Yerrabi Pond Loop

Yerrabi Pond Loop is a 4 km paved circuit around the water at Gungahlin, flat the whole way and easy enough for almost any dog. The thing worth knowing before you go is that the loop path is on-lead, but the north-eastern shore has a designated off-leash area where dogs can get into the water.

The walk. Four kilometres, rated easy, and most people are around in under an hour. The path is sealed and level end to end, which makes it one of the better walks in Canberra for a dog with sore hips or a person with a pram. Water views most of the way and plenty of birdlife on the pond.

The rules. Transport Canberra and City Services manages the park. Dogs are on-lead on the loop trail and the shared paths, with designated off-leash areas on the north-eastern shore, including access to the water. Keep dogs at least ten metres clear of the playgrounds, barbecues and picnic tables when those are in use. Bins sit at the main entrances.

Water. Taps at the main car parks off Wunderlich Street, and the pond itself at the off-leash shore. Toilets, barbecues and picnic tables are spread along the loop, so this is an easy walk to make a morning of.

Hazards. Magpies swoop along the path in spring and the route is open enough that there is nowhere much to duck. Shade is thin in stretches and the pond basin holds heat, so summer walks want an early start or a late one. Three playgrounds and two skate parks sit beside the path, which adds up to a lot of sudden noise for a nervous dog.

Getting there. Parking is off Wunderlich Street and at Sylvan Ridge. Several bus routes serve the surrounding streets and the Gungahlin Town Centre is a short walk from the western side. The path is fully accessible for wheelchairs and prams.

Nearby with the dogs. Caffè al Lago sits on the eastern shore of the pond itself, which makes it the obvious coffee stop. EQ Cafe & Restaurant is in the town centre. If you want a fenced run afterwards, Forde Dog Park and Franklin Dog Park are both a few minutes away, and Abode Gungahlin takes dogs.

When to go. Weekday mornings and late afternoons are quietest. Sunny weekends from mid-morning bring the families, the scooters and the skate parks all at once. Avoid the middle of a hot day. Good for nervous swimmers easing into water, and for seniors who need flat ground.

Sources

• Dogs in public places - City Services - ACT Government · www.cityservices.act.gov.au
• Yerrabi District Park · www.parks.act.gov.au
• Yerrabi Pond Loop, Australian Capital Territory, Australia · www.alltrails.com

Compiled from public sources and verified listings. Always confirm current rules with the venue or council before you travel.