Planning a trip to Canberra
Visitor Information
The Canberra Visitors' Centre, 330 Northbourne Ave., Dickson (tel. 1300/554 114), dispenses information and books accommodations. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 4pm. The official government website, www.visitcanberra.com.au, is worth checking out.
Special Events -- A host of free events -- from concerts to competitions -- is part of the annual Canberra National Multicultural Festival held over 10 days each February. The city also celebrates its founding with the month-long Canberra Festival throughout March, including lots of free events on Canberra Day, which is a local public holiday, on the second Monday in March and Enlighten: See Canberra in a Whole New Light, when famous buildings are illuminated on various nights in March. There are many other major events scattered throughout the year, the biggest of which is the annual free spring flower show Floriade, when Commonwealth Park erupts in a blaze of color with more than 1.5 million bulbs and annuals in bloom. The Summernats street machine car festival in January, the Easter National Folk Festival, and the Australian Science Festival in August also draw big crowds. Check dates at www.visitcanberra.com.au.
City Layout
Canberra's focal point is the pondlike Lake Burley Griffin, an artificial lake with the Captain Cook Memorial Jet (a spire of water that reaches 147m/482 ft. into the air) at its center. Most of the country's more culturally and politically significant buildings -- Australia's most expensive building, Parliament House, the much smaller (in comparison) Old Parliament House, the National Archives, the National Library, the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, the High Court of Australia, and Questacon, the National Science and Technology Centre -- are clustered around it, making it easy for visitors to go from one attraction to the next. Officially, the area is called Parkes (after Sir Henry Parkes, the "father of Federation"), but it is more commonly referred to as the Parliamentary Triangle, which is bounded by Commonwealth, Kings, and Constitution avenues. Capital Hill is at the apex of the triangle, while City Hall, in the city center, and the headquarters of the Australian Defense Force, in the suburb of Russell, are at the other two points.
Most of the embassies and consulates are in the suburb of Yarralumla, east of Capital Hill; Canberra's main shopping district, Civic, is on the other side of the lake, centered on Northbourne Avenue, one of the city's main thoroughfares. Compared to other capital cities, the Central Business District (CBD) there is quite small. The inner suburbs of Manuka and Kingston are the places to go for boutique shopping and the best restaurants and cafes. On the outskirts of the city you'll find the National Zoo and Aquarium, and just a few minutes drive away is Black Mountain, crowned with its 195m-high (640-ft.) communications tower with a viewing platform, revolving restaurant, and exhibition hall.
Getting There
By Plane
Qantas (tel. 13 13 13 in Australia; www.qantas.com.au) runs frequent daily service to Canberra from all state capitals. Virgin Blue (tel. 13 67 89 in Australia; www.virginblue.com.au) offers daily flights to Canberra from Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Hobart, Townsville, and Sydney. Tiger Airways (tel. 03/9335 3033; www.tigerairways.com) also has daily flights from Melbourne and Brindabella Airlines (tel. 1300/668 824; www.brindabellaairlines.com.au) has weekday flights from the regional centers of Newcastle and Albury. The Canberra Airport is 10 minutes from the city center. It has car-rental desks, a currency exchange, a bar, a bistro, and a mailbox for cards and letters (but no post office). The newsdealer sells stamps. There are no lockers or showers.
The Airliner Bus (tel. 02/6299 3722; www.airliner.com.au) operates a 20-minute shuttle between the central business district and the airport Monday to Friday, leaving every half-hour on weekdays and hourly on weekends. The one-way fare is A$9 and a round-trip costs A$16.
By Train
Countrylink (tel. 13 22 32 in Australia; www.countrylink.info) runs two Canberra Xplorer trains daily between Sydney and Canberra. The 4 1/4-hour trip costs around A$80 in first class and A$57 in economy during peak season (school and public holidays), but seasonal discounts apply so check when booking; children pay half-price, and a round-trip costs double. Many people book Countrylink transport-hotel packages (call Countrylink Holidays, tel. 13 28 29), which can save you quite a bit. Countrylink has an office at Central Railway station in Sydney.
From Melbourne, the Canberra Link, run by V/Line (tel. 13 61 96 in Australia; www.vlinepassenger.com.au), involves a 3 1/2-hour train trip and a 4-hour bus trip. It costs A$49 for adults and A$25 for children and students.
Canberra Railway Station (tel. 02/6239 6707) is on Wentworth Avenue, Kingston, about 5km (3 miles) southeast of the city center. Coaches connect the railway station to the center.
By Bus
Greyhound (tel. 1300/473 946 in Australia; www.greyhound.com.au) does nine runs a day from Sydney to Canberra; the trip takes around 4 hours. Tickets cost around A$32 for adults, A$25 for students with an ISAC (International Student Activity Card), and around half price for children 3 to 14, although you can often pick up fares for as low as A$25 online.
From Melbourne, tickets to Canberra cost A$60 for adults, A$50 for students, and are half price for children; check for specials online before you book.
Murrays Australia (tel. 13 22 51 in Australia; www.murrays.com.au) runs from Sydney to Canberra six times a day for A$39 for adults and A$32 for students and children. Book over the Internet for discounts of up to half price. Interstate buses arrive at Jolimont Tourist Centre, at the corner of Northbourne Avenue and Alinga Street, Canberra City.
By Car
The ACT is surrounded by New South Wales. Sydney is 280km (174 miles) northeast, and Melbourne is 651km (404 miles) southwest of Canberra. From Sydney, you can use an extension to the M5 motorway that links with the Eastern Distributor highway near Sydney Airport. Veer left before you reach the airport, follow signs heading toward Canberra, and veer left onto the M5. The drive takes between 3 and 3 1/2 hours. From Melbourne, take the Hume Highway to Yass and switch to the Barton Highway; the trip will take about 8 hours.
