Touring Australia Summer 2016/17 Touring Australia | Page 61

ACt

discover

CANBERRA’S
HIDDEN GEMS

Hosting a population of 356,000, Canberra may not be Australia’s largest
or most famous destination but it is the nation’s capital. Surrounded by
New South Wales, the city is a few hours drive south of Sydney and north
of Melbourne. With its ties to politics, Canberra is often overlooked as
being Sydney and Melbourne’s less exciting little sister. But if you dig a
little deeper you will find there may be a lot more to do than you think.

b ars & n ightClubs

b reWeries

F ood M arkets

C asino C anberra

Wine bar, nightclub, cocktail
lounge, casino or pub – you name
it, Canberra has it. While not on the
scale of some of Australia’s bigger
cities, you will have no problem
finding somewhere to relax and
have a drink, dance into the night
or simply sit at a bar.

For beer lovers, the annual
Canberra Craft Beer and Cider
Festival is a must, but if you can’t
wait for this once-a-year event,
the city also boasts some of
Australia’s finest breweries.

Eat fantastic produce at one of
Canberra’s many food markets.
Fyshwick Fresh Food Market is the
city’s oldest market where you
can buy seasonal fruit, vegetables,
baked goods and more. Open from
Thursday to Sunday.

The recently upgraded Casino
Canberra is a fun place to visit on
your trip to the ACT. Dazzle your
senses with a world class dining
experience at Natural 9. Or soak up
the ambience at the end of a long
day in the sophisticated new Onyx
Lounge and Chandelier Bar.

Images: header art; Cockington Green Gardens by Belinda Pratten & Ferris Wheels Ride at Floriade by Chris Holly.
mid-row l-r: Sage Restaurant & Mint Garden Bar, local beer by Martin Ollman, Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets
by Belinda Pratten & Casino Canberra. bot-row l-r: Rainforest Walk at National Botanical Gardens by fir0002 |
flagstaffotos.com.au via Wikimedia Commons, Namadgi National Park Booroomba Rocks, Glebe Park via Wikimedia
Commons & National Zoo & Aquarium. All images are courtesy of VisitCanberra unless otherwise stated.

Canberra has a wealth of accommodations to suit all budgets; families or
couples who are looking for a weekend getaway, making it accessible for
all. From contemporary art, to flowers, food, nature and more, Canberra
will prove it’s anything but boring.

Opened in 1970 at Canberra’s Black
Mountain, the botanical gardens
have the most extensive collection
of living Australian plants on the
planet. It’s a beautiful place for
relaxing any time of the year.

A short drive from Canberra is
namadgi national Park. One of it’s
many experiences is Booroomba
Rocks, it’s a great spot for
rockclimbing and for bush walking.
It is known for it’s specatuclar views.

A public park with barbecue
facilities, playgrounds and
disabled access. glebe Park often
stages outdoor art exhibitions
and it’s never closed. Perfect
for a breath of fresh air.

the national Zoo & aquarium is
Australia’s only combined zoo &
aquarium, that’s two attractions
in one. Spend the day and make
use of the picnic and BBQ area.

n ational b otaniCal g ardens

n aMadgi n ational P ark

g lebe P ark

n ational Z oo & a quariuM

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