Most of us associate our visits to Australia’s Capital Canberra with our school trips to Questacon and Parliament House. But in recent years the city has grown and developed into, in our opinion, one of the most underrated places to go for a weekend away.
Hear us out.
Not only has Canberra become one of the trendiest places to go for a long brunch or night out with friends, but its growing selection of things to do and see has only tripled in recent years – and it’s well worth the trip.
Below, the best things to do in Canberra (that aren’t Questacon or Parliament House).
NewActon
If there was any proof that Canberra was the new it city, look no further than NewActon. You could spend a whole weekend within this urban precinct alone, let alone everywhere else the capital has to offer. The capital’s edgy groundbreaking designer precinct, NewActon also hosts some of Canberra’s best restaurants, cafes, bakeries and bars such as Monster Kitchen & Bar and Black Market.
Canberra Centre
Located in the heart of Canberra’s CBD, the Canberra Centre is your modern and chic answer to shopping, dining and entertainment. Home to brand spanking new stores like Mecca and Zara, you may not be able to complete it all in one weekend.
The Wineries (there are plenty!)
Winemaking has actually been a feature of Canberra for close to 160 years. Today the countryside around the capital has 140 small vineyards, such as Clonakilla and Lark Hill. If you don’t want to drive, so you can more freely sample varieties such as Sangiovese, Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Shiraz, you can always join a wineries tour or even hire an expert guide.
The National Portrait Gallery
If its a museum you’re after, you’ve come to the right town. One of the best additions to the capital’s museum scene in recent years has been the National Portrait Gallery. The gallery is home to over 400 Australian artists, as well as many international, and is one of Canberra’s best-designed public buildings.
One of the most recent portraits on display, ‘The textiles scientist’ by Kate Atkinson recently featured on the venues Instagram account. “Ruth Baig was one of two females doing a science degree at Manchester University. In her thirties she travelled solo around India; she wept when she saw the Taj Mahal. The image is part of my ongoing project – The 8 x 10’s portrait series – which is about conversations, connections and stories. It explores the importance of relationships, and how vital they are to human happiness and existence. In our society, the elderly become seemingly invisible, but within these people are histories – exciting, incredible, rich lives…if only we take the time to ask.”
