Acton

Walk Features: This loop walk begins at the National Museum of Australia and runs beside Lake Burley Griffin and then up alongside Sullivans Creek through the Australian National University. It returns through the university and passes Old Canberra House and the Sprit Levels sculpture. Another walk you may wish to do is the ANU Sculpture Walk.

Duration of the walk: About 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Region: North Canberra.

Information about the Suburb: Acton was established in 1928. It was named in recognition of one of the region’s original homesteads ‘Acton’ which was sited near the present-day National Museum at the end of Liversidge Street.

Walk Directions

Click here for a pdf version of the walk directions.

To get to the start of the walk proceed west along Parkes Way, R to cross over Parkes Way on Edinburgh Av and onto Lawson Cr. Follow it down to park at the front of the National Museum.

Streets in brackets means there is no street sign at this point of the walk.

1. Facing away from the Museum, go L across a grassy bank. Note the moth sculptures on the grass.
2. Go R on (Lawson Cr) with the lake on your L.
3. Pick up a bitumen path and continue straight ahead with the lake on your L.
4. Proceed all the way around to the (Parkes Way) underpass and proceed through it.
5. Proceed alongside Sullivan’s Creek on your L.
6. Veer L on a bitumen path passing the ‘Big Dish’ on your R.
7. Cross over (Ward Rd) and continue straight ahead on a dirt track.
8. Pass a playing field on your R.
9. Go L on a wide concrete path.
10. Cross over (Fellows Rd) and continue straight ahead on the wide concrete path.
11. Pass a playing field on your R.
12. Pass an iron railing bridge on your L and take the lower concrete path.
13. Proceed up steps on the R.
14. Go L to cross over University Av.
15. Continue straight ahead behind buildings on your R with the creek down to your L.
16. Go downhill then L on stepping stones across the creek.
17. Go R on a concrete path.
18. Go sharp R on a narrow dirt track behind playing fields to continue alongside the creek on your R.
19. Proceed around the end of the playing field and up to (Barry Dr).
20. Go R to cross over the creek alongside (Barry Drive) on your R.
21. Go R on a concrete path.
22. Continue straight ahead on a dirt track with the creek on your R.
23. Go L up across a car park up an unnamed road.
24. Proceed under the Copland Building and across its quadrangle on your L.
25. As it goes around to the R and opposite the H W Arndt Building on your L, proceed straight ahead up a concrete ramp.
26. Go L along University Av.
27. Go R on a concrete path at a sign to Ellery Cr.
28. Follow the path around to the L and proceed alongside (Ellery Cr) on your R.
29. Go R onto East Rd.
30. Go L onto Fellows Rd.
31. Pass McDonald Pl on your R.
32. Go L onto Garran Rd.
33. Go R onto Liversidge St.
34. Pass Brian Lewis Cr on your L and Balmain Cr on your R.
35. Pass a bus stop.
36. Pass (Bachelors Lane) on your L.
37. Pass Old Canberra House on your R.
38. Continue on down (Lennox Crossing).
39. Note the ‘Spirit Levels’ sculpture over to your R.
40. Cross over Lawson Cr and continue straight ahead down Lennox Crossing.
41. Proceed over to your R to the car park and back to the start.