Parks and the outdoors in Canberra

Parks and the outdoors in Canberra

1. DrinkNorth Canberra

   Assembly

   Located on the buzzing Lonsdale Street strip in Braddon, this massive and highly popular venue functions as a bustling neighbourhood hotspot from early morning until late at night. Boasting a beautiful, tree-shaded beer garden that is exceptionally popular for weekend drinks, the bar features a great list of local wines, seasonal cocktails, and craft beers. Serving a double duty as a popular breakfast cafe in the morning, the kitchen transitions into serving elevated pub classics, gourmet burgers, and sharing plates by lunch and dinner.

   Mon–Thu 7AM–11PM, Fri 7AM–2AM, Sat Sun 7:30AM–2AM

2. SeeActon

   Australian National Botanic Gardens

   Located at the base of Black Mountain in Acton, the ANBG has the largest collection of Australian native flora in the country. It also has some interesting water dragons that live in the water features around the gardens. A delightful place for a picnic, try to grab some food from the city centre first to take with you for lunch. If you are there during summer, call and ask about the jazz evenings. These are held on the weekend and many families attend with evening picnic and champagne in tow, to chill out to the sounds of jazz in the balmy evening temperatures.

   Daily·Free entry, parking $1.40/hr or $7 all day

3. SeeActon

   Australian National Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre

   The starting base of the park where many of the garden's trails branch out in all directions. Staff are known to be friendly, and the visitor centre also includes a bookshop selling botanical books.

4. SeeActon

   Banksia Garden and Centre

   Reflects the flora more seen in the coastal parts of mid-Western Australia, part of the Outback, and most of what is seen here requires quite a long drive from Perth. For the most part however, what you see here is much more colourful than the flora seen in the Red Centre garden. The nearby Banksia Centre is occasionally open, but not all the time.

5. SeeBelconnen

   Belconnen Arts Centre

   A stunning, multi-disciplinary cultural hub housed in an award-winning glass-fronted building overlooking the lake. The centre features a constantly evolving, seasonal rotation of multiple gallery spaces showcasing contemporary visual arts, with a prominent focus on local regional and First Nations artists. The site features a 400-seat community theatre hosting live music, dance, and independent stage plays, alongside a design shop selling artisan crafts. The brilliant on-site café, kiln, features magnificent lakeside views.

   Tue–Sun 10AM–4PM (closed Mon & public holidays)

6. EatBelconnen

   Bella Vista Restaurant

   An upscale, white-linen fixture on the Lake Ginninderra foreshore that has been serving Canberra since 1987. Owned and helmed by long-time Executive Chef Sebastiano Reggente, the restaurant pairs beautiful panoramic waterfront views with a polished menu that bridges traditional Southern Italian heritage and modern elegance. Notable menu standouts include their slow-simmered homemade lasagne, honey-pancetta wrapped scallops (capesante), generous seafood spaghetti marinara, and a classic Marsala-soaked tiramisu. Outfitted with an intimate dining room featuring a large mural of Florence’s Ponte Vecchio, it is a highly popular venue for romantic date nights and special family celebrations. Fully licensed.

   Mon–Fri noon–2PM & 5:30–9PM, Sat 5:30–9PM (closed Sun)·Pasta/risotto $28–34, mains $35–44

7. SeeNamadgi National Park

   Bendora Arboretum

   A rather isolated and desolate arboretum established in 1940 as an experiment to see what trees should be planted in Canberra. There are now 52 species and is popular with bushwalkers. However, bringing your car here, even nearby is very difficult, and this can take over 90 minutes at the very minimum from Civic – first, you'll need to navigate through the northwest of Country ACT to Brindabella Road. Once you're on Brindabella Road, continue until just past the NSW border, and from there, turn onto Mount Franklin Road until the trailhead, straddling across the border. The walk at the arboretum is a grade 2 walk and is 5 km return.

8. DoSouth Canberra

   Canberra Cruises and Parties

   A boat cruise operator on Lake Burley Griffin offering private charters, themed social cruises, and group scenic tours. The fleet includes the 'Maid Marion' (a 35-passenger catamaran with indoor and outdoor decks, a sound system, and climate control) and the 'Cygnet' (a smaller, quiet electric boat hosting up to 10 passengers for intimate gatherings). Private charters feature full BYO food and beverage flexibility with on-board barbecue facilities.

   Scenic cruises from $35/pp, private charters from $1,480

9. DrinkWeston Creek, Molonglo Valley and Woden

   Canberra Irish Club

   This legendary club has served as a little piece of Ireland in Canberra since 1975. Famous for pouring the finest, smoothest Guinness on tap south of the lake, the pub boasts a warm, unpretentious atmosphere. It is a major hub for live entertainment, hosting regular folk music, open-mic nights, and Celtic choir rehearsals. The on-site eatery, Molly Bloom's Kitchen, serves up exceptionally generous pub classics with Irish and Fijian influences.

   Sun-Thu 11:30AM-10PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM-11:30PM·Pint of Guinness $12

10. SeeGungahlin

    Canberra Walk-in Aviary

    A small family-friendly walk-in with plenty of our feathery friends – birds! The walk-in contains over 500 birds from over 60 species, and if you've ever felt like feeding birds, but didn't want to in the wild, you can do just that here. But be aware, the birds are known to take the mealworms off from you (before you feed it to them), but if you're lucky enough from that, they may land on you.

    Sep–Apr: 10AM–5PM; May–Aug: 10AM–4PM

11. DoSouth Canberra

    Canberra Yacht Club Boat & SUP Hire

    A casual watercraft rental service located at Lotus Bay on the southern side of Lake Burley Griffin. The club rents out Hobie Wave resort-style catamarans (no sailing experience required), RS Quest dinghies (for experienced sailors), and stand-up paddleboