WALKS IN ACTON 

1. Arboretum Trees at the Australian National University (Uni House and Vice Chancellor's Residence)

Wednesday 2 May, 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Free guided walk with Jan Morgan and University Arborist Melinda Walker. This walk looks at mature examples of species planted at the National Arboretum Canberra, within the grounds of University House and the private gardens of the Vice Chancellors residence. Booking essential to melinda.walker@anu.edu.au or 6125 8969 Bookings essential. Meet at the front of the Vice Chancellors residence on Mills Road– limited parking in driveway.

2. Arboretum trees at the Australian National University (Lindsay Pryor walk)

Sunday 6 May 2:00pm - 3:30pm. 

Free guided walk with Jan Morgan. Lindsay Pryor and beyond looks at interesting species from the Arboretum growing along the Lindsay Pryor walk and surrounding area. bookings essential to melinda.walker@anu.edu.au or 6125 8969. Meet at the Sullivan’s Creek car park. Bookings essential

To explore some new scenery a little further afield on the Acton Peninsula, from April 2018 we are going to start and end our Wednesday Walks at University House rather than the Street Theatre.  

Acton Walkways holds a regular Wednesday lunchtime walk every week from 12:30pm-1:30pm. This is a social 45 minute to 1 hour walk, with different routes taken each week, exploring scenery around Acton and the Lake. All are welcome!

To ensure we leave on time, please arrive at the meeting point 5 minutes prior to the advertised start time. We strongly advise you to wear covered walking shoes, and bring a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and water. In addition to plenty of fresh air and scenic views, there will be some low level bush terrain and inclines, requiring moderate levels of fitness. 

For all enquiries, or to confirm tours in the case of bad weather, contact the tour organiser (above).

ACTON WALKWAYS WALKS BEGIN AGAIN FOR 2018

Acton Walkways holds a regular Wednesday lunchtime walk every week from 12:30pm-1:30pm. This is a social 45 minute to 1 hour walk, with different routes taken each week, exploring scenery around Acton and the Lake. All are welcome!

To ensure we leave on time, please arrive at the meeting point 5 minutes prior to the advertised start time. We strongly advise you to wear covered walking shoes, and bring a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and water. In addition to plenty of fresh air and scenic views, there will be some low level bush terrain and inclines, requiring moderate levels of fitness.

For all enquiries, or to confirm tours in the case of bad weather, contact the tour organiser (above).

The National Capital Authority is seeking your feedback on the Acton Peninsula Precinct Draft Structure Plan before they include the proposed developments in the National Capital Plan. 

The Acton Peninsula Precinct Draft Structure Plan proposes a long-term plan and vision for this important area in central Canberra. The NCA reports that the plan intends to:

 - deliver world-class core functions of education and museum facilities that exceed the expectations of a domestic and international population of visitors and employees

 - reaffirm Acton Peninsula as one of Canberra’s premier gathering places by creating an exciting, connected, active and vibrant precinct that focuses visitors, educators and researchers on Australia’s culture and intellectual capital.

FIND OUT MORE AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK BY DEADLINE JUNE 13th

- Read the plan on the NCA Website and then provide feedback in a number of ways:

- Fill out the survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Acton_Peninsula

- Provide comments on the NCA Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NCA.gov or on Twitter @nca_media

- Send an email to plan.review@natcap.gov.au

- Write a letter to National Capital Authority - Plan Team

ACTON WALWAYS GROUP RESPONSE

Acton Walkways will put in a short response to highlight our experience of the community interest in the hertiage and natural elements in the area, along with a suggestion that the Limestone outcrop and nature scape around it is maintained and used to highlight the history of Acton and Canberra as the Bush Capital.

If you do not have time to read the report or fill in the survey, you are welcome to send us an email (up to 300 words) on your thoughts for the future of the Acton peninsula, including what you would like to see or to not see in future development. We will then submit this in a group response.

Deadline for group submission is 5pm on Tuesday 13th June, so we can compile and send it by the NCA deadline of midnight June 13th. Please also let us know whether you are happy for your name to be associated with your comment or would prefer to remain anonymous.

Several of our walkers take a Wednesday early morning stroll around Acton instead. All are welcome. If you would like to join in on these please contact us. 

Please do contact us if you have any questions. We also welcome any comments or feedback on what you would like to see here in the future. 

Thank you!

Acton Walkways holds a regular Wednesday lunchtime walk every week at 12:30pm. Different routes are taken each week, exploring scenery around Acton and the Lake. Everyone is welcome to join us for this social walk and talk!

To ensure we leave on time, please arrive at the meeting point 5 minutes prior to the advertised start time. We strongly advise you to wear covered walking shoes, and bring a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and water. In addition to plenty of fresh air and scenic views, there will be some low level bush terrain and inclines, requiring moderate levels of fitness. For all enquiries, or to confirm tours in the case of bad weather, contact the tour organiser (above).

On Saturday the 14th of March NewActon will come alive for the Art, Not Apart one day multi-arts festival. This will be an amazing day of musicians, poets, painters, sculptors, dancers, street artists, filmmakers, clothing designers, and weavers from all walks of life.

In conjunction with the organisers, we will be running a whirlwind walk and talk 'orientiation' tour covering the NewActon Precinct, Westside (shipping container village), Acton Beach, and the West Basin of Lake Burley Griffin. Join us as we visit and meet a range of artists and performers, and stay on to immerse yourself in the many sites and sounds of the Festival. Follow the links below to book for the walk and to read more about Art, Not Apart.

Saturday 14 March 1:00pm - 2:30pm Art, Not Apart Tour

Read more about Art, Not Apart

Wednesday Walks begin again 11th March             

If you feel like some fresh air and social exercise please join us for our weekly Wednesday lunchtime walks from 12pm-1pm.  Leaving from the Street Theatre (corner of Childers St. & University Avenue), we take different routes each week, exploring scenery around the Acton Peninsula, Sullivans Creek and the many trails of the ANU Campus. There is no need to book, though please check for weather updates/cancellations on our What's On Calendar

Thank you to everyone who joined our weekly Wednesday walks, our NewActon guided tours, and contributed to our key community project this year – The Sunken Stories of Old Acton. We are thrilled to see so many people enjoying the many videos, images and maps on the new website www.sunkenstories.com.

While we will be taking a break over the holiday season, we are informed that NewActon is still very much open for business, with a variety of dining options available from the 27th December onwards at The Monster Bar, The Parlour Bar, A. Baker, Močan & Green Grout, Bicycletta, and TwentyOne Cafe. 

We can also highly recommend taking a relaxing boat trip with Lake Burley Griffin Cruises (ask Jim or Garnett about options to bring your own drinks and nibbles for a twilight tour).

We look forward to staying in touch and seeing you in 2015.

In case you find yourself spending too many hours in front of your computer screen, here are several great reasons to get out and about:

WATERSHED: Lake Burley Griffin 1964 -2014

Exhibition Closes this Sunday 23rd November

This is your last week to this Canberra Museum and Gallery exhibition celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the inauguration of Lake Burley Griffin. The exhibition touches lightly on a time before the lake, then explores the design and creation of Lake Burley Griffin and its special place in the heart of the Canberra community.

