Approximately
half of Capital Territory - Canberra consists of nature reserves
and national parks. Just 40 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of
the capital, the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve in
Tharwa, near the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex, features
a prosperity of Australian fauna and wildlife in a natural bush
setting. The park is open daily and several bush walking trails
are provided where visitors can observe wallabies, kangaroos,
platypus, koalas, 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 stunning views and walking
tracks. The park contains numerous 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, is located on the edge of Lake Burley
Griffin. During the drought in inland Australia, the wetlands,
1 of the most important bird habitats in the region, becomes 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 walking picnicking and horse
riding. For further information please contact the Environment
ACT helpline (telephone: (2) 6207 9777) or Environment Australia:
Address: GPO Box 787, Canberra, ACT 2601
Telephone: (2) 6274 1111
Facsimile: (2) 6274 1666
Website address: www.ea.gov.au |
