Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 13 . CANBERRA
The Namadgi National Park covers almost half of the Australian Capital
Territory. Parts of the park, which has rolling plateaus, good trout-fishing streams,
and dense forest, are just 30km (19 miles) from Canberra. Marked hiking tracks
can be found throughout the park. Spring is the best time to visit for the prolific
display of bush flowers. In the past, sections of the park were cleared for sheep
grazing, but these days the pastures are popular with hundreds of gray kangaroos.
(They’re easiest to spot in the early morning and late afternoon.) At Yankee Hat,
off the Nass/Boboyan Road, is an Aboriginal rock-art site. The Namadgi Visitors
Center (& 02/6207 2900), on the Nass/Boboyan Road, 3km (1 3 ⁄4 miles) south
of the township of Tharwa, has maps and information on walking trails.
6 Outdoor Pursuits
BIKING With 120km (74 miles) of bike paths, Canberra is made for exploring
on two wheels. Rent a bike from Mr. Spoke’s Bike Hire on Barrine Drive near
the ferry terminal in Acton (& 02/6257 1188). Bikes for adults cost A$10
(US$6.50) for the first hour and A$9 (US$5.85) for each hour afterward; rates are
A$9 (US$5.85) for kids, going down to A$8 (US$5.20) for each subsequent hour.
BOATING Burley Griffin Boat Hire, on Barrine Drive near the ferry terminal
in Acton (& 02/6249 6861), rents paddle boats for A$20 (US$13) per hour and
canoes for A$14 (US$9.10) per hour. Row ’n’ Ride, near the MacDermott Place
Boat Ramp, Belconnen (& 02/6254 7838), is open on weekends and school and
public holidays and offers canoes from A$9 (US$5.85) per hour, kayaks for A$10
(US$6.50) per hour, and mountain bikes for A$9 (US$5.85) per hour.
GLIDING The Canberra Gliding Club (& 02/6257 1494 or 02/6452
3994) offers joy flights and trial instructional flights on weekends and public
holidays from the Bunyan Airfield. Flights cost A$60 (US$39).
SWIMMING The indoor heated pool at the Australian Institute of Sport
(& 02/6214 1281), on Leverrier Crescent in Bruce, a short drive northwest of
Civic, is open to the public at certain times during the day (call ahead to check
schedules). Adults pay A$4 (US$2.60) to swim, and children pay A$2 (US$1.30).
It’s compulsory to wear swimming caps, which can be bought there for A$2.50
(US$1.60). It costs A$6 (US$3.90) to use the pool, spa, and sauna.
TENNIS The National Tennis and Squash Centre, Federal Highway, Lyneham
(& 02/6247 0929), has squash courts available for A$12 to A$16
(US$7.80–US$10) per hour, depending on when you want to play. Tennis courts
can be booked for A$9.50 to A$15 (US$6.20–US$9.75). The Australian Institute
of Sport (above) also rents courts.
7 Canberra After Dark
The “Times Out” section in Thursday’s Canberra Times has listings on what’s
on offer around town.
Of the pubs in town, the best in the city center are the British-style Wig & Pen,
on the corner of Limestone and Alinga Street (& 02/6248 0171); the popular
Moosehead’s Pub, at 105 London Circuit in the south of the city (& 02/6257
6496); the Phoenix, at 21 East Row (& 02/6247 1606), which has live music
upstairs for a cover charge; and P.J. O’Reileys (& 02/6230 4752) on the corner
of West Row and Alinga Street, an authentic-style Irish pub. King O’Malleys
(& 02/6257 0111), on Mort Street, is another popular Irish pub in the city.