Grade: S-X
Distance: 12 km, one way
Road Conditions: Mainly cycle paths
Route: From Belconnen Town Centre via Lake Ginninderra, McKellar, Ginninderra Creek, Macgregor to Kippax Shops, Holt
Map: Location Map (Ride No 6) and detailed map of ride
Starting Point: Lathlain St/Luxton St, Belconnen TC
Description: There is a quicker way of getting to some of these more distant suburbs (see Commuter Ride 7), but I prefer this route because of its scenic qualities. Come down from Lathlain St/Luxton St by the cycleway on your right, crossing above Joynton Smith Dr., to link with the path around Lake Ginninderra. The trail heads to the right in the direction of the Westfield Shopping Town before veering left and running parallel with Emu Bank. It moves away from this thoroughfare and continues along the lake shore before clattering over a wooden bridge. Lake Ginninderra College is on your right and an offshoot just over the bridge leads on to the University of Canberra.
The cycleway winds through parkland, then climbs to meet Ginninderra Drive Bridge. Keep left to ride over it and then left again to cycle beneath it. The turnoff to Holt (not signposted) leaves the lake cycleway at a point about 300 metres north past the bridge marked by a tall, cylindrical object.
Once you take this left offshoot, ride on to pass under William Slim Dr. by a tunnel and turn sharp left. A sign points to Mckellar and describes the path as a 'recreation trail'. The cycleway climbs steadily for 200 metres under transmission lines before rushing downhill through a tunnel under William Webb Dr. and on past a children's play area. A connector here on your fight, with Pead Pl., is the first in Evatt.
The cycleway continues along the right-hand side of Ginninderra Creek past a bridge spanning the creek which links the path with Carlisle St, Evatt, on the opposite side (note that once over this bridge, a path also runs along the left-hand bank of the creek finally to end, also at Carlisle St, near its junction with Copland Dr.).
Back on the main cycleway find that it runs on to meet a concrete path where you turn left to ride under a low-slung bridge taking Copland Dr. over Ginninderra Creek. Once you are through this underpass another path, joining from the right, will take you, if you wish, to Copland College, Melba.
The bike path continues on past the Melba District Playing Fields, then flats once known as Melba Flats and then Baringa Gardens, before finally being demolished in the early 90s.. It reaches Kingsford Smith Dr. and turn left here to cross a bridge over Ginninderra Creek before turning hard left through an underpass under Kingsford Smith Dr. (The path bending to the left just over the Ginninderra Creek bridge takes you to Florey. See Commuter Rides 7 and 8).
Once past Kingsford Smith Dr. find Ginninderra Creek is now on your right. The path dashes along, crosses the creek by another bridge and runs parallel to Ginninderra Dr. before moving to the right and through a tunnel beneath Ginninderra Dr. It crosses Ginninderra Creek by a bridge, but just before it does so a turning to the right, if taken, will bring you out at Charnwood Pl. and the Charnwood Shops.
Ride straight on over the bridge and beneath Ginninderra Dr. past a 'Kippax, Latham, Macgregor' sign and ignoring a connector coming in from the left. The path continues for a while along the left bank of Ginninderra Creek before swinging right at a point where an offshoot leads to Dalley Cres. and the Latham Shops. The main cycleway passes a stone wall, moves higher above the creek, then passes a pipeline spanning this waterway across which the adventurous run or walk.
Soon afterwards the path to Macgregor leaves the main track to the right (this Macgregor path brings you to the Florey Dr./Osburn Dr. intersection with the Macgregor Shops further down Osburn Dr.). Continue on as the path runs down towards the Kippax Centre and underneath Southern Cross Dr. It passes between playing fields and Centre shops, negotiates another tunnel, this time under Flack St, and ends at the Kippax District Playing Fields, Holt.
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:
