Farrer-Mawson walk directions
Summary
Beautiful irrigated playing fields, hidden pockets of semi-bush parkland, and impressive views to the Brindabella Mountains are features on this relaxed, varied walk through the established Woden suburbs of Farrer and Mawson. Most of the route follows a series of interconnected open spaces with minimal crossing of roads. As well as two big off leash playing fields at the beginning and end of the walk there is more off leash walking in a semi-bush park. There are a couple of short uphill stretches in the first part of the walk but the Brindabella views at the top make it worthwhile. As well as parkland, a short section meandering through streets shows you a slice of life in Mawson. The walk starts and ends at the Farrer shops featuring a dog friendly café open 7 days and serving good coffee.
Start/Finish - Farrer shops, Farrer Place
Time/Distance - Allow 75 minutes/approx 5 km
Off lead rating - ♥♥
Parking - Farrer Place
Dog friendly café - Our Pick Fox and Bow
Public toilets - Adjacent to the playground next to the Farrer Oval, or ask at the café
Bins - Farrer shops; Mawson District Playing Fields
Distractions - Kangaroos in semi-bush parks
Children's playgrounds - Farrer Oval; Mawson District Playing Fields; near Farrer shops
Photo gallery - See photos taken on the Farrer-Mawson walk.
Note - All our dog walks assume you are a responsible dog owner with an obedient and well-socialised dog. See our Important Stuff page before starting any of our walks.
Map
Use the navigation tools to zoom in or out for different views of the route or click on the 'view larger map' icon on the top right hand corner of the map to view in google maps.
Directions
Farrer shops to Farrer Oval (5 minutes)
1. With your back to the Australia Post mail boxes (next to the IGA entrance), cross Farrer Place and follow the concrete footpath passing between the buildings opposite to reach a narrow park. When the path splits, take the right fork and continue under the underpass ahead (passing under Longerenong Street).
2. Continue following the footpath a short way past a children's playground, then veer to the left off the path across the grass towards an old grey weatherboard building with a water tank. Pass the building on your left and walk up a little grassy bank to reach the Farrer Oval.
Off leash opportunity on the oval.
Wander on the oval to give your dog some off leash time if it's not being used for sports.
However check the oval carefully for kangaroos before letting your dog off leash. A mob of very relaxed kangaroos occasionally visits from Farrer Ridge to enjoy a morning snooze and graze. You can't see them until you walk up the little bank onto the oval.
At the far side of the Farrer Oval from where you enter is the Farrer Primary School. Make sure you keep dogs away from the school on school days.
Public toilets are located in a brightly painted steel structure adjacent to the children's playground, just before you walk up the grassy bank to the oval.
Farrer Oval to Beasley Street (20 minutes)
3. When you're ready, with your back on the primary school head diagonally to your right, towards the mission-brown Government Parks depot buildings to reach the street in sight (Longerenong Street). Walk parallel to the street on your right until you see a narrow strip of parkland on the other side of the street - approximately opposite the Government Parks depot buildings.
Off leash opportunity ends here.
4. Cross the street to reach the narrow parkland and follow the concrete footpath uphill. Cross another street (Roseworthy Crescent) and walk up a short steep dirt track through a vehicle gate to enter a semi-bush park.
Off leash opportunity starts here, unless your dog chases kangaroos!
5. After entering the park, turn left and follow the wide dirt track parallel to the back fences of houses.
This is a lovely small semi-bush pocket hidden amongst Farrer homes. Your dog may enjoy some time exploring through the eucalypts, native grasses and shrubs before continuing the walk route. Although it is designated off leash, please bear in mind the advice about possible 'roos.
There are nice views south over the tops of houses to your left.
6. The dirt track climbs for a short distance and then begins to drop downhill. Continue following the track as it narrows to single file and the park contracts to a narrow grassy stretch running between the back fences of houses on both sides. Continue following the narrow park downhill.
7. At the point where the park forks, take the left fork. A little further along the dirt track becomes a concrete footpath.
Off leash opportunity ends just before the concrete footpath.
