CHEAP CAR HIRE CANBERRA AIRPORT

Canberra Attractions

A rental car gives you the freedom and flexibility to make the most of your time exploring the Canberra and surrounding areas of the ACT, including the stunning views from atop Mount Ainslee, the hustle and bustle of the city centre and the rich political history of Canberra's parliament buildings.  Below are some of our favourite attractions that we know you will love.  For more ideas, check out the Visit Canberra website

Mount Ainslie

Canberra is famous for its stunning design which was planned by Landscape architect Walter Burley Griffin. The architect won an international design competition in 1912, which gave him the opportunity to decide how the city would look.

The blueprint by the Chicago-based architects Walter Burley Griffin and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin included a street plan of circles, hexagons and triangles which were centred on topographical landmarks of the region.

Griffin described the view from Mt Ainslie as ‘an irregular amphitheatre’ with Mount Ainslie forming one of the top galleries. The slopes to the water formed the auditorium, and the Molonglo and flood basin formed the arena.

The view from Mt Ainslie gives you a bird's-eye view of Griffin's magnificent plan including the triangle which forms the three points of Parliament House, Civic and the Australian/American Memorial.

At the base of the mountain, make sure you visit Remembrance Nature Park, which marks the 60th anniversary of the Armistice that ended in the First World War - From here you will find several walking tracks including the Mt Ainslie walking trail, the remembrance natural trail and the Kokoda Track.

In order to get to Mount Ainslie, drive from the Canberra and Region Visitors Centre, down Northbourne Avenue and take the first turn left. Turn right onto Limestone Avenue, follow the road past the Australian War Memorial and turn left onto Mt Ainslie Drive.You can drive, cycle or walk up to the lookout, but make sure you bring some comfortable clothing and walking shoes as well as a camera. The views are breathtaking!

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve

Originally home to a variety of initiation ceremonies by the aboriginal people, Tidbinbilla is derived from the Aboriginal word - Jedbinbilla which means 'a place where boys become men. It was also a place where lively coroboree (dances ceremonies) took place.

Fast-forward over 20,000 years from when the first sign of human-inhabitants was found, and you have a beautiful nature reserve with a wide variety of walks throughout native flora, fauna and the habitat of famed Australian wildlife such as kangaroos, platypus, koalas emus and wallabies.

The bushwalks range from half an hour to over six hours and covers bush-land and rambling hills and walkways. Sights that are definitely worth seeing include the Birringai Rock Shelter which is the oldest known Aboriginal site in the Australian Capital Territory. Bogong Rocks include a moth resting site and Tidbinbilla Mountain is a great place to view the surrounding area from.

The Sanctuary is home to the eucalypt forest where a variety of koala live and home to a wetland environment which includes a conservation breeding programme for critically endangered animals such as the Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby and the Tasmanian Bettong.

While you are at the park, you might also enjoy the mountain bike trails as well as overnight accommodation available in the area.

Tidbinbilla is 40 minutes drive from Canberra's city centre, along a picturesque route via Cotter Road.

If you choose to take part in one of the bush-walks, make sure you wear suitable clothing and let someone know where you are travelling to. Bring wet-weather gear with you and do not leave any valuables in plain view in your vehicle.

National Dinosaur Museum

If you have a little someone who LOVES dinosaurs, or you have soft spot for the Triassic period yourself, don't forget to check out the National Dinosaur Museum.

Just a 23-minute drive from Canberra Airport, the museum is located in Gold Creek Village. It holds the largest permanent display of dinosaur and fossil material in the country and offers a wide variety of activities for the family.

Beginning as a small collection in 1993, the National Dinosaur Museum has quickly grown to include 23 complete skeletons and over 300 displays of fossils. The museum is run by a group of dedicated scientists and geologists and includes twelve dinosaur animatronics.

Travel north of Northbourne Avenue (A23) then turn left on to the Barton Highway (A25). Take the second exit and stay on Barton Highway until you reach the Gold Creek Road turnoff. You will see the National Dinosaur Museum on the right at the Gold Creek Village entrance.

Tickets are available at $9.90 for children and $16.00 for adults. Children under the age of four are free of charge and families can visit for $45.