Bobby McGee's. The party atmosphere at this flamboyant, American-style restaurant and entertainment lounge complex appeals to a varied group. In the restaurant, Cinderella might seat you, a matador offer you cocktails, and a Roman centurion wait on your table. The music in the entertainment lounge ranges from "Heartbreak Hotel" to this week's pop hits. Service is slick and professional, and the staff are gregarious and spontaneous - it would require effort not to have a good time. Rydges Canberra Hotel, London Circuit, Canberra, Phone: 02/6257-7999. Cost: $5 Fri. after 8. Opening Times: Weekdays 5 pm-3 am, Sat. 7 pm-4 am
Orientation Tours
Murrays Canberra Explorer offers an affordable introduction to Canberra. In its comprehensive circuit of the city, the red Explorer bus stops at most of the major sights, including Parliament House, the National Gallery, the National Botanic Gardens, the embassies, and the Australian War Memorial. A driver provides commentary, and you are free to leave the bus at any of the 18 stops and board any following Explorer bus. You can also take a two-hour nonstop trip---a good orientation. Tours leave from the Jolimont Tourist Centre at 65--67 Northbourne Avenue and from the Canberra Visitor Centre at 330 Northbourne Avenue, Dickson, every two hours from 8:40 to 4:40. Murrays also offers a range of day or half-day sightseeing tours of Canberra and the surrounding area. Phone: 13-2251. Cost: $18 full day, $8 for two hours.
National Gallery of Australia is Canberra´s National Gallery, on the south shore of a lake, and has probably the best collection of art in the country. The Australian collection ranges from traditional Aboriginal art through to 20th century works by Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan and Albert Tucker. Aboriginal works include bark paintings from Arnhem Land, pukumani burial poles from the Tiwi people and printed fabrics from central Australia. There´s also plenty of foreign art from all eras, and most travelling exhibitions stop by Canberra on their way around the world. The collection is not confined to paintings: sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, furniture, ceramics, fashion, textiles and silverware are all on display. There are a couple of pleasant restaurants on the grounds, and free lectures are often given.
Ginninderra
If you're hankering after tourist tackiness, Ginninderra's the place to go. About 11km (7mi) north-west of the city, the Ginninderra Village is the area's centrepiece, a collection of colonial-era buildings quaintified into Devonshire tea spots, Australiana galleries, wood-turning workshops and shops selling nothing but cat knick-knacks. Next door, Cockington Green is a sprawling miniature (if such a thing is possible) English village, complete with cricket streakers and a working steam train - it's horribly overpriced, but the kiddies will love it.
Just outside the village, the National Dinosaur Museum is a private collection with replica skeletons of 10 dinosaurs as well as a bunch of real bones and fossils. It's pricey, but fun. An ACTION bus runs from Belconnen past Ginninderra Village on its way to Gunghalin.
The Canberra Festival celebrates the city´s birthday over 10 days in March with music, food, a mardi gras, displays, a raft race and a parade. The festival features many interesting cultural events, although it also has a typically Australian concentration on sports and the outdoors. Set in the beginning of March, the festival provides a good way to sample Australian culture as the hot summer weather winds its way into autumn.
Questacon is a ´hands on´ science museum which lives in a purpose-built, snappy white building near the National Gallery. There are over 200 devices in the centre´s five galleries, including the earthquake experience, the thongaphone, and the ´can you bowl faster than Alan Donald´ display. It´s designed for kids, but unselfconscious adults won´t have any trouble entertaining themselves for an hour or two. It may be educational, but it´s also great fun.
Canberra Theatre Centre is the capital city´s premier arts and theatre venue. The Centre is used by the local opera company, theatrical troupe, and symphony orchestra. Performances by such major national companies as the Australian Ballet are frequently held here. For a listing of current events, check the entertainment pages of the Canberra Times. Civic Sq., London Circuit, Canberra, Phone: (02) 6257 1077.
Australian War Memorial
The massive war memorial is more than the usual pointy concrete thing in the middle of town, it's actually a museum of Australia's war history. It was conceived in 1925 and finally opened in 1941. It houses an amazing collection of pictures, dioramas, relics and exhibitions, including a fine collection of old aircraft. For anyone with an interest in toy soldiers, the miniature battle scenes are absorbing.
The Hall of Memory is the focus of the memorial. It features a beautiful interior, some superb stained-glass windows and a dome made of six million Italian mosaic pieces. The Unknown Australian Soldier was brought here from a WWI battlefield in 1993. Leading to the hall is the reflecting pool, its surrounding walls inscribed with the names of Australia's war dead.
