Mitchell is a small industrial area located on the outskirts of Canberra. It was named in honour of Major Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell, an explorer of inland New South Wales and Surveyor-General of New South Wales. The streets of Mitchell are named after famous Australian industrialists. Mitchell has a number of things worth doing while in the area.
Not too far from Mitchell, you’ll find Gungaderra Grasslands Nature Reserve. Part of Canberra Nature Park, this 281 hectare low lying grassland rises to Gungahlin Hill.
It’s an ideal place to observe some of the more common native plants and animals in the Canberra region. There are a number of old gnarled scribbly gums and brittle gums scattered throughout the grasslands. The reserve features the nationally endangered natural temperate grassland and supports populations of striped legless lizard, key’s matchstick grasshopper, golden sun moth, and perunga grasshopper. It also contains several rare plant species and yellow box-red gum grassy woodland, which provides habitat for rare woodland birds. On a nice day, it makes a lovely spot to set up a rug and enjoy a picnic in the sun.
While in Mitchell, make sure to visit the award-winning Baldwin Distilling Company – Australia's only dedicated bourbon Distillery. The distillery was founded to try and produce a viable Australian alternative to American bourbon. The distillery is on a mission to deliver uncompromising quality and bring the best possible bourbon direct to the Australian market.
Baldwin Distilling Company offers tours that take visitors through the Distilling Process, from raw materials, distillation stages and equipment used in the Distillery. This educational and interactive experience is hosted by Baldwin Distilling's Head Distillery and owner, Anthony Baldwin. Tours are conducted at 11am and 2pm daily – or other times by prior arrangement or booking.
A 15-minute drive from Mitchell will take you to the capital city of Canberra. Here you'll find something for inquisitive minds of every age. From the intimate art galleries dotted all over the city, to the Australian War Memorial, the National Museum, the Zoo and Aquarium, there's a lot to take in.
