Canberra

The name ‘Canberra’ is meant to be the Aboriginal word for ‘meeting place’.

The first official ‘meeting’ in this ‘meeting place’ happened in 1913, when three foundation stones were tapped into place by the Governor-General, the Prime Minister and King O'Malley.

A gun salute boomed, dogs barked, horses shied, babies cried and people cheered before the official party retired to a large marquee to eat and toast the day's events. One sorry reflection is that there was no Aboriginal representation at this gathering.

Top Five

1. Parliament Houses
2. The Australian War Memorial
3. The National Art Gallery
4. The National Museum of Australia
5. Questacon

Suggestions

Parliament House is a must. Highlights include the huge Arthur Boyd inspired tapestry in the Great Hall, the Tom Roberts’s painting of the opening of parliament in 1901 and the Prime Minister portrait gallery. (Gough’s my favourite – it’s more about vision than visage.)

The 48 marble-clad columns in the foyer are meant to represent a forest of eucalypts, but the symbolism was lost on me. If its trees you want, you can wander the surrounding 23 hectares of gardens or the Parliamentary Parklands Trail.

At the base of the hill is Old Parliament House, which has a certain charm, and even politicians will admit that the intimacy and warmth is the one thing that didn’t transfer to the new building. It was built as a temporary chamber and was one that Walter Burley Griffin (A Tale Of Two Griffins) didn’t want – he said that it ‘would be like filling the front yard with outhouses’. But, as outhouses go, it’s one of the best and it served the country well for six decades. There are free guided tours and you’ll soak up more of Australia’s political history here than in the posh building up the hill. It’s also home to the National Portrait Gallery featuring Australia's most famous faces from politicians to pop stars. The gardens are also worthwhile, there’s a cafe and you should make a note to visit the toilets. They still have the red and green lights that were used to tell the ‘sitting’ members to get a move on if they were required in either the House of Representatives or the Senate.

Well I remember Gough Whitlam on the steps of Old Parliament House in 1975 saying, ‘Well may we say God Save the Queen, because nothing will save the Governor General’. For me, that’s the big difference between the two parliament houses: the old one was intimate; a place where politicians entered and left through the front doors, passing ordinary people, sometimes fighting off the media with ‘no comment’; and with a view along Anzac Parade to the War Memorial – lest they forgot. In the new building, the politicians have their own car park and entrance at the rear of the building, and only call the media when they have something they want to announce. Could this be part of the reason politicians sometimes seem to be out of touch with ordinary Australians? There’s a lovely story about former Labor Attorney-General and High Court Judge, Lionel Murphy and Sir John Kerr negotiating the steps after a long lunch. A journalist noticed them and a Commonwealth car waiting below, and assisted them to the footpath. Murphy spun on one heel, closed an eye and said, ‘You stupid bastard, we were going up, not down’.

Adjacent to Old Parliament House, the National Archives keeps records tracing the events, stories and decisions that shaped the nation, big and small. Prized items include the personal papers of former Prime Ministers Billy Hughes, John Curtin, Harold Holt, Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke, Gough Whitlam and Paul Keating. Other exhibits include the design entries for Canberra and new Parliament House, and well-known trademarks of companies such as Arnott's and Sunlight.

The Australian War Memorial is also a ‘must do’. It is one of the world's finest military museums, and can be an extremely moving experience. It was opened on Remembrance Day, 1941 and that day, Prime Minister John Curtin referred to it as a 'house of treasures'. These 'treasures' were for the Australians who lost their lives on far-flung battlefields and were buried where they fell. The Memorial gave the families of the dead a solid 'grave' and place of remembrance on their own soil. It has undergone significant redevelopment in recent years, featuring the refurbished Bradbury Aircraft Hall and the new Anzac Hall, an exhibition space big enough to take planes, tanks and even the Japanese midget submarine that entered Sydney Harbour in 1942.

At the foot of the War Memorial is Anzac Parade, with its own memorial alcoves. One belongs to Kemal Ataturk, the man who commanded the Turkish forces at Gallipoli (Ataturk means ‘Father of the Turks’). The memorial honours him, and the heroism and sacrifice of both the Anzac and Turkish troops who took part in that bitter campaign.

The red gravel on Anzac Parade itself is said to symbolise blood, and the trees lining the parade are a mix of Australian and New Zealand natives.

After the filling of Lake Burley Griffin in the 1960s, imposing public buildings were constructed along its shore. The National Gallery of Australia is always vibrant and somehow manages to secure amazing special exhibitions – this could be reason enough for a Canberra visit.

Next to the gallery is the tall and imposing High Court of Australia. Attendants are on hand to take you through the building and explain how the Court works. If you have children, just down the lake is Questacon, an excellent hands-on science museum. You can experience an earthquake, watch a lightning display, balance a ball in mid air and make music with light beams.

Questacon is adjacent to the National Library of Australia and the International Flag Display. The Flag Display colourfully depicts the city’s international population with 80 flags dedicated to the United Nations and other nations that have a diplomatic presence. The flags are flown continuously and lit at night, casting a vivid reflection on the lake. If, like me, you find that some flags look more like a licorice-allsort than a symbol, each flagpole has a plaque to identify the nation. The Governor-General, Sir William Deane, launched the display on Australia Day, 1999. I mention this for no other reason than I may not find another to include the name of a truly great Australian.

The library has good collections of Australiana, rare books, changing exhibitions, film screenings, educational events and behind-the-scenes tours. There’s also a bookshop, licensed restaurant, bistro and Internet cafe. Cafes attached to public buildings are usually good value because they also feed public servants, who would kick up a stink if they were being ripped off.

