CAPITAL OF COOL
Do your patriotic duty and follow our guide to the best of Canberra’s attractions.
Our guide to some of the best attractions and activities in Canberra.
There was a time, not so long ago, when some said the best thing about Canberra was the road leading out of it. How times change. Now filled with chic design hotels, world-class museums and galleries, and restaurants worth planning a trip for, Canberra is the capital of cool.
EAT + DRINK
Canberra’s culinary scene is sophisticated and diverse, influenced by flavours from all over the world. If you’re short on time, book a table in advance at one of the gold-star, never-fail spots. On this list we’d include Italian and Sons, Aubergine, Ottoman, XO and Les Bistronomes.
To push the edible envelope, enjoy chef Sean McConnell’s creations at Rebel Rebel (rebelrebeldining.com.au) in the NewActon precinct. After entrancing Canberra with his yabby jaffles at Monster Bar and Kitchen, McConnell brings something for (almost) everyone to Rebel Rebel. The corn and manchego croquetas with prawn head aioli is a crowd-pleaser, while the roasted rhubarb fool has become a dessert staple.
The perfect cup of coffee – iced latte, cold brew, espresso – can be found at inner-city Harvest (harvestcoffee.com.au), which claims to serve the city’s best coffee. They have some stiff competition from The Cupping Room (thecuppingroom.com. au), where artisan blends from ONA Coffee, Canberra’s largest specialty coffee roaster, can be enjoyed with fresh plates featuring the season’s best produce.
Custom breweries flourish in Canberra, making the capital a great spot for beer lovers to explore. Its inner-city Braddon brewpub BentSpoke Brewing Co (bentspokebrewing.com.au) serves up 18 craft beers and ciders made on the premises, plus delicious seasonal bites incorporating beer and local produce. Visit the award-winning, Paul Bangay-designed orchard and stay for the food at Pialligo Estate, which is akin to an idyllic rural farm and vineyard. The Estate produces quality olive oil, wines, fruit and vegetables and smokehouse meats. Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner (call ahead for opening times) at the Estate’s Pavilion, where Pialligo’s talented chefs don’t need to look beyond the backyard for delicious seasonal ingredients. An on-site farm shop offers take-home goodies and they also do tours of the property. (thepialligoestate.com.au).
CULTURAL CANBERRA
You’ll need longer than a weekend to explore Canberra’s national galleries, museums and iconic landmarks. With plenty on offer for kids and grownups alike, we vote for everyone to visit at least once every year.
Start your cultural tour at the Australian War Memorial (awm.gov. au) to mine a rich vein of information about Australia’s history. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial, designed to honour the military contribution of Indigenous Australians, won the 2020 ACT Architecture Award. Take a moment to leave a red poppy on the Roll of Honour, and explore the wonderful interactive exhibits.
The National Gallery of Australia (nga.gov.au) possesses a diverse and abundant collection of Australian art, featuring many Indigenous artists. Known for blockbuster temporary exhibitions, the gallery’s permanent collection is well worth exploring.
Now in its 21st year (and second location), the National Portrait Gallery (portrait.gov.au) is a national treasure. Its dynamic collection of portraits of impressive Australians includes leaders, recognisable faces and some you might not know.
Plant the seed for future activism in your little ones by taking a tour of Parliament House (aph.gov.au).
A free tour of the Royal Australian Mint (ramint.gov.au) might send them more in the direction of capitalism.
At Old Parliament House, now known as the Museum of Australian Democracy (moadoph.gov.au), the business of politics is examined through engaging exhibits.
Finally, climb or drive to the top of Mount Ainslie for a bird’s-eye view of the capital’s most famous landmarks. COVID-19 restrictions may affect the opening hours of attractions, so it is best to call ahead to confirm and book timed entry, where required.
ON THE MARKET
There’s always something delicious at the Old Bus Depot Markets, held on Sundays from 10am in a vast industrial warehouse on the Kingston foreshore. Although COVID-19 restrictions hit pause on the market’s activity, organisers are hoping to reopen soon.
As well as browsing the stalls of collectibles, art, jewellery and homewares, there’s a feast of locally made cuisine to be enjoyed.
Many of the stalls are operated by immigrants who bring the flavours of home to the market. Enjoy dishes from Ethiopia, Laos, Lebanon and Thailand, as well as freshly squeezed juice, home-made cakes and cannoli, wood-fired bread, jams, spices and teas (obdm.com.au).
Get your hands on original pieces by more than 200 local artisans at Handmade Canberra. Held four times each year, the market has gone virtual in 2020. Browse trinkets, fashion, home decor and more (handmadecanberra.com.au).
Antique collectors have a compelling reason to visit now that Dirty Janes Canberra (dirtyjanes.com) has opened in a vast Fyshwick warehouse. With more than 90 boutique stalls displaying vintage, retro and pre-loved one-offs, there’s temptation all around.
FESTIVAL FEVER
The unprecedented events of 2020 have temporarily put the brakes on large gatherings and community events in Canberra, but the city’s reputation as a festival heavy-hitter remains. Start planning ahead now for 2021, when blockbuster citywide events will again attract hundreds of thousands of visitors.
Enlighten Festival brings together the best autumn events in March, many of them free and open to the public. A dazzling fireworks display celebrates Canberra Day, dozens of balloons take to the skies for the Canberra Balloon Spectacular and night noodle markets take over the lawns of Parliamentary Triangle.
Enlighten Illuminations transform some of the most recognisable buildings – including Old Parliament House and the National Gallery of Australia – into works of art with stunning architectural projections.
In September, it’s all eyes on Commonwealth Park as Canberra bursts into colourful bloom for Floriade, the largest flower festival in the Southern Hemisphere. More than 500,000 people attended in 2019, flocking to see one million-plus blossoming bulbs and bright annuals, interactive workshops, kids’ programmes and live entertainment.
... AND SURROUNDS
If a few days in Canberra isn’t enough to quench the travel thirst, consider venturing further to explore whitesand beaches, wine regions and mountain highs. Head south for the Snowy Mountains and Thredbo ski village, or east to glorious, uncrowded beaches. Just two hours away are Jervis Bay and Batemans Bay, some of the prettiest coastal towns in Australia. In Shoalhaven, indulge with a five-star stay at Bangalay Luxury Villas (bangalayvillas.com.au). The 16 architecturally designed private villas are set against the stunning backdrop of coastal national park. The on-site restaurant, Bangalay
Dining, works with local producers for a delicious, sustainable result led by head chef Brent Strong.
While you could taste Canberra’s cool-climate wines in the city’s restaurants and bars, surely it’s more fun to tour the region’s vineyards and cellar doors. Within 35 minutes’ drive of Parliament House there are more than 30 wineries producing sangiovese, riesling, merlot and more. Make a weekend of it and stay at the Abode Murrumbateman apartment hotel (abodehotels.com.au).
And while you’re in the neighbourhood, say yes to Yass. Thanks to a visit from the US stars of Netflix’s Queer Eye, the laid-back town of 6,500 residents has seen a flurry of interest from around the world. The colonial settlement from the 1840s (Banjo Paterson’s childhood home is there) is a 45-minute drive north of Canberra. It’s worth a visit for the Railway Museum, cosy cafés and historic Main Street.
VISIT MiNDFOOD.COM
Now that our holiday options are kept much closer to home, here are Australia’s favourite road trips as recommended by the experts themselves at Tourism Australia. mindfood.com/best-road-trips
CLIMB MOUNT AINSLIE FOR A BIRD’SEYE VIEW OF THE CAPITAL.