Fighting it out salad and tongs down by Lake Burley Griffin is a Canberra institution, but have you ever been out to any of the islands on the lake?
I just spent Australia Day out on Springbank Island and can report that this place is one of Canberra’s best-kept picnic spots with a difference.
Surprisingly, Springbank Island has gas barbeque facilities, picnic tables, undercover seating, tap water and two lavatories. The Island is a perfect, albeit overgrown, sports oval surrounded by weeping willows and native vegetation with plenty of shady spots for that summer siesta. Access to the island is exclusively via boat and there are a number of local services that can ferry you out for a flexible drop-off/pick-up arrangement for almost any occasion.
We took the ‘Jenny Anne’ ran by Canberra Cruises for $18 each for a 10:30am departure from Commonwealth Place and got picked up by the skipper at 3:15pm, which was time enough for plenty of cooking and carrying on.
For the more adventurous, access via kayak or canoe is certainly possible and there are a number of beachy spots to land and stretch out your sea legs after the paddle.
Springbank Island is definitely worth a look for you next lakeside adventure, just be mindful of the lone and rather bored looking kangaroo bouncing around the place.
More information can be found at the National Capital Authority’s website.
Where are your favourite Canberra picnic spots?
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