Canberra: a family playground
With such a wide-ranging scope of activities suitable for the whole brood, Australia’s capital city makes for a delightfully diverting family holiday
Choosing where to take the kids for a welldeserved break doesn’t have to mean a choice between stimulating activities or the pleasures of the natural environment. The metropolitan city of Canberra offers both in abundance; from world-class museums to one-of-a-kind outdoor adventures right on its doorstep. Here, travellers of any age have a veritable playground to choose from for days of family fun.
One of Australia’s best zoos, the National Zoo & Aquarium, is just a 10-minute drive from Canberra’s city centre and is a fantastic introduction to some of the country’s famed creatures, such as dingoes, Tasmanian devils, emus and more. But what makes a trip here even more special are the pre-booked Close Encounter tours, for an even more personal wildlife experience. Hand-feed a tiger, meet the meerkats or, for the budding zoologist, you can even become a zookeeper for the day. Adventureland, too, with its 55-plus kid-friendly activities, will keep the young ones entertained for hours.
Along with wandering the network of trails at the impressive National Arboretum Canberra, a 250-hectare site encompassing 94 forests of rare endangered and symbolic Australian and global trees, there is more scrambling and climbing to be done at the naturethemed POD playground. Start your visit, though, at the award-winning Village Centre, where you can sit down in an architecturally designed space to enjoy a treat and a cuppa with breathtaking views across the grounds.
Canberra doesn’t lack in ‘edutainment’ moments for curious young minds; dinosaur fans will go wild for the prehistoric wonders of the The National Dinosaur Museum, which houses life-like dinosaur models, full skeletons and robotic dinosaurs. And young science buffs will delight in the experiments, seminars and hands-on exhibits of Questacon: The National Science and Technology Centre, where you can try such things as controlling a humanoid robot or free fall on a six-metre slide.
For something a little more quaint, a mini wonderland awaits at Cockington Green Gardens, with its displays of meticulously handcrafted miniature buildings from around the world. Take in the scenic surrounds of the International Display and picnic grounds, aboard the popular Miniature Steam Train Ride.
From miniature to epic, the Mount Ainslie Lookout allows you to spot many of Canberra’s national attractions from up high, with picturesque mountains framing the views, and native birds and wildlife for company too.
Not high enough for you? The adventurous family might want to rise early and get a proper birdseye view of the loveliness below on a sunrise hot air balloon ride with Balloon Aloft Canberra. Canberra in the soft morning light is hard to beat.
There’s much fun for the family too at the other end of the day.
Sundown is also a special time to set out onto the large
and lovely Lake Burley Griffin on board a Goboat. Selfcaptain your vessel and pack a picnic to enjoy on the boat’s spacious centre table while watching the sun set on the day.
If it’s more night action you’re after, keep an eye on the Mount Stromlo Observatory website and all going well you can time your stay to coincide with one of their special free public stargazing events, where you can hear from knowledgeable astronomers, and gaze through telescopes that take you a little bit closer to the universe beyond. All enriching experiences to cherish in the family memory annals.