Tuggeranong Town Park

Born out of Tuggeranong's rural past

• Location
• Facilities
• History
• Designed for contemporary Tuggeranong
• Reference

Location

On the shores of Lake Tuggeranong, access from Anketell Street.

• A map showing Tuggeranong Region with the location of Tuggeranong Town Park marked.
• A map of Tuggeranong Town Park

Facilities

Facilities at Tuggeranong Town Park include children's play equipment, seating, picnic tables, shelters, parking, toilets and electric barbeques. A skatepark is located near the park's western boundary and a natural amphitheatre for large community activities has been created adjacent to Anketell Street. Vehicle access to picnic areas has been provided. Cycle trail access is also provided.

History

This park has been born out of Tuggeranong's rural past - it has been linked back in its design to the 19th century boundary line between two major rural properties - those of the Campbell family to the north and the Cunningham families to the south. The boundary was a complex structure which functioned as a 'fence' combining dry stone walling and a ditch and bank system. Evidence of the latter has been found at the eastern end of the line a Drakeford Drive and of the former on the western side of Athllon Drive.

Design and construction of the park began in 1986 and its birth was marked in an unusual way in 1988. With the assistance of a community artist the main pedestrian access to the park in Anketell Street was paved with bricks into which had been baked messages from many in the Tuggeranong Community. Those messages reflected their thoughts, views and hopes for the present and the future.

The park was officially opened in 1995. A ceramic tiled path, the work of 500 residents of all ages, was installed near the shoreline. This path expresses their thoughts on the journey through life.

Designed for contemporary Tuggeranong

While there were no significant remnants of the boundary marker on the site of teh park, it has provided however the starting point for the design. It is now marked by a double row of Lombardy poplars (Populus nigra Italica) which will grow to a very great height forming a distinct laneway. Small replicas using stone from the original wall were erected on Athllon Drive as part of the Australia Remembers 1945-1995 program.

A series of formal terraced gardens commencing at the main entrance gate are being established along the park's main design axis. As park users descend along this axis they will be able to appreciate gardens of different characters while at the same time enjoying the view to Mt Taylor onto which the axis is aligned. Murals have been added under community art programs.

The remainder of the park abuts the shoreline and has been developed to an informal design. Mixed exotic and Australian native plantings have been used. Willows (Salix babylonica) and river oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana) are planted on the shoreline, on part of which is a sandy swimming beach with, in one place, a gazebo-like shelter.

Tuggeranong Town Park is popular for family recreation in the warmer months of the year and for large scale community use of the amphitheatre.

Reference

Gray, J (1997) The Historical and Cultural Background of selected Urban Parks in Canberra.