5 minute read
Australian Capital Territory
Whether you’re travelling for a short break from near or far, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is a destination that packs a huge number of fascinating sites and experiences into a small area – particularly for history buffs and culture vultures.
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AT A GLANCE
GoBoat
1300 993 208 goboat.com.au
National Musem of Australia
1800 026 132 nma.gov.au
Canberra Centenary Trail
13 22 81 parks.act.gov.au/ find-a-park/canberracentenary-trail
The landlocked ACT houses Canberra, Australia’s ‘Bush Capital’ known for its forest, farmland and nature reserves, as well as important federal buildings and offices including the strikingly modern Parliament House, High Court of Australia, and Royal Australian Mint. Canberra’s museums and art galleries are also some of the best in the country.
Enjoy Lake Burley Griffin
Canberra’s centrepiece, Lake Burley Griffin, is the ideal place to start your holiday. Surrounded by many of the city’s main attractions, most of them situated close to its shores, the artificial lake can be admired and enjoyed from different perspectives. Club members will have the option to ride, walk or even Segway around the lake, gaze down at it from a hot air balloon, or spend the afternoon relaxing on the lake itself courtesy of a GoBoat – an electric picnic boat experience where you’re the captain for the day (goboat.com.au).
Walk the Canberra Centenary Trail
A great way to explore the national capital is via the Canberra Centenary Trail, a historical loop trail for walkers and cyclists who favour low-intensity self-guided tours (parks.act.gov.au/find-a-park/canberra-centenary-trail). The 145km trail showcases the highlights of urban and rural Canberra, passing a number of iconic sites and hidden treasures along the route.
The Centenary Trail is divided into daily sections so Club members can join or leave the trail as they please in various locations. You might experience Ngunnawal Country, rural history at Hall, the site where surveyors marked the northern border in 1910, or native forests in Mount Ainslie, Black Mountain, Red Hill and the National Arboretum Canberra. There is also a variety of flora and fauna to discover throughout the nature reserves and bushland hills.
If your group only has a few hours, try one of the shorter walks like Kambah Pool to Tuggeranong Town Centre (8km, three hours one-way) – a scenic walk following the Murrumbidgee River and taking you to the Red Rocks Gorge Lookout – or One Tree Hill Summit (9km, three hours return), which takes you from the village of Hall to the summit lookout with views on a clear day over four of Canberra’s five city/town centres.
1. It’s not hard to spot the National Carillon while floating on Canberra’s lovely Lake Burley Griffin
2. Views from Mount Ainslie Lookout, a popular detour on Canberra’s Centenary Trail
3. An old Holden vehicle on display at the National Museum of Australia
Visit the National Museum of Australia (NMA)
While in Canberra, don’t miss the National Museum of Australia (NMA), a splendid museum that preserves and interprets Australia’s social history and cultural heritage through the important issues, people and events that have shaped the nation (nma.gov.au). At the heart of the NMA is its National Historical Collection with more than 210,000 objects representing Australia’s history and cultural heritage. Collections cover themes including the arts, sport, Indigenous culture, migration, transport, industry, and science and technology. Club members will have the opportunity to explore a wide array of works that
shed light on defining moments in Australian history such as the Gold Rushes, the Gallipoli landing, and the launch of Holden.
Explore the National Film & Sound Archive
Take your tour to the wonderful National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) – the country’s audio-visual archive – where members will discover an incredible collection of unseen treasures from Australian cinema (nfsa.gov.au).
The NFSA is responsible for collecting, preserving and sharing Australia’s vibrant and diverse audio-visual culture through its national collection of film, television, sound, radio, video games, new media, and plenty of other related documents and artefacts. The collection features archives ranging from as far back as the late 19th century, when the recorded sound and film industries were starting to emerge, all the way to works from the present day.
Retrace the history of moving images and sounds through more than 3 million items transformed into ‘living memories’ of Australia and its people. You’ll also learn how the nation’s homegrown talent has earned bigscreen success.
1. Keep an eye out for the new temporary visitor’s entrance at the Australian War Memorial
2. Visitors can get up close with likenesses of celebs like Eric Bana at the NFSA’s Australians & Hollywood Exhibition
3. Poppies adorn the panels of the Australian War Memorial’s Roll of Honour
Accor offers travel and accommodation packages with discounted entry into the major exhibitions at the NFSA (all.accor.com/nfsa), as well as other Canberra attractions such as the National Gallery of Australia.
See the Australian War Memorial
One of Canberra’s most important sites to visit is the grand Australian War Memorial – the country’s national memorial to members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia (awm.gov.au). Club members can learn more about Australia’s involvement in war, from the time of the first settlement at Sydney Cove in the 18th century to peacekeeping roles under United Nations auspices. Tour Officers should be advised that at the time of writing the Australian War Memorial is expanding its galleries as part of a major development project. The Memorial will continue to welcome visitors and remain open during this period. Throughout the development, key areas of the memorial will still be accessible, including the Second World War Galleries and the commemorative area featuring the Roll of Honour, Pool of Reflection, Eternal Flame, Hall of Memory, and Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier.
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Entry to the Memorial is free but all visitors need to book a ticket. It’s highly recommended to pre-book tickets online to avoid disappointment. The Memorial also has a new temporary entrance, which will operate for the next three years, located on the eastern side of the main building opposite Poppy’s Cafe. Free visitor parking is available in the P1 visitor carpark, located underneath Poppy’s Cafe.
For more info about the development project head to awm.gov.au/ourcontinuingstory. ■
AT A GLANCE
Accor Canberra Travel Packages (incl. NFSA)
1300 656 565 all.accor.com/nfsa
National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
02 6248 2000 nfsa.gov.au
Australian War Memorial
02 6243 4211 awm.gov.au
