The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Narrabundah Hill Reserve

Scrivener Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Molonglo River, completed in 1963, and is responsible for creating Lake Burley Griffin as a recreational and ornamental body of water. Named after surveyor Charles Scrivener, the dam is about 33 metres high and 319 metres long, with hydraulically operated fish‑belly flap gates that precisely control the lake levels and provide flood management capability. The dam also carries a roadway and the walking/cycling path, and helps form the backdrop to one of Canberra’s key engineering landmarks.

West Lake is the western section of Lake Burley Griffin and is the lake’s largest water expanse, popular for boating, sailing, rowing, and other recreational water activities. The tree‑lined foreshores and natural landscape also support water‑bird life and is a picturesque segment of the walking and cycling route along the lake.

The Commonwealth Bridge is the major road crossing over Lake Burley Griffin, carrying six lanes of traffic plus a shared foot and cycle path between Canberra’s city centre and the Parliamentary Zone. It is an integral element of the lake’s heritage landscape, with beautiful views across the Molonglo River. The river runs roughly 115 kilometres from the Great Dividing Range through New South Wales into the Australian Capital Territory, where the Scrivener Dam impounds its waters to form Lake Burley Griffin. Historically rich in native fish and culturally important to local Aboriginal peoples, the river continues beyond Canberra to join the Murrumbidgee River as part of the larger Murray–Darling basin.

Yarralumla Bay District Park sits on the southern foreshore of Lake Burley Griffin, between Orana Bay and Blue Gum Point, with a sandy beach and designated areas for swimming, paddling, boating, and other water sports. The park includes shaded picnic areas right along the lake’s cycleway/walkway and has launching ramps, piers, and clubhouses for sailing and rowing activities. It is a popular spot for year-round lakeside walking and water‑based recreation.

Weston Park is a scenic peninsula park with picnic areas, playgrounds, barbecues and a miniature railway, making it a popular family‑friendly recreational spot. It lies between Yarramundi Reach and Tarcoola Reach, with water on three sides, making it an ideal spot for weekend gatherings and lakeside relaxation. The park’s location near the water also makes it a significant venue for rowing events and provides boat access to the lake.

Lennox Gardens is a well-manicured lakeside park on the southern shore of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra’s Parliamentary Zone. The gardens include several international friendship spaces, notably the Beijing Garden and the nearby Canberra Peace Park, which celebrate Canberra’s sister-city relationships. With open lawns, ornamental plantings, and walking paths along the lake, it is a popular place for picnicking and enjoying the beautiful views across the water.

Beautiful gardens overlooking the lake that’s worth checking out on your ride along LBG.

Worth a 100m side trip to the lookout over the reservoir.