Venue: Gallery 5, Canberra Museum and Gallery, Cnr. London Circuit and Civic Square
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10am - 5 pm / Weekends 12 noon to 4 pm
More information: Contact the CMAG website 

ANTHOLOGY: A theatrical journey into the vanished Canberra suburb of Westlake

Book your tickets now for performances starting 26 November

ANTHOLOGY is a site specific theatrical journey through the vanished suburb of Westlake, now known as Stirling Park. The site is Ngunawal land, Guru Bung Dhaura (Stony Ground) a traditional pathway, and from the 1920’s the site of one of the camps created to house the workers building the new city of Canberra. Families lived at Westlake for 50 years until the 1960’s when they were relocated, the houses sold and removed. Westlake is now a parkland, nestled between the lake and the Embassies of Yarralumla.

As the audience is guided through Westlake, by a fictional descendant of HM Rolland, the remnants of a community are waiting to be discovered, fragments of hidden memories can be glimpsed, shadow spaces inhabited by workers and their families are littered with broken conversations. A forgotten community is suspended in time, whispered stories are waiting to be heard.

Venue:  Westlake, Stirling Park, Yarralumla. Cnr. Empire Circuit & Forster Circuit, Yarralumla 
Dates: 6pm, 26 - 29 November and 3 - 6 December
Tickets: $30 Adult  / $25 Concession. Tickets can be purchased at www.anthology.net.au

TIDBINBILLA TRAILRIDER

Volunteer Sherpa Program

ACT Parks & Conservation Service is launching the ‘TrailRider volunteer sherpa program’. The program aims to make the beauty of the ACT’s national parks and nature reserves more accessible to people with mobility impairment.

Tidbinbilla offers the ‘TrailRider’, an all-terrain wheelchair, to mobility impaired visitors. However the wheelchair needs two ‘sherpas’ to guide and support it through the varied terrain of ACT’s parks and reserves. Would you like to be a volunteer Sherpa? ACT Parks & Conservation is holding an information day this Wednesday, 19 November where you can learn more about the program and see and try the TrailRider (light lunch will be provided). 

Venue: Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
Date: 12 - 2pm Wednesday 19 November
More Information and RSVP:email Glenn.Charnock@act.gov.au

ACTON WALKWAYS WEDNESDAY WALKS

Join us for a social and energizing stroll each Wednesday from 12pm-1pm, leaving from the Street Theatre. We take different routes each week, exploring scenery around the Acton Peninsula, Sullivans Creek and the many trails of the ANU Campus. These walks are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people. There is no need to book, but we encourage you to check our ‘What’s On’ calendar for weekly updates.

Venue: Starts and Ends at Street Theatre, Cnr. Childers Street and University Avenue
Time: 12:00 - 1:00pm
Cost: Free

Need some inspiration to put on your walking shoes? See this web article for thirteen amazing benefits of walking.

Look forward to seeing you out and about! 

Covering about the same time span as it took for the construction of Lake Burley Griffin, our Sunken Stories of Old Acton project is now finally completed and 'filled' with stories for all to see on the new website: 

www.sunkenstories.com

With the assistance of an ACT Heritage grant, 'Sunken Stories of Old Acton’ takes a journey back into the sunken landscapes of Acton’s past, sharing stories collected between 2011 and 2014 from Canberra residents who either lived in Acton, or have memories of the area.

The website contains our final edited selection of video and audio interviews - presented in themes, along with accompanying images and maps. The site also features the creative reflections of students from the ANU School of Art who engaged with the project in 2013 and exhibited their works at the Nishi Gallery in NewActon. 

We hope you enjoy exploring the selection of voices and stories from Acton's sunken past!

If you are not already on our mailing list - sign up at 'Contact Us' to be alerted when this website goes live.

* Read Tim the Yowie Man's sneak preview in the Canberra Times (Saturday 11th October)

We invite you to join us to celebrate the memories and impressions of Old Acton as we approach the 50th anniversary of the filling of Lake Burley Griffin.

SUNKEN STORIES OF OLD ACTON

When Lake Burley Griffin finally filled in April 1964, it submerged an area of Acton highly significant to many residents of Canberra. Over the course of the past century, farmland, worker’s cottages, sports fields and playgrounds, golf courses, a racecourse, a swimming hole, a tourist camp and a nursery, once existed under the watery heart of the City.

With support from ACT Heritage, the ANU School of Art, and NewActon, ‘Sunken Stories of Old Acton’ takes a journey back - and down - into the landscapes and communities of Acton’s past, sharing stories, reflections and impressions of Canberra’s first ‘suburb’.

The exhibition features video interviews collected between 2011 and 2013 with many Canberra residents who either lived in Acton or have memories of visiting the area. Additionally, during 2013, students from the ANU School of Art Textiles (and Glass) Workshop engaged with the project, creating art works in response to the stories and images of old Acton, and their conversations with past residents. These works celebrate a part of Canberra’s landscape that has changed significantly over the past 100 years.

DATES: Monday 14th April – Monday 28th, April 2014

OPENING HOURS:10am - 2pm on weekdays / 10am - 4pm on weekends.

LOCATION: Nishi Gallery, 17 Kendall Lane, NewActon. View Map

PUBLIC ENQUIRES: For all enquiries please call 0437 301 390 

This Image: Acton Memorial, photo by Bradley Cummings

In conjunction with the organisers, we will be running two behind-the-scenes tours. There will be plenty of sites and sounds, as well as refreshments to sample throughout the day. Follow the links below for more information about each walk and to book a place (essential):

Saturday 15 March 12pm-1pm: NewActon Sculpture Tour

Saturday 15 March 5pm-6pm: Festival Favourites Tour

Wednesday Walks Will Begin in April               

Acton Walkways holds social lunchtime walks on Wednesdays from 12pm-1pm. These walks will begin again on April 2. We take different routes each week, exploring scenery around the Acton Peninsula, Sullivans Creek and the many trails of the ANU Campus. Meeting at The Street Theatre, corner of Childers St. & University Ave. 

Receive our Newsletter 

If you are not already on our mailing list, and would like to receive notification of our monthly tours, please do 'Contact Us' with your details (we do not share emails with third parties, and you can opt-out at any time). 

Over the summer holidays we will be taking a break from our regular walking program, but will continue to update our What’s On calendar with a range of local activities and events in Acton.

For all of our regular and occasional Wednesday lunchtime walkers, we will begin again in April 2014 (check our calendar for updates).

During this time we will also be finishing our ACT Heritage funded 'Sunken Stories of Old Acton' project. Please contact us soon if you would like to share your memories or photos of Old Acton.

Please join us under the trees at Acton Park to watch the sunset over the West Basin. We will provide traditional barbeque fare, though encourage you to bring along any special drinks or food you might like to enjoy.

EVENT: Acton Walkways BBQ

DATE: Wednesday 18th December 5:30 – 8:00pm 

VENUE: Acton Park Barbecues, Kuttabal Place (off Barrine Drive)

RSVP: Appreciated by Monday 16th December to help us with food preparations. Email: info@actonwalkways.com / Phone: 0437 301 390

Over the summer holidays we will continue to update our What’s On calendar with a range of local and ongoing Canberra Centenary events in Acton. During this time we will also be finishing up our ACT Heritage funded Sunken Stories of Old Acton project. Please contact us soon if you would like to share your memories or photos of Old Acton.

For all of our regular and occasional Wednesday walkers, we will hold our last walk for the year on Wednesday 11 December, and begin again in February 2014 (check our website for updates).

We hope you can join us to celebrate the end of the year, and look forward to seeing you in Acton again in 2014!

This Image: Canberra residents enjoying the 'Submerged' ANU SoA Exhibition on the Sunken Stories of Old Acton, Nishi Gallery NewActon, November 2013. Photo by Garnett Znidaric

You can read more and see images from the exhibition at www.sunkenstories.com. 

We will be continuing to collect material for the Sunken Stories Project until the end of this year, including images of old Acton, and video and audio interviews with those who have memories of the area prior to the creation of Lake Burley Griffin in the 1960s. Please do contact us if you would like to contribute. 

The National Capital Authority has commissioned a Heritage Management Plan (HMP) for the Commonwealth Heritage Listed places on Acton Peninsula. The HMP will provide a better understanding of the heritage values of the former hospital buildings and other features and how these values can be conserved.

As part of this study, an online survey is now open for the general public to complete, which closes 5pm 1 December 2013. The survey asks you about your associations with the Royal Canberra Hospital site, the remaining former hospital buildings (Nos. 1, 2 and 15) and their immediate setting (including the nearby limestone outcrops and trees), and asks what this place means to you today.  This information will contribute to the study of community values linked to Acton Peninsula. The places of focus for this study are highlighted on the attached pdf map (download below):

Please go to the following link to complete the survey: http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/haveyoursay/index.php/community-consultation/299-acton-peninsula-heritage-management-plan-survey

The survey is anonymous and should only take 5 minutes. 



Download PDF
Acton Peninsula Commonwealth Heritage Listed Places Plan

SUBMERGED: An Art Exhibition on Old Acton

Designed to be the formal centrepiece for the new capital, Lake Burley Griffin submerged an area of Acton already highly significant to the people of Canberra. Sports fields and playgrounds, a nursery, workers cottages, golf courses, and a racecourse - meeting places for the local community - once existed under the watery heart of the City.

As part of the ACT Heritage funded project ‘The Sunken Stories of Old Acton’, students from the ANU School of Art Textiles Workshop have created art works in response to community engagement, oral histories, and images of Old Acton. These works celebrate a part of Canberra’s landscape that has changed significantly over the past 100 years.

You are invited to join us for SUBMERGED, a two-day exhibition of the student art works in NewActon's Nishi Gallery, opening with morning tea on Saturday 16th November at 11am. Please come along to meet the artists, and share memories of Acton’s history with old and new residents alike.

DATES:  Saturday 16th - Sunday 17th November

TIMES: Saturday 11am - 5pm (opening with morning tea at 11am) / Sunday 10am - 3pm. 

RSVP MORNING TEA: For catering purposes, if you would like to attend the opening morning tea, please rsvp prior to Friday 15^th November. Ph: 0437 301 390 or RSVP Online

LOCATION: Nishi Gallery NewActon (at the end of Kendall Lane, off Marcus Clarke Street.)  View in Google Maps

MORE INFORMATION: www.sunkenstories.com

This Image: Layers of Old Acton: sketch by student Rosie Goonan

Fires tore through NewActon Pavilion in 2011. Contemporary restaurants and bars were left charcoaled and empty.

On Sunday 10th November from 12 - 6pm the new Pavilion will be launched. The Diamant Library Bar, Bicicletta Restaurant, the underground speakeasy & ground floor restaurant of A. Baker, Parlour Wine Room, two courtyards and the Nishi Gallery will come alive. Food & beverage presentations, dancers, circus performers, poets and a range of musicians will bring life from the ashes of NewActon Pavilion, and a diverse program of presentations and performances will complement your discovery of these new spaces. 

CITYART is a self tour guide designed to give you information on surrounding public art owned by individuals, the public and companies. The APP features detailed information on local Sculptures, Paintings, Monuments, Architecture, Interactive artworks in the ACT Region. Developed in partnership between CRE8IVE and ACTEW Water and an initiative of Creative Partnerships Australia.

Visit the CITYART website for more information and to download this App 

ANU Sculpture App: ANU has developed an iPhone App for the sculpture walk that provides you with detailed information on every outdoor sculpture on the ANU Campus. The app has a full artist and title search as well as images of the outdoor sculptures and detailed descriptions of the works. You can also locate all outdoor sculptures and plan your walk using the map application.

Download the ANU Sculpture Walk App 

"... increasingly private collections are being donated to the ACT Heritage Library covering sport, hobbies, community groups, schools and work. One project that is going a long way to meeting this gap, at least in Canberra's oldest suburb, is “Sunken Stories of Old Acton” in which Acton Walkways (who run a series of informative walking tours in Acton) has invited members of the public to share their old photographs, slides, letters, and family stories of Old Acton.

For the best part of 40 years following the arrival of Commonwealth surveyors in 1909, Acton was the administrative and social centre of Canberra. It included two golf clubs, a racecourse, 15 workers' cottages, a riverside tourist park, Australian Rules football, rugby, cricket field and hockey fields, a plant nursery, and most importantly, a close-knit and vibrant community. With the creation of Lake Burley Griffin in 1963-64, much of this early history was lost from view," says Kirsty Guster, the enthusiastic founder of Acton Walkways. The ACT Heritage-funded project has encouraged Canberrans to hunt through their family libraries.

To promote “Sunken Stories of Old Acton”, last month Acton Walkways hosted cruises to (and over!) many of the Old Acton sites. “People not only heard stories from past residents and visitors but also were shown some of the old images of everyday life that have already been donated.” The images include people at the Acton racecourse, residents relaxing on their verandahs, and my favourite, a mother walking with her little girl in a pram. 

Many thanks to Tim for helping to promote the Sunken Stories Lake Cruises, which have proved so popular that all April and May tours have been booked out, and additional ones are being organised to try to accommodate the waiting list of almost 250 people! 

If you would like to be added to our list of those interested in attending extra tours please do contact us.

There are many other events in Acton this month listed on our What's On Calendar. In perhaps one of the most innovative soundscapes of the year, NewActon is presenting Sense: An Audio Journey on Saturday 4th May – a journey from contemporary piano and performance poetry through jazz and electronic fusion to intelligent dance music. Visit the NewActon website for more information.

The Australian National University has a host of fascinating public lectures and seminars covering a wide variety of subjects, as well as productions by the ANU Theatre Society and the ANU Medical Revue, exhibitions at the School of Art, and concerts at School of Music. See all listings at ANU events billboard.

The National Film and Sound Archive is hosting numerous events, including a new monthly children's program 'spArc' for kids and movie buffs in the making; a showcase of four features by Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi; a selection of the key works of Don McAlpine ACS, ASC; and CineCity - a free exhibition highlighting the connection between Canberra and film. Visit the NFSA website for information on these and more. 

WEDNESDAY WALKS

If you feel like some fresh air and socialising please do join us for our Weekday lunchtime walks on each Wednesday from 12pm-1pm, leaving from the Street Theatre (corner of Childers St. & University Avenue). We take different routes each week, exploring scenery around the Acton Peninsula, Sullivans Creek and the many trails of the ANU Campus. Check ourWhat's On Calendar for weekly updates.

We look forward to seeing you out and about in Acton soon!

Acton Walkways
Email: info@actonwalkways.com
Phone: 0437 301 390

Read more on our guided tours page

WEDNESDAY WALKS

The Acton Walkways weekday walks have started up again in April - running each Wednesday from 12pm-1pm. On these social walks we take different routes each week, exploring scenery around the Acton Peninsula, Sullivans Creek and the many trails of the ANU Campus. Meeting at The Street Theatre, corner of Childers St. & University Ave. For more information see any Wednesday on our 'What's on Calendar'

RECEIVE OUR NEWSLETTER

If you are not already on our mailing list, and would like to receive notification of our monthly tours, please do Contact Us with your details (we do not share emails with third parties, and you can opt-out at any time). 

