Conder-Gordon walk directions
Summary
In southernmost Canberra, the suburbs of Conder and Gordon are nestled in a broad valley boasting panoramic views in all directions. The route follows two little creeks running through attractive parks and circumnavigates pretty Point Hut Pond. Dogs can also enjoy off leash romps at two huge irrigated playing fields and even paddle in the Pond at a dog off leash swimming spot. If you have children in tow, they'll find the playgrounds at Point Hut Pond District Park hard to resist. There are beautiful mountain and hill views from all points on the route and a high likelihood of spotting swans, pelicans and other water birds on Point Hut Pond. This loop walk is paved much of the way and generally flat. A shorter option, while still maximising off leash opportunities, is easily achieved by cutting out the pond loop. The walk starts and ends behind the petrol station, corner of Tharwa Drive and Norman Lindsay Street, at the Lanyon Marketplace shopping centre in Conder.
Start/Finish - Lanyon Marketplace, Norman Lindsay Street
Time/Distance - Allow 90 minutes/approx 6 km (short option allow 60 minutes/approx 3.5 km)
Off lead rating - ♥♥
Parking - Carparks at the Lanyon Marketplace shopping centre
Dog friendly café - Our pick Black and White Espresso at the Lanyon Marketplace shopping centre
Public toilets - Inside the Lanyon Marketplace and at Point Hut Pond District Park
Bins - At all ovals and Point Hut Pond District Park
Distractions - None
Children's playgrounds - Several around Point Hut Pond
Photo gallery - See photos taken on the Conder-Gordon 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
Norman Lindsay Street to Point Hut Pond (25 minutes)
1. Start in the grassy area behind the petrol station on Norman Lindsay Street. With your back to the petrol station, walk straight ahead to cross over a paved footpath and then downhill to step over a very narrow concrete creek channel. Walk uphill out of the creek course to reach a large irrigated playing field - the Gordon District Playing Fields.
Off leash opportunity on the playing fields.
You might like to spend a few minutes on this generous sized area to let your dog enjoy an off leash romp, if not being used for sports.
There is a bin adjacent to the amenities block to your left as you enter the playing fields.
There are attractive hill views to the left and up ahead.
2. When you're ready, continue straight across the oval from where you entered, to the other side until you reach another paved footpath. Turn right on the footpath to follow it towards a major road (Tharwa Drive).
3. As you near Tharwa Drive, follow the footpath as it forks left. Continue to follow the footpath running parallel to Tharwa Drive on your right.
The footpath is lined by mature trees providing good shade for most of this stretch.
4. When the footpath brings you to another road (Box Hill Avenue) cross over, and then turn right to follow the footpath as it passes underneath Tharwa Drive.
Take care at the crossing as cars can swing into Box Hill Avenue from the round-about at Tharwa Drive quite quickly.
5. Continue following the footpath as it takes you through a narrow informal park and runs parallel to a little creek on your left.
Off leash opportunity starts after passing under Tharwa Drive but off leash dogs must stay 10 metres away from the paved path.
It should be relatively easy to maintain a distance from the paved path by veering right off the path and keeping fairly close to the back fences of houses while walking through this relatively narrow park. However, some dogs seem to find the allure of the creek - on the other side of the paved path - too difficult to resist. If you have a dog like this, you may need to keep them on leash through this section, in which case you can just walk along the paved path.
6. Continue walking through this park, crossing over a couple of paved paths until you reach another street (Knoke Avenue).
Off leash opportunity ends here.
7. Rejoin the paved path on your left and follow it under Knoke Avenue using the underpass. Continue on the footpath until it takes you over a pedestrian bridge and reaches the edge of a large pond/small lake (Point Hut Pond).
Point Hut Pond circuit (25 minutes)
8. If you'd like to take the shorter version of this walk, instead of continuing ahead towards the pond, take the footpath branching right, and then continue on this footpath making sure to have the back fences of houses on your left hand side. Skip to direction no. 13 below for directions back to the starting point.
