During the hotter months of January and February our Wednesday walks will be held from 5:15pm - 6:15pm (rather than 12pm) to avoid the midday sun. Designed for workers and residents in the precinct, this is a social 45 minute - 1 hour walk. Different routes are taken each week, exploring scenery around Acton and the Lake.

Start: Street Theatre, corner of Childers Street and University Avenue

End: Street Theatre (or various drop-off points along the way)

Start Time: 5:15pm

Finish Time: 6:15pm

Cost: Free

Bookings: You can just turn up, though ideally please email or phone to confirm your attendance, so if you are running a little late we will know to wait for you.

Contact: Email: info@actonwalkways.com, Phone: 0437 301 390

To ensure we leave on time, please arrive at the meeting point 5 minutes prior to the advertised start time. We strongly advise you to wear covered walking shoes, and bring a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and water. In addition to plenty of fresh air and scenic views, there will be some low level bush terrain and inclines, requiring moderate levels of fitness. If we need to cancel due to weather a cancellation notice will be posted on the calendar for that day at least 1 hour prior. 

Thank you to everyone who has helped make 2011 a fantastic second year for Acton Walkways!

This year over 1,000 walkers have joined us in 80 guided tours and walks across such themes as architecture, art deco, arts, design, film and sound preservation, gardens and landscapes, geology, heritage and history, music, museums, photography, science, sculpture, and sustainability.  Additionally more than 13,000 have visited our website and facebook pages to explore the attractions and events in Acton throughout the year.

None of this would have been possible without the support of our four key sponsors: Australian National University, NewActon, National Film and Sound Archive and the ACT Government. In addition, many organisations have made generous in-kind contributions, including RSM Bird Cameron, MapShed Australia, Bradley Cummings Photography, Coordinate, Heart Foundation, National Trust and Geological Society (ACT), and The ANU Exchange.

We are also indebted to the many individuals who have given freely of their time and expertise. Most important among these are our tour guides who have shared their insights and knowledge with us, bringing the stories and treasures of Acton to life. On behalf of all our walkers, thank you!

This will be our last update for the year, and after a break over the summer we will continue with our guided tours in March 2011. Do check our website for local Acton events during this time. For those people staying in Canberra over the break, our Wednesday lunchtime walks will continue until 21st December, and start again on January 4th at the new summer timeslot of 5:15 – 6:15pm.  

We hope you can join us to celebrate the end of the year, and look forward to seeing you again in 2012.

Happy Holidays and New Year!

Kirsty, Adam and Belinda

This month we have four guided walks planned, with a variety of different insights into the history of Acton and Canberra, from geology and geography to ancient and recent human settlement. Back by popular demand, we will hold another Sunday Social Stroll – bring your own topic or simply find yourself in new spaces of conversation...

Visit our Guided Tours pages for more information

With the weather warming up don't forget to put on your walking shoes and join us every Wednesday at 12pm at the Street Theatre for our social lunchtime walks, exploring various routes around the Acton precinct.

Please remember to book for tours, as numbers are limited. Bookings can be made on the Contact Us page on our website, or by email or phone.

We look forward to seeing you out and about in Acton soon.

Kirsty Guster
Acton Walkways
Email: info@actonwalkways.com
Phone: 0437 301 390

This photo courtesy of Lenuta Quraishi, a participant on last month's Capturing Acton on Camera Tour.

We now have our October schedule of tours organised, with a range of guided walks on offer. These include:

- A chance to catch the last day of Floriade and, assisted by our photography expert Bradley Cummings, capture some great floral shots;

- Allen Mawer's Old Old Acton tour (part 1), in which Allen shares his collection of historic photos of past vistas in Acton compared with the same sites today;

- A lunchtime tour exploring ANU landscapes with Grounds Manager and University Arborist Melinda Walker who will share insights into their ongoing and new landscaping projects;

- A Sunday social stroll winding around the Lake and the Acton inland trails, including an afternoon tea stop at Botanic Gardens.

