Events
Floriade
(http://www.floriadeaustra...) festival of flowers, a yearly event held in spring september-october, not to be missed. tulips are the main feature but many other colourful flowers and floral displays are featured. there are also sculptures, garden stalls, makeshift restaurants, activities, live music by local performers and sometimes there is even a gnome or scarecrow festival where children and some adults paint gnomes or make scarecrows and enter a competition to choose the best. great for a photo opportunity!
Summernats
(http://www.summernats.com.au) is a festival of modified cars, car cruising, burnouts, etc, which takes place first thing in the new year. if you are not into this culture, this is a good time not to be in canberra, as even the most civilised hotels are overtaken by drunken 'nats'.
The Multicultural Festival
a must to visit, has many events, such as concerts, performances and an International Food Fare with over 200 stalls selling original food of different countries. Happens every year in February.
Country act
Lanyon Homested
Historic homestead of early Canberra settlers, guided tours, walks and a maintained garden. Cafe for lunch, coffee and cake. Note a three house pass for $15/10/30 covers Lanyon, Calthorpe's House and Mugga Mugga house in Symanston.
The majority of the Australian Capital Territory is actually not Canberra city and there is a large area of national park. While most people don't spend any time outside of the city there is plenty to do if you want to get away from the museums and attractions for a while.
Tharwa Village
A small village, one of the original settlements in the ACT area. See the old bridge over the Murumbidgee River, visit Lanyon Homestead see below and Cuppacumbalong Pottery. Tharwa is also the gateway to Namadgi National Park and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.
Namadgi National Park
The National Park making up most of the ACT and the most northerly of the Australian Alps national parks. Lots of walking tracks, including scenic views over the Brindabella Ranges, mountain bike trails and scenic drives on unsealed roads, rock climbing at Booroomba Rocks (http://en.wikipedia.org/w...). Inside the park are Honeysuckle Creek and Orroral Valley, the former sites of tracking sites for the Apollo Moon Landings. Enquire at the visitors centre on Naas Road or see the website for further details. In winter roads in the park may be closed because of snowfall.
City scenery
Black Mountain Tower
This functional communications tower rises 195 m above the summit of Black Mountain, providing 360 degree views of Canberra and the countryside around it from a viewing platform 60m up the tower. Well worth a visit, day or night, for the fantastic views - look for the cork tree plantation and Parliament House. It has a revolving restaurant and telecommunications history display. Above the restaurant there is a two level viewing platform: the bottom level is indoor and has a souvenir shop and refreshments; the upper level is an open air area. Its a nice view, but the mountain is already already 260m above the lake, and the viewing platform is only another 60m above the mountain. You can decide if that is worth the price of admission.
Mount Ainslie
off fairbairn avenue, campbell/forrest - vehicular access available
Red Hill
off melbourne avenue, deakin/forrest - vehicular access available
Mount Taylor
access via waldock st, chifley - partial vehicular access; to reach the top you will need to walk.
Mount Pleasant
via general bridges drive, duntroon - vehicular access available between 7am and 7pm.
Kangaroos in the wild
Kangaroos form family social groups come to the semi-irrigated grassland next to the Campbell Park Offices reputedly the longest building in the Southern Hemisphere from the adjacent nature park and graze the grass from evening until mid-morning. During the day they return to the nature park reserve and lie in the shade of the trees. Observe the kangaroos on the grass areas in the car park or near the building. During the day, you can park and walk along paths to the up-hill side of the building, even cross the fence, and look for kangaroos in the reserve. Security guards are not concerned by tour groups in coaches, or people in/from cars. The Pinnacle Nature Reserve, Hawker. Approximately 10km west of the city centre, accessible from Springvale drive, The Pinnacle is a hilly, but easily walkable reserve, and relatively open consisting of mostly reclaimed grazing lands which is home to a very large population of Eastern Grey kangaroos. A short walk will generally be sufficient to sight several large mobs.
Other Lookouts
Canberra is surrounded by hills and there are plenty of other great vantage points to view the city. many of these you can also drive to the top. the best vantage points are:mount ainslie off fairbairn avenue, campbell/forrest - vehicular access availablered hill off melbourne avenue, deakin/forrest - vehicular access availablemount majura access via antill st in watson, also service road off majura road - no vehicular access, walking tracks only.mount taylor access via waldock st, chifley - partial vehicular access; to reach the top you will need to walk.mount pleasant via general bridges drive, duntroon - vehicular access available between 7am and 7pm.
Mount Majura
access via antill st in watson, also service road off majura road - no vehicular access, walking tracks only.
Historic buildings
Blundell's Cottage
A historic cottage of some of the earliest settlers of the area. Guided tours and school tours available.
Calthorpe's House
Historic house picturing life in Canberra in the early days of the territory.