Travel Tips Australia - Canberra Top Attractions

• By: Editor
• On: 31/Oct/2008
• In: Australia Travel Tips

Canberra was a planned city, which is somewhat unusual compared to other Australian cities that grew in a more ad hoc manner. During the development of the city the planners included many green areas that still exist today and this has given rise to the nickname as the Bush City.

It's not located in any of the normal states and is instead located in an area called the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). This territory is completely surrounded by New South Wales.

Though it's a very young city compared to others in Australia and the rest of the world, there's still plenty to see and do both in the city and the surrounding areas.

One good place to start is the Australian War Memorial. This is divided into three parts which are the Hall of Memory, which houses the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier; the Memorials Galleries, with the main museum; and the Research Centre, where all the records are stored.

There's much to investigate here and it's certainly worth at least half a day, more if you want to see it properly. On the 25th of April, a memorial parade takes place which consists of Veterans marching along ANZAC Parade and ends at the Australian War Memorial.

Located close by is the Parliament House of Australia, across the lake from ANZAC Parade. This is where the government of Australia sits, so much of the building will be closed off to the public but certain areas are accessible. The building itself is a remarkable piece of architecture.

Also located in the same area is the Old Parliament Building, and as the name suggests it was the seat of government for Australia until construction of the current Parliament Building was completed in 1988.

Inside you'll find exhibits on some of the major issues and controversies that occurred in Australian politics. As it's no longer used for official government business you'll be free to enter the Prime Minister's office, the Cabinet Room, the various party rooms, and other formerly important rooms.

There are a number of other museums that are worth visiting such as the National Museum of Australia, which consists of a large number of interactive exhibits regarding Australia's social history.

There's also the National Gallery of Australia, which is the premier art gallery in the country and houses over 120,000 works of art, including Aboriginal artwork. There are many more museums just waiting for you to explore.

Another very popular attraction is the Questacon - The National Science and Technology Centre. This interactive museum has a number of its own interactive exhibits that aid the teaching of scientific concepts such as the principles of physics, and so on.  This place is fun for all the kids and indeed the adults.

The Australian Mint can also be a very interesting visit, where you get to learn and see how coins are made. You can see the entire history of Australian coins and even get your own minted souvenir coin.

For a concentrated look at some of Australia’s native plant life, you can visit the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

The Gardens are located to the north-west of Canberra at the foot of Black Mountain and it has the largest collection of native flora in the entire country. This is a perfect place to picnic or take a break on your long days of exploring. On some summer nights there can be jazz shows as well.

And while you are in the area you could head up Black Mountain to the Telstra Tower which rises almost 200 metres from its summit and offers spectacular 360° views of Canberra and the surrounding countryside. The tower is a functioning communications tower, with its own revolving restaurant and a display detailing telecommunication history.

A good way of getting from A to B is to hire a car. Book car hire Canberra.

Have you been to Canberra? Have you any tips on what to see and do. We'd be delighted to hear from you.