National Parks & Nature Reserves
Approximately half of Australian Capital Territory consists of nature reserves and national parks. Just 40km (25 miles) southwest of the capital, the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve in Tharwa, near the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex, features a wealth of Australian fauna and wildlife in a natural bush setting. The park is open daily and a number of bushwalking trails are provided where visitors can observe kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, platypus, bush birds and water birds in their natural habitat; visitors are able to watch native birds being fed. Further south is the Namadgi National Park, which is part of the Snowy Mountains and offers spectacular views and walking tracks. The park contains a number of prehistoric sites with Aboriginal rock paintings as well as a variety of rare sub-alpine species of flora and fauna. The Jerrabomberra Wetlands, a well-known bird and wildlife sanctuary, are situated on the edge of Lake Burley Griffin. During drought in inland Australia, the wetlands, one of the most important bird habitats in the region, become a refuge for large numbers of water birds from surrounding areas. The Murrumbidgee River flows from the mountains in the south through the ACT; the Murrumbidgee River Corridor is a designated park area, popular for picnicking, walking and horseriding. For further information contact the Environment ACT helpline (tel: (2) 6207 9777; website: www.environment.act.gov.au) or Environment Australia, GPO Box 787, Canberra, ACT 2601 (tel: (2) 6274 1111; fax: (2) 6274 1666; website: www.ea.gov.au).
|
