Canberra, the capital city of Australia,
is made up of five large "town centres" that lie in the valleys of
the Canberra region. These are Central Canberra, Belconnen, Woden,
Tuggeranong and Queanbeyan. For tourists, Central Canberra is the only major
area of interest which presents plethora of sites of tourist interest.
Canberra was established as part of Australia's federation in 1901 and
contains the national parliament, federal government departments, the High
Court of Australia, the Australian War Memorial, and several other important
institutions.
Canberra is not like the other Australian capital cities because it is
relatively young (established in 1927) and also because its planned
development has banned the construction of buildings on any surrounding
hilltops. One can also explore the mesmerising sites in the city and enjoy
the presence of the vastness of the hinterland in the city.
Fact File
Country : Australia
Population : 298,200
Languages : English
Climate : It is arid to semi-arid. The climate is temperate in the
south and east, semi-tropical in the
north. In Australia, seasons are reversed from those in the Northern
Hemisphere. Summer in Australia is from December to February; autumn is from
March to May; winter is from June to August, and spring is from September to
November.
Summers : max = 29.2 C min = 13.8 C;
Winters : max = 10 min = Below 0 C
Official Currency : Australian dollar (AUD); 1 AUD = 33.641 Indian
Rupee = 0.7729 $( USD ), = 0.6421 Euro (subject to change).
Location : Australia the world's smallest continent and
sixth-largest country is situated between the Indian Ocean and the South
Pacific Ocean. The city of Canberra is located in East Australia.
Getting There
By Air : Canberra International Airport is located 7 km east of the
city. The flights between Canberra to/from Sydney and Melbourne are frequent
and relatively cheap.
Getting Around
By Road : Action Bus is the prime means of public transport in the
city – “the Australian Capital Territory Internal Omnibus Network”.
Bicycle could be an alternative mode of getting around the city. Canberra
has an efficient network of bike paths which allow you to avoid the traffic.
Taxis can also be hired to move around the city comfortably.
By Train : On landing on the Sydney international one can reach
Canberra by taking a train from Sydney. The journey is slower than the bus,
but a little cheaper and a lot more comfortable. The railway station is
known as the Canberra railway station.
Accommodation
The city of has very good hotels to ensure a comfortable stay for the
tourists. Mentioned below is a list of some of the hotels in the city:
5 star hotels in the city:
Saville Park Suites
Hotel Hyatt Park
4 star hotels in the city:
Quality Inn Belconnen Premier
Best Western Tall Trees Motel
Hotel Crowne Plaza
3 star hotels in the city:
Pacific Intl Apartments
Rydges Resort Eagle Hawk Hill
Canberra Motor Village
Hotel Quality Inn
Major Tourist attractions
National
Portrait Gallery : The gallery is situated in the Old Parliament House
and came into existence in 1994 but is still in its rudimentary stages of
development. Here exhibitions are built around a theme which is changed
every four or five months and encompasses artworks took from public and
private lenders some of which have never been displayed before.
National Film and Sound Archives : National Film and Sound Archives
contains Australia's film, television, recorded sound and radio heritage
right from the1890s.
Australian War Memorial : This is the national shrine and a museum
having a vast collection of exhibits, militaria, relics and paintings
featuring Australia's military history.
Australian Reptile Centre Canberra : Situated at Gold Creek on the
Barton Highway it presents a dynamic, professional educational venue for
this part of the animal kingdom(reptiles).
National Gallery of Australia : House of the finest modern art
collection in the southern hemisphere it has more than 70,000 works which
range from European Old Masters to contemporary Aboriginal artists.
Canberra Railway Museum : The Museum is located at Geijera Place, at
the end of Cunningham St, in Kingston, close to the Canberra Railway
Station. One can witness the golden age of railways and at the same time
relax here.
Other Attractions
Lanyon Historic Homestead
The Deep Space Communication Complex in Tidbinbilla
National Aquarium Australian Wildlife Sanctuary
National Botanic Gardens