Visitor Information
Canberra Visitor Centre.The city's tourist information bureau is a convenient stop for those entering Canberra by road from Sydney or the north. The staff makes accommodation bookings for Canberra and the Snowy Mountains. 330 Northbourne Ave., Dickson, Phone: 02/6205-0044 or 1800-02-6166. Opening Times:Daily 9-6.
Canberra Centre. The ground floor kiosk in the Canberra Centre is another useful source of information on attractions and shops. Bunda and Akuna Sts. Opening Times: During shopping hrs.
Getting Around Canberra
The airport is 7km (4mi) south-east of the city centre. You can get a shutttle minibus to the Jolimont Centre in town and to various hotels for about $5, or catch a cab to the city for about $7.
Public transport in Canberra means the Action bus - the Australian Capital Territory Internal Omnibus Network! It's not much chop - services are rather sparse and practically non-existent on Sundays or after 10pm. You're much better off on a bicycle if you're energetic (Canberra has an excellent network of bike paths which allow you to avoid the traffic pretty much anywhere you're going) or, if you're not, with a car.
Lanyon Homestead
The beautifully restored Lanyon Homestead, beside the river near Tharwa, is about 30km (19mi) south of the city. The early stone cottage on the site was built by convicts, and the grand homestead, which dates from Canberra's grazier days, was completed in 1859. More than a collection of pretty old buildings, this National Trust homestead documents the life of the region before Canberra existed. The Nolan Gallery in the homestead collects some of Australian painter Sydney Nolan's most famous Ned Kelly works. As you'd expect, you can get a pretty nice Devonshire tea at Lanyon.
Parliament House
As Canberra's raison d'etre, Parliament House is the thing most visitors to the city want to have a gander at. Opened in 1988, new Parliament House (as it's commonly known, to distinguish it from the old Parliament House) is a marble lined monstrosity squatting at the apex of the Parliamentary Triangle. Built into the hill, the roof of the house is lined with grass to make it blend in. In true Australian tradition, the grass is imported lawn mix, which requires gargantuan quantities of water and weedkiller to keep it green and glowing. The interior of the house is rather impressive - each of its major sections is lined with Australian timbers, and it is littered with over 3000 art works bought or commissioned from Australian artists.
Visitors can wander around the public areas of the house, including the House of Representatives and the Senate, though you may have to make a booking if something particularly juicy is being debated. There are free guided tours of the building on non-sitting days.
Old Parliament House, further down the hill towards the lake, was the seat of government from 1927 until 1988. Far more modest than its succesor, the old house resembles a slightly sprawling wedding cake. You can take a tour of the building or wander its pleasant grounds. The house is also home to the National Portrait Gallery.
Australian National Botanic Gardens
On the lower slopes of Black Mountain, behind the Australian National University, the beautiful 50 hectare (123 acre) botanic gardens are devoted to Australian flora. There are educational walks, including one among plants used by Aborigines. A highlight is the rainforest area, achieved in this dry climate with a misting system, while the eucalypt lawn has 600 species of this ubiquitous Australian tree. Take a guided walk, or take a seat in teh pleasant Kookaburra Cafe.
Tourism is the ACT's major growth industry with more than 1.25 million visitors a year, staying more than one night in the national capital.
The Namadgi National Park covers about 40 per cent of the ACT. It reaches to the border of the New South Wales Kosciusko National Park, and together with parks in Victoria is part of a series of reserves which protect most of Australia's alpine and sub alpine areas.
Attractions outside Canberra include Cockington Green Minature Village, Mount Stromo Observatory, Canberra Space Center and Cotter Dam..
ACT offers some beautiful natural landscape and excellent bushwalking tracks can be found close to the city.
Namadgi National Park Namadgi takes up all the space of the ACT that Canberra doesn´t; that is, most of the south-west. Part of the park borders the mountainous Kosciuszko National Park in NSW´s Snowy Mountains. There are around 170km of market trails throughout the park, and with seven peaks over 1600m (5248ft) some of the bushwalking is challenging.
Aboriginal paintings which were painted over a period of hundreds or possibly thousands of years can be seen at Yankee Hat Rock. The close grouping of art and ceremonial sites in the Namadgi ranges suggests this area was of special significance to local Aboriginal people.
Stunning wilderness await the more experienced bushwalker prepared to venture into the remote areas of the park. All parties planning to visit the remote areas should be well prepared and record details of their trip in the bushwalking registers located at the visitor centre and elsewhere in the park. Camping grounds with toilets are located at Orroral and Mt Clear. There is a three night limit and bookings may be made at the Visitor Centre. Picnic areas are located beside most roads some with fireplaces and toilets.
