Walk Features: This loop walk takes you through Bowen Park near the lake, Telopea Park, York Park and past St Mark’s Native Grassland Biodiversity Project. On the way you will pass a bust of Pedro Fernandez De Quiros and a statue of Edmund Barton as well as pilgrim poles, the Canberra Labyrinth, the Bible Plants Garden and the Outdoor Chapel. Information about these points of interest can be found at the end of the Walk Directions.
Duration of the walk: About 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Region: South Canberra.
Information about the Suburb: Barton began to be settled in 1922 and was gazetted in 1928. It was named after Sir Edmund Barton, Australia’s first Prime Minister. Its streets are named after Governors.
Walk Directions
Click here for a pdf version of the walk directions.
To get to the start of the walk proceed down Bowen Dr towards Kingston. Go L into the Bowen Park car park well before Telopea Park.
Note that streets in brackets means there is no street sign at this point of the walk.
1. From the car park veer R out towards the lake. Note there are public toilets at the car park.
2. Go R on a bitumen path in front of a café with the lake on your L and picnic tables and barbecue on your R.
3. Continue across (Bowen Park) passing a large red wooden gate/sculpture on your L. This is a gift from the people of Hungary to the people of Australia to celebrate Canberra’s centenary.
4. At (Wentworth Av) cross over a storm water drain.
5. Go R at the lights to cross over both arms of Wentworth Av.
6. Proceed into Telopea Park on a bitumen path. Note the Barton sign and further on St Nicholas Greek Ortho dox Church over the road on your L. Just before two bridges, note the George Henry Rottenberry’s Farmhouse information board.
7. Cross over the second of two bridges over a storm water drain and continue L on a bitumen path. Note there are public toilets over to your R. Note the From Modest Beginnings information board on your R which provides details about the Telopea Park School.
8. Pass picnic tables on your L near the end of the park.
9. At the end of the park go R at New South Wales Cr to cross over Telopea Park road and proceed alongside Telopea School on your R.
10. Pass Dominion Cct on your L. Note a ‘conversation circle’ on your R.
11. Outside the front of the school note the war memorial and flagpole.
12. Just past the memorial go L to cross over (New South Wales Cr).
13. Proceed on a concrete path up and alongside (Sydney Av) on your L.
14. Pass Burbury Cl on your R.
15. Cross over National Cct.
16. Just before (John McEwen Cr) go R on a wide concrete path.
17. Pass seats on your R and a bust of Pedro Fernandez De Quiros.
18. Continue straight ahead on a concrete path past (York Park) on your R and John McEwen Cr over to your L.
19. Cross over both arms of Brisbane Av.
20. Go R down Brisbane Av.
21. Cross over National Cct.
22. Go L on Macquarie St. Note the bust of Bob Menzies outside R G Menzies House on your L.
23. Go L on Blackall St.
24. Cross over National Cct.
25. Go R on (Windsor Walk).
26. At the end of the roadway go L then R through low stone walls into the (York Park Oak Plantation).
27. Follow the gravel path all the way up the plantation noting various oaks planted by ??
28. Proceed out of the plantation and go R on Kings Ave.
29. Go R on Kings Av.
30. Cross over National Cct.
31. Pass Macquarie St. Note the statue of Edmund Barton.
32. Note a large metal globe outside the Australian Federal Police building on your R.
33. Cross Blackall St and go R.
34. Go L over to the Bell.
35. Proceed further over to the Mural Wall.
36. Return to the Bell and go L up a bitumen path, across a gavel car park and alongside a building on your L.
37. At the end of the path, go L on a gravel path.
38. Continue straight ahead on the gravel path. Note the Luther Oak tree and plaque on your R.
39. Veer L then R to go around a pond and a large steel girder cross.
40. Note the Place of Meeting and a fire place on your L and a tree planted by Queen Elizabeth II on your R.
41. Proceed on a dirt track alongside the native grasslands on your R. Note the wooden Shelter over to your L.
42. Pass the Pilgrim Poles on your L.
43. Go R on a white gravel path to pass a labyrinth on your R.
44. At a pergola inside the Bible Plants Garden, go L up steps to the Australian Overseas Aid Volunteers monument and a view of the lake.
45. Retrace your steps and go L to continue through the Bible Plants Garden.
46. Continue on the gravel path with the grasslands on your R.
47. Proceed on a narrow dirt track and the Pilgrims Walk through dense bush and a rain forest.
48. Pass steps on a narrow dirt track going down to your L.
49. Pass a Rain Forest sign on your L.
50. Pass a seat on your L.
51. Pass a seat on your R.
52. Go R on a dirt track to pass a seat and a pond on your L.
53. Proceed up to the Outdoor Chapel.
54. Go L to proceed through the Chapel and out onto a stepped path going up to your R.
55. Go L over to (Blackall St).
56. Go L on Blackall St.
57. Proceed on the concrete path all the way along straight ahead.
58. Go down steps.
59. Go L on (Brisbane Ave).
60. Go L on (Bowen Dr).
61. At a fork in the concrete path, go R to cross over both arms of (Bowen Dr).
62. Veer L back to the car park.
Now having finished the walk why not relax at the On-Lake Café.
