Campbell walk directions

Summary

On the slopes of Mt Ainslie, this walk provides a mix of suburban and semi-bush experiences, as well as sweeping mountain and city views. It features several off leash opportunities with a large green off leash oval at the beginning and end for energetic ball games plus more off leash walking through interlinked parks. A section along the base of Mt Ainslie is a designated nature park where dogs must be walked on leash. The walk starts and ends at the Campbell shops with a dog friendly café located in a pleasant shady corner. Note there is a gentle, but sustained uphill section during the first part of the walk.
Start/Finish - Campbell shops, Blamey Place
Time/Distance - Allow 60 minutes/approx 4 km
Off lead rating - ♥♥
Parking - Blamey Place and nearby streets
Dog friendly café - Our Pick Hello Café
Public toilets - Behind the post office at the Campbell shops
Bins - Campbell shops
Distractions - Kangaroos/rabbits on Mt Ainslie
Playgrounds - Behind the post office at the Campbell shops
Photo gallery - See photos taken on the Campbell 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

Campbell Neighbourhood Oval to Vasey/Gelibrand park (10 minutes)

1. From the Campbell shops car park (Blamey Place), walk behind the building housing the post office.
Behind the post office is a children's playground and public toilets. There are bins at the shops.
2. Walk through this small park away from the playground to reach the Campbell Neighbourhood Oval.
Off leash opportunity on the oval only. Note that off leash dogs must not stray onto the school grounds on either side of the oval.
This is a lovely large green area bordered by shady trees. It's a great place for your dog to burn some energy with a ball or in other games if not being used for sports. Extend the walk if you like by walking around the perimeter then coming back towards the public primary school (the one with the big black fence around it).
Be respectful if children or others are using the oval which is sometimes used by the public and private primary schools on each side.
3. When you're ready to continue, from the oval walk towards the high black security fence surrounding the back of the public primary school.
4. Continue walking on the grass along the black fence around to the right until you are walking parallel to a street on the left (Vasey Crescent).
5. On reaching a paved footpath, turn left towards Vasey Crescent.
6. Cross Vasey Crescent and take the paved footpath directly opposite running between the houses. Turn left when you reach another park.
Off leash opportunity starts here.
This wide, naturally vegetated park creates a generous public space behind the houses on Vasey Crescent and Gelibrand Street. It's usually a dry, brown contrast to the watered green turf of the oval you've just passed through. There are lots of interesting smells and other dogs to meet through backyard fences. This park is off leash all the way to Mt Ainslie.

Vasey/Gelibrand park to Mount Ainslie (10 minutes)

7. Continue along the park to another street (White Crescent).
Leash your dog to cross the road.
8. Cross White Crescent and continue following the dirt track through the park up hill to the underpass beneath a road (Fairbairn Avenue).
Off leash opportunity ends at the underpass.
Mt Ainslie is in view up ahead as you near the underpass.
9. Go through the underpass, then walk straight ahead to the wire fence.

Mount Ainslie track (10 minutes)

10. Walk through the gap in the fence to follow the dirt track running behind the houses. Keep the houses on your left and the shoulder of Mt Ainslie on your right.
This section of the walk passes through the Mt Ainslie nature park, lightly wooded with a variety of eucalypts. The park is rife with kangaroos and rabbits so don't be tempted to let your dog off leash here.
There are extensive views south over the roofs of the houses which change as you walk and include Parliament House, the National Library, Canberra city, the Brindabella mountain range and Black Mountain.

Mount Ainslie to Fairbairn Avenue underpass (5 minutes)

11. At the last house, take the dirt track left and downhill to the wire fence, and pass through the gap to the street ahead (Cobby Street).
12. Follow the paved footpath downhill on right side of Cobby Street then turn left at the second street to the left (Rosenthal Street).
Before turning into Rosenthal Street there is a good view of the rear side of the Australian War Memorial.
13. Follow the paved footpath on the right side of Rosenthal Street.
14. After crossing the first residential driveway on the right hand side of Rosenthal Street, turn right at the paved footpath passing between the houses.
15. Follow the paved footpath through the underpass (beneath Fairbairn Ave). On the other side, at the intersection of footpaths, take the left branching path, then when the paths branch again, take the right path. Nearly immediately after that, walk off the paved footpath to follow the dirt track on the right running downhill into a park and towards a drainage ditch.
Off leash opportunity starts here.

Fairbairn Avenue underpass to Campbell shops (10 minutes)

16. Keep following this dirt track downhill through the park with houses on your left and the drainage ditch on your right.
This park gradually narrows as it goes downhill. Dogs will enjoy exploring the ditch, possibly finding puddles to play in following rain. There are views to the right over the roofs of houses to Black Mountain and the Brindabellas.
17. After about 10 minutes (or less if you're a brisk walker), the park narrows to a single track width.
Off leash opportunity ends here.
18. Follow the track a short distance further to reach a street (White Crescent) and cross to return to the Campbell Neighbourhood Oval and the Campbell shops.

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