Lake Ginninderra Peninsula District Park

By the waters of Lake Ginninderra

• Location
• Facilities
• History
• From rural use to lakeside parkland
• Designed for recreation by the lake
• The place to enjoy the waters of the lake
• Reference
  

Location

Accessible via Diddams Close, off Ginninderra Drive.

• A map showing Belconnen with the location of Lake Ginninderra Peninsula marked.
• A map of Lake Ginninderra Peninsula.

Facilities

Facilities for intensive recreation including swimming, boat launching, picnicking and children's play. Power boating is prohibited. There are also barbecues, picnic areas and public toilets.

History

Ginninderra Peninsula West District Park and Ginninderra East District Park are located off the northern peninsula of Lake Ginninderra.

From rural use to lakeside parkland

The peninsula was largely treeless grazing land on the edge of Ginninderra Creek since European settlement last century. However with the National Capital Development Commission decision in 1967 to create Lake Ginninderra as the central scenic and recreational focus of Belconnen Town Centre, grazing was excluded. Revegetation of the area, principally with indigenous species, was pursued almost immediately.

Master planning of the lake foreshores proceeded in the early 1970s. Construction of a cycle path around the lake followed some years later. The foreshore development plan in 1981 envisaged development of the two peninsula parks for intensive recreation, while much of the remainder of the peninsula was to remain largely as an informal semi-natural landscape dominated by indigenous plants.

Consistent with the official decision to name all streets in Belconnen after Lord Mayors and Mayors, the road providing access to these two parks from Ginninderra Drive was named after Henry Diddams (1864-1928), who was the first Mayor of Brisbane elected directly by constituents in 1921.

Designed for recreation by the lake

The design emphasis for the two district parks was on the provision of vehicular access for intensive lake and lakeside recreation in a predominantly Australian landscape setting. Exotic deciduous tree species have been used near the shore.

At the eastern park the facilities include a sandy beach and paddling enclosure, playground, picnic tables and barbecues and a public toilet. There is ample parking.

The western park has a sandy beach, swimming enclosure and boat launching ramp. Facilities include barbecues, picnic tables, a playground and public toilets.

The swimming beaches are monitored for blue green algae and bacteria. Whenever conditions are unsuitable for swimming public warnings are given.

In the semi-natural landscape on the southern part of the peninsula many walking trails may be found. Two fishing jetties have been provided, one on the western shore and one near the southern tip of the peninsula. there is a cyclepath adjacent to the shoreline and occasional park benches.

The place to enjoy the waters of the lake

These two district parks are popular for water-based recreation at weekends. Boats can be launched (power boating is prohibited) and swimming is possible during the warmer months of the year at the swimming areas. The two parks are also popular for family picnics at the barbecues and picnic tables provided.

The recreation experience is greatly enhanced by the semi-natural landscape on the remainder of the peninsula. The predominantly indigenous landscape supports the majority of terrestrial fauna on the lake's foreshores. Kangaroos, foxes, brown snakes, blue tongue lizards, bearded dragons and echidnas have all been observed there. Bird watching is a favourite activity of some visitors to the area.

Reference

Gray, J (1997) The Historical and Cultural Background of Selected Urban Parks in Canberra - Volume 2.