Mount Ainslie is an 843 meter hill which serves as the focal point for the Canberra Nature Park in the northeastern corner of the city. While it’s possible to run the drive up to the lookout for a hill training run, a popular 12k route is the loop around the base of the hill. The path is mostly dirt, but it’s wide, flat, and well maintained — so it’s not exactly trail running. A good starting point is the Australian War Memorial at the end of Anzac Park. Busses drop off along Limestone and Fairbairn Aves. From the Treloar Crescent, you can head out through Remembrance Nature Park and follow the path north. Near the Ainslie Transfer Station, at the end of Phillip Ave, the path bends back east for a while before taking a sharp righthand turn back south towards the Memorial. The path is pleasant and rolling, without much significant elevation gain, but it’s also sheltered from sun and wind, so it’s a good place to get a longer run in when the weather won’t cooperate!
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Features:
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Essentials
- 12k (7.5 miles)
- 198 meters (648 feet)
- Australian War Memorial
- Busses drop off along Limestone and Fairbairn Aves
Current Weather & Forecast
Canberra, AU
4:36 pm,
Jun 3, 2026
light rain
9°C
L: 8°
H: 11°
Daily ForecastHourly Forecast
Tomorrow
7:00 am
8° / 11°°C
0.6 mm
60%
6 mph
89 %
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0 mm/h
Friday
7:00 am
12° / 22°°C
0.21 mm
21%
7 mph
91 %
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Saturday
7:00 am
13° / 20°°C
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11 mph
87 %
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Sunday
7:00 am
11° / 18°°C
1 mm
100%
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7:00 am
10° / 18°°C
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9 mph
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Today
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4 mph
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Today
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19° / 19°°C
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6 mph
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Tomorrow
1:00 am
19° / 19°°C
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6 mph
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19° / 19°°C
0.6 mm
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15° / 15°°C
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5 mph
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10:00 am
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Tomorrow
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Other Routes in Canberra, Australia
A 16k 'runseeing' tour features the highlights of this compact, planned city: National University, Botanical Gardens, National Museum, Library, National Rose Garden, Magna Carta Place, Parliament House, High Court Anzac Park, War Memorial.
Without a doubt, the highlight of all running in Canberra is this route around Lake Burley Griffin, which hugs the coast through Commonwealth Park and traverses over the water via two bridges.
If too much pavement pounding is jostling your joints, take your run to the Stromlo Forest Park in western Canberra, where the maintenance team has turfed a specialized 2.5k running loop with cushy Santa Ana Couch grass.
For an introduction to the Australian bush without the risk, the National Arboretum Canberra is a great spot to learn about flora on foot. It’s not a spot for a lengthy run, but there are two decent 2k circuits that make for a nice quick tour of the trees.
The Runners Club at the Canberra YMCA is particularly fond of the park’s Canberra Centenary Trail, which can form the base of either a 5k or 12k route.
Canberra is not only a running-friendly city, it caters to bike enthusiasts as well. Luckily, cyclists don’t mind sharing the miles upon miles of paved paths in Canberra’s southern suburbs.
For a panoramic view of the city of Canberra, it doesn’t get any better than Mount Taylor, an easy climb conveniently located just outside the suburbs of Torrens (Woden) and Kambah (Tuggeranong).
Canberra hosts a free weekly 5k at Lake Tuggeranong. The entire lake has a loop around it that makes a nice longer run, but an out and back on the bike path in southern section of the lake is the designated 5000 meter course.
There are plenty of running trails between the Black Mountain Reserve and neighboring Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve, but the nicest way up is via the Australian National Botanic Gardens (sometimes known as the “Flower to Tower” route).
Looking for some fun and friendly competition? Canberra hosts a selection of Parkruns throughout the city.
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