Beasley Street to Mawson District Playing Fields (20 minutes)
8. Follow the footpath downhill until it reaches a main street (Beasley Street). Cross Beasley Street at the point where there is a small pedestrian island, and then head uphill into the street you can see nearly directly ahead (Pascoe Street). Walk on the right hand side of Pascoe Street using the concrete footpath.
You leave the suburb of Farrer and enter Mawson when you cross Beasley Street.
9. At the next intersection (with Shackleton Circuit) cross over, then turn right on Shackleton Circuit for a very short distance until you reach another semi-bush park on your left. Turn left to enter the park, stepping up a short stone retaining wall.
Off leash opportunity starts here.
This is Shackleton Park, another pocket-sized semi-bush park in the centre of a very attractive Willemson-designed townhouse development.
10. Shortly after entering the park, veer left where part of the park branches in between the townhouses. Enter this more groomed area between the townhouses where grass is regularly mown. After a short distance, the park branches left and right. Take the left fork and head towards a small rocky knoll.
There a fine views from this little knoll towards the Mawson District Playing Fields, the suburbs of Torrens and Pearce, Mount Taylor and the Brindabella Mountains in the far distance. It's also interesting to examine the features of the Willemsen townhouses with their lovely gardens.
11. After enjoying the view, back track to take the right fork (now to your left). Continue along the middle of this narrow park with townhouses on either side for a few minutes until you reach a set of three trig posts. Just after the trig posts the park ends. Walk left to reach a concrete footpath leading downhill between a narrow gap in the townhouses.
Off leash opportunity ends at the footpath.
There are more glimpses of impressive views to your right as you wander through this delightful park.
12. Follow the footpath a short distance until another small bushy park.
Off leash opportunity starts here.
13. Follow the dirt track which curves gradually to the right and continue until it nears a road (Shackleton Circuit). Walk down to Shackleton Circuit once you see a row of upright posts along the road. Turn left to follow the footpath along the left hand side of the road.
Off leash opportunity ends at Shackleton Circuit.
There is a steep retaining stone wall bordering the park and the road, so take care to continue walking along the dirt track in the park until you see those upright posts.
14. Continue on Shackleton Circuit for a few minutes, and then take the second street on the right (Macrobertson Street).
There's an interesting mix of houses here - those built when this part of Mawson was first developed in the early 1970s, and some redevelopments only a few years old.
15. Follow Macrobertson Street until the junction with Hoseason Street. Directly opposite Hoseason Street, you'll see a concrete footpath on your right. Leave Macrobertson Street and follow the concrete footpath downhill which passes between the houses.
16. When the footpath reaches another street (Wilkins Street), cross over then turn left then nearly immediately right (onto Heard Street) and follow it a short distance to reach a huge green space - the Mawson District Playing Fields.
Mawson District Playing Fields to Farrer shops (20 minutes)
17. Veer left off the street to enter the playing fields.
Off leash opportunity on the playing fields.
This large expanse of irrigated park is an off leash area except when sports games are in progress. Even then, dogs are still allowed off leash in a non-irrigated large rectangle which is in the furthest corner from where you entered.
Spend some time here enjoying the generous open space. There are lovely shady trees around the perimeter and some strategically placed park benches. Mount Taylor provides the foreground to more distant mountain vistas beyond.
There are bins located next to the amenities block in the middle of this area.
18. When you're ready to continue, turn your back to Mount Taylor (the big brown hill on the west side of the fields), and walk back towards the edge of the fields to the units and townhouses until you reach a concrete footpath.
Off leash opportunity ends before the concrete path.
19. Turn right to follow the footpath a short distance until it forks. Take the left fork which follows a narrow park towards a children's playground. (If you've wandered to the far end of the expanse of playing fields, when you reach the footpath, you may have to follow it left, and then turn right when it forks.)
20. Continue following the footpath past the children's playground and through two underpasses (first under Beasley Street and the second under Marshall Street). Ignore the footpath branching to the right between the first and second underpasses. Just after the second underpass, take the first footpath branching to the right to return to the Farrer shops.
There is another small children's playground on the left, just before you turn right to reach the shops.
If you'd prefer to join one of our regular guided group walks, find out more at our guided walks page.