Canberra

Canberra became the site for the newly federated nation of Australia in 1908 by a ballot in Parliament after extensive searching for a locale. The Indigenous peoples of this area have lived here for over 20,000 years. Since then the city has grown to become the proud home of the Australian story.

Canberra is a fantastic base from which to explore the many treasures of the surrounding region. You can explore historic townships, natural wonders, beautiful coastlines and the famous Snowy Mountains. So allow enough time to linger longer and enjoy all the nation’s capital has to offer.

Learn about Australia’s culture, history and way of life as the nation developed. Explore the political past and modern democracy at Old Parliament House and Parliament House. Find out more about Aussie sporting heroes at the National Institute of Sport and Science and see lightning being made at Questacon – the National Science and Technology Center.

Canberra is home to many national monuments and institutions such as the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Library of Australia, the National Archives of Australia, the Australian Academy of Science and the National Museum of Australia. Many Commonwealth government buildings in Canberra are open to the public, including Parliament House, the High Court and the Royal Australian Mint.

Interesting note: a copy of every book published in Australia is required by law to be held by the National Library of Australia.

The Canberra Museum and Gallery in the city is a repository of local history and art. Several historic homes are open to the public: Lanyon and Tuggeranong Homesteads in the Tuggeranong Valley, Mugga-Mugga in Symonston, and Blundells’ Cottage in Parkes all display the lifestyle of the early European settlers. Calthorpes’ House in Red Hill is a well-preserved example of a 1920s house from Canberra’s very early days.

Once you’ve exhausted the monuments and galleries, get into the great outdoors. This planned city – one of the few in the world – is famous for its lake, parklands and native bushland. Beneath the foliage, Canberra offers stylish restaurants, hip bars, boutique shopping and a non-stop calendar of festivals and events.

Liquid Geography – The Canberra district wine region is home to 140 vineyards. More than 33 wineries are all within 35-minutes drive of the city. Winemaking started 160 years ago in the Canberra region. Learn about wine from those who make it with passion and creativity. Visit cellar doors that provide a quality interpretation with individual character.

Lake Burley Griffin is the site of the Captain James Cook Memorial and the National Carillon. Other sites of interest include the Black Mountain Tower, the Australian National Botanic Gardens, the National Zoo and Aquarium and the National Dinosaur Museum.

Canberra has many venues for live music and theater – the Canberra Theatre and Playhouse which hosts many major concerts and productions and Llewellyn Hall (within the ANU School of Music), a world-class concert hall, are two of the largest. The Street Theatre operates as a venue for local professional and amateur production companies, as well as producing a season of professional shows each year. The Albert Hall was the city’s first performing arts venue, opened in 1928. It was the original performance venue for theater groups such as the Canberra Repertory Society.

Canberra has a hip side too. “Stonefest” at the University of Canberra is Canberra’s largest music festival. Canberra is also the home turf of an Australian hip-hop duo, Koolism. In fact this year the city is hosting the 2010 Australian Air Guitar Championship. Here’s your chance to be or see the greatest guitarist in Australia who never played.

It’s the center of politics, so there are numerous bars and nightclubs. Many of which also offer live entertainment, particularly concentrated in the areas of Dickson, Kingston and the city. Most town centers have facilities for a community theater and a cinema, and they all have a library.

Popular cultural events include the National Folk Festival, the Royal Canberra Show, the Summernats car festival, the Canberra Multicultural Festival in February and the Celebrate Canberra festival which is held over 10 days in March in conjunction with Canberra Day.

Canberra also hosts an International Music Festival. Come to the nation’s capital in Autumn and experience compelling music making. Find yourself in wonderful venues that include embassy buildings. See international performers who come through the aid of those embassies. Hear Australian performers from across the nation. Witness the colorful ambiance of Canberra’s autumn, and a rich mixture of musical forms, lectures and other artistic experiences.

Canberra-Nara Park with Kasuga stone lanterns framed by the gate reinforces the sister-city relationships with both Nara, Japan and Beijing, China. Canberra has friendship-city relationships with both Dili, East Timor and Hangzhou, China. City-to-city relationships encourage communities and special interest groups, both locally and abroad, to engage in a wide range of exchange activities. The Canberra-Nara Candle Festival held annually in spring, is a community celebration of the Canberra-Nara Sister City relationship. The Festival is held in Canberra-Nara Park on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.