This Image: Acton vistas from 1948. Photo by Canberra resident and photographer John Henshaw (1924-2002).

To help celebrate the big day on Tuesday 12th March, we will run all three parts of the popular Old Acton Series. Join historian Allen Mawer as he peers back into the early history of the area, comparing old photographs with new vistas. On Saturday 16th March, NewActon will come alive for the Art, Not Apart one day multi-arts festival. In conjunction with the festival organisers, we will be running three behind-the-scenes guided tours. 

READ MORE AND BOOK FOR THESE WALKS ON OUR GUIDED TOURS PAGE

This Image: Last year at Art, Not Apart - photography by Peter Hislop 

"John Sullivan and I met on the ferry jetty in Acton at sunset. We had both been on one of Canberra's most inspired outings, a 90-minute cruise on Lake Burley Griffin. More than 50 of us had chugged around drinking fresh lemonade and Drift sauvignon blanc, eating chicken kebabs, dips and vegetarian rolls, admiring the clouds, stepping ashore on Springbank Island and listening to classical guitar played by Callum Henshaw, of the Australian National University.

The event was organised by Kirsty Guster founder of Acton Walkways, a program that was established in 2009 in order to promote awareness, community spirit and public engagement in Acton.

Sullivan was there as manager of sustainability at the ANU. Each year, he is one of a number of specialists in fields as diverse as architecture, geology, music, science, gardens and landscapes who lead walking tours around sites on the Acton Peninsula (actonwalkways.com.au)."

Read the full article here



Download PDF
Canberra Times pdf

As we come to the end of the third year of the Acton Walkways program, and prepare for the 2013 Centenary celebrations, it is wonderful to be able to report that we have now had over 3,000 people participate in our walks and guided tours, and close to 30,000 virtual visits to Acton via our website and facebook pages!

There are many organisations and individuals that deserve a special thank you. First and foremost, we are very grateful to our four key partners, whose generous sponsorship has enabled us to continue to offer this program to the community: The Australian National University, NewActon, The National Film and Sound Archive, and the ACT Government. 

In addition, numerous organisations have assisted with in-kind support, including ACT Heritage, the National Trust, the Walter Burley Griffin Society, the ACT Geological Society, the ACT Heart Foundation, RSM Bird Cameron, MapShed Australia, Coordinate, Lake Burley Griffin Cruises, Australia Business Arts Foundation (AbaF), and Minter Ellison.

We are also indebted to the many tour guides who have shared their insights and knowledge with us, bringing the stories and treasures of Acton to life: On behalf of all our walkers, thank you to: Professor David Williams, Allen Mawer, Dr Doug Finlayson, Bradley Cummings, Amy Guthrie, Penny Taylor, David Norris, John Sullivan, George Abraham, Barbara Frasl, Jill Greenwell, Susan Ford, Kaye Johnston, Phillip and Jan Finley, Marcel Dimo, Madeleine Nicol, Denis Coombes, Johnathan Efkarpidis, Dave Caffery, Becca Chandler, Professor John Rayner, Theresa Rayner, Niels Rosendahl, Brian Jones, and for all their assistance throughout the year, Adam Black, Belinda Bentley, and Lorraine Ball.

While we take a break over summer from our guided tour and weekday walking programs, we will continue to update our website with local events in Acton. Do keep visiting us online to stay up to date with the exciting Centenary activities in the precinct.

We hope you can join us to celebrate the end of the year, and very much look forward to seeing you in Acton again in 2013.

Happy Holidays and New Year!

Kirsty Guster
Acton Walkways
www.actonwalkways.com
info@actonwalkways.com
Ph 0437 301 390

With thanks to Luminita Quraishi for this photo from a previous boat cruise with Skipper Garnett and Lake Burley Griffin Cruises

See Luminita Quraishi's photos

See Chris Guster's photos

See Fanny Karouta's photos

See David Morton's photos

Have you enjoyed an Acton Walkways guided walk?

Or have you been inspired to walk around Acton from our program? 

The Canberra Centenary is calling for your vote on what you most love about living in Canberra. We would love your help to spread the word about Acton and Acton Walkways! 

"As we approach our 100^th birthday we want to have a conversation about the things that Canberrans like about Canberra. Is it a favourite place for a walk? Maybe a place your family likes to go on the weekend? Whatever it is, we want to hear about it. In January we are going to ask everyone to vote on the submissions and in March we are going to reveal the 100 things we most like about Canberra."

Fill in your top 5 things about Canberra on the Centenary 'Like Canberra' online submission form" (very easy to fill out) at https://www.facebook.com/CentenaryofCanberra/app_208195102528120

This month we have four guided tours on offer. Historian Allen Mawer will lead two different Old Acton walking tours, in which he shares a fascinating collection of old Acton photographs to compare with new vistas. The knowledgeable friends of the ANU Classics and Ancient History program will lead an indoor tour of the ANU Classics Museum - one of the Univeristy's 'Cultural Jewels'.

And, in a new installment to the Capturing Acton on Camera series with photograpy expert Bradley Cummings, 'The Lake at Twilight' tour introduces for the first time a boat cruise on the lake with Skipper Garnett on the 'Cygnet' - a wonderful way to spend an evening while picking up valuable tips on taking the best photograph!

Please remember to book for all tours, as numbers are limited. Click on the links below for more information about each walk and to book:

Sunday 18th November: Old, Old Acton Tour

Friday 23rd November: ANU Classics Museum Tour

Saturday 24th November:  Capturing Acton on Camera - The Lake at Twilight

Sunday 25th November: Old Acton: Across the Lake

ONGOING

Wednesday Walks 12:00pm – 1:00pm               
Acton Walkways holds social lunchtime walks every Wednesday. We take different routes each week, exploring scenery around the Acton Peninsula, Sullivans Creek and the many trails of the ANU Campus. Meet at The Street Theatre, corner of Childers St. & University Ave. Check our 'What's On' Calendar for weekly updates.

Share your 'Sunken Stories of Old Acton'
Do you have stories or photos of Acton before Lake Burley Griffin was filled?  As part of the 'Sunken Stories of Old Acton' project funded by ACT Heritage we are documenting the Old Acton memories of residents and visitors. Please contact us if you would like to share yours with us!

If you are not already on our mailing list, and would like to receive notifcation of of our monthly tours, please do 'Contact Us' with your details (we do not share emails with third parties, and you can opt-out at any time). 

This Image: Just one of the many performance artists at play at the Art, Not Apart Day tour in October

Thank you to our tour guides Johnathan Efkarpidis, Dave and Becca, David Norris and Dr Doug Finlayson, and to all those who joined us.

See our Image Galleries for these and many more.

This month we have four guided tours, with three of them focusing on one amazing day in Acton - Saturday October 27th. Both NewActon and The National Film and Sound Archive will be in festival mode, and with the exciting range of events on there is no better place to be in Canberra!

The following morning, walk off your adrenaline with Dr Doug Finlayson in a leisurely stroll around the scenic foreshores of Lake Burley Griffin’s West Basin with insights into the ancient and modern geology of Canberra.

