Roos, riesling and Rembrandt
A sprawling urban farm, a covert bar and sunrise with a mob of kangaroos – the unexpected awaits in Australia’s vibrant capital.
Where to find Canberra’s coolest surprises
01 Savour riesling at Rizla
The Canberra wine district makes some of the finest riesling in Australia yet many of the best producers don’t have cellar doors. But fret not: CBD wine bar Rizla (drinkrizla.com.au) devotes itself almost exclusively to the clean and crisp varietal. The list changes often but look for top local labels such as Helm, Sholto and Lark Hill. And order the scallop ceviche with micro-herbs – it’s a deliciously rich and smooth counterpart to the bright white.
02 Power lunch at Pialligo Estate
This 22-hectare working farm on the outskirts of the city has everything – abundant veggie gardens and an orchard, a fully stocked farmgate shop and views of Parliament House from the front tables at its elegant Pavilion Dining restaurant (thepialligoestate. com.au). Plus, if you happen to be there on the right day, you could find yourself lunching alongside politicians and visiting dignitaries who often hire the private marquee by the main dining area. Tip: If duck, ham or bacon from the on-site smokehouse are on the menu, order them.
03 Hike from flower to tower
Locals love hiking to the top of Black Mountain, one of the best places to see the whole city. Begin the 5.4-kilometre round trip at the visitor’s centre in the Australian National Botanic Gardens (anbg.gov.au) to warm up with a 10-minute meander through beds of cultivated wildflowers before you reach the scribbly gums and stringybarks that line the mountain path itself. As you trek to the summit, look out for wallabies, cockatoos and galahs.
04 Behold Botticelli at the National Gallery of Australia
In possibly the most eagerly anticipated international art exhibition of the year, 60 European masterpieces, spanning more than 500 years, from the National Gallery in London – including Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Rembrandt’s Self Portrait at the Age of 34 – will have a new, temporary home in the capital from 5 March (nga.gov.au). Tickets will go fast – the works will only be in Australia until June.
05 Sip cocktails at a secret bar
You’ll polish your orienteering skills discovering the location of Molly (molly.bar), a tiny speakeasy in the CBD, because your only clue is the map coordinates on the bar’s website. The whisky cocktails are among the best in the city and while weekends draw the crowds, a great night to visit is Tuesday for the live jazz.
06 See the sunrise with a roo
Despite the persistent myth, kangaroos don’t usually bound around Australia’s cities – unless, that is, you’re in Canberra and know where to look. A mob of eastern greys likes to lope to the edge of Lake Burley Griffin for a drink, particularly first thing in the morning. The prime place to spot them is Weston Park at the Yarralumla end of the lake as the sun appears on the horizon.
07 Find next-level cuisine
A suburban shopping strip isn’t usually where you’d find some of the most exciting cooking in the country but that’s the case at Pilot
Restaurant + Bar (pilot restaurant.com) in Ainslie. The Sunday lunch set menu is one of the most inventive in Canberra, serving up five courses that may include a roast chook sandwich redux or a twist on 1980s dinner party dessert Viennetta.