Information about Points of Interest
Wooden Sculpture: This sculpture is from the people of Hungary to the people of Australia on the occasion of the centenary of Canberra.
Telopea Park: was one of Canberra’s earliest planned and developed parks and gardens, stemming from Walter Burley Griffin’s design and vision. It was named after the botanical name for the floral emblem for NSW, the waratah: Telopea speciosissima.
George Henry Rottenberry’s Farmhouse: Around 1880 George and his wife, Eliza, built their home here on land which was part of the Duntroon Estate. It was situated beside a stream which is now the drain through Telopea Park.
Telopea Park School War Memorial: It was designed to To commemorate the services of those students of this School who seved in the Second World War, 1939 – 1945. The school was opened in 1923 as the first in the Federal Capital Territory. The original building was designed by John Smith Murdoch, the Commonwealth’s first Chief Architect. It was named after its location in Walter Burley Griffin’s design.
Pedro Fernandez De Quiros: This bust commemorates the expedition Commander Pedro Fernandez de Quiros and his fellow navigator Louis Vàez de Torres sent to the southern lands in 1606 by Phillip III King of Spain. It was a gift from the Spanish Government in 2006.
Robert Menzies bust: located outside R G Menzies House.
York Park Oak Plantation: the first oak was an English oak (Quercus robur) planted by the Duke of York on 10 May 1927 the day after he opened the Provisional Parliament House. On 2 September 2010 a tree was planted to mark the 90th birthday of Romaldo Giugola who designed the restoration of the park. He had also designed the New Parliament House. The park was reopened on 10 May 2011.
Sir Edmund Barton: This statue commemorates Australia’s first Prime Minister, 1901 to 1903. As Prime Minister Barton played an important part in setting up the Commonwealth administrative machine and in making Federation a reality. Barton resigned as Prime Minister to become a judge of the High Court of Australia, serving for 17 years until his death in 1920. The statue was unveiled in 1983.
Australian Federal Police Globe: Installed in 2012 outside the front of the Australian Federal Police building, the AFP Globe project was a Thylacine designed new signage element that could be used as a national symbol for both the AFP’s new National Headquarters building and as a media icon to symbolise unity and service to the nation.
Bell: The Bell from Bishopthorpe, historical home of the Anglican Bishop of Goulburn, was cast in 1936 by the English Bell Founder, Taylor’s.
Mural Wall: represents a painting depicting the Holy Spirit in Our Land by the late renowned Elder, Lawman, and painter of the Gija People (East Kimberley) Hector Jandany. In the painting the Holy Spirit is depicted as a white owl. The original painting is in the National Gallery. The wall was opened by Governor-General Quentin Bryce and Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue on 4 August 2011.
Luther Oak Tree: The tree was planted on 18 September 2017 by the Revd John Henderson, Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Australia, with the Right Revd Stuart Robinson, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. It is a companion to the commemorative tree planted in the Luther Garden, Wittenberg, Germany by the Lutheran Church in Australia in November 2012.
Steel Cross and Pond: The Cross, sited on the crest, symbolises the commitment of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture to Christ in Australia.
Tree: Planted by Queen Elizabeth II on 22 March 2000.
Place of Meeting: represents the focus of the Centre’s vision. It invites people to join with the ancient of days to walk , talk, work and pray together.
Nationally Significant Remnant Grassland: the two hectares of grassland is dominated by Kangaroo Grass and high diversity of native wildflowers including orchids and lilies such as Yam Daisy, Button Wrinklewort and Bears Ears. The site is burned in a mosaic fashion about every two years to create critical inter-tussock spaces so that wildflowers can thrive.
Pilgrim Poles: They show the symbols drawn from Aboriginal and Christian spirituality. They portray life as a journey fuelled by faith, hope and love.
Labyrinth: The Labyrinth is a gift of the Pilgrimage Project (WA) which linked Chernobyl survivors withy uranium miners and aboriginal traditional owners.
Bible Plants Garden: It contains plants mentioned in the Bible. It commemorates Gerald Hercules Robinson (1893-1972) who set up a trust to establish, plant and maintain bible gardens.
Australian Overseas Aid Volunteers: The monument commemorates Australian volunteers for overseas aid organisations, especially those who have lost their lives. It was a gift from the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture to the city on the occasion of the Centenary of Canberra. The monument features clasped and raised hands representing the bond between humanitarian aid workers and the communities they worked to assist.
Rain Forest: The forest gully runs between the original farming leases. Remains of old farm outbuilding sites, orchards and old bulb gardens are interspersed amongst the forest growth.
Outdoor Chapel: It can be used for private and public meditation and worship as well as special occasions such as marriage services.