Visit our Guided Tours Page for More Information

This Image: David Norris, leading a garden tour at the National Film and Sound Archive

Visit the Guided Tours Page for more information and links.

With the weather promising to warm up, don't forget to put on your walking shoes and join us every Wednesday at 12pm at the Street Theatre for our social and invigorating lunchtime walks, exploring various routes around the Acton precinct.

Additionally, there are many exciting indoor activities to attend this month in Acton. These include:

Regional Intersections: In association with ANU, the NFSA presents its annual showcase of new Southeast Asian cinema, showcasing thirteen of the best recent features from the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indochina.

Spring Silents: The NFSA’s biannual silent cinema party, honouring the smart, dry and fast comedy of the late 1920s. Most films are screend on original 35mm film and with live accompaniment!

Local Feats: A retrospective of local feature films made in Canberra between 1971 and 2010, screening at NewActon's gorgeous little Kendall Lane Theatre.

How to Paint a Landscape: A selection of paintings by seventeen artists whose work responds to the natural environment and engages with the tradition of painting the landscape (ANU School of Art).

ANU School of Art Exhibitions by Alice Kettle, Sonja Kalenjuk, and Jay Kochel.

The Songbird Project: A student Jazz group formed as a vehicle for original compositions inspired by experiences in love, adventure, fury and corruption (ANU School of Music).

Albert Herring: Benjamin Britten’s deliciously witty comic opera, presented by the ANU School of Music and The Street Theatre.

Canberry Tales: Acton walkers will know Allen Mawer for his fascinating photo tours of Old Acton. There are many stories behind these photos, and Allen has compiled a good number of these in his new publication Canberry Tales, assisted through funding from the ACT Heritage Grants Program. Join us for his book launch and signing

Follow the links above, or view these and a host of other events in Acton on our September Calendar

We look forward to seeing you (and Spring) in Acton soon!

The Acton Walkways Team
Website: www.actonwalkways.com
Email: info@actonwalkways.com
Phone: 0437 301 390

We will be taking a break from our guided tours this month, returning again for Spring in September. Our Wednesday Weekday Walks will continue for all those keen to take a social and invigorating stroll at lunchtime.

While the colder weather continues, there are many enticing indoor events to attend in Acton during August:

- The 2012 Capital Jazz Project produced by The Street Theatre and ANU School of Music runs from August 3-12, featuring 160 international, national and ACT-based artists, 22 performances, and 28 ensembles.

- The National Film and Sound Archive’s ARC Cinema is presenting a month of special screenings to celebrate its fifth birthday – and the arrival of state-of-the-art DCP digital cinema projection.

- National Science Week runs from August 11-19. This is a great opportunity to enjoy and explore the wonders and benefits of science, with over twenty activities and presentations in the Acton Precinct alone.

Visit our What’s On Calendar for information on these events and many more.

We look forward to offering you more guided tours in September, and as always, welcome your feedback and suggestions for walks or activities you would like to see on our program.

The Acton Walkways Team (Kirsty, Adam and Belinda)
Email: info@actonwalkways.com
Phone: 0437 301 390

This Image is from the 'Old Acton: Across the Lake' tour in July

This month we have four guided walks, exploring cultural and historic aspects of Acton. Professor David Williams will share his insights into the sculptural and scenic landscape of the ANU International Sculpture Park, and budding photographers can join Bradley Cummings to capture the ever growing number of sculptures in NewActon on camera.

Dr Doug Finlayson will lead a walk around Lake Burley Griffin uncovering the ancient geology and geography of Acton and Central Canberra, and Allen Mawer brings us a new installment of his Old Acton series, taking us 'across the lake' to compare old photos with new vistas in the days when Acton extended to State Circle.

Visit the Guided Tours Page for more information and links, or view these and a range of other events in Acton on our July Calendar

We also encourage you also to join us every Wednesday for our regular weekly lunchtime walks from 12 - 1pm leaving from the Street Theatre. These are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people (please check calendar for 'rain check' in case of bad weather).

This Image: Ngaraka: Shrine for the lost Koori, 2001, sculpture by Djon Mundine in collaboration with Fiona Foley, ANU International Sculpture Park.

This month we have four tours, and with winter now upon us, two of these will be indoors. Professor John Rayner and his musical team will treat us to entertaining insights into the science of sound, and ANU PhD student Barbara Frasl will take us behind the scenes at one of the world’s leading research facilities in geosciences. Outdoors, George Abraham and John Sullivan will lead tours of the beautiful landscapes and gardens of the ANU, and the innovative and creative work done on the campus in the area of sustainability.

Visit the Guided Tours Page for more information and links, or view these and a range of other events in Acton on our June Calendar

We also encourage you also to join us every Wednesday for our regular weekly lunchtime walks from 12 - 1pm leaving from the Street Theatre. These are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people (please check calendar for 'rain check' in case of bad weather).

This month we are running four guided tours, exploring the gardens of the National Film and Sound Archive, the 'cultural jewels' of the ANU Classics Museum, the sculptural landscape surrounding the ANU's University House, and for those who missed out on the booked-out tour last month, the scientific (and architectural) advances of the the John Curtin School of Medical Research.

Visit the Guided Tours Page for more information and links, or view these and a range of other events in Acton on our May Calendar.

We also encourage you also to join us every Wednesday for our regular weekly lunchtime walks from 12 - 1pm leaving from the Street Theatre. These are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people.

We look forward to seeing all past and new walkers in Acton this May!

This photo of the John Curtin School of Medical Research was taken by Lenuata Quraishi on the April Capturing Acton on Camera Tour.

Click here to view the April Tours

We look forward to seeing all past and new visitors to Acton in April!

The Acton Walkways Team
Kirsty, Adam and Belinda

Follow this link to visit the 2012 Canberra and Region Heritage Festival 'Innovation' website to find out more about the many events on offer.

Start: Street Theatre, corner of Childers Street and University Avenue

End: Street Theatre (or various drop-off points along the way)

Start Time: 12:00pm

Finish Time: 1:00pm

Cost: Free

Bookings: You can just turn up, though ideally please email or phone to confirm your attendance, so if you are running a little late we will know to wait for you.

Contact: Email: info@actonwalkways.com, Phone: 0437 301 390

To ensure we leave on time, please arrive at the meeting point 5 minutes prior to the advertised start time. We strongly advise you to wear covered walking shoes, and bring a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and water. In addition to plenty of fresh air and scenic views, there will be some low level bush terrain and inclines, requiring moderate levels of fitness. For all enquiries, or to confirm tours in the case of bad weather, contact the tour organiser (above).

During the hotter months of January and February our Wednesday walks will be held from 5:15pm - 6:15pm (rather than 12pm) to avoid the midday sun. Designed for workers and residents in the precinct, this is a social 45 minute - 1 hour walk. Different routes are taken each week, exploring scenery around Acton and the Lake.

Start: Street Theatre, corner of Childers Street and University Avenue

End: Street Theatre (or various drop-off points along the way)

Start Time: 5:15pm

Finish Time: 6:15pm

Cost: Free

Bookings: You can just turn up, though ideally please email or phone to confirm your attendance, so if you are running a little late we will know to wait for you.

Contact: Email: info@actonwalkways.com, Phone: 0437 301 390

To ensure we leave on time, please arrive at the meeting point 5 minutes prior to the advertised start time. We strongly advise you to wear covered walking shoes, and bring a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and water. In addition to plenty of fresh air and scenic views, there will be some low level bush terrain and inclines, requiring moderate levels of fitness. If we need to cancel due to weather a cancellation notice will be posted on the calendar for that day at least 1 hour prior. 

