Canberra: a 2 day itinerary
If you ask someone outside of Australia what the capital of the country is, chances are the answer you’ll get will be either Sydney or Melbourne. Neither is correct, although those answers speak to the reason that the city of Canberra was created and has served as Australia’s capital since 1908. The city was purpose designed and built on the site of an old sheep station to end the rivalry between Australia’s two largest cities and their respective claims to being the nation’s capital. Unlike urban metropolises around the world however, Canberra is spacious, low-level and surrounded by bushland. Its definitely not as high profile as other cities in Australia, and most tourists will overlook the city despite its importance to the nation.
Canberra is located in the Australian Capital Territory, around 300 kilometres south-west of Sydney. Its the only capital city in Australia not found on the coast, so its already unique in that sense. The city is situated around the man-made Lake Burley Griffin, and surrounded by mountains and hills. Given its location, its possible to visit Canberra on a day-trip from Sydney, however to get the most of your stay, I’d recommend at least two days in the city. That should give you enough time to see the main sights. Its also worth driving rather than flying if you’re coming from Sydney though as flying the route can be quite expensive despite the short distance.
While Canberra may not be high on the radar of most tourists travelling to Australia from abroad, if you’re a fellow Australian or have more time to spare down under, I’d recommend taking a trip to Canberra and following this itinerary to make the most of your time.
Day One in Canberra: The Parliamentary Triangle
Being the meticulously planned city that it is, many of Canberra’s major attractions can be found in a relatively compact area known as the Parliamentary Triangle. You’ll be able to walk to most places throughout this part of the city so don’t stress about getting around.
Old Parliament House
While Canberra is centred around Parliament House on Capital Hill, the building is relatively new. Your first stop of the day (after breakfast of course) takes you to the Old Parliament House. This building was constructed in 1927 and served as the centre of Australian politics until the current House was opened in 1988. During its heyday, Old Parliament House saw numerous significant events such as Australia’s World War II declaration and the disappearance of Prime Minister Harold Holt in 1967. Today, the building houses the Museum of Australian Democracy. Arrive first thing in the morning and allow around an hour to explore the exhibits, which provide a comprehensive overview of Australia’s political history. You might also want to check out the nearby National Portrait Gallery to see portraits of significant Australians from all walks of life.
- Museum of Australian Democracy Website: https://www.moadoph.gov.au/
- National Portrait Gallery Website: https://portrait.gov.au/
Parliament House
Following your visit to Old Parliament House, its only natural you continue your day by heading up Capital Hill to the Australian Parliament House itself. This architectural icon is where the current Federal Parliament meets, and if you’re visiting on a sitting day, you can even see the politicians of the house debating during Question Time (held at 2PM). Whether you’re politically inclined or not, a visit to Parliament House is worthwhile just to see the impressive building, both from outside and its interior. Parliament House offers free guided tours of the building that run for around 40 minutes a few times a day. These tours serve as a great way to get a deeper sense of appreciation for Australia’s federal seat of government.
- Australian Parliament House Website: https://www.aph.gov.au/
Parliament House is such a unique building that you can actually walk up its grassy sides onto the roof. The Queen’s Terrace Cafe is a great choice to grab a quick bite for lunch before continuing your day of exploring Canberra.
Science and the Arts
After spending your morning taking in the political side of Canberra, mix it up for the afternoon with a few hours at Questacon. Located towards Lake Burley Griffin, the impressive National Science and Technology Museum is easily Australia’s best science centre. The museum contains over 200 interactive exhibits across six galleries, exploring phenomena such as the earth sciences, physics, space and innovation. While its definitely a museum that is popular with young children, due to its interactive nature you’ll easily pass an hour or so here regardless of your age group.
- Questacon Website: https://www.questacon.edu.au/
When you’re finished embracing your inner Einstein, take the short walk to the National Gallery of Australia nearby. Spend around an hour exploring the gallery’s impressive collection of Australian art, both from its colonial and Indigenous history. Highlights of the gallery include Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles and Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly paintings. Also make sure you see the Aboriginal Memorial, a collection of 200 log poles honouring the lives of Indigenous Australians that were lost during European settlement of the country. Like most major art institutions around the world, you can take a free guided highlight tour to maximise your experience of the gallery. These generally are offered twice a day and run for about an hour. When you’re done inside, don’t leave the area without seeing the sculpture garden where you’ll find gigantic Pears, Cones and other works.
- National Gallery of Australia Website: https://nga.gov.au/
After an action packed day, find a local restaurant for dinner, enjoy some fine Canberra wine and relax, ready for another day of exploring the city tomorrow. If you’re looking for something to do after dinner, head up to Mt Ainslee Lookout for spectacular views of Canberra by night.
