Belconnen: Parks, Art and Skatepark

Belconnen offers several distinct reasons to visit: John Knight Memorial Park on Lake Ginninderra, the Belconnen Arts Centre and Belconnen Skatepark. They range from parks and lakeside paths to art and skateboarding, helping you identify the focus you want for your stay.

Lakeside paths and trails at Lake Ginninderra

John Knight Memorial Park covers 12 hectares and is located on the eastern shore of Lake Ginninderra. It is connected to the lakeside promenade and the walking and cycling path along the lake. Both its waterfront location and paths along the lakeshore are part of the character of this park.

The park has a disc golf course and a permanent orienteering course. Together with its connection to the lakeside promenade and the walking and cycling path, these offer different points of reference for planning: lakeside paths on one hand, courses on the other. Its 12-hectare area and specific recreational facilities give the park a distinct role in a visit to Belconnen.

Art and movement in Belconnen

The Belconnen Arts Centre looks out over Lake Ginninderra. Its offerings include dance, music, visual arts, theatre and hands-on workshops. This range makes the Centre a different focus from the paths and courses by the lake: here, artistic disciplines and workshops take centre stage. If you want to include culture in your travel plans, you’ll find several different themes under one roof.

Belconnen Skatepark has a competition halfpipe, also known as a vert ramp. This adds a clear skateboarding focus to the parks and culture. The halfpipe is a specific feature of the skatepark; it doesn’t need to be equated with the courses or arts offerings to showcase Belconnen’s range of interests.

When choosing accommodation, use the kind of day you want as your guiding question: Are you most drawn to the lakeside and park setting, the cultural program or the halfpipe? This way, you can connect your search for hotels in Belconnen to specific travel interests and decide which of the area’s distinct sides you want to focus on.

A broader look at the Australian Capital Territory

The wider destination of the Australian Capital Territory offers additional themes. The permanent exhibitions at the Australian War Memorial include more than 7,000 objects from the Memorial’s collection. The National Arboretum Canberra is home to the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection of Australia. These collections offer cultural highlights distinct from those of the Belconnen Arts Centre.

Nature and outdoor activities also take on a different scale in the Australian Capital Territory: Namadgi National Park protects 106,095 hectares of alpine, subalpine and montane bushland and has several hundred kilometres of walking trails. At Yankee Hat, an easy walk leads to ancient Ngunnawal rock art. As access may change, check before your visit.

The 138-kilometre, self-guided Canberra Centenary Trail is for walkers, runners and cyclists. It also includes sites and landscapes of significance to the Ngunnawal. These regional opportunities give you a broader perspective on the Australian Capital Territory; they offer a different way to shape a trip than Belconnen’s local mix of lakeside paths, art and skatepark.

Discover more destinations: Phillip, Franklin, Macgregor, Hall

Return to the wider travel overview: Canberra.