Thank you to everyone who has helped make 2011 a fantastic second year for Acton Walkways!

This year over 1,000 walkers have joined us in 80 guided tours and walks across such themes as architecture, art deco, arts, design, film and sound preservation, gardens and landscapes, geology, heritage and history, music, museums, photography, science, sculpture, and sustainability.  Additionally more than 13,000 have visited our website and facebook pages to explore the attractions and events in Acton throughout the year.

None of this would have been possible without the support of our four key sponsors: Australian National University, NewActon, National Film and Sound Archive and the ACT Government. In addition, many organisations have made generous in-kind contributions, including RSM Bird Cameron, MapShed Australia, Bradley Cummings Photography, Coordinate, Heart Foundation, National Trust and Geological Society (ACT), and The ANU Exchange.

We are also indebted to the many individuals who have given freely of their time and expertise. Most important among these are our tour guides who have shared their insights and knowledge with us, bringing the stories and treasures of Acton to life. On behalf of all our walkers, thank you!

This will be our last update for the year, and after a break over the summer we will continue with our guided tours in March 2011. Do check our website for local Acton events during this time. For those people staying in Canberra over the break, our Wednesday lunchtime walks will continue until 21st December, and start again on January 4th at the new summer timeslot of 5:15 – 6:15pm.  

We hope you can join us to celebrate the end of the year, and look forward to seeing you again in 2012.

Happy Holidays and New Year!

Kirsty, Adam and Belinda

This month we have four guided walks planned, with a variety of different insights into the history of Acton and Canberra, from geology and geography to ancient and recent human settlement. Back by popular demand, we will hold another Sunday Social Stroll – bring your own topic or simply find yourself in new spaces of conversation...

Visit our Guided Tours pages for more information

With the weather warming up don't forget to put on your walking shoes and join us every Wednesday at 12pm at the Street Theatre for our social lunchtime walks, exploring various routes around the Acton precinct.

Please remember to book for tours, as numbers are limited. Bookings can be made on the Contact Us page on our website, or by email or phone.

We look forward to seeing you out and about in Acton soon.

Kirsty Guster
Acton Walkways
Email: info@actonwalkways.com
Phone: 0437 301 390

This photo courtesy of Lenuta Quraishi, a participant on last month's Capturing Acton on Camera Tour.

We now have our October schedule of tours organised, with a range of guided walks on offer. These include:

- A chance to catch the last day of Floriade and, assisted by our photography expert Bradley Cummings, capture some great floral shots;

- Allen Mawer's Old Old Acton tour (part 1), in which Allen shares his collection of historic photos of past vistas in Acton compared with the same sites today;

- A lunchtime tour exploring ANU landscapes with Grounds Manager and University Arborist Melinda Walker who will share insights into their ongoing and new landscaping projects;

- A Sunday social stroll winding around the Lake and the Acton inland trails, including an afternoon tea stop at Botanic Gardens.

For those who would prefer something indoors and less active, the ANU Classics Museum will hold a tour of their fascinating collection of Ancient art and artifacts (booked out last time). Additionally, the National Film and Sound Archive will be helping to celebrate the HRH Queen Elizabeth’s upcoming visit to Australia with a Special Screening of Australia’s first colour feature length documentary “The Queen in Australia.” This record of her first visit in 1954 will include an introduction from visiting scholar Professor Jo Fox.

Visit our Calendar or Guided Tours pages for more information

With the weather warming up don't forget to put on your walking shoes and join us every Wednesday at 12pm at the Street Theatre for our social lunchtime walks, exploring various routes around the Acton precinct.

Please remember to book for tours, as numbers are limited. Bookings can be made on the Contact Us page on our website, or by email or phone.

We look forward to seeing you in Acton this October.

Kirsty Guster
Acton Walkways
Email: info@actonwalkways.com
Phone: 0437 301 390

Photo: National Film and Sound Archived Garden Tour, September 2011

'Historic keyboards are music to Geoffrey Lancaster’s ears. Geoffrey is a virtuoso pianist, conductor and lecturer at the Australian National University School of Music in Canberra. Students have access to Australia's largest public collection of working instruments. Imagine being able to play on a rare piano made in the 1770s, which produces the sound that Mozart adored. They can play some of the world’s greatest piano repertoire just as the composer intended. For Geoffrey, Australia is a veritable ark of historic pianos, with some of the most culturally significant keyboards in the world residing here in private collections.' - http://www.abc.net.au/tv/collectors/segments/coming_up.htm

We hope you all enjoy this wonderful opportunity to relive, and share, a small part of those delightful evenings with family or friends this Friday night.

Video of Geoffrey's segment is now available on the Gallery page http://actonwalkways.com/gallery.php

Kirsty Guster

This month we are offering three guided tours featuring Acton sculptures, the National Film and Sound Archive and National Botanic Gardens. In addition, we are helping to celebrate NewActon’s open day on the 25th September, with a host of festivities on offer for all ages.

View the September tours and more Acton events

With the weather warming up don't forget to put on your walking shoes and join us every Wednesday at 12pm at the Street Theatre for our social lunchtime walks, exploring various routes around the Acton precinct.

Please remember to BOOK for tours, as numbers are limited. Bookings can be made on the Contact Us page on our website, or by email or phone.

We look forward to seeing you Spring into Acton soon!

Kirsty Guster
Acton Walkways
Email: info@actonwalkways.com
Phone: 0437 301 390

We have a number of favourites back on the list, and several new tours, notably 'Science, Singing and Sax,' with Professor John Rayner, The SHRIMP Tour (with ANU PhD students) and the 'The Science of Film and Sound Preservation' at the National Film and Sound Archive. It should be an intriguing month!

Click here to view the August 2011 schedule

A special thanks to our expert guides and presenters Judith Fuller, Penny Taylor, Dr Geoffrey Lancaster, Professor Elizabeth Minchin, Professor David Williams, James Collet, Pamille Berg and ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher, who made a special appearance for the launch of the Heart Foundation's 10 week Healthy Heart Challenge. In addition I would like to formally welcome and introduce Belinda Bentley, a new tour leader, and Adam Black and Catherine Keely who are assisting with our website. It is wonderful to have them on the team.

It was however with great sadness that we saw part of our cherished local heritage building recently damaged by fire at NewActon. We understand that the Efkarpidis family are already planning to restore and to bring the fabulous Parlour Wine Room and Flint Dining Room & Bar back to life as soon as possible. Diamant Hotel and Bicicletta will be open again shortly and Urbanfood Store, La Bimbi & Soma Day Spa are all very much still open. We encourage you to keep visiting. NewActon are moving ahead with an open day in early August, so watch this space or visit www.newacton.com.au.

This month, with the weather less than ideal, we will be taking a break from guided tours until August. Our Wednesday Weekday Walks will continue for all those keen to take a social and invigorating stroll at lunchtime (if necessary, rain checks will be noted on our website on the day). Additionally, there are many exciting indoor activities to attend this month in Acton. These include:

- A great selection of school holiday workshops at the National Film and Sound Archive, and an International Film Festival especially for children;

- A public art symposium presented by the ANU School of Art titled Public Interactions: Dialogues on art and public space, will bring together international and local artists, architects, designers and public intellectuals over three days to explore the role of art in the public spaces of the contemporary community;

- And for those interested in larger spaces of dialogue, as part of the Mt Stromlo Centenary Celebrations, a public lecture on the Tales Of Stars and Stellar Systems will give insights into how astronomers measure faint signals from distant island worlds.