Getting There & Away
Canberra does not have an international airport. Flights arrive in Canberra from all capital cities as well as from towns in NSW, although many make a stopover in Sydney or Melbourne on the way. Buses run from Canberra to Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, with connections to the other capitals. You can also catch buses to the south coast, the snowfields and throughout NSW. Trains run to Sydney, or you can do a combined bus-train trip to Melbourne.
The Hume Highway, which runs between Melbourne and Sydney, passes about 50km (30mi) north of Canberra - you can drive to Goulburn or to Yass to join up with it, depending whether you're heading north or south. The Monaro highway to the south will take you to Cooma, the snowfields and the coast.
The Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, 45km south-west of the city of Canberra, is criss-crossed with walking tracks. The reason most visitors come here, however, is to feed the semi-tame kangaroos, be terrorised by the sandwich-snatching emus or scan the trees for koalas. The visitors centre here has some great displays on native fauna and flora. Tidbinbilla is a great spot to take children for a picnic, or to do a couple of short walks.
North of the nature reserve, the Tidbinbilla Tracking Station, otherwise known as the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, is a joint US-Australian eye on the sky. The visitor centre here has displays of spacecraft and tracking technology, and it´s free to get in. South of the reserve, Corin Forest is an adventure playground on steroids, with a 1km metal bobsled run, snow-making machine and flying fox. You will need a car to get to Tidbinbilla.
Namadgi National Park, situated just south of Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory, provides a rewarding scenic detour for travellers through majestic mountain terrain.
Namadgi has a wide variety of habitats ranging from grassy green valleys to stunning mountains shrouded with snow gums and bold granite outcrops. Kangaroos, wallabies, and wombats can be seen throughout the park. Commonly seen birds include magpies, crimson rosellas, pied currawongs, Australian Ravens and the spotted quail-thrush.
Activities
Canberra is a wonderful place for cycling and it has a great series of bicycle tracks. Inline skating is also popular. There are watersports on Lake Burley Griffin with canoes, catamarans, paddle boats and surf skis for hire. Canoeing and white-water rafting on the Murrumbidgee are other water-based activities. Swimming in the lake, however, is not recommended. There are several fine swimming spots along the Murrumbidgee and Cotter rivers such as Uriarra Crossing, Casuarina Sands, Kambah Pool, the Cotter Dam, Pine Island, Point Hut Crossing and Gibraltar Falls.
Bushwalking is one of Canberra's most popular activities and there are particularly good walking tracks along the Murrumbidgee from Kambah Pool to Pine Island (7km/4mi) or to Casuarina Sands (about 21km/13mi). The Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve has marked trails. Cruises and balloon and aeroplane flights are another way to get an angle on the city. There is sometimes enough snow for cross-country skiing in Namadgi National Park, or you can enjoy the fake stuff at Corin Forest, and the NSW snowfields are within four hours' drive.
GETTING AROUND: By Bus
Canberra's public transportation system is the ACTION bus network. Buses operate 6:30 am-11:30 pm weekdays, 7 am-11:30 pm Saturday, and 8 am-7 pm Sunday. There is a flat fare of $2 per ride. If you plan to travel extensively on buses, purchase a Day Sightseeing ticket ($6.70), which allows unlimited travel on the entire bus network. A Shopper's Off Peak Daily ticket, which allows travel between 9 am and 4 pm and after 6 pm on weekdays and all day on weekends, costs $4.
Tickets, maps, and timetables are available from the Canberra Visitor Centre and the Bus Information Centre (East Row and Alinga St., Civic, Phone: 02/6207-7611).
What are the physical aspects of Australia?
Who are some famous Australians?
What are the towns of Australia?
What are the Cities/towns of Victoria?
What are the Cities/towns of WA?
What are some Australian Phrases?
What can I see in South Australia?
What are the towns of South Australia?
What are some towns in Tasmania?
What are some places of interest in NSW?
What is the Emergency Number in Australia?
What Islands lay off the coast of Queensland?
What can I see in South Australia?
What are some places to visit in Western Australia?
What can I see in the Northern Territory?
What are some places to visit in Western Australia?
What are some places to visit in NSW?
What are the cities/towns of NSW?
What are the cities/towns of Queensland?
What is Aust. Literature 20th century?
How do Australians celebrate Christmas
What are the Aboriginal languages of Australia?
What plants are native to Australia?
What are the towns of South Australia?
What are the towns/cities of NSW?
What are the towns/cities of Tasmania?
What are Australia´s Land and Resources?