For those who would prefer something indoors and less active, the ANU Classics Museum will hold a tour of their fascinating collection of Ancient art and artifacts (booked out last time). Additionally, the National Film and Sound Archive will be helping to celebrate the HRH Queen Elizabeth’s upcoming visit to Australia with a Special Screening of Australia’s first colour feature length documentary “The Queen in Australia.” This record of her first visit in 1954 will include an introduction from visiting scholar Professor Jo Fox.

Visit our Calendar or Guided Tours pages for more information

With the weather warming up don't forget to put on your walking shoes and join us every Wednesday at 12pm at the Street Theatre for our social lunchtime walks, exploring various routes around the Acton precinct.

Please remember to book for tours, as numbers are limited. Bookings can be made on the Contact Us page on our website, or by email or phone.

We look forward to seeing you in Acton this October.

Kirsty Guster
Acton Walkways
Email: info@actonwalkways.com
Phone: 0437 301 390

Photo: National Film and Sound Archived Garden Tour, September 2011

'Historic keyboards are music to Geoffrey Lancaster’s ears. Geoffrey is a virtuoso pianist, conductor and lecturer at the Australian National University School of Music in Canberra. Students have access to Australia's largest public collection of working instruments. Imagine being able to play on a rare piano made in the 1770s, which produces the sound that Mozart adored. They can play some of the world’s greatest piano repertoire just as the composer intended. For Geoffrey, Australia is a veritable ark of historic pianos, with some of the most culturally significant keyboards in the world residing here in private collections.' - http://www.abc.net.au/tv/collectors/segments/coming_up.htm

We hope you all enjoy this wonderful opportunity to relive, and share, a small part of those delightful evenings with family or friends this Friday night.

Video of Geoffrey's segment is now available on the Gallery page http://actonwalkways.com/gallery.php

Kirsty Guster

This month we are offering three guided tours featuring Acton sculptures, the National Film and Sound Archive and National Botanic Gardens. In addition, we are helping to celebrate NewActon’s open day on the 25th September, with a host of festivities on offer for all ages.

View the September tours and more Acton events

With the weather warming up don't forget to put on your walking shoes and join us every Wednesday at 12pm at the Street Theatre for our social lunchtime walks, exploring various routes around the Acton precinct.

Please remember to BOOK for tours, as numbers are limited. Bookings can be made on the Contact Us page on our website, or by email or phone.

We look forward to seeing you Spring into Acton soon!

Kirsty Guster
Acton Walkways
Email: info@actonwalkways.com
Phone: 0437 301 390

We have a number of favourites back on the list, and several new tours, notably 'Science, Singing and Sax,' with Professor John Rayner, The SHRIMP Tour (with ANU PhD students) and the 'The Science of Film and Sound Preservation' at the National Film and Sound Archive. It should be an intriguing month!

Click here to view the August 2011 schedule

A special thanks to our expert guides and presenters Judith Fuller, Penny Taylor, Dr Geoffrey Lancaster, Professor Elizabeth Minchin, Professor David Williams, James Collet, Pamille Berg and ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher, who made a special appearance for the launch of the Heart Foundation's 10 week Healthy Heart Challenge. In addition I would like to formally welcome and introduce Belinda Bentley, a new tour leader, and Adam Black and Catherine Keely who are assisting with our website. It is wonderful to have them on the team.

It was however with great sadness that we saw part of our cherished local heritage building recently damaged by fire at NewActon. We understand that the Efkarpidis family are already planning to restore and to bring the fabulous Parlour Wine Room and Flint Dining Room & Bar back to life as soon as possible. Diamant Hotel and Bicicletta will be open again shortly and Urbanfood Store, La Bimbi & Soma Day Spa are all very much still open. We encourage you to keep visiting. NewActon are moving ahead with an open day in early August, so watch this space or visit www.newacton.com.au.

