Page 212 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

210  NE W SOUTH W ALES AND A C T

Further Afield in the ACT by the Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research
More than 70 per cent of the Australian Capital Territory is Organization (CSIRO) and the
bushland. A one-day tour along Tourist Drive 5 provides an American NASA organization.
opportunity to see native animals in the wild, swim in the It is one of only three such
majestic Murrumbidgee River, visit a deep-space tracking deep-space tracking centres in
the world linked to the NASA
station, and relax in the lovely gardens of the historic control centre in California. The
Lanyon Homestead. complex has six satellite dishes,
the largest of which measures
tMurrumbidgee 70 m (230 ft) in diameter and
River weighs a hefty 3,000 tonnes.
Visitors to the Space Centre
n ACT Parks and Conservation can see a piece of moon rock
Service 13 2281. 3.8 billion years old, examine
an astronaut’s space suit, learn
The Murrumbidgee River meets about the role of the complex
the Cotter River at Casuarina during the Apollo moon land-
Sands, a beautiful place to fish ings and see pictures sent back
and canoe. Nearby is Cotter from Mars, Saturn and Jupiter.
Dam, good for picnics,
swimming and camping.
On the bank of the Murrum-
bidgee River south of Canberra
Interior of the small stone cottage at is Lanyon Homestead, a
Mugga-Mugga restored 1850s home.
On the same property is the
rMugga-Mugga Sidney Nolan Gallery, which
features the Ned Kelly series
8 Narrabundah Lane, Symonston.
Tel (02) 6235 5677. Open 1:30–4:30pm of paintings (see p38)p38)p38 .
Sat–Sun. Closed late Dec–mid-Jan. &
P Lanyon Homestead
One of Canberra’s earliest Tharwa Drive, Tharwa. Tel (02) 6235 Emu at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
historic sites, Mugga-Mugga 5677. Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sun.
reflects the social and material Closed Good Fri, 24 & 25 Dec. uTidbinbilla
history of a rural working-class & 7 - Nature Reserve
family who worked on
Duntroon Estate. The site’s Via Paddys River Rd (Tourist Drive 5).
main feature is a small stone yCanberra Tel 13 2281 or (02) 6205 1233. Open
cottage built for the estate’s Deep Space 9am–5pm daily (to 4:30pm in winter).
Closed 25 Dec. & 7 limited. 8
head shepherd in the 1830s. Communication ∑ tidbinbilla.act.gov.au
It has been adapted over time,
but is still furnished with Complex The tranquil Tidbinbilla Nature
household items that belonged Via Paddys River Rd (Tourist Drive 5). Reserve, with its 5,450 ha (13,450
to the Curley family who Tel (02) 6201 7880. Open 9am–5pm acres) of forests, grasslands,
moved to Mugga-Mugga in daily. Closed 25 Dec. 7 - = 8 streams and mountains, is a
1913. A galvanized iron garage by arrangement. ∑ cdscc.nasa.gov paradise for wildlife lovers.
near the cottage houses an Kangaroos and their joeys bask
exhibition on the issue of Canberra Deep Space Commu- in the sun, emus strut on the
Federation (see p60)p60)p60 . nication Complex is managed grassy flats, platypuses swim in
the creeks, koalas thrive on the
eucalypt branches and bower
birds and superb lyrebirds can
be seen in the tall forests.
The reserve is set at the end
of a valley. Visitors hike up to
Gibraltar Rock or take a night
stroll with a ranger to see sugar
gliders and possums. The
Birrigai Time Trail is a 3-km
(2-mile) walk through various
periods of history. The visitors’
centre features Aboriginal
Tracking dishes known as “antenna” at the Canberra Space Complex artifacts and pioneer relics.
For hotels and restaurants in this area see p485 and pp510–11