Canberra is made up of 4 popular areas, each offering something a little different. Canberra has over 14,000 international students from over 100 countries enrolled there each year. Lonely Planet also named Canberra third in the world in the ‘Best in Travel’city rankings for 2018.
Central is made up of Civic and Acton – the cultural hub of Canberra offering shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Braddon and Dickson are the trendy areas where you can stay on a budget. These areas are famous for their coffee culture and exotic dining. Parkes and Kingston are home to Parliament House and the famous Kingston Foreshore, where you can go for a jog or bicycle along Lake Burley-Griffin. Lastly, Bruce and Belconnen which the most popular suburbs for students. Home to Australian Institute of Sport and Canberra’s largest shopping centre, you’ll always have something to do.
Things To Do
Murrumbidgee is a great spot to go if you’re feeling the heat in the Summer. As Canberra doesn’t have a beach of it’s own, Murrumbidgee is the next best thing. It’s only a 20 minute drive from the centre of the city and offers many popular swimming spots along Australia’s second longest river.
Spend the day getting lost in Handsomepretty, an iconic warehouse-turned-retail space. Made up of pop-up stalls selling fashion, homewares, and artworks by local businesses – it’s a great day out.
Parliament House is the place to be if you’re interested in politics. You can even watch politicians hotly debate the topics of the day. They also do tours of Old Parliament House where you can see the relics of Australia’s political past.
Enjoy guided or self guides tours around the 250 hectares of the National Arboretum. It’s home to 94 forests of rare and endangered trees from Australia and around the world.
The Royal Australian Mint is a multi-award-winning attraction not to be missed. Guided tours are offered throughout the day, where you can learn everything you need to know about the Australian money in your pocket.
Dickson Asian Noodle House is a very popular spot within Dickson, AKA Canberra’s Chinatown. The Laksa is their most popular dish and mains are all around $14-15.
Support local farmers by buying your groceries from the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets. They offer 30 independent speciality stores from groceries to hairdressers to pet stores.
For a list of Cheap Eats for under $10, look no further. From coffee houses to Roti, you’ll want to save this link by eatcanberra.com.au.
Double Drummer in Barton is delicious – their menu changes daily and offers sandwiches salads, juices and soups. They even have happy hour every Friday from 5-6pm.
Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets are Canberra oldest markets. Open from Thursday to Sunday, 7am-5.30pm, there’s something for everyone and free parking nearby.
Garema Place is the place to be if you’re looking for a casual drink or meal to share. It’s a small street in located in Civic and home to popular small bars and eateries.
Palace Electric Cinema offers discounted movies on Mondays. It offers fully licenced cinemas and prosecco bar. It was recently voted Canberra’s Favourite Entertainment Venue.
Knightsbridge Penthouse in Brandon is your go-to Cocktail bar. It’s located on Mort street and often has live music.
For a non-alcoholic beverage on a Friday or Saturday night head to Koko Black. It’s a chocolate heaven where owners travelled all the way to Germany to learn the art of Chocolate making. Best thing about it? Everything on the menu is under $12!
Honkytonks is an amazing Central American inspired hotspot, where bar’s jugs of white sangria and Spanish-themed finger food packed with lychees, lemons and mint have become legendary.
Don’t miss Februarys National Multicultural Festival, offering plenty of free events, experiences and stalls to celebrate Australia’s multiculturalism. Located in the centre of town, there isn’t a lot of parking so work out your transport before you leave!
Groovin’ in the Moo has been running since 2003 and is one of Canberra’s favourite festivals. GITM has international and Australian acts and sells out quickly so make sure you keep an eye on the news for ticket release dates.
July is home to celebrating Naidoc Week, celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements. It’s a great opportunity to participate in traditional activities and learn about Australia’s history.
Head to Floriade in September, to Australia’s biggest spring celebration. With flowers, food and entertainment it’s a Canberra event not to be missed.
The one place you’ll want to be on NYE is New Years Eve in the City. Civic Square is filled with food trucks, all ages concerts and front row seats to the best fireworks displays in town.
Things To Know
The top five languages (other than English)spoken in the ACT are: Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Hindi and Spanish.
Advertising billboards along the roadside are banned in the ACT, with the exception of bus shelters
The current Parliament House is made almost entirely of Australian materials including timber, granite and marble.
The Captain Cook Memorial Jet on Lake Burley Griffin can send water up to 147m into the air.
Summer runs from December to February and average temperatures range from 6 – 27°C (54.7 – 80.6°F). January is the hottest month, when temperatures rise to 13.2 – 28°C (55.7 – 82.4°F).
Autumn lasts from about March to May. Autumn temperatures fall between 8 – 20°C (44.2 – 68°F). Autumn provides mild days and nights. It’s an awesome season for enjoying the citys gardens and parks.
Running from June to August, winter is obviously Canberra’s coldest month. Temperatures drop to 1 – 12°C (33.8 – 53.6°F) and to below 0°C at night. Below zero temperatures bring snow to the surrounding mountains – be sure to hit the slopes.
Spring averages temperatures of 6 – 19°C (42.8 – 66.2°F) – you can expect fresh mornings, with some warmer days, but you’ll still need a jumper in your bag for the cooler nights.
For public transport you’ll need a MyWay Card. They’re a prepaid card, much like a debit card, where you load money onto it at the station or other store (you can find such stores on their website) and use it to tap on and off public transport as you travel. The fares are based on how far you travel. If you don’t have an MyWay Card, you’ll need to pay per ride, and cash fares are generally higher than those on the MyWay.
ACTION Buses are the only public transport option for travelling around Canberra. The city is designed around Civic and buses leave to most suburbs from there. The four main interchanges are at Civic, Belconnen, Tuggeranong and Woden. You can ask the driver if the bus will stop at your destination or plan your route on the transport website.
Taxis are another option and can be reasonably priced if you share the fare (especially on a night out). Line up at the Taxi rank and discuss approximate fares with the driver.
Uber is legal in Canberra. Simply log in via their app and order one to drive you around, much like a taxi. Uber is often cheaper than a cab and you can confirm the fare before you take off, meaning you will know an approximate price before confirming the ride. Uber is also a great way to meet some locals who know their way around the city.
Bikes are a good option to get around the city, and cheap. Stay in the bike lanes and always wear a helmet. ACTION buses encourage Bike ‘n Ride; combining bike and bus in the same route – some buses even have bike racks installed.
Students are eligible for subsidised public transport student fares via the MyWay tertiary student card. You can apply for the card via the university, or at any Canberra Connect shop. Bare in mind that tertiary student prices differ depending on the day. Fares also change depending on the time of the day. Check the website for fees.
UNiDAYS – Use your student email account to sign up and receive 10-25% discount on a huge range of stuff. Visit their website for more info.
ISIC – The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is the most internationally-recognised student ID offering amazing discounts on products and services throughout Australia and the world. It’s also handy if you need official proof that you’re a student. View their website to see if you qualify for the card on their website
Insider Guides offer their top tips on finding student discounts and have their own discount page – make sure you check it out.
Tourism Videos
Sources
www.insiderguides.com.au
www.australia.com
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Floriade photo: @wena.tan
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-06-24/35076
Canberra’s Captain Cook Fountain – Peter Gray Photography
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