← Canberra Marathon·Day trip

Tidbinbilla: Platypus, Koalas and a Deep Space Dish

A bush valley on the edge of the capital with flat wetland boardwalks, koalas in the gums and kangaroos at dusk, plus the dishes that talk to spacecraft next door.

DurationDay trip
TransitAbout 40 minutes by car south-west of Canberra; no public transport
DepartsCanberra

After the Canberra Marathon: Tidbinbilla

The Route: Canberra → Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex → Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve → Canberra Logistics: Hire car, about 40 minutes each way. There is no public transport to the reserve. Marathon Month: April Duration: Day trip

Canberra ──(approx. 35 mins by car)──> Deep Space Communication Complex ──(10 mins)──> Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
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    └───────────────────────────────(approx. 40 mins)──────────────────────────────────────────┘

The Canberra Marathon ends in Parkes on a Sunday in mid-April, after three climbs around Capital Hill. The day after, the legs want flat ground and something to look at. Tidbinbilla, a bush valley in the ranges south-west of the city, offers both, and the chance of seeing a platypus without leaving a boardwalk.

April at Tidbinbilla is autumn. Mornings are cold, often frosty in the valley, and days mild and clear. The deciduous trees of Canberra's streets do not reach here; the valley is eucalypt forest and wetland. Late afternoon, when the kangaroos come out to graze, is the best time to be on the paths, but check closing times, which move earlier as the days shorten.

The drive heads south-west from the city through the outer suburbs and onto Paddys River Road; allow about 40 minutes. The reserve charges an entry fee per vehicle; check the current fee and hours at tidbinbilla.act.gov.au.

Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex

On the way, a turn-off leads to the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, one of three NASA tracking stations around the world, whose giant dish antennas keep in contact with spacecraft across the solar system. The visitor centre, free to enter, explains the missions it has supported, including the Apollo moon landings. It is indoors and level, and the dishes are visible from the car park.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve

The reserve covers a long valley below the Tidbinbilla Range. Its best-known section, the Sanctuary, is a wetland of ponds and reed beds with a sealed loop path of about 2 km and boardwalks over the water. It is flat throughout, with benches. Platypus live in the ponds and are most often seen at dawn and dusk as small, busy ripples; water birds are everywhere, and there are enclosures for some of the region's rarer animals, including the northern corroboree frog.

Koalas live in the reserve's eucalypt forest, where a short path leads to their area. Eastern grey kangaroos and wallabies graze in the open grassland along the main road, most visible late in the day.

The Birrigai Rock Shelter, reached by a walk through the bush, is a site where Aboriginal people sheltered for more than 20,000 years. The track has some uneven ground and a steady rise; decide at the start.

Bring food and water. There is a visitor centre with basic supplies, but no restaurant.

Getting Back

Canberra is about 40 minutes away. Leave before dusk if possible: kangaroos cross the valley roads at sunset and are hard to see, and a collision is the one way this day trip could go badly wrong.