canberra.bike
There are OpenStreetMap updates for both Mount Mugga Mugga Nature Reserve and Isaacs Ridge Nature Reserve. Unfortunately, no new paths come out of it. One route is now closed down to Mugga Lane as a result of new fencing along Old Quarry Road. Big trucks come labouring up this hill all day long. More about the changes below.
Play spaces are popping up all over Canberra. Canberra.bike provided a guide to play spaces and this is now updated in this post. A recent announcement by Chris Steel in May 2020 reminded us that there is more to come. Some were already in last years budget but a few have been brought forward as a result of COVID-19 playground closures. There is good news here for everybody.
Playgrounds are of great interest for many. They are certainly a great ride destination with children. Between 2015-2018 many of the playgrounds where reviewed on Weekend Notes. There a links to playground reviews below.
Play Spaces, the large playgrounds that are so loved, are becoming more common. They are a great destination for a ride. The ACT Government is investing millions in them as part of urban renewal. Where did this idea come from? The RiotACT discussed this in 2018. A link to the article is found below.
The ACT Government has an urban renewal program that includes the whole of Canberra. Check out the projects close to where you live on the interactive map. The projects include playgrounds. Canberra.bike discussed the renewal of playgrounds here recently.
“Play space upgrades
As part of the ACT Government’s Better Suburbs Program, a community-led Play Spaces Forum allocated $1.9 million to improve playgrounds. One key decision was the allocation of $350,000 for new nature play spaces to enhance Eddison Park in Woden and Glebe Park in the City. $150,000 was also set aside to build a nature play space in Farrer. Read all about the new nature play spaces here.”
Play space upgrades, ACT Government, accessed 25 June 2020
This is the first update of the list of strategic path projects from the official Fast Track website. Of the “$25 million program” announced by Andrew Barr on 11/6/2020 very little has been allocated to new strategic path projects.
In 2015 a study was carried out for the ACT Government reviewing mountain biking in Long Gully Pine Plantation. The report is attached and holds many interesting details. The Spine has been mentioned previously as it is accessible to everybody. It is certainly worth a look. The route “Isaacs Ridge peak from Woden Bus Station” follows The Spin up the hill.
Take the bus to Woden. Ride to the peak of Isaac Ridge ride and back. First a gentle climb along a good bike path to the southern end of the ridge before doubling back for the second half of the climb and the ascent to the ridge along The Spine singletrack. The ridge is then mostly flat until just before the peak.
Descend from the peak to the bike path and back to the bus. The descent is steep but is a good road. If you do not like steep, turn around at the peak and ride back to the bus station the way you came up.
Ride a good bike path, flat and fast gravel, climb a hill or singletrack, and combine it as you wish. There are advanced downhill routes, too, but that is for another day. These rides centre around the Long Gully Pine Plantation at Isaacs Ridge.
Canberra Nature Park makes it possible to ride through a network of reserves that are interconnected without ever crossing a major road. One of these areas is in the south east of Canberra.
