History, food and culture await you when you touch down at Canberra Airport. Home to Australia’s political hub, visitors can enjoy a number of historically significant sights in the capital city.
Take a tour of Canberra’s collection of historical sights
In addition to the popular Parliament House and The Royal Australian Mint, Canberra has a number of unique historical sites and cultural landmarks to explore within the capital.
The Aboriginal Tent Embassy is a semi-permanent assemblage established in 1972 outside Old Parliament House to educate and represent the rights of Indigenous Australians.
For a further glimpse of Indigenous culture and heritage, Namadgi National Park contains multiple preserved artefacts of Aboriginal culture and has demonstrated evidence that the area was inhabited 21,000 years ago during the ice age.
While not a historical site itself, the Australian War Memorial is Australia’s national memorial to its armed forces. The memorial features commemorative areas for reflection, as well as various permanent exhibitions that tell the story of Australia’s role in various conflicts over the past 100 years.
Old Parliament House was utilised as the seat of the Parliament of Australia from 1927 to 1988. Following Parliament’s move to Capital Hill, Old Parliament House has been utilised as the Museum of Australian Democracy since 2009. The museum provides a fascinating look into Australia’s political past, where visitors can take a peek at the desk of former Prime Ministers, or take a step back in time and visit the parliamentary offices, which have been preserved to look just as they did when Old Parliament House was a political hub.
Travel further afield with a hire car
For those looking to broaden more than just their historical horizons, Canberra is also located a short drive from scenic destinations such as Lake Burley Griffin and Mount Ainslie. It’s also a quick drive away from many small towns within the ACT and NSW that are full of textbook small-town charm.
Just a short drive from Canberra but still within the boundaries of the Australian Capital Territory, lies Hall – a small town with just a few hundred people that has maintained its charming country village persona, despite its close proximity to the capital. Hall offers its famed charity markets on the first Sunday of every month at the Hall Pavilion and Showground, showcasing Hall’s finest home-made and home-grown goods. The small village is also home to numerous historic buildings and a couple of quaint, family operated cafés.
A one hour drive out of Canberra, Yass is a quintessential Australian country town in the Southern Tablelands, where you can learn plenty about Australian explorer and bushranger lore. The small town is a popular tourist destination due to its heritage buildings, picturesque countryside and numerous wineries alongside the Yass River. Be sure to stop by one of its many wineries within the Yass Valley region and take a leisurely stroll through the Yass Community Markets on the first and third Saturday of each month. For those lucky to be in the area in March, don’t miss out on the annual Yass Show, an epic agricultural show with sheep shearing, wood chopping and other livestock events.
To the north-east of Canberra, explore the beautiful rural landscapes around Goulburn, Australia’s first inland city. Just an hour’s drive from Canberra, this relaxed city has a country town charm with an abundance of tourist attractions, shopping and dining. Goulburn is also home to one of Australia’s famous “big things”, the Big Merino, a giant merino ram made of concrete. Made as an ode to Australia’s flourishing wool industry, the statue contains a permanent exhibit on the 200-year history of wool in Australia, complete with gift shop.
If you’re feeling a bit more ambitious, with time to drive further afield, a visit to the quiet seaside town of Batemans Bay is a must-do for anyone visiting Canberra with a few days up their sleeve. A two-hour drive from the capital, Batemans Bay and Eurobodalla region is a charismatic holiday destination with unspoilt beaches and high-quality local produce. Situated alongside the Clyde River, Batemans Bay is home to some of Australia’s best oysters. Try the popular “Sydney Rock Oyster” fresh from the river to your plate at Pearly Oyster Bar and Farm on North Street. For farm fresh oysters with a view, take a seat at JJ’s at The Marina and soak in the seaside atmosphere with one of their signature cocktails.
Hiring a car at the airport will help you explore Canberra at your own pace – whether you’re planning on staying in the city or journeying on to explore other parts of New South Wales or Victoria. Pick up a Hertz hire car and start exploring Canberra and its surrounds with ease today.
