Canberra Hotels

For years, you had to seek out Canberra’s attractions – which were far from apparent on the long drive down Northbourne Avenue into a seemingly deserted City Centre. Now, though, thanks to ANU students and an infusion of young urban professionals chasing the best pay packets in the country, Canberra is adopting more of the café and pub culture seen in Sydney and Melbourne. Its sprawling suburbs (especially trendy neighbourhoods like Lyneham and Braddon) are even developing their own cultural scenes.

Being the hub of the public service (over 75% of Canberrans work for the government), Canberra is a great place to while away the hours. Take long lunches. Jam the photocopier. That sort of thing.

In all seriousness, though, Canberra invites a slower pace. Climb the grassy slopes of Mount Ainslie, explore the flora in the National Botanic Gardens and peruse the boutiques of fashionable Manuka. You won’t be short of opportunities to indulge those more refined tastes, either, with the National Gallery, the National Library, the National Museum of Australia and the Australian War Memorial all providing some serious cultural cred.

Yes, Canberra is a little… well, nerdy, but that’s part of its charm. And we’d be living in a pretty dull country if everywhere was the same.

CANBERRA’S TOP 10

CANBERRA LOCAL

Canberra is one of the worst designed cities anywhere in terms of being visitor-friendly. Not only are its attractions spread across a sizeable area, there is no underground train system, and the local buses are both expensive and infrequent. Drive there, or fly and rent a car to make the most of the region.

Civic

Canberra’s CBD is the unimaginatively named Civic. While it is a hub of business, you’d be forgiven for missing it as it boasts none of the trademark skyscrapers of other CBDs. (Buildings are prohibited from being taller than the Parliament House flagpole.)

Happily, though, Civic makes up for this with a healthy nightlife and one of the biggest shopping malls in the country, the Canberra Centre. You’ll also find plenty of specialty boutiques along Bunda Street and City Walk. Civic is also home to Academy Nightclub, King O’Malleys and UniPub, so once the shopping has worn you out you can kick up your heels with the (thirsty) after-work crowd.

Tuggeranong

Canberra’s southernmost area has been occupied by the original indigenous inhabitants for over 21,000 years, but there has been a huge amount of urban development in that time. The Hyperdome is the optimistic name given to Tuggeranong’s large regional shopping centre, where you’ll find the ubiquitous mildly threatening teens doing whatever it is they do in shopping centres all day.

Tuggeranong is best known for its natural attractions, which include Pine Island, a sandy river beach on the shores of the Murrimbidgee, which attracts picnickers and swimmers in the summer, as well as Tidbinbilla, a picturesque nature reserve where you can get up close and personal with kangaroos, emus and koalas. Historic Tuggeranong Homestead is both scenic and a pleasant place to explore. Staying for dinner is an added treat.

Manuka

Manuka is the trendy, fashionable hub of Canberra, and it boasts a plethora of fashion boutiques and designer stores. The coffee at Zucchero is as good as you’d find down any alley in Melbourne, and the Wine and Cheese Providore is a relatively modest name for what is nothing less than a sensory extravaganza. Manuka also boasts the Manuka Oval, where you can catch a game of AFL or, if it’s the right time of year, the Prime Minister’s XI Cricket Match against whichever country is touring.

Kingston

This is the most densely populated suburb of Canberra. Peppered with quality restaurants and bars and a lively, young, urban population, Kingston is one of the most vibrant areas of Canberra. If you’re sick of Westfield malls, the Old Bus Depot Markets are far cooler than they sound, held on the lakeside every Sunday. And if architecture is your bag, the disused power plant Kingston Powerhouse and the newer Canberra Glassworks are both worth a gander.

Parkes

This is Canberra’s political zone, bordered by Lake Burley Griffin and home to both Parliament House and Old Parliament House (don’t worry, you can’t possibly get the two confused) and other splendid bureaucratic centres. Pack your walking shoes for a stroll up Capital Hill (it’s further than it looks).

CANBERRA EAT & DRINK

CANBERRA EVENTS

Four days of high-octane entertainment come to Canberra in January for the Summernats Car Festival, the only time when burn-outs, mullets and wet T-shirt competitions are socially acceptable. OK, they’re never socially acceptable, but they’re certainly celebrated at this festival.

Canberrans have more than just chocolate to look forward to at Easter – there’s also the food, markets and music of the National Folk Festival.

The ANZAC Day Concert is a new annual event acknowledging the fallen through music, song, spoken word and film.

You could just watch the Melbourne Cup on the telly, but Thoroughbred Park is when Canberra is at its most vibrant, and with Canberrans getting a(nother) public holiday to celebrate, it’s definitely the place to be!

Winter brings the Antarctica Music Festival in June.

July in Canberra gets less bleak with Skate in the City, a huge open-air ice skating rink.

Canberra is at its most colourful in spring, when locals gather to watch millions of flower bloom at Floriade.

The Floriade Night Festival proves that garden beds aren’t only fun if you’re over 65.

Pause at the Australian War Memorial for Remembrance Day, held on the 11^th day of the 11^th month.

Canberrans try to keep it classy when 21 cellars open their doors for Wine, Roses and All That Jazz in November.

WHEN TO GO

• Canberra has a dry climate with four distinct seasons.

• Travellers from warmer climates up north will find themselves a tad uncomfortable during winter, which can drop to zero degrees.

• Spring and autumn are probably the most pleasant times to visit, with temperatures ranging between 10 and 23 degrees and the autumn leaves putting on a very pretty show.

• Summer can get stiflingly hot in Canberra with the mercury climbing over 40°C.

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WHAT TO MISS

• Canberra actually looks rather nice from a good height, but catch the views from the top of Mount Ainslie rather than the Telstra Tower.

• ‘The Love Tour’ is not very romantic at all, but if you’re into brothels and strip joints, then go ahead.

• Cockington Green is a village of miniature houses that are only exciting if you’re less than four foot tall.

GETTING AROUND

• Planned cities may not be the most interesting architecturally, but they are a lot easier to drive around.

• Take your time and make use of the cycling and walking paths – you’ll get to experience some beautiful lakeside paths, and Canberra is very well-served by bike lanes.

• ACTION buses cover most of Canberra, but if you’re venturing beyond the major areas it’s probably worth renting a car (assuming you don’t already have one).

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