Canberra Tourist Attractions
|
|
Top Tourist Attractions in Canberra
TownscapeCanberra (alt 550 m), situated half way between Sydney and Melbourne, is surrounded by a semi-circle of hills (Mount Ainslie, Red Hill, Mount Pleasant, Black Mountain). A central feature of the city is Lake Burley Griffin, a long artificial lake formed in 1964 by a dam on the Molongolo River. The lake separates the northern half of the city, with its central area (City Hill) on Vernon Circle surrounded by the London Circuit, from the southern half, with the government quarter on Capital Hill (and the embassy quarters). The two parts of the city are linked by Commonwealth Avenue and Kings Avenue, which span the lake. These two avenues, meeting at an acute angle on Capital Hill, are the two sides of a triangle which has Lake Burley Griffin and Parkes Way as its curving base.Canberra's streets are laid out on a generous scale, with many of them flanked by gardens. Millions of trees have been planted, producing glorious autumn colors.
Lake Burley Griffin
Lake Burley Griffin is a man made lake which is the central focus of Canberra. Parks, picnic areas, and a walking trail surround the lake.
| Highlights: |
|---|
| Highlights: |
|---|
National Zoo and Aquarium
The National Aquarium, just to the south of the Scrivener Dam, displays a wide range of marine life, from the tiny denizens of the reefs to huge sharks. In the neighboring zoo all the important species of Australian fauna are to be seen as well as exotic species as such as lions, tigers, cheetahs, bears and more.
National Museum of Australia
At the north-west end of Lake Burley Griffin, near the Scrivener Dam (Lady Denman Drive), is the new National Museum of Australia. A major theme of the exhibits will be the cultural history of the Aborigines. A selection of items from the museum's collections is displayed in the nearby Yarramundi Visitor Centre.
Canberra Explorer Bus
It is better not to try do your sightseeing by car, since the complicated layout of the city makes finding your way difficult. A good solution is to take the Canberra Explorer Bus, which does a 25 km tour of the city taking about an hour. Buses leave from the Visitors Information Centre in the Jolimont Centre (Northbourne Avenue) at hourly intervals 9:45am - 3:45pm. There are 24 stops at which passengers can leave the bus and rejoin it.
Black Mountain
Black Mountain is west of the Acton district of Canberra. It is noted for the white quartz sandstone, the bushland and provides homes for native wildlife.
Black Mountain Tower (formerly Telstra Tower)
With many streets laid out in concentric circles, it is not always easy to find your way about in Canberra. It is a good idea, therefore, to begin your visit by getting a general impression of the city from a suitable viewpoint. The best view of the city is from the Tower on Black Mountain (812 m), to the west of the city centre. The television tower has an observation platform and a revolving restaurant.
Australian Institute of Sport
In the north-western part of the city, at the foot of the Black Mountain, is the Australian Institute of Sport, the training center for Australia's top sportsmen and women, with swimming stadium and tennis center.
City
From the Academy of Science it is a short distance to the City, the focal point of the northern half of Canberra.
London Circuit
Around London Circuit, on City Hill at the end of Commonwealth Avenue, are concentrated the business firms and banks. The Sydney and Melbourne Buildings with their colonnades were erected in 1926-7, on a site then surrounded by wide treeless plains.
Civic Square
In Civic Square is a copper statue, Ethos, originally cast in 1962 as The Spirit of the Community. Opposite it is a three-dimensional representation of Canberra's coat of arms cast in copper and zinc.
St Kilda Carousel
The old St Kilda merry-go-round, a favorite with children, is in Petrie Plaza.
General Post Office
The General Post Office on Alinga Street has Australia's largest and most valuable collection of postage stamps.
Canberra Theatre Centre
The Canberra Theatre Centre is made up of two major venues, the Canberra Theatre and the Playhouse. The Canberra Theatre seats 1244 while the Playhouse holds up to 622. Along with these two venues is the much smaller experimental theatre, the Courtyard Studio, which accomodates 90 people.
Cranberra - Thespis Statue
A sculpture of Thespis is located outside the Theatre Centre.
Deakin
Region of Canberra located south west of Capital Hill between Adelaide and Melbourne Avenues.
Royal Australian Mint
The (Royal Australian) Mint is on Denison Street in Deakin district. All Australian coins are minted here.In the foyer of the Mint is a small museum, with a souvenir shop. Visitors can watch the manufacture of coins from a gallery and mint their own $1 coins, while a display traces the history of Australian coinage.
Forrest
Region of Canberra located south of Capital Hill, between Melbourne and Canberra Avenues.
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church in the Forrest district is famed for its wall paintings (by Karl Matzek) and its gold-leaf ceiling.
Yarralumla
Region of Canberra located north west of Capital Hill, south of Lake Burley Griffin and west of Commonwealth Avenue.
Diplomatic Missions
As Canberra only developed slowly, most diplomatic missions remained for a long time in Sydney (NSW) or Melbourne (VIC). First to come to Canberra, in 1936, was the British High Commission, followed in 1940 by the U.S. Embassy.Most of the diplomatic missions are west of Capital Hill in the Yarralumla district. For the most part they are featureless functional buildings: more interesting architecturally are the High Commission of Papua New Guinea (built in the form of a cult house, with a high patterned gable), the Greek Embassy (with marble-clad columns) and the Indonesian Embassy (with sculptures of Balinese deities).
Government House
Government House, the residence since 1927 of the Governor-General (the Australian head of state and representative of the Queen), is a mansion in the Yarralumla district originally built in 1891 for Frederick Campbell, grandson of Robert Campbell.
More Canberra Pictures
More Australia Resources
- Canberra tours and things to do by Viator
- Canberra Travel Guide by iExplore
Map of Canberra Attractions
Map - Canberra
