13 January 2010

Public exercise equipment?

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Hey everyone,

I just moved to Canberra and, remembering that many of the older and larger parks in Sydney had wooden benches and bars to use for exercise, was wondering if anyone knew of any such facilities here in Canberra. I don’t really have the means to pay for a gym membership at the moment, so being able to do something basic like chin-ups until then would be useful.

Anything like that available within easy walking/cycling distance of O’Connor?

Thanks in advance.

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The ones round the southside of the lake, and I think the ones at Parly House, say they were made by a company called Parcourse of Woden which obviously no longer exists. Some stations are now in disrepair.

Further research leads to this useful review from 2000:
http://fulltext.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/nhf/publicexercisestations.pdf

And a US story about the concept:
http://outside.away.com/outside/magazine/200005/200005body2.html

Perhaps the govt should revitalise these things.

There’s a few on Alexandrina Drive at Yarralumla – between Hopetoun Cct and Flynn Dr, near the bike path.

ACTing like a Mama1:49 pm 13 Jan 10

While not near O’Connor at all, there is an excellent fitness track that circles the Woden cemetary.

If you happen to work or be passing through the Parliamentary Triangle, you might want to check out the exercise circuit around (new) Parliament House. There is a meandering walking track and a bike track through the well maintained & quite tranquil bush land that surrounds the House. From memory (haven’t been there for a while) you can do various exercises on different equipment along the length of the walking track circuit. I believe some of the equipment has been removed (not sure why) but still enough to do some chin ups, push ups etc. There are also tennis courts there – one side use to be open for public bookings – not sure if you can still do that.

There are plenty of “fitness trails” in Canberra. There’s at least one running through Acton (the suburb that The Australian National University occupies). I remember walking past parts of one several times down near South Oval, so that’s one place you could start looking: the path is in the North/South avenue of trees here

There’s another trail on Acton Peninsula, running along the lake edge.

Both of these are immediately adjacent to cycle paths, with that particular cycle path continuing through the ANU up into O’Connor.

Not too close to O’connor, but I know down by Ginninderra lake they have a bunch of stuff like that. It is behind Lake Ginninderra College, near the walking track.

There is a variety of equipment, I just can’t think of what it all is at the moment. But there are bars there for chin ups etc.

Good luck!

John Knight Memorial Park on the shores of Lake Ginninderra has something like this.

Secret Squirrel11:09 am 13 Jan 10

I think the Chinese Gardens next to the lake (behind the Hyatt) does

I’m not sure if it’s still there because due to the construction but on the Oval but at the ANU next to the tennis courts on the corner of North & Daley Road (just off Barry Drive) there is one those exercise stations. 🙂

There’s also ones littered around the civic side of lake burley griffin towards the NGA.

There’s some around ANU, some near the tennis courts at North Rd, then around the place, like near the AFL field, possibly other locations.

There are exercise facilities (a nifty series of wooden bench and bar sets alongside big plaques demonstrating a variety of stretches and exercises – with levels from beginner to advanced) around both Lake Burley Griffin and Lake Ginninderra. This sounds exactly what you’re looking for.

I’d strongly suggest doing some recon on a bike (cycling around either of the lakes is great exercise, and the cycle paths are in very good condition) to see where the different facilities are.

If you’re in O’Connor, it’s a very short ride to Lake Burley Griffin via the ANU (you can get a cycle path map for a couple of bucks from most bike shops in Canberra).

Mike Bessenger10:33 am 13 Jan 10

There is a bit around lake burly griffin. It’s spread out, but the ones I clearly remember are near the uni and over near the yatch club.

I know there is some around the Ainslie football oval on Angas Street. There si bound to be some in O’Connor, probably along the main cycle path that runs through the centre (just can’t recall where they are)

There’s an exercise course with those kind of things around Ainslie Oval (the one that’s on the same block as the Ainslie Footy Club).

Not sure about Oconnor but I ride my bike from the south regularly & there are a number on the southern side of LBG near the yacht club.

They are spread out across a couple of km. I think they are designed as a bit of a cross training course with a bit of running thrown in.

There’s a few pieces of public exercise equipment on the ANU oval off of Barry Dr. They’re right near the tennis court. I often see boot camp/personal trainers taking people there.

johnny_the_knife9:46 am 13 Jan 10

I don’t know about O’Connor, but at Deakin there is some equipment on Dennison street north of the Mint.

There is also some equipment near the cycle path around the lake.

There is a pretty old exercise track – bars and benches and stuff – on Angas St in Ainslie (behind the enclosed oval, around the corner from the Aislie football club). Its a bit run down and there isnt a huge amount of equipment.

Many kids playgrounds offer monkey bars or similar which you can use for chin ups, although you can feel a bit silly doing them if other people are around (on the other hand – sticking a kid on your feet and doing some chin ups is a good workout). Another option is buying some rope, looping over something solid (like a tree branch in the backyard) and creating your own ‘roman rings’, which some trainers believe is more effective than using a fixed bar.

There’s apparently a fitness trail at the ANU, which is pretty convenient from O’Connor.

I’ve seen people using the monkey bars at my local primary school for chin-ups etc.

I recall that the (north-west?) side of Gungahlin Lake has something like that! It might even go all the way around the lake??

I’m not sure of any near O’Connor….however there’s some stuff on the other side of the lake (heading from the Yacht Club towards Commonwealth Ave bridge). Situp & chin-up benches & the like on a circuit.

There’s a few Exercites (spelling?) scattered around the place. Close to O’Connor, there is a set near the tennis courts and the Sport and Rec Centre at the ANU.

There is some on the southern half, western side, of Angas St. in Ainslie.

I’d consider that walking distance to O’Connor, but I know others wouldn’t.

There is a series of exercise equipment on Angas Street, Ainslie, behind the Ainslie Footy Club. Round about opposite House No. 22.

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