Lake Burley Griffin

Lake Burley Griffin is Canberra's centerpiece. There are lovely parks for picnics and areas for swimming as well as walking tracks and cycling paths. The lake is a busy waterway with rowing, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking, dragon boating, fishing, model boating and paddle boating being just some of the activities available. Around the lake there are many services available including boat and bike hire, lake cruises and ferry services, see Lake Operators

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The National Carillion

On the eastern shore of the lake The National Carillion entertains its visitors with the music of 55 bells as it floats. The best way to enjoy it is to take a picnic to Aspen Island and attend one of the regular recitals.

Booking are essential. P (02) 6257 106

Blundells Cottage

Step back in time to the Limestone Plains at Blundells Cottage and enjoy the view of Parliament House across Lake Burley Griffin with the Brindabella Mountains behind. This cottage museum captures rural life in the 19th century, before the national capital or the nation of Australia existed.

Parliament House

The most recognized symbol of Australia’s Capital City is open to visitors every day from 9.00am to 5.00pm, later when Parliament is in session.

Old Parliament House

Beautiful 1920s building and home of the Australian Parliament for 61 years, with much of the interior offices left just as they were when the tenants left to move up to the big house on the hill. Changing Exhibitions and free guided tours every 45 minutes, 9.30am-3.15pm.

Open daily 9am-5pm. Adults $2, kids $1.

Australian War Memorial

The Memorial is a unique Australian institution. The building houses an enormous collection of pictures, dioramas, relics and exhibitions detailing the events, the weapons and human toll of wartime. There are also a shrine, and an extensive archive.

P 02 6243 4211 More Info>>  

Australian National Botanic Gardens

Walk amongst the finest collection of Australian flora in the world at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Nestled at the foot of Black Mountain, the Gardens are devoted entirely to plants native to Australia with 6,800 species over a 40 hectare site. Wander through the plants of the rainforest, the desert, the mountains in specially created ‘climatic zones’. Explore the Rainforest Gully, the Rock Garden, the Eucalypt Lawn and the Mallee Shrublands on marked trails. Open daily 8.30am-5pm, (extended to 6pm weekdays, 8pm weekends in January)

P (02) 6250 945 More Info>>  

Floriade

Every spring, Canberra's Commonwealth Park is transformed into a tapestry of colour with more than a million bulbs and annuals in bloom at this Australia's premier spring festival and world-class floral spectacular. Floriade runs for one exciting month from mid-September to mid-October and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. This vibrant festival presents an amazing and ever-changing visual display that makes a single visit never enough.  For further information please contact Canberra and Region Visitors Centre.

P 1300 554 114 More Info>> 

Telstra Tower

A landmark of Canberra, the Telstra Tower rises from the centre of Canberra Nature Park and offers panoramic views of the city and surrounding countryside. Rising 195 metres above the summit of Black Mountain, the tower was opened in 1980 and provides vital communication facilities for Canberra. The tower provides both inside and outside viewing galleries, a telecommunications museum, cafe, revolving restaurant and gift shop.  

P (02) 6219 6111

National Zoo and Aquarium

A wide range of animal interaction is possible at this private-enterprise centre, set on 10 hectares of bush land, that helps rescue endangered wildlife from the organ trade and circuses. Try Zoo Venture: a two-hour, behind-the-scenes tour where you can get up close and personal with many of the animals. Zoocation holiday sessions aim to provide children with a rewarding, enjoyable and exciting learning experience in a unique, safe and relaxed setting.

There’s Zoocation (for 7-12's) and Zoocation Junior (for 5-6's). Open daily 10am-5pm: adults $26.50, kids $14.50.
P (02) 6287 8400 More Info>> 

National Gallery of Australia

The National Gallery has a stunning collection of over 100,000 works of art: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islender art, Australian art, Asian art, photography, sculpture garden and international art. Open daily 10am- 5 pm.

Admission is free. P (02) 6240 6502

National Museum of Australia

This eclectic museum, the first devoted to the stories of Australia and Australians, contains 5 permanent galleries and changing exhibitions. Open daily 9am- 5 pm.

Admission to the permanent galleries is free. P 02 6208 5000 More Info>> 

Questacon (Science and Technology Centre)

With a strong focus on children from grades two to ten and with a charter that seeks to make science and technology both fun and accessible, this is a great family option -stimulating, insightful and highly interactive. The exhibits change regularly. Experience an earthquake; brave the simulated guillotine or freefall 6m down a vertical slide. Kids will love the zany science theatre shows and the tiny ones won’t want to leave Mini Q where imaginations can run riot. Open daily 9am- 5pm. Adults $15.50, kids $9.

P 02 6270 2800 More Info>> 

Ballooning

Each March, Canberra hosts the Canberra Balloon Fiesta when some 50 novelty balloons from around Australia and overseas take off from the lawns in front of Old Parliament House. During the rest of the year you can take to the skies on most mornings, weather permitting, with one of several commercial one-hour balloon flight operators. Flights leave at dawn, drifting over the slumbering city, usually waking dogs in almost every backyard you glide over. It’s a great way to get a birds-eye view of the radiating lines of Walter Burley Griffin's original city plan.

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Canberra Stadium

Set amidst the native bush land of North Canberra, and adjacent to the Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra Stadium offers a range of entertainment and facilities in a venue that continues to make history through ACT, national and international sporting achievements.

P (02) 6256 6700 More Info>> 

Canberra Space Dome and Observatory

The Canberra Planetarium offers a variety of entertaining and educational shows. The Observatory Gallery is the connecting corridor between the domes. It features a static visual display on a host of astronomical subjects.

P (02) 62497817 More Info>> 

Ginninderra Village

Gininderra Village was built in 1883 with the schoolhouse being the original school for the area now known as Canberra. The buildings are heritage listed and present the visitor with some knowledge of life in the early days. There is an old-fashioned garden where visitors may picnic or use the free electric barbecue facilities.

P (02) 6205 0044

Canberra Nature Park, Jerrabomberra Wetlands

The Jerrabomberra Wetlands are located on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin. These wetlands, the largest in the ACT, are an important habitat and refuge for wildlife including platypus and 77 species of migrating waterbirds. The wetlands are situated across several old river courses which have fluctuating water levels following the varying levels of Lake Burley Griffin. This, together with the adjacent rivers, has created a series of habitats which support a rich and diverse bird fauna. Car parking areas are situated on the eastern side of the wetlands with access from Dairy Flat Road and on southern side with access from Mundaring Road.

P (02) 6207-2087

Murrumbidgee River Corridor

The Murrumbidgee River, along with major tributaries of the Molonglo and Cotter Rivers, provides great riverside picnic locations and swimming spots.
Explore the waters of the Uriarra Crossing, 24km northwest of the city, Casuarina Sands, 19 km west of the city, the Kambah Pool Reserve, another 14km upstream on the Murrumbidgee, Cotter Dam, 23km west of the city on the Cotter River and with a camping ground; Pine Island and Point Hut Crossing, upstream of Kambah Pool Reserv.

P (02) 62072425

 Canberra Glassworks

Canberra Glassworks is situated in the historic Kingston Powerhouse and combines spacious industrial cathedral interiors, the thrill of the glass bowling and gourmet food for an experience that’s unforgettable.
Canberra Glassworks also provides diverse opportunities for visitors to interact with and learn about glass making and the heritage of Canberra's Kingston Powerhouse. Visitors can meet artists, see glassmaking as it happens, view exhibitions, take tours and have a hands-on experience working with glass.

Canberra Glassworks is opened Wednesday to Sunday from 10am – 4pm. P (02) 6260 7005