Grade: S-X
Distance:5.5km, one way
Road Conditions: Mainly cycle paths
Route: From the Family Court of Australia building, University Ave/Childers St, City via the Sullivans Creek bike path to Dickson College, Dickson
Map: Location Map (Ride No 1) and detailed map of ride
Starting Point: Family Court of Australia building, University Ave/Childers St, City
Description: The Family Court building makes a convenient start point for all the City cycleways, including the Dickson path which occupies a place of honour among cyclists because it was the first to be built in Canberra -in 1973, when it was termed an 'experimental cyclepath'.
From the Family Court ride up Childers St to the Barry Dr./Marcus Clarke St intersection, controlled by traffic lights. In getting to the intersection be wary of vehicles while crossing Hutton St and two carpark entrances.
Once across Barry Dr., turn left on the footpath then right to cross Watson St next to a carpark and pick up the bike path running north. The path crosses Masson St, dangerous in peak hours, then Condamine and David Streets, both requiring care. Macarthur Ave must be crossed (it is controlled by lights) then Wattle St (also with lights). Turn left and ride down to proceed parallel with Goodwin St on your left. (An offshoot to the left, further up Goodwin St, crosses this street and provides access to Lyneham High School, the Lyneham Shops, Mouat Street and eventually Gungahlin.)
The path continues on to cross De Burgh St, then Northbourne Ave where the lights are notoriously slow to change in cyclists' favour and where red-light runners, whether on two wheels or four, are common. Once past this barrier ride on to cross Challis St which, with the commercial development of Dickson, has become difficult for bike riders. The path skirts a light industrial area to arrive at the busy Cowper St crossing (it has lights). From there it's a quiet ride of 1.2 km along the edge of a stormwater drain, past playing fields to Dickson College where the cycleway ends near the intersection of Majura and Phillip Avenues.
Pedal Power is grateful to Graeme Barrow for agreeing to allow this material and
maps to be reproduced here from his book "Riding Canberra's Bike Paths: A
commuter/tourist cycling guide". Other titles by Graeme Barrow include:
