This is the North Belconnen Landcare Stormwater Project Site. You will notice the gabion weirs built by many volunteers.
Walk 100 m up the hill until you come to the stormwater outlet pipe. This pipe carries the stormwater that drains 40 ha of suburban Canberra - and with it, many visible and invisible pollutants. As these pollutants flow straight into the creek, the Landcare Group decided to take action to improve the quality of water and to prevent more soil erosion. They worked in partnership with other community groups and the Department of Urban Services, to build gabion weirs and mattresses (rock-filled porous wire baskets). Wherever possible they used recycled materials in their construction work.
Return to the cycle path on the south side of Ginninderra Creek by crossing the bridge on Kingsford Smith Drive. Follow the cycle path downstream, along Ginninderra Drive until you reach a junction - turn left under the road and cross the bridge over the creek. Stop 6 is downstream just before a concrete footbridge.
Stop 6: Aboriginal landscape
The Ginninderra Plains were a rich source of food for aboriginal people. The removal of
willows has helped to restore the creek landscape to a more natural state. There are some
natural grooves in the volcanic bedrock here that are similar to Aboriginal axe-grinding
grooves and have generated considerable interest and debate.
The Aboriginal people who lived locally more than likely belonged to the Ngunnawal group.
'Umbagong' comes from a Ngunnawal word meaning 'axe' and the name Umbagong has been
adopted by the local Landcare group. The Umbagong Landcare Group, with the support of the
local Aboriginal people, is carrying on caring for the land in this area of Ginninderra
Creek.
To reach Stop 7, cross the footbridge and take the left-hand path.
Stop 7: Small wetlands
The boardwalks in this area cross two small wetlands. Wetlands are vital habitat areas for native wildlife. At the first wetland, notice how cumbungi (bulrush) dominates. Its dense stands provide food and shelter for water birds and other animals, but, as you can see, cumbungi can colonise an entire shallow wetland if left to its own devices.
Cycle about 150m to the next boardwalk and wetland. This wetland has a wider diversity of plants such as common reed, purple loosestrife, water couch, umbrella sedge and tussock sedge. Listen for frog calls.
To reach Stop 8, follow the path along the creek (some remnant swamp bottlebrush are visible further along on the left) until you come to another boardwalk.
Stop 8: Lazy lizards, tuff rocks and wicked willows
This relatively undisturbed rocky outcrop of volcanic tuff (above the boardwalk) is home to some five species of native fern as well as lichens, liverworts, native raspberry, silver wattle and other native plants. In summer watch out for reptiles - the prickly raspberries and large rocks provide protection from predators.
In 1996 the willow trees growing under the power lines were removed, allowing reeds and rushes to colonise the creek within a year. The reeds and rushes now provide habitat for moorhens and ducks. The remaining willows were removed in 2001.
In the creek you may be lucky enough to see a yellow-bellied water rat. It is nearly 600 mm long and is a strong swimmer. This is also a great spot for bird watching.
Pass under the overhead sewage pipeline, cross the creek at the Florey Drive bridge and turn left over the small footbridge across the tributary known locally as Kippax Creek. Stop 9, a native grassland, is on your right.
Stop 9: A devilish grassland
The 2 ha patch of native grassland before you is a link to the past. Widespread when Aboriginal people first arrived on the continent, grasslands are now our most threatened ecosystem, with only 8% remaining in the ACT. This little patch of kangaroo grass (Themeda) grassland nestled in the suburbs has survived. The Umbagong Landcare Group is monitoring and managing this native remnant grassland in cooperation with the ACT Government to ensure that it survives. The group has christened the grassland ‘Blue Devil Grassland’ after the blue devil plant, which looks a bit like a thistle with its spiky globular heads. It turns a striking azure blue during the summer. This small patch contains about 120 native plant species (and about 100 less desirable exotics). You may discover yellow buttons and daisies, lilies, bluebells, wallaby grass, redleg grass and spear grass.
At the top of the slope turn left, follow the creek back to stop 6, then retrace your way back to the starting point at Diddam's Close.
Thanks for permission to publish this ride from Alex Sticpewich, Ginninderra Catchment Group, 2002
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