This month, with the weather less than ideal, we will be taking a break from guided tours until August. Our Wednesday Weekday Walks will continue for all those keen to take a social and invigorating stroll at lunchtime (if necessary, rain checks will be noted on our website on the day). Additionally, there are many exciting indoor activities to attend this month in Acton. These include:

- A great selection of school holiday workshops at the National Film and Sound Archive, and an International Film Festival especially for children;

- A public art symposium presented by the ANU School of Art titled Public Interactions: Dialogues on art and public space, will bring together international and local artists, architects, designers and public intellectuals over three days to explore the role of art in the public spaces of the contemporary community;

- And for those interested in larger spaces of dialogue, as part of the Mt Stromlo Centenary Celebrations, a public lecture on the Tales Of Stars and Stellar Systems will give insights into how astronomers measure faint signals from distant island worlds.

Visit our What’s On Calendar for more information on these and more. We look forward to offering you more outdoor tours in August, and hope in the meantime that you take the opportunity to experience all of the indoor attractions in Acton.

This image: Pamille Berg provides insights into the Robin Blau's new sculpture at NewActon, 'Time Thief' during the walk to launch the Heart Foundation's Healthy Heart Challenge on the 1st June,

To begin our June schedule, we invite you to join ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher on Wednesday 1^st June for a walk to launch the Heart Foundation’s Healthy Heart Challenge. In support of the challenge, walkers will also receive a free pedometer, compliments of the ANU Wellbeing Program and HBA Insurance. This 1-hour social stroll will leave at the Street Theatre at 2pm.

With a focus on arts and culture this month, our tours will include the highly popular Acton Art Deco tour with Penny Taylor, the ANU Early Keyboard ‘sonic tour’ with Dr Geoffrey Lancaster, and the Acton Arts and Heritage tour with Professor David Williams and James Collet.

In addition we have two new tours this month. Join artist Judith Fuller for a lunchtime tour of her photo exhibition Snapshot 2010 at the ANU School of Art, and Professor Elizabeth Minchin from the ANU Classics and Ancient History program for a tour through the newly refurbished Classics Museum - one of the “University’s cultural jewels.”

Click here to view the June 2011 schedule or download the flyer below

This image was taken from the Art Deco Tour with Penny Taylor in April




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June 2011

In support of the challenge, walkers will receive a free pedometer, compliments of the ANU Wellbeing Program and HBA Insurance (subject to availability).

This month we will showcase Gardens and Grounds in Acton. This will include the popular National Film and Sound Archive Garden Tour, lead by Head Gardener David Norris; an exploration of ANU sustainability initiatives with ANU Green; and two new tours of the ANU gardens and landscape design by Grounds Manager George Abrahams. In addition, Bradley Cummings will take photographers for an autumn stroll through the National Botanic Gardens, and Allen Mawer will present part 1 of the Old, Old Acton tour, comparing old photographs of Acton Peninsula with new vistas.

Click Here to View the May 2011 Schedule or download the flyer below

We encourage you also to join us every Wednesday for our regular weekly lunchtime walks. These are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people. Start warming up now for the Heart Foundation’s 10-week Healthy Heart Challenge starting June 1. Click here for more information and to register. 

We look forward to seeing all past and new walkers in Acton this May!

This photo was taken on our Acton Cottages Tour in April




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May 2011 Guided Tours

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in Australia and kills four times as many women as breast cancer [i].  Yet awareness is low. In 2010, only 31% of women reported knowing that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in Australia [ii]. 

Even fewer women are aware that heart disease risks increase after menopause, due to a reduction in oestrogen that is considered a protective factor against development of the disease. While many women are well aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, research conducted by Heart Foundation shows they often consider there are significant barriers to achieving this.