Fast Facts
American Express -- The office at 185 City Walk (at the corner of Petrie Plaza, inside the Westpac Bank), Civic, is open during normal business hours . In an emergency, dial tel. 1300/132 639 in Australia.
Business Hours -- Banks are open Monday through Thursday from 9:30am to 4pm and Friday from 9:30am to 5pm. Stores and offices are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5:30pm. Many shops, particularly in the large malls, are open on weekends and until 9pm Fridays.
Climate -- The best time to visit Canberra is in spring (Sept-Nov) or autumn (Mar-May). Summers are hot and winters are cool and crisp.
Currency Exchange -- Cash traveler's checks at banks; at American Express ; or at Travelex, in the Harvey World Travel office at the Petrie Plaza entrance of the Canberra Centre (tel. 02/6247 9984), open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturday from 9am to 1pm.
Doctors -- Canberra after hours locum medical service (CALMS; tel. 1300/422 567, appointment necessary) is in Building 2 at the Canberra Hospital (enter through the Emergency Department entrance). The Travellers' Medical & Vaccination Centre, Level 5, 8-10 Hobart Place (at the corner of Marcus Clarke St.), Civic (tel. 02/6222 2300), offers vaccinations and travel medicines. Standard 20-minute consultations cost A$80 and up.
Embassies & Consulates -- The British High Commission (consular section) is on Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla (tel. 02/6270 6666); the Canadian High Commission is also on Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla (tel. 02/6270 4000); the U.S. Embassy is at Moonah Place, Yarralumla (tel. 02/6214 5600); and the New Zealand High Commission is at Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla (tel. 02/6270 4211).
Emergencies -- Call tel. 000 for an ambulance, the police, or the fire department.
Eyeglasses -- For repairs, glasses, and contact lenses, try OPSM Express, on the Lower Ground Floor, Canberra Centre, Civic (tel. 02/6249 7344). It's open 9am to 5:30pm Monday through Thursday, 9am to 9pm Friday, and 9am to 4pm Saturday.
Hospitals -- For medical attention, go to the Canberra Hospital, Yamba Drive, Garran (tel. 02/6244 2222), or call the Accident & Emergency Department (tel. 02/6244 2324).
Hot Lines -- For information and counseling, call the Rape Crisis Centre (tel. 02/6247 2525; 24 hr.); the Drug/Alcohol Crisis Line (tel. 02/6207 9977; 24 hr.); Lifeline Crisis Counselling (tel. 13 11 14; www.lifeline.org.au); the Salvation Army Counselling Service (tel. 1300/363 622); the Poison Information Centre (tel. 13 11 26); and the National Roads & Motorists Association (tel. 13 11 11).
Internet Access -- The National Library, Parkes Place, Parkes (tel. 02/6262 1111), has e-mail facilities available Monday through Thursday 9am to 9pm, Friday and Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 1:30 to 5pm. Internet access is readily available around town at other libraries and in Internet cafes. The Canberra Visitors' Centre can provide you with a full list.
Pharmacies (Chemist Shops) -- There are three pharmacies in the Canberra Centre, Civic, open during general shopping hours. A number of after-hours pharmacies are listed in the Canberra Yellow Pages.
Photographic Needs -- Ted's Camera House has stores at 9 Petrie Plaza (tel. 02/6247 8711) and in the Canberra Centre (tel. 02/6249 7364), and both are good places to buy camera gear and film and to have photos printed.
Post Office -- The Canberra GPO, 53-73 Alinga St., Civic (tel. 02/6209 1680), is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm. The general delivery (poste restante) address is c/o Canberra GPO, ACT 2601.
Restrooms -- Public restrooms can be found near the city bus exchange, City Hall, and London Circuit.
Getting Around
By Car
Avis (tel. 13 63 33), Budget (tel. 1300/362 848), Europcar (tel. 1300/131 390), Hertz (tel. 13 30 39), and Thrifty (tel. 1300/367 227) all have desks at the airport.
If you rent your own wheels, you might follow one or more of the six tourist drives marked with signs; pick up details from the Canberra Visitors' Centre.
By Taxi
Canberra has three taxi companies that can be accessed by phone bookings or from designated ranks (stands) that are clearly signposted throughout the city. For taxi bookings call Canberra Cabs (tel. 13 22 27), Cabxpress (tel. 02/6260 6011), or Silver Service (tel. 13 31 00), which has seven-seater vans as well as sedans. An average taxi fare to the city center is around A$25.
By Bus
ACTION (tel. 13 17 10 in Australia, or 02/6207 7611; www.action.act.gov.au) coordinates Canberra's bus system. The central bus terminal is on Alinga Street, in Civic. Single tickets cost A$4 for adults and A$2 for children 5 to 15. Daily tickets cost A$7.60 for adults and A$3.80 for kids, and weekly tickets cost A$28 for adults and A$14 for kids. Purchase single tickets on the bus and daily and weekly tickets from most newsdealers and ACTION interchanges (transfer points).
For schedules, check its website, or you can pick up bus route maps at bus interchanges, newsdealers, and the Canberra Visitors' Centre.
Canberra Day Tours (tel. 0418/455 099; www.canberradaytours.com.au) offers a hop-on and hop-off day tour by bus, including stops at Old Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, Parliament House, the Embassy region, Telstra Tower, and Lake Burley Griffin. It costs A$30 for adults and A$20 for kids under 16. The first bus leaves at 9:30am from the Canberra Visitors' Centre.
By Bicycle
Canberra is unique in Australia for its extensive system of cycle tracks -- some 120km (74 miles) of them -- which makes sightseeing on two wheels a pleasure.
