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Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is a special place, nestled in the mountains,
only 40 minutes from the city, where you can walk among kangaroos,
wallabies, koalas, birds, emus and other wildlife in their own native
habitat. You may even catch a glimpse of the elusive platypus, swimming
through the series of dams in the wetlands area. There are also
threatened species at Tidbinbilla, including the brush tailed rock
wallaby, the bustard and the mountain duck. At Tidbinbilla you can glimpse the past way of life of Aboriginal
people who have inhabited the area for over 20,000 years, as well as the
fascinating stories of our early European settlers.
There are regular ranger guided activity to enjoy the hidden delights
of this special valley.
Nearby is the Tidbinbilla Deep Space Tracking Station. A key part of NASA's
deep space network. Pictured is the largest antennae within the complex at 70 metres in diameter, which at the time was in contact with the Cassini probe on its historic approach to Saturn in the outer reaches of our
solar system.
The radio telescope is similar in size to a 20 storey building and
dominates the landscape. The visitors centre located at the tracking station has
a series of fantastic exhibits on space craft, moon rocks, and general
information about space. Free information sessions in a theatre are conducted
and current activities of the station are discussed.
The deep space tracking station is a must see for all visitors to the region.
Call into the Visitor Centre to find out all you need to know about
exploring Tidbinbilla. |