What can I do in Western Australia?
How do I find information in Australia?
What are some Australian Icons?
What are some towns in South Australia
What are some towns in South Australia
What is the ecconomic climate in Australia?
What are some places to visit in Western Australia?
What are the towns of South Australia?
How have Australian Aborigines been treated?
What is an Australian cattle dog?
What are the towns of Queensland?
How is Australia keeping the games green?
What animals are native to Australia?
What are the towns/cities of WA?
What are the cities/towns of Queensland?
What are the towns of the Northern Territory?
What is the history of Early European Exploration?
What are the towns of Queensland?
What are some towns in South Australia
Who was Shirley Smith (´Mum Shirl´) ?
What are the towns/cities of ACT?
What is the Geography of the ACT?
What is the history of Australia?
What are the towns of Queensland?
What is an Australian Terrier?
What is the Government of Australia?
What is Canberra like After Dark?
What art festivals were on during the games?
What are the d´s in Aussie Slang?
What is the history of the ACT?
Where can I eat out in Australia?
What are the water safety procedures in Australia?
What are the States of Australia?
What are some animals in Australia?
What is the Townsville region ?
What security precautions should I take in Australia?
What fauna is found in Australia?
What is the history of Australia?
What is the usual Australian Christmas fare?
What animals can be found in Australia?
What can I see in Coffs Harbour?
Where can I find a good collection of Australian photographs?
What is the history of ceramics in Australia?
What can I see on the Great Barrier Reef?
what snakes live in Australia?
What is the Aussie Way of Life?
What animals can be found in Australia?
What animals can found in Australia?
Who was Sir Douglas Nicholls ?
What is the Australian government?
How do I contact Ambulance, Fire, Police in an emergency?
What are the physical aspects of Victoria?
What animals can found in Australia?
Where do I eat out in Australia?
What is the history of Australia?
What are Australia´s Population Characteristics?
What are the rivers of Australia
What Religious celebrations take place in Australia at Christmas?
Do they have many holidays in Australia?
Can I celebrate Christmas Mass in Australia?
What is the history of Australia?
Who is Sir Tannatt William Edgeworth?
What are the Towns/cities of Queensland?
What are some Outback Travelling Tips?
What is the history of literature in Australia?
What is the history of literature in Australia?
What will I find on the East Coast Tasmania?
What is Government in Australia?
What is the history of Political Institutions in Australia?
What is the history of Australia?
What animals can be found in Australia?
What are the busses like in the ACT?
Is the Australian Echidna marsupial or mammal?
What is the history of The Founding of Sydney ?
What wildlife can be found in our oceans?
How do I get an Australian Visa?
Can I get traditional Christmas food in Australia?
What is education in Australia?
What are Australian dollar coins made of?
How much cash can I bring into Australia?
Who was Sir Garfield Barwick ?
What is the #3 Beach resort in Australia?
Where is the Sheraton Mirage Resort, Port Douglas?
Where are the The Victorian Goldfields?
What are the Natural Resources of Australia?
What is Surfing life in Australia?
What Was Australia´s view of the Interwar Years?
Who is Thomas Alexander Browne?
Where is Kakadu National Park?
Who is William Charles Wentworth?
What are some places to visit in Perth?
What is the history on Australia´s New Settlements ?
What is Australian Rules football?
What is the Government of Australia?
What do I do if attacked by a Crocodile?
What events take place in the ACT?
What is the #1 beach resort in Australia?
What is the history of north east of Victoria?
What is the history of Australia?
What is the history of Australia?
What are Australia´s States and external dependants?
How many states are there in Australia?
How do Australians celebrate Valentines Day?
Who was Andrew Barton (Banjo) Paterson ?
Where do I get tourist information in Australia?
What is Australia´s Defense force?
What towns/cities are in South Australia
What animals are native to Australia?
What is the history of Australia?
How do I stay safe on Australias Beaches?
What safety precautions should I take at the beach?
Who is Henry Handel Richardson?
What is Forestry and Fishing in Australia?
Where can I find information on the Western Australian State Governmen
Where is the Australian War Memorial?
What memorials should I see in Canberra?
What towns/cities are in the ACT?
What is the Olympic Games Motto?
What animals can be found in Australia?
What is Currency and Banking in Australia?
What was Australia´s Expanding Colonization From the 1820s to the 18
What is the climate in Australia?
What is the Olympic Arts Festival ?
What is the history of Australia?
Where is the National Gallery ?
Are there old historic dwellings in Canberra, ACT, Australia
Can I see many art galleries in Canberra?
Guru Spotlight |
Candi Wingate |