Canberra Information
Lake Burley Griffin with King's Bridge, the Captain Cook Fountain, Commonwealth Bridge and the Parliamentary Triangle.
The name Canberra means "Meeting Place" in the local Ngunnawal Aboriginal language.
It has a population of some 325,000 which makes it small enough to be relaxed and sociable, yet it offers all the facilities and cosmopolitan lifestyle of a much larger city.
There are excellent entertainment and sporting venues, schools, hospitals, great shopping, and affordable public transport, not to mention a wide range of clubs, cafes and restaurants offering dishes from a wide range of national cuisines.
See what's on in Canberra now.
Lake Burley Griffin
The city is built round Lake Burley Griffin and you can see a good deal of it by taking a cruise around the lake. Lunch cruises, offering good cooking at reasonable prices, are particularly recommended.
Many Canberra families enjoy a picnic by the lake at Commonwealth Park, Weston Park or Black Mountain Peninsular: others walk or cycle around the lake for exercise. A visit to nearby Black Mountain Tower offers a 360 degree view of the city and its surroundings.
Our City Plan
North of Lake Burley Griffin is Canberra's original Central Business District, generally called "Civic", and the suburbs of North Canberra.
On the other side of the lake is the Parliamentary Triangle, where both the old and new Parliament Houses are located, and the suburbs of South Canberra, where numerous embassies and high commissions are located.
Since the 1960s, Canberra has expanded rapidly by the building of planned "new towns": Woden and Tuggeranong to the south, Belconnen and Gungahlin to the north. The University of Canberra is situated in Bruce, a suburb of Belconnen in Canberra's north-west.
See the Google map of Canberra here.
National Institutions to Visit
- National Gallery of Australia
- National Library of Australia
- National Museum of Australia
- Australian National Botanic Gardens
- National Portrait Gallery
- Museum of Australian Democracy (Old Parliament House)
- Parliament of Australia (New Parliament House)
- Australian War Memorial - includes an extensive museum of Australians at war and excellent audiovisual presentations
Parks and Nature Reserves
Australia's "bush capital" is surrounded by a variety of parks and reserves. We particularly suggest a visit to the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve for those interested in our region's landscape, wildlife and early settlement. A walk along one of Tidbinbilla's trails is a good way to exercise the body and relax the mind.
Getting around
See our Transport page for details.
Climate
Read the current Canberra weather forecast here.
On-line Guides to Canberra
For more information about shopping, food, entertainment and various attractions in the region please visit: