ANU walk directions

Summary

The Australian National University features some of Canberra's oldest and newest buildings including some of our favourite architecture, quirky sculptures and beautiful green spaces - this walk shows you the highlights. This is an on-leash only walk however there is plenty of stimulation for our dogs with pungent, copious 'wabbit' smells and the challenge of negotiating stairs, bridges and different surfaces. With so much to explore, you could easily spend over 90 minutes on this walk. To find out more about the ANU's heritage buildings, go to the ANU heritage site. To find out more about ANU's sculptures, download the ANU sculptures brochure.
Start/Finish - End of Marcus Clarke Street (nearest the lake)
Time/Distance - Allow 75 minutes/approx 4 km
Off lead rating - This is an on-leash walk only
Parking - Parking off Marcus Clarke Street
Dog friendly cafés - Several café options in around Marcus Clarke Street and the Acton Peninsula, the School of Arts courtyard, and University Avenue pedestrian area
Public toilets - At cafés
Bins - Many en route
Distractions - Rabbits: the grounds are infested!
Playgrounds - None
Photo gallery - See photos taken on the ANU walk.

Note - All our dog walks assume you are a responsible dog owner with effective control of your dog. See our Important Stuff page before starting any of our walks.

Map

Use the navigation tools to zoom in or out for different views of the route or click on the 'view larger map' icon on the top right hand corner of the map to view in google maps.

Directions

Marcus Clarke Street to School of Arts (20 minutes)

Before starting, or at the end of the walk, explore the courtyards full of quirky modern art located just behind the Marcus Clarke Street cafes.
1. From the end of Marcus Clarke Street (closest to the lake) walk on the footpath away from the lake past the cafes to the traffic lights (at Edinburgh Ave). Cross here, continuing on the left hand side of Marcus Clarke Street. Turn left into Gordon Street.
On the corner of Marcus Clarke Street, Edinburgh Avenue and Gordon Street is Ian Potter House (originally Beauchamp House) built in 1927 to house female public servants when no other accommodation was available in the new ACT.
2. Continue on the left hand side - past the round-about where Gordon Street becomes McCoy Circuit and crossing a small street - until you reach a four-way intersection.
The Academy of Science passed on the left (aka the Martian Embassy) was designed by Roy Grounds. The Film and Sound Archive passed on the right is worth a visit, sans dog; it started life as the Institute of Anatomy in 1930 and has a very quirky foyer inspired by its original purpose. An interesting sculpture is also passed amongst shrubs on the left.
3. Cross at the intersection (Liversidge Street, Garran Road and McCoy Circuit), and turn right (onto Liversidge Street).
Before you turn right, on the corner of Liversidge Street and Garran Road is University House. Opened in 1954, it was the first official building on the newly-formed campus, housing all ANU research students and professors. It now operates as a hotel and function centre and has a very pretty inner courtyard worth a look (accessed from the rear car park behind the brick wall through the archway just ahead on Garran Road). Fellow Bar and Café, accessed with dogs from the far side of the building, has a beautiful outdoor space under mature trees.
4. Continue on the left hand side of Liversidge Street for a short distance to a t-junction (with Ellery Crescent. Turn left following the footpath for a few metres, then cross Ellery Crescent using the pedestrian crossing. Continue on the concrete footpath directly ahead for a short distance along the side of a large white building (the Canberra School of Art and Design) until the footpath ends at a small bitumen carpark on your right. Continue walking ahead in the carpark following the outside of the building and then turn right to reach the front entrance of the building.
This white art deco style building started life as the Canberra High School in 1939, but was taken over by the then School of Arts in 1976. As you walked along its side, you may have noticed an opening between two wings which leads to several small courtyards worth a detour if you have time. The courtyards contain interesting student sculptures; a very good café, La Baguette, with outdoor tables, open on weekdays; and access to public toilets and bins.

School of Arts to Sullivans Creek (15 minutes)

5. In front the building is a grassy circle with another sculpture. Standing approximately in the middle of the circle with your back to the sculpture and building, look left across the small carpark on your left and look for the two conical concrete bollards on the far side of the carpark. Walk across the carpark to the bollards and follow the wide paved path downhill between the buildings.
6. Continue downhill on this wide concrete path, down some stairs to a pedestrian crossing (over Ellery Crescent), and onward between an attractive avenue of palms and eucalyptus. The wide path terminates at a low curved stone wall with a large green oval in sight on the other side (Fellows Oval).
7. From the stone wall, take the paved path veering diagonally right, lined by a row of narrow cypress. Soon the path forks in multiple directions. Take the right fork continuing through a flat grassy area, with a grassy bank and an interesting older building on your left (the Chifley Library).
The Chifley Library dates from the 1960s and features generous arched covered walkways at ground level. The very modern building opposite the Chifley Library, on your right, provides a wonderful contrast.
8. The path then turns left to reach the corner of the Chifley Library at a narrow road (Tangney Road). Turn right again to continue on the left hand side of Tangney Road walking uphill. Continue a short distance until Tangney Road intersects with a very wide pedestrian walkway.
This pedestrian walkway is the extension of University Avenue, which starts at London Circuit as a traffic road but becomes a pedestrian thoroughfare through the ANU.
9. Turn left here to stroll down University Avenue, walking until you cross a small stream (Sullivans Creek). You'll see a beautiful avenue of mature trees continuing on into the distance up ahead.
This area was completely revamped a few years ago, replacing rather nondescript 1960s-70s buildings, including the old Student Union building where Canberrans of my vintage enjoyed early performance of Midnight Oil, Hunters and Collectors, the Angels ... etc. It's hard to argue with the improvements to this public space however which is populated by several cafés, eateries, a bookshop and a theatre.

Sullivans Creek to Old Canberra House (20 minutes)