Visit our What’s On Calendar for more information on these and more. We look forward to offering you more outdoor tours in August, and hope in the meantime that you take the opportunity to experience all of the indoor attractions in Acton.

This image: Pamille Berg provides insights into the Robin Blau's new sculpture at NewActon, 'Time Thief' during the walk to launch the Heart Foundation's Healthy Heart Challenge on the 1st June,

To begin our June schedule, we invite you to join ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher on Wednesday 1^st June for a walk to launch the Heart Foundation’s Healthy Heart Challenge. In support of the challenge, walkers will also receive a free pedometer, compliments of the ANU Wellbeing Program and HBA Insurance. This 1-hour social stroll will leave at the Street Theatre at 2pm.

With a focus on arts and culture this month, our tours will include the highly popular Acton Art Deco tour with Penny Taylor, the ANU Early Keyboard ‘sonic tour’ with Dr Geoffrey Lancaster, and the Acton Arts and Heritage tour with Professor David Williams and James Collet.

In addition we have two new tours this month. Join artist Judith Fuller for a lunchtime tour of her photo exhibition Snapshot 2010 at the ANU School of Art, and Professor Elizabeth Minchin from the ANU Classics and Ancient History program for a tour through the newly refurbished Classics Museum - one of the “University’s cultural jewels.”

Click here to view the June 2011 schedule or download the flyer below

This image was taken from the Art Deco Tour with Penny Taylor in April




Download PDF
June 2011

In support of the challenge, walkers will receive a free pedometer, compliments of the ANU Wellbeing Program and HBA Insurance (subject to availability).

This month we will showcase Gardens and Grounds in Acton. This will include the popular National Film and Sound Archive Garden Tour, lead by Head Gardener David Norris; an exploration of ANU sustainability initiatives with ANU Green; and two new tours of the ANU gardens and landscape design by Grounds Manager George Abrahams. In addition, Bradley Cummings will take photographers for an autumn stroll through the National Botanic Gardens, and Allen Mawer will present part 1 of the Old, Old Acton tour, comparing old photographs of Acton Peninsula with new vistas.

Click Here to View the May 2011 Schedule or download the flyer below

We encourage you also to join us every Wednesday for our regular weekly lunchtime walks. These are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people. Start warming up now for the Heart Foundation’s 10-week Healthy Heart Challenge starting June 1. Click here for more information and to register. 

We look forward to seeing all past and new walkers in Acton this May!

This photo was taken on our Acton Cottages Tour in April




Download PDF
May 2011 Guided Tours

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in Australia and kills four times as many women as breast cancer [i].  Yet awareness is low. In 2010, only 31% of women reported knowing that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in Australia [ii]. 

Even fewer women are aware that heart disease risks increase after menopause, due to a reduction in oestrogen that is considered a protective factor against development of the disease. While many women are well aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, research conducted by Heart Foundation shows they often consider there are significant barriers to achieving this.

As part of this year’s Go Red for Women campaign, the Heart Foundation is launching a Healthy Heart Challenge as a practical way for women to improve their heart health behaviours. The free 10-week Healthy Heart Challenge starts on 1 June and has been designed to provide small, yet realistic, steps to assist women build changes into their lifestyle.  If sustained these changes will make an important difference to their heart health long-term.

On registering participants will be asked to sign up to one of six goals and be supported to achieve this through a weekly eNewsletter with tips and information to keep them motivated throughout the 10 weeks. The goals are:

o   Be active everyday

o   Improve everyday nutrition

o   Increase knowledge of heart health

o   Quit smoking

o   Lower high blood pressure

o   Lower high cholesterol levels.

Registrations for the Healthy Heart Challenge open on 1 May. We encourage you to sign up and learn how small steps can make a big difference to your health. Why not complete the Challenge with a friend? In this way together you’ll be joining thousands of other Australian women to address a personal goal as well as help increase the awareness of heart disease in women in the community.

To register for the Healthy Heart Challenge and for more information and ACT events, visit the website at goredforwomen.org.au

Do you have photos or comments to share? We look forward to hearing from you at info@actonwalkways.com



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AW April Tours 2011

With a significant wealth of early Canberra history in Acton there are many sights to see and stories to be told. Join us across a range of guided tours, and additionally have your chance to share your own memories of Acton in the ACT Heritage funded project “Sunken Stories of Old Acton.”

Click here to view the April Tours, or download the pdf below.

We look forward to seeing all past and new visitors to Acton in April!

Photo: The Acton Memorial, erected behind the Acton Peninsula Wharf in 2004 to commemorate the old Acton suburb and its residents. Photo Bradley Cummings



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AW April Tours 2011

To celebrate the end of our first year, and to thank everyone involved in making 2010 such a success, a fabulous group of Acton Walkways walkers joined us at Urban Food Store for an evening of wine, food and music. With the weather less than ideal, we all continued on for an indoor picnic with our prepared hampers. Thank you all for attending and making this such a great evening!

Photos by Bradley Cummings

View Photos




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End of year invitation

The CANWalk portal will provide an access point for people wanting to discover the city by foot. It will provide links to the different walking organisations and events in Canberra.

View Images from the launch and walk

Visit the website at http://www.canwalk.org.au

Thank you to everyone who has helped make 2010 a fantastic first year for Acton Walkways! With over 1,000 walkers, 7,000 visits to our website, media exposure and many emails of thanks and positive feedback, we are thrilled with the community response. We have also been the recipient of an ACT Heritage Award to document on video the Sunken Stories from Old Acton, and will report more on this venture in the new year.

Since beginning our guided walks and tours in March we have walked and talked through themes such as architecture, sculpture, heritage, history, geology, landscapes, gardens and sustainability. We have gone behind the scenes at the Shine Dome, watched and enjoyed film screenings at the National Film and Sound Archive and toured the early keyboard collection at the ANU School of Music. Over 60 budding photographers have 'Captured Acton on Camera' in a variety of lights, and 200 Wednesday lunchtime walkers have braved weather across the seasons to join us.

None of this would have been possible without the support of our four key sponsors: Australian National University, NewActon, National Film and Sound Archive and the ACT Government. In addition, many organisations have made generous in-kind contributions, including RSM Bird Cameron, MapShed Australia, Bradley Cummings Photography, Coordinate, Heart Foundation, National Trust and Geological Society (ACT), AbaF, Griffin Legal, and the Walter Burley Griffin Society.

We are also indebted to the many individuals who have given freely of their time and expertise to help support Acton Walkways through its first year. Most important among these are our tour guides who have shared their insights and knowledge with us, bringing the stories and treasures of Acton to life. On behalf of all our walkers, thank you!

This will be our last update for the year, and after a break over the hot summer months we will continue with our guided tours in April 2011, kicking off with a number of events to celebrate the ACT Heritage Festival. For all those people staying in Canberra over the break, the Wednesday lunchtime walks will continue, and we welcome all to join us (meet at the Street Theatre 12pm).

Happy Holidays and New Year, and we look forward to seeing you again in 2011.

