Mount Ainslie (Australian Capital Territory)
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| Mount Ainslie | |
|---|---|
| Elevation: | 2,762 feet (842 metres) |
| Latitude: | 35° 16′ S |
| Longitude: | 149° 9′ E |
| Location: | Canberra, Australia |
| Range: | Brindabella Ranges |
| First ascent: | |
| Easiest route: | hike |
Mount Ainslie or Mount Ainslie-Majura is a part of Canberra Nature Park. It borders on the inner suburbs of Campbell, Ainslie and Hackett. See also Mount Majura.
It has a lookout area surmounted by a rotating aircraft beacon on the summit which stands 842 metres above sea level and gives excellent 360° views across the city and surrounding country within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and beyond to New South Wales (NSW).
Mount Ainslie is accessible by road and walking trails. There is a working tap with water at the top, and sometimes an ice cream van which sells souvenirs also. The walking trail which leads from the back of the Australian War Memorial is well maintained with steps and is paved, and is often used. The trail has a number of plaques commemorating the battles fought in World War 2 in the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea, with the plaques set out as though it was on the Kokoda Trail.
Mount Ainslie marks the northernmost point of a land axis, planned by Walter Burley Griffin, that stretches through North and South Canberra. This axis takes in the Australian War Memorial and the two Parliament Houses.
It is named after James Ainslie, a 19th century settler who owned a large property in what is now North Canberra. Contrary to what some accounts have stated, he is not buried in an unmarked grave at the base of the hill.
