Lake Burley Griffin

Lake Burley Griffin was central to Walter Burley Griffin's 1912 plan for Canberra but was not created until 1963, when the Molonglo River was dammed and the valley flooded, giving the city the axis around which its institutions sit. A path of around forty kilometres circles the whole lake, with shorter loops crossing the bridges, and bikes, kayaks and paddle boats are hired from the shore. The Captain Cook Memorial Jet throws water about a hundred and fifty metres into the air on a set schedule, and the National Carillon, a gift from Britain in 1970, stands on Aspen Island and is played regularly. Black swans and cormorants use the water year-round.

What you actually see

• The memorial jet - the water column fired on a daily schedule.
• The National Carillon - the bell tower on Aspen Island, played at set times.
• The circuit paths - cycling and walking loops around the shore.
• The institutional shoreline - the national buildings arranged around the water.

When to go

September to May for cycling and boating; Canberra winters are cold with heavy frost, and the lake fogs in the mornings. Spring brings Floriade to the adjacent Commonwealth Park. The jet runs on a published schedule and pauses in high wind.

Honest expectations

Swimming is generally discouraged and periodically banned due to blue-green algae, which closes parts of the lake in warm months. The full circuit is long and exposed. The jet is switched off in strong wind without notice.

Nearby

Commonwealth Park and Floriade are on the northern shore; the Parliamentary Triangle lies south.