The lake itself has its own features. The Captain Cook Memorial Jet is a pretty impressive spray and the National Carillon, on Aspen Island, was a gift from the British Government to celebrate the city’s 50th anniversary. The footbridge to Aspen Island is named after John Douglas Gordon, who played the inaugural recital. This made me think: What makes a person wake up one morning and say, ‘Hey, that’s what I want to be – a carillonist!’.

The carillonist may be greeted at the base of the tower approximately five minutes after the conclusion of the recital, although I can’t imagine him/her running the gauntlet through a huddle of screaming autograph hunters. There are good views to be had from the top floor but to get a sense of the city as a whole, head to Mt Ainslie, Telstra Tower or Black Mountain.

The National Zoo and Aquarium is also very good and, for those wanting something different, you can scuba dive in the large tank. It’s actually more a ‘moonwalk’ than a ‘dive’ as you wear weights to allow you to walk around the floor of the tank – a great way to get close to stingrays, sharks and the peering faces of other tourists. Be sure to tell the kids what you’re about to do, because one of mine burst into tears at the sight of Dad underwater.

The year 2001 saw the opening of the colourful and controversial, yet hugely popular, National Museum of Australia. If you think ‘stuffy’ goes with the word museum, forget it here. It doesn’t look or feel like a museum.

You can actually experience the stories of Australia and Australians using the latest hand-on interactive technology. From the rock art of Kakadu to the Hills Hoist and Vegemite. This is Australia! There are areas especially for children, a waterfront restaurant, two cafes and a shop with a huge range of souvenirs and gift ideas.

If you’re into miniature attractions, Cockington Green is a must. If you’re not into miniature attractions, avoid this like the plague. The centrepiece at the Green is a depiction of life in a British village – only smaller. Miniature buildings, tiny townsfolk going about their daily business, animals and vehicles, all are constructed down to the finest detail in perfect scale.

There are also Australian and international sections. The best time to visit Cockington Green is in spring when the gardens are at their best. Floriade is an annual celebration of flora from mid-September to mid-October and lots of entertainment is thrown in to combine fun with flowers.

Within the grounds of the Australian National University is the art-deco ScreenSound Australia – the National Screen and Sound Archive. The memorabilia traces the history of the radio, film, television and sound industries in Australia. The exhibits include the FX car used in the film Malcolm, homemade radios, historic newsreels, recordings of early radio shows and Australia's first ‘Oscar’. There are also continuous screenings of movie classics throughout the day. And while you are watching, if you sense the shadowy figure of an usher at your back, check again. A number of people have reported sightings of ghosts – the building used to house the Institute of Anatomy. And… cut!!

Blundell’s Cottage dates back to 1858 and the cottage, garden and shed are as they would have been when George and Flora Blundell were in residence, except it then overlooked a river. The river has since become Lake Burley Griffin.

Most major attractions in Canberra are free but a small admission charge applies here. Find the Cottage on Wendouree Drive, off Constitution Avenue.

Other attractions include the Australian Institute of Sport, where visitors are shown around by one of the elite athletes in training, and there’s also Sportex, an interactive sports exhibition. The Botanic Gardens is home to kangaroos, native plants and a rainforest gully, and is a good spot for a picnic.

At the Royal Australian Mint, visitors can mint their own coins and The National Capital Exhibition is the place to head if you want an interactive historical background on how Canberra has developed from a sheep property to one of the world’s best landscaped cities.

Outside the city there’s excellent abseiling, rock climbing, rafting, caving, bushwalking and horse riding. You can also take a hot-air balloon flight or drop in to one of 22 boutique wineries where the cool-climate vineyards have picked up many awards.

If you are not sure which winery, visit the Kamberra Wine Tourism Complex first - it provides a focal point for the region’s wine industry with tastings, a bistro and demonstration winery. It’s on the corner of Northbourne Avenue and Flemington Road.

To see real Aboriginal art and special sites among some great Australian bush, head to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and Namadgi National Park.

Sydney has Double Bay, Melbourne has South Yarra, Brisbane has Park Road in Milton and Canberra has Manuka.

If you want to blend with the locals, it’s pronounced Mar-nar-kar, not Ma-noo-kar, and it’s the place for boutique shopping and al fresco dining … darling. For Asian cuisine, head to Woolley Street, Dickson.

Oh, and not that I’ve tried it, if you want to pick up a few marital aids, head to Fishwyck, the porn centre of Australia. Because Federal laws differ to state laws this is the centre for video duplication, adult web sites and retail sex shops. I believe tour buses run from the city.

There's a large student population in Canberra and the well-heeled, double-income public servant couples know how to party, so the atmosphere at night can be exciting. There are wine bars, dance clubs, acoustic venues, piano bars and jazz spots. A university bar by day, the ANU Uni Bar is one of the oldest and most respected live venues in Canberra. It’s centrally located and hosts local band gigs, CD launches, national and international tours and all-night raves and dance parties. There’s draught beer on tap, pool tables and a juke box.

The Casino offers all the traditional gambling games and evening entertainment ranges from cabaret performances, karaoke, comedy and a nightclub for over 25s. Other facilities include bars, restaurant, TAB, Sky Channel and, being a casino, there are naturally ATMs and currency exchange facilities.

There are a few excellent Irish pubs including Filthy McFadden’s (what a great name!) in Kingston. There are 10 beers on tap, 130 premium whiskies and live entertainment on weekends. King O’Malley’s (named after the eccentric American born ‘founder’ of Canberra) has a light snack menu and a range of beers including Kilkenny, Guinness and Caffreys. PJ O’Reilly’s is a traditional Irish pub that was actually designed and built in Dublin.

Canberra Tours With Tours To Go