When I think of Canberra, I remember passing through on a family holiday and driving around and around and around in circles. If you visit today, you can still expect an unnatural number of roundabouts as you explore Australia’s capital, but so much else has changed. Canberra promises that you will find more than what you came for and you’ll find this to be true.
A little bit of context first. Canberra was chosen as the capital of Australia and was newly established in 1913, to resolve the drawn out debate over whether Sydney or Melbourne should win the honour. The compromise was that a location would be chosen in New South Wales, but it must be at least 160km from Sydney. The name itself is thought to be derived from a local Aboriginal word meaning ‘meeting place’ and had been commonly used in the area for a long time prior. Luckily this trumped a number of other humourous suggestions from the public, including ‘Wheatwoolgold’, ‘Kangaremu’ and ‘Sydmelperadbrisho’.
Many of the attractions here, whether cultural, historical or political, represent our national identity as Australians. You only need a weekend, but it is well worth a visit.
SEE + DO
Parliament House
Parliament House is synonymous with Canberra. As a lover of architecture, I was in awe. You’ll enter through the Marble Foyer, where the muted green marble columns and bold geometric floors are likely to make a bold first impression. Beyond this, there’s something strange about seeing the House of Representations off the television screen, somehow transformed into real life. This is where Australian law is debated and made.
You can also see painted portraits of all 25 Prime Ministers past and present in chronological order, homed in the Members Hall. It’s easy to appreciate these as works of art and it’s interesting to see modern day leaders captured with brushstrokes rather than a photograph. It’s also worth noting that the landmark 2008 Apology for Australia’s Indigenous Peoples can be viewed here, which recognises the historic wrongs committed against them, particularly in the removal of Indigenous children from their families. For those less familiar with Australian history, you can look up ‘the stolen generation’.
Old Parliament House
If you’ve seen the current Parliament House, you might think there’s nothing more to gain by visiting the Old Parliament House, but they couldn’t be more different. I would describe the former as impressive and the latter as interesting. Also known as the Museum of Australian Democracy, every room here is a perfectly preserved slice of history. I felt like I’d been transported back to the late 80s or maybe even onto the set of Mad Men.
Offices looked as if everyone had just gone home for the day, with jackets slung over the chair backs, typewriters and old phones positioned on desks, even cigarette butts and newspapers dating back 50 years. You can even watch cheesy political ads like this one from the 80s on retro little televisions. At the right time of year, there is also a beautiful rose garden here too, but unfortunately there were none to be admired in Winter.
Australian War Memorial
I know a war memorial doesn’t sound that exciting, but this was a highlight. The Commemorative Courtyard sets a somber and reflective mood, with the Pool of Reflection and the Eternal Flame overlooked by the Roll of Honour. Here, the name of Australians who have died in conflicts since 1885 are inscribed in bronze panels, with visitors placing red poppies in every visible crack in remembrance. You need to pass all of these to reach the Hall of Memory, where the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Solder lies in quiet solitude. The space is decorated with stained glass windows by Napier Waller, a well known Australian artist, who actually lost his right arm during WWI.
What I didn’t expect was the world class museum housed underneath. You could spend hours looking at photographs, reading the stories behind medals of honour, admiring the cross-stitches the soldiers made for their families and even viewing a bullet ridden boat that landed at Gallipoli. It’s all very humanising and makes history feel not so distant.
National Gallery of Australia
The NGA holds some world class special exhibitions and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to jump on a plane from Melbourne to see one of them. If you’d like to avoid paying entry or the current show isn’t of interest, I cannot recommend the free public exhibition enough. The NGA showcases the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal art (often grouped by geographic region) and also has an outstanding modern art collection. Outside you can wander the Sculpture Garden, with James Turrell’s Skyspace being a key attraction. The red ochre walls offset by the turquoise water is intended to draw our attention to the way we perceive light.
Telstra Tower
The Telstra Tower was built on the summit of Black Mountain Canberra and acts as both a telecommunications and an observation tower. It costs $7.50 for an adult ticket to go up to the observation deck and the views are really nice. The windows of the indoor viewing platform were poorly maintained and dirty (not sure where the entry fee is going), so you should definitely go out onto the open balcony. That being said, it can be super windy out there, so rug up.
Mount Ainslie
We almost didn’t head up to Mount Ainslie, given we’d already seen the view from the Telstra Tower at that point, but it is well worth visiting both. This one is free too. Walter Burley Griffin deliberately designed the layout of Canberra, utilising Mountain Ainslie as an aligning axis. So from this viewpoint, you can look straight down the Anzac Avenue from the War Memorial towards the Old and New Parliament Houses.
Lake Burley Griffin
Lake Burley Griffin is the man-made centrepiece of Canberra. The Bridge to Bridge walk connects Commonwealth Bridge to Kings Avenue Bridge, and is a nice section to stroll. Even better, get yourself an electric scooter from either Beam (bright purple) or Neuron (bright orange), it’s super fun to wizz around on one of these. It’s quick to sign up via the app and you pay by the minute (about 45c).
The Truffle Farm
Visiting a truffle farm would have been an entirely new experience and one I had never even thought to put on my list. The experience includes a hunt in the truffle paddock with their truffle hunting dogs and finishes with a tasting or degustation. Doesn’t it sound wholesome? Unfortunately we visited Canberra on a long weekend and they were all booked out – if you can plan ahead, do.
EAT + DRINK
Inka
If you could only have one meal in Canberra, this would be my recommendation. Inka serves Nikkei cuisine – a fusion of Japanese technique and Peruvian ingredients, a new style that emerged due to Japanese migration in the late 1900s. Today. Peru has one of the largest Japanese populations outside Japan. The fit out is impressive, with a wall of backlit cuchimilco (terracotta figures found in Inca burial sites) dominating the restaurant. We had comfortable bar seats overlooking the kitchen, where we could watch everything being prepared, which was entertainment in itself. Menu hits included the Kingfish Classico Ceviche, Chicken Empanadas, Lomo Saltado and Sweet Potato Picarone. You can only book online as they don’t have a phone line, or you might luck out with a walk in, like we did.
Lazy Su
This place was very hyped up and seems to have been recommended on every write up on Canberra. It was hard to get into you – make sure you book in advance or be ready to show up at 5pm on the dot when they open. We did the regular set menu for $55, which was a bit hit and miss. People rave about their Wagyu Cheesesteak Springrolls, which honestly is a strange experience, because it looks like spring rolls but tastes like a McDonald’s cheeseburger. It’s got a cool, almost club-like vibe, with kitsch Japanese decor. A hopping spot in Braddon – if you walk past, you’ll want to get a spot inside.
Messina
We found one in Braddon, just up the road from Lazy Su. It doesn’t matter how many Messina’s you’ve been to, there is always room for one more. The best ice cream is the perfect end to a night.
The Cupping Room
Named after the process coffee roasters and growers use to judge coffees next to each other without bias – these guys are serious about their coffee. This is one of Ona Coffee’s five flagship stores, so expect a coffee menu and enjoy your choice.
Brindabella Hills Winery
Only a 25-30 min drive from Canberra is the Canberra district wine region, known for it’s cool climate wines. Brindabella Hills Winery is named for it’s mountain backdrop and offers cellar door tastings on weekends. You may also be lucky enough to have accompanying chocolate with your wine tasting (like dark chocolate mango paired with a Sav Blanc), if Fudgemental is also there on the day you visit.
Want to explore more in NSW?
See my guides to Sydney and Byron Bay.