As part of this year’s Go Red for Women campaign, the Heart Foundation is launching a Healthy Heart Challenge as a practical way for women to improve their heart health behaviours. The free 10-week Healthy Heart Challenge starts on 1 June and has been designed to provide small, yet realistic, steps to assist women build changes into their lifestyle.  If sustained these changes will make an important difference to their heart health long-term.

On registering participants will be asked to sign up to one of six goals and be supported to achieve this through a weekly eNewsletter with tips and information to keep them motivated throughout the 10 weeks. The goals are:

o   Be active everyday

o   Improve everyday nutrition

o   Increase knowledge of heart health

o   Quit smoking

o   Lower high blood pressure

o   Lower high cholesterol levels.

Registrations for the Healthy Heart Challenge open on 1 May. We encourage you to sign up and learn how small steps can make a big difference to your health. Why not complete the Challenge with a friend? In this way together you’ll be joining thousands of other Australian women to address a personal goal as well as help increase the awareness of heart disease in women in the community.

To register for the Healthy Heart Challenge and for more information and ACT events, visit the website at goredforwomen.org.au

Do you have photos or comments to share? We look forward to hearing from you at info@actonwalkways.com



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AW April Tours 2011

With a significant wealth of early Canberra history in Acton there are many sights to see and stories to be told. Join us across a range of guided tours, and additionally have your chance to share your own memories of Acton in the ACT Heritage funded project “Sunken Stories of Old Acton.”

Click here to view the April Tours, or download the pdf below.

We look forward to seeing all past and new visitors to Acton in April!

Photo: The Acton Memorial, erected behind the Acton Peninsula Wharf in 2004 to commemorate the old Acton suburb and its residents. Photo Bradley Cummings



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AW April Tours 2011

To celebrate the end of our first year, and to thank everyone involved in making 2010 such a success, a fabulous group of Acton Walkways walkers joined us at Urban Food Store for an evening of wine, food and music. With the weather less than ideal, we all continued on for an indoor picnic with our prepared hampers. Thank you all for attending and making this such a great evening!

Photos by Bradley Cummings

View Photos




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End of year invitation

The CANWalk portal will provide an access point for people wanting to discover the city by foot. It will provide links to the different walking organisations and events in Canberra.

View Images from the launch and walk

Visit the website at http://www.canwalk.org.au

Thank you to everyone who has helped make 2010 a fantastic first year for Acton Walkways! With over 1,000 walkers, 7,000 visits to our website, media exposure and many emails of thanks and positive feedback, we are thrilled with the community response. We have also been the recipient of an ACT Heritage Award to document on video the Sunken Stories from Old Acton, and will report more on this venture in the new year.

Since beginning our guided walks and tours in March we have walked and talked through themes such as architecture, sculpture, heritage, history, geology, landscapes, gardens and sustainability. We have gone behind the scenes at the Shine Dome, watched and enjoyed film screenings at the National Film and Sound Archive and toured the early keyboard collection at the ANU School of Music. Over 60 budding photographers have 'Captured Acton on Camera' in a variety of lights, and 200 Wednesday lunchtime walkers have braved weather across the seasons to join us.

None of this would have been possible without the support of our four key sponsors: Australian National University, NewActon, National Film and Sound Archive and the ACT Government. In addition, many organisations have made generous in-kind contributions, including RSM Bird Cameron, MapShed Australia, Bradley Cummings Photography, Coordinate, Heart Foundation, National Trust and Geological Society (ACT), AbaF, Griffin Legal, and the Walter Burley Griffin Society.

We are also indebted to the many individuals who have given freely of their time and expertise to help support Acton Walkways through its first year. Most important among these are our tour guides who have shared their insights and knowledge with us, bringing the stories and treasures of Acton to life. On behalf of all our walkers, thank you!

This will be our last update for the year, and after a break over the hot summer months we will continue with our guided tours in April 2011, kicking off with a number of events to celebrate the ACT Heritage Festival. For all those people staying in Canberra over the break, the Wednesday lunchtime walks will continue, and we welcome all to join us (meet at the Street Theatre 12pm).