Kirsty Guster
Acton Walkways

[Don't forget to check out our image galleries with photos taken from all the walks in 2010]

With thanks to photographer Rohan Thompson, 'In the City' Magazine and The Canberra Times for this photo

Acton Walkways also received the exciting news of an ACT Heritage Award to record and produce video excerpts of The Sunken Stories from Old Acton. As this project gets underway we look forward to hearing from people with memories and anecdotes of Acton before Lake Burley Griffin was filled.

For November we have five tours lined up, and welcome three new guides and themes. Allen Mawer who will lead us on a leisurely walk around 'Old, Old Acton', stopping to admire photographs from the past contrasted with the current vistas.

Jeanette Brand from the ANU Drill Hall Gallery will take us on a private tour of the new exhibition Dadang Christanto: Wounds in our heart, and in the first of our planned sustainability tours, ANUgreen Intern Jasmin will guide us around a small selection of the ANU sustainability initiatives.

Back by popular demand (after the last tour was booked out), Bradley Cummings will lead a photography tour capturing the arts and architecture at NewActon, and David Williams will share his insights into the artists and their works at the ANU International Sculpture Park.

In addition, we invite you to join us every Wednesday for our regular weekly lunchtime walks. These are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people!

View the November Calendar

Please remember to BOOK for these tours as many have limited places. Bookings can be made either by email: info@actonwalkways.com, or phone: 0437 301 390.

We look forward to seeing you in Acton this November!

This photo was taken on one of our Wednesday Weekday Walks in October




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Acton Walkways November Flyer

Join us as we go behind the scenes at the ANU School of Art Gallery ‘s exhibition THIS WAY UP with Dr Ruth Waller, Head of Painting Workshop, or with Dr Geoffrey Lancaster for a wine and candle-lit tour of the ANU School of Music's unique early keyboard collection. Back by popular demand after selling out in July, the National Film and Sound Archive will re-screen the documentary Canberra: A City Album with fascinating historical footage, drawn from the Archive's collection.

Heading outdoors into the beautiful spring weather, geologist Doug Finlayson will take us from Floriade to the National Museum with insights into Canberra's ancient and more recent geological history.  James and Kirsty will lead a Heritage and Sculpture Hotspot Tour, with a new route from the north to the south of the ANU campus, and Bradley will lead two of his popular photography tours with a new theme of Acton Waterways added this month.

In addition, we welcome you to join us every Wednesday for our regular weekly lunchtime walks. These are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people!

To view the schedule visit the What's On Calendar or Guided Tours page, or download the flyer below. Please remember to BOOK for these tours. For many events the numbers are limited. To book, email us at info@actonwalkways.com,  via the Contact Us page, or phone 0437 301 390. 

We look forward to seeing you in Acton soon! 

Professor David Williams will share his insights into ANU sculpture and architecture, or for a longer outing, join the National Parks Association for a Sunday sculpture stroll and picnic. Our popular photography walks, led by Bradley Cummings, will include an exploration of NewActon sculpture and architecture, and the natural and sculpted spaces of Lake Burley Griffin and the ANU International Sculpture Park. 

In addition, we welcome you to join us every Wednesday for our regular  weekly Heart Foundation lunchtime walks. These are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people. 

See our Guided Tours Listings or What's On Calendar for more information.

[Please don't forget to register your booking: Email us from the Contact Us page, or phone 0437 301 390]

This was one of our busiest months so far, with almost 250 people attending our guided tours and walks, and many events booking out.  There is a wonderful growing community of walkers (and talkers), and it is great to see new friendships developing.  Photos from the July events are now viewable on our Image Galleries, including some great pictures taken by our photography tour participants.

This month we are taking a break from our usual program to help celebrate the Australian Science Festival.  Many events are taking place in Acton during August, and we have added a selection of our favourites to the What's On Calendar.  For the full list of events in Canberra see the Science Festival website: www.sciencefestival.com.au.

Our Weekday Walks will continue every Wednesday throughout August.  In addition to being a great way to get some weekly exercise, these walks are proving to be a regular social event.  We welcome all new walkers.

The Acton Walkways program of guided tours and walks will resume in September.   If you would like to register for updates via email, please fill in your details on our 'Contact Us' Page.

We look forward to seeing you in Acton soon!

Acton Walkways have 6 guided walks and tours scheduled for July. With winter weather a little on the chilly side we are heading indoors for three of these, with some unique opportunities to explore the ANU School of Music early keyboard collection, the Australian Academy of Science Shine Dome (and basement) and a screening of archived footage from the National Film and Sound Archive (including morning tea with scones).

Our outdoor guided walks this month include two of our  popular Capturing Acton on Camera photography tours, with a focus on Acton Cottages, and NewActon sculptures, an Acton Arts and Heritage tour, and the regular  weekly Heart Foundation lunchtime walks every Wednesday.

See our Guided Tours Listings or What's On Calendar for more information.

We look forward to seeing you (please don't forget to register your booking). 



Download PDF
July Schedule of Tours

Do you have photos or comments to share? We look forward to hearing from you at info@actonwalkways.com

[This photo taken at breakfast prior to the Acton Landscape and History Tour with Dr Peter Dowling]

Bradley is the leader of our Capturing Acton on Camera Tours, and is the photographer of all the sculptures and heritage buildings on the Acton Walkways Site. In his spare time he put himself forward for this competition, and is now the winner of a  brand new Olympus PEN E-PL1

One of Brad's winning photographs was of the new John Curtin Medical School at the ANU, a building we often highlight in our tours. 

Well Done Brad!

See all the photos at the Olympus Winners Website 

VIsit Bradley's Website

Go to Bradley's Acton Walkways Blog

This month's walks and tours include a sculpture and architecture tour led by Professor David Williams, photography tours with Bradley Cummings, an Acton Arts and Heritage tour with James Collet, and Acton Landscape and History led by Dr Peter Dowling.

In addition, every Wednesday, in collaboration with the Heart Foundation join us for a 45-minute brisk lunchtime walk around Acton, starting at the Street Theatre.

We hope to see you in Acton this June!



Download PDF
June Schedule of Tours

Do you have photos or comments to share? We look forward to hearing from you at info@actonwalkways.com

We have just posted the May schedule of guided tours and walks to our calendar. This month we have a variety on offer, including two sculpture tours led by Professor David Williams, 'behind the scene' tours of the Academy of Science Shine Dome and the National Film and Sound Archive Gardens, photography tours led by Bradley Cummings, and an Acton Arts and Heritage tour.

In addition, every Wednesday, in collaboration with the Heart Foundation join us for a 45-minute brisk lunchtime walk around Acton, starting at the Street Theatre.

There has been much work behind the scenes to bring this concept to life, and many people to thank. To focus here just on the website. Firstly to the organisations which have sponsored this project. Without their brave support when it was just an idea this site would not exist. Next, to Coordinate for their great work in designing logos, graphics, lay-out and CMS functionality. To Jesse Steins for all of her research which has gone into this site, and to Roy Hill at MapShed for his generous time and expert advice. Lastly to all the supporters (individual and groups) who have followed and encouraged this project from the beginning. 

This site is a work in progress, and will continue to grow and improve over time. We welcome your feedback, and look forward to receiving your Acton insights, stories, images and videos.  

Thank you for visiting, and we hope you 'find yourself in new spaces' as you browse our website, or walk through Acton. 

View the April schedule Online



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April Schedule of Tours & Guided Walks Out Now

If you have photos you would like to share, please email them in to us.