Swings and Tree Houses on Public Land in Canberra?

Buzz2600 said :

I grew up next door to the Aranda Reserve. We had *the best ever* cubbyhouse – a three level construction in a huge old gum tree in the bush.

There was one on the edge of Kambah when I was a kid, not quite as extravagant as yours, but from memory it was still a split-level treehouse, on a big ol gum branch.. it was in the bush, quite off the beaten track, but kids of the neighbourhood all knew where to find it.

Im sure I also remember rope swings at Kambah Pool and Pine Island during my childhood too.

(off-topic but its fun to reminisce)

When you put your tyre swing up, for god’s sake get somebody who knows what they are doing with ropes to do it, otherwise a poorly-rigged swinging rope will damage the tree.

The Aranda treehouse is still there, more or less (although I wouldn’t fancy walking on its planks these days). It would be nearly 40 years old now which probably just about qualifies it for a heritage listing.

There’s been a tree swing by the path in [redacted] for years.

Here in waramanga there’s some really dodgy looking rope and tyre swings put up by someone on trees in the reserve that seem to have lasted awhile, then again TAMS don’t seem to care about the trucks driving across the reserve so they probably haven’t noticed the swings. Might as well try your luck.

Fond memories of the Bromell cct rope swing, as a little kid. I doubt it’s still there.

I guess don’t build anything that you won’t be prepared to lose if the authoritahs find it.

There is a great rope swing on the banks of the lake in Yarralumla, but it isn’t really for kids – for one thing you have to stretch out quite far to reach the rope, and you have to swing out over some rocks before it’s safe to let go.

Great idea Luther, thanks, might just do that.
Just got to choose the right tree, having a look yesterday and there’s two that might be suitable.
Might have to do the tree house at his Nan’s though.

I grew up next door to the Aranda Reserve. We had *the best ever* cubbyhouse – a three level construction in a huge old gum tree in the bush. It was fantastic. I’d be heartened to see kids playing in a tree house like that but its unlikely these days. Damn Fun Police.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

From my experience, when rangers come across rope swings over rivers, they cut off the branch that the swing is attached to.

I can see how they’d justify this, but it seems a bit drastic to lop the arm off entirely.

I’d encourage putting one up though, I remember having flying foxes around on public land when I was a young un and I had a great time taking bark off the trees and myself. If you think TAMS might take it down (and sadly I’m inclined to think they might), what about attaching a coule of carabiners to the ends of the ropes so you can install and remove it quickly?