10. Just after you cross Sullivans Creek, you'll reach a small road (North Road). Turn left here following the footpath and then a gravel path along the side of the creek until a little pedestrian bridge. Turn left over the bridge to cross to the other side of the creek. Turn right after the bridge to follow the paved path on the other side of the creek. Fellows Oval is on your left.
This is a very pretty section of the walk at any time of year. The creek is lined by mature deciduous trees providing shade in summer, colour in autumn and lovely shapes in winter.
There are also more very modern, noteworthy buildings on your right before reaching the pedestrian bridge crossing the creek.
11. You'll shortly reach a road (Fellows Road). Before continuing over the pedestrian crossing, turn right to mount the bridge, read the brass plaque about the origin of the name Canberra, and enjoy the pretty vista of the creek through the willows. Return to the pedestrian crossing to go over Fellows Road and continue on the paved path straight ahead.
There are fine views to the right of Black Mountain and its Tower.
12. The paved path soon reaches a large green playing field (South Oval). At this point, follow the path as it turns left to cross in front of another interesting building (the Australian Centre for China in the World).
13. At the front of this building, walk down the grass bank to reach the oval and head diagonally left to reach the far left-hand corner of the oval where there is a road (Garran Road) and a pedestrian crossing.
If you prefer not to walk across the oval, or there is sports underway, you can continue on the paved path around the perimeter of the oval to reach the same point, passing in front of another interesting, and very green, building (the Hugh Ennor Building, housing the Australian Phenomics Facility).
14. Cross Garran Road using the pedestrian crossing to reach a small half circle road (Ward Road).
On your right is my favourite building - the ultra-modern extension of the John Curtin School of Medical Research - based on the DNA double helix. Various large blocks amongst the grand stairs leading to the entrance are perfect plinths for proud owners to pose their dogs for 'that shot', with the architecture and Black Mountain providing a perfect backdrop.
15. To continue, with your back to the grand stairs, look for the paved path heading right and uphill between the buildings and away from Garran Road. Follow this path uphill until it connects with a bitumen road. Follow the road for a short distance further uphill until a t-junction with another road (Mills Road).
As you walk uphill on the path and then road, take note of the DNA chains stamped into the concrete wall of the new JCSMR. When you reach Mills Road, the orange brick building on the right is the 'old' JCSMR, which in its day also won a design award for its work and lab spaces. I also love the juxtaposition with some original 1920s weatherboard buildings on the left.
If you have time, before turning left on Mills Road as per direction 16 below, turn right and follow the road a short distance to see the sculpture Magnetic Power. It's made from the remains of a homopolar generator developed and used by the ANU physics research department between 1951 and 1964.
16. Cross to the other side of Mills Road and turn left to follow the footpath.
The buildings on your right are the Earth Sciences buildings. Look out for the big crocodile through one of the windows and the brick work imitating sediment layers.
17. At the end of the brick buildings, and just before a weatherboard cottage, take the concrete footpath turning right between the buildings. This path will take you to one of the most beautiful mature eucalyptus trees on the campus.
18. Turn hard left after the eucalyptus to reach a small bitumen access road. Walk left along this road in front of the beautiful weatherboard cottage.
This is one of several cottages - known as the Acton Cottages - in this part of the ANU, built between 1913 and 1927 for middle to high level public servants who had to move here when the Federal Parliament and Government was finally transferred from Melbourne to the brand new Federal 'Capital', Canberra.
19. The access road quickly joins another road (Mills Road again). Turn right here, walking past a set of tennis courts on your left and another sculpture on your right, until four way intersection (with Balmain Crescent).
Just before reaching Balmain Crescent, you'll see a bitumen driveway to the right, marked with a sign 'private road'. Walk down the driveway to see a large old house and lovely garden. This is the old Vice Chancellors residence. Apparently no Vice Chancellor has lived there for many years, but does anyone live there? If not, what is it used for? Does anyone know? The house is in such a beautiful location. Imagine how quiet it was before Parkes Way was constructed just behind it. What wonderful views across the lake to the mountains!
20. At the intersection with Balmain Crescent, turn right and walk down this quiet road until it terminates. Continue walking straight ahead on a bitumen path which crosses over the top of busy Parkes Way. On the other side of Parkes Way, the bitumen path intersects with another bitumen path. Walk over this path to reach a concrete apron adjacent to a large modern building (the new wing of the Crawford School of Public Policy).
21. On the far side of the concrete apron, follow the tracks through the grass to skirt the outside of the building, keeping the building on your left, until you see a low stone wall (a few minutes walk away). The track around the building is usually well-defined but can get obscured by grass after good rain and between mowing.
There are lovely views to the right of the lake and Black Mountain as you walk through this grassy area.
22. Once you reach the low stone wall, walk into the curved area and to enjoy more awesome views of the lake and Brindabella Mountains in the distance.
There is another quirky sculpture nestled in the curve of the wall. If you have more time to explore, you'll find several more interesting sculptures within the trees and grassy slope from here down to the National Museum.

Old Canberra House to Marcus Clarke Street (15 minutes)

23. When you're ready, turn your back to the wall and the lake, and walk diagonally right through a garden to an old building. This is Old Canberra House.
Old Canberra House, built in 1913, is a mish-mash of architectural styles. It is distinguished by being: commissioned by King O'Malley, the Minister for Home Affairs; designed by John Smith Murdoch, the Commonwealth's first architect; built as the Residence of the first Administrator of the Federal Territory, Colonel David Miller; and was the first substantial brick house constructed in the new Territory. If that's not enough, the tennis court and surrounding gardens were planned by Thomas 'Charles' Weston, Canberra's 'first' gardener. The house has since been the residency of the first four UK High Commissioners, the Commonwealth Club premises, the ANU staff centre and is currently occupied by the Crawford School of Public Policy.
24. Turn right at the building to follow its driveway through large gateposts to a road (Lennox Crossing which changes name to Liversidge Street). Turn left here and follow the footpath until you reach a four-way intersection. This is the same intersection you encountered at direction no. 2 and 3. Turn right here (onto McCoy Crescent) and retrace your steps past the Film and Sound Archive and the Martian - whoops - Shine Dome to Marcus Clarke Street.
On Lennox Crossing and Liversidge Street you'll pass more pretty Acton Cottages. Just before crossing Balmain Road, on the left there's a huge fibreglass statue of Sir Winston Churchill commemorating the 1965 Churchill Trust established to fund overseas research Fellowships.

If you'd prefer to join one of our regular guided group walks, find out more at our guided walks page.