Happy Holidays and New Year, and we look forward to seeing you again in 2011.

Kirsty Guster
Acton Walkways

[Don't forget to check out our image galleries with photos taken from all the walks in 2010]

With thanks to photographer Rohan Thompson, 'In the City' Magazine and The Canberra Times for this photo

Acton Walkways also received the exciting news of an ACT Heritage Award to record and produce video excerpts of The Sunken Stories from Old Acton. As this project gets underway we look forward to hearing from people with memories and anecdotes of Acton before Lake Burley Griffin was filled.

For November we have five tours lined up, and welcome three new guides and themes. Allen Mawer who will lead us on a leisurely walk around 'Old, Old Acton', stopping to admire photographs from the past contrasted with the current vistas.

Jeanette Brand from the ANU Drill Hall Gallery will take us on a private tour of the new exhibition Dadang Christanto: Wounds in our heart, and in the first of our planned sustainability tours, ANUgreen Intern Jasmin will guide us around a small selection of the ANU sustainability initiatives.

Back by popular demand (after the last tour was booked out), Bradley Cummings will lead a photography tour capturing the arts and architecture at NewActon, and David Williams will share his insights into the artists and their works at the ANU International Sculpture Park.

In addition, we invite you to join us every Wednesday for our regular weekly lunchtime walks. These are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people!

View the November Calendar

Please remember to BOOK for these tours as many have limited places. Bookings can be made either by email: info@actonwalkways.com, or phone: 0437 301 390.

We look forward to seeing you in Acton this November!

This photo was taken on one of our Wednesday Weekday Walks in October




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Acton Walkways November Flyer

Join us as we go behind the scenes at the ANU School of Art Gallery ‘s exhibition THIS WAY UP with Dr Ruth Waller, Head of Painting Workshop, or with Dr Geoffrey Lancaster for a wine and candle-lit tour of the ANU School of Music's unique early keyboard collection. Back by popular demand after selling out in July, the National Film and Sound Archive will re-screen the documentary Canberra: A City Album with fascinating historical footage, drawn from the Archive's collection.

Heading outdoors into the beautiful spring weather, geologist Doug Finlayson will take us from Floriade to the National Museum with insights into Canberra's ancient and more recent geological history.  James and Kirsty will lead a Heritage and Sculpture Hotspot Tour, with a new route from the north to the south of the ANU campus, and Bradley will lead two of his popular photography tours with a new theme of Acton Waterways added this month.

In addition, we welcome you to join us every Wednesday for our regular weekly lunchtime walks. These are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people!

To view the schedule visit the What's On Calendar or Guided Tours page, or download the flyer below. Please remember to BOOK for these tours. For many events the numbers are limited. To book, email us at info@actonwalkways.com,  via the Contact Us page, or phone 0437 301 390. 

We look forward to seeing you in Acton soon! 

Professor David Williams will share his insights into ANU sculpture and architecture, or for a longer outing, join the National Parks Association for a Sunday sculpture stroll and picnic. Our popular photography walks, led by Bradley Cummings, will include an exploration of NewActon sculpture and architecture, and the natural and sculpted spaces of Lake Burley Griffin and the ANU International Sculpture Park. 

In addition, we welcome you to join us every Wednesday for our regular  weekly Heart Foundation lunchtime walks. These are a great way to get some regular exercise and meet new people. 

See our Guided Tours Listings or What's On Calendar for more information.

[Please don't forget to register your booking: Email us from the Contact Us page, or phone 0437 301 390]

This was one of our busiest months so far, with almost 250 people attending our guided tours and walks, and many events booking out.  There is a wonderful growing community of walkers (and talkers), and it is great to see new friendships developing.  Photos from the July events are now viewable on our Image Galleries, including some great pictures taken by our photography tour participants.

This month we are taking a break from our usual program to help celebrate the Australian Science Festival.  Many events are taking place in Acton during August, and we have added a selection of our favourites to the What's On Calendar.  For the full list of events in Canberra see the Science Festival website: www.sciencefestival.com.au.

Our Weekday Walks will continue every Wednesday throughout August.  In addition to being a great way to get some weekly exercise, these walks are proving to be a regular social event.  We welcome all new walkers.

The Acton Walkways program of guided tours and walks will resume in September.   If you would like to register for updates via email, please fill in your details on our 'Contact Us' Page.

We look forward to seeing you in Acton soon!

Acton Walkways have 6 guided walks and tours scheduled for July. With winter weather a little on the chilly side we are heading indoors for three of these, with some unique opportunities to explore the ANU School of Music early keyboard collection, the Australian Academy of Science Shine Dome (and basement) and a screening of archived footage from the National Film and Sound Archive (including morning tea with scones).

Our outdoor guided walks this month include two of our  popular Capturing Acton on Camera photography tours, with a focus on Acton Cottages, and NewActon sculptures, an Acton Arts and Heritage tour, and the regular  weekly Heart Foundation lunchtime walks every Wednesday.

See our Guided Tours Listings or What's On Calendar for more information.

We look forward to seeing you (please don't forget to register your booking). 



Download PDF
July Schedule of Tours

Do you have photos or comments to share? We look forward to hearing from you at info@actonwalkways.com

[This photo taken at breakfast prior to the Acton Landscape and History Tour with Dr Peter Dowling]

Bradley is the leader of our Capturing Acton on Camera Tours, and is the photographer of all the sculptures and heritage buildings on the Acton Walkways Site. In his spare time he put himself forward for this competition, and is now the winner of a  brand new Olympus PEN E-PL1

One of Brad's winning photographs was of the new John Curtin Medical School at the ANU, a building we often highlight in our tours. 

Well Done Brad!

See all the photos at the Olympus Winners Website 

VIsit Bradley's Website

Go to Bradley's Acton Walkways Blog

This month's walks and tours include a sculpture and architecture tour led by Professor David Williams, photography tours with Bradley Cummings, an Acton Arts and Heritage tour with James Collet, and Acton Landscape and History led by Dr Peter Dowling.

In addition, every Wednesday, in collaboration with the Heart Foundation join us for a 45-minute brisk lunchtime walk around Acton, starting at the Street Theatre.

We hope to see you in Acton this June!



Download PDF
June Schedule of Tours

Do you have photos or comments to share? We look forward to hearing from you at info@actonwalkways.com

We have just posted the May schedule of guided tours and walks to our calendar. This month we have a variety on offer, including two sculpture tours led by Professor David Williams, 'behind the scene' tours of the Academy of Science Shine Dome and the National Film and Sound Archive Gardens, photography tours led by Bradley Cummings, and an Acton Arts and Heritage tour.

In addition, every Wednesday, in collaboration with the Heart Foundation join us for a 45-minute brisk lunchtime walk around Acton, starting at the Street Theatre.

There has been much work behind the scenes to bring this concept to life, and many people to thank. To focus here just on the website. Firstly to the organisations which have sponsored this project. Without their brave support when it was just an idea this site would not exist. Next, to Coordinate for their great work in designing logos, graphics, lay-out and CMS functionality. To Jesse Steins for all of her research which has gone into this site, and to Roy Hill at MapShed for his generous time and expert advice. Lastly to all the supporters (individual and groups) who have followed and encouraged this project from the beginning. 

This site is a work in progress, and will continue to grow and improve over time. We welcome your feedback, and look forward to receiving your Acton insights, stories, images and videos.  

Thank you for visiting, and we hope you 'find yourself in new spaces' as you browse our website, or walk through Acton. 

View the April schedule Online



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April Schedule of Tours & Guided Walks Out Now

If you have photos you would like to share, please email them in to us.