Day Two in Canberra: Across Lake Burley Griffin
On your second day, you’ll be seeing the remainder of Canberra’s main attractions on the other side of Lake Burley Griffin. Today’s pace will be more relaxed, and you’ll have time to soak in the atmosphere of the city, while also seeing one of its most impressive museums. With that said, today’s itinerary is a bit more spaced out geographically, so you might need to rely on Uber or other ride-share apps if you don’t have access to a car.
National Museum of Australia
Start day two in Canberra with a visit to the National Museum of Australia, on the bank of Lake Burley Griffin at Acton Peninsula. This museum is housed in yet another purpose built structure (a bit of a theme for Canberra), and provides an in-depth look into the people, events and issues that have shaped Australia over the course of history. Its only fitting that such a comprehensive overview of the nation can be found in its capital. The Museum is deceptively large and you can spend at least two hours here. Highlights include the First Australians exhibit which focuses on retelling the history of Australia’s Indigenous peoples, and the Journeys exhibition, which illustrates the contributions to diversity that immigration has had on Australia throughout different periods.
- National Museum of Australia Website: https://www.nma.gov.au/
Australian War Memorial
After spending some time taking in the views of Lake Burley Griffin, and perhaps picking up an early lunch along the way, head towards Anzac Parade to check out the Australian War Memorial. Located directly opposite Parliament House on the other side of the lake, this art-deco style building is well worth visiting and is one of the most impressive structures in Canberra. Paying tribute to the Australian soldiers that have died while serving the nation, the Memorial is centred around the Pool of Reflection and Eternal Flame. Spend some time reflecting on the losses of war as you read the names along the Roll of Honour and visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier inside the Hall of Memory.
- Australian War Memorial Website: https://www.awm.gov.au/
The Australian War Memorial also houses an excellent museum that is often overlooked by visitors to Canberra. Inside the museum you’ll find galleries dedicated to Australia’s role in both World Wars and other armed conflicts. There’s a lot to see inside, including a hall of military aircraft and a light show recreating bombing raids over Germany in the Second World War. Take your time exploring the museum. I found it to be so much more in-depth than I was expecting.
The scenic outdoors
In the late afternoon, take a relaxing stroll through the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Situated on the lower slopes of Black Mountain (you’ll head up there later), these gardens contain over 90,000 plant varieties. There’s plenty of self-guided walking tours you can take around the gardens, with the 45 minute Main Path taking you through the eucalypt lawn, rock garden, rainforest gully and Sydney Region garden. If I had to recommend just one part of the gardens in particular though, it would be the Red Centre Garden, which provides a look at the vibrant outback landscape present in Australia’s deep interior.
- Australian National Botanic Gardens Website: https://www.anbg.gov.au/gardens/
After your stroll through nature, head up Black Mountain to spend the evening at Telstra Tower. You can even follow the signs in the Botanic Gardens and take the walking track up here if you’ve still got energy. Affectionately known as the “giant syringe” due to its design, a visit to Telstra Tower rewards you with sweeping views across Canberra from the tower’s 195 metre height. If you arrive before sunset, spend a bit of time first checking out the telecommunication exhibition (the tower is an actual telecommunication tower, hence the name Telstra) before heading up to the observatory levels. Here you’ll find both indoor and outdoor viewing decks over three floors.
- Telstra Tower Website: https://www.telstratower.com.au/
You’ll no doubt be hungry after making your way around Canberra for the day. If you really want to splurge, you can enjoy dinner at the tower’s revolving restaurant (book first). Otherwise make your way back into the city centre to find a feed.
Got more time to spend in Canberra?
There’s still more to see in Canberra. If you’ve got more than two days to spend, you might want to check out some of the following:
- Royal Australian Mint: take a tour about the history of Australia’s currency and watch coins being made.
- National Zoo and Aquarium: spend a day with the animals in Australia’s only combined zoo and aquarium. You can even participate in the Zoo’s “Meet a Cheetah” program.
- Embassy Tour: take a drive through the suburb of Yarralumla and view the culturally inspired exteriors of the various embassies throughout the neighbourhood. Highlights include the Chinese, Indian, Papua New Guinea and Mexican embassy buildings.
- Cockington Green Gardens: about a fifteen minute drive out of the city centre, this unique garden features scaled miniature displays of iconic landmarks and locations from around the world.
There’s a lot to do if you make the trip to Canberra. It won’t be the highlight of your trip to Australia if you’re coming from abroad, but its a place worth visiting if you’ve got the time to spare. Sydney and Melbourne may both be more impressive cities, but at least Canberra was there to settle the rivalry between them.
If you’ve been to Canberra, are there any sights that I’ve missed that you recommend visiting? What’s your favourite way to spend time in Australia’s capital?