Otherwise, continue straight ahead, leaving the paved paths, to following the shore of Point Hut Pond, with the pond on your left hand side.
Essentially, the route now follows a circuit around the pond, the first quarter over grass/dirt tracks and the last three quarters on paved paths.
On your right is the Point Hut District Park playground where dogs are prohibited so don't venture away from the shore with your dog into that space.
This route immediately next to the pond is much prettier and shadier than continuing on the paved path around the other side of the playground.
9. Wander around the shore of the pond, taking time to make excursions onto the jetties poking out into the water.
10. Soon you'll reach a paved path adjacent to picnic tables, bins and a toilet block. Follow the path a few metres to the left, but veer left off the path again to follow the shoreline. After crossing over a very small bank you'll reach a flat grassy area.
Off leash and swimming opportunity in the grassy area between the car park and road on the right and the shoreline of the pond on the left.
If you'd like to give your dog the opportunity for some off leash time and a paddle, spend a little time here. The off leash area is bordered by the pond shoreline and the car park and extends to where the shoreline rejoins the paved path. Although there is no beach here, even our whimpy whippets can access several shallow entries into the pond for a paddle.
There are public toilets and bins by the car park and more bins at other points through this park but note that your dog must be on leash where the toilets and bins are located.
11. When you're ready, continue ahead along the shore of the pond until the shoreline rejoins the paved path. With your dog on leash, follow this path as it continues around the pond, then adjacent to a major road (Jim Pike Avenue), and then directly adjacent to the pond again. (There is a short break in the paved path just after leaving Jim Pike Avenue where you'll walk along a bitumen access road. Just keep following the shoreline and you can't go wrong.)
There are impressive mountain and water views around most of this circuit, particularly west to the Brindabella Mountains range and across the pond to the east.
After leaving Jim Pike Avenue, the paved path runs close to the back fences of townhouses on your right and the pond lined with casuarinas on your left.
12. When you have nearly completed a full circuit of the pond, you'll see a long pedestrian bridge on your left crossing over the little creek which feeds into the pond. Walk over the bridge.
Point Hut Pond to Norman Lindsay Street (20 minutes)
13. With your back to the bridge, walk straight ahead and then follow the footpath veering slightly right through a narrow park with houses on your left and the little creek on your right. The footpath will soon pass under a road (Knoke Avenue again but at a different point).
14. On the other side of Knoke Avenue, you can continue straight ahead on the footpath which will lead you back to Tharwa Drive and another underpass to reach your starting point, or take a short detour to enjoy the huge off leash expanse of the Gordon Neighbourhood Oval. If you'd like to do the latter, soon after passing under Knoke Avenue use the footbridge on the right which crosses over the little creek.
15. On the other side of the creek, continue straight ahead up the bank to enter the beautiful green space of Gordon Neighbourhood Oval.
Off leash opportunity on the playing fields and surrounds.
The Oval is actually two adjacent playing fields bisected by a car park and access road.
If there are no sports games, this is a very attractive area to dawdle and admire more lovely mountain views.
If there are sports games, you can still walk your dog off leash between the footpath heading left and the little creek.
There are bins next to the amenities block by the car park.
16. When you're ready, head back toward the little creek and either cross back over the footbridge and turn right to continue on the footpath to your starting point, or stay on the oval side of the creek and follow the footpath adjacent to the creek, with the creek on your left.
17. Continue on the footpath until it passes under a road (Tharwa Drive) back to the petrol station and your starting point. If you didn't cross back over the creek using the footbridge earlier, you'll need to negotiate a crossing point a little past Tharwa Drive to return to the petrol station.
There is a good dog-friendly café, the Black and White Espresso, at the shopping centre with a few outdoor tables, reasonable coffee and delicious food.
If you'd prefer to join one of our regular guided group walks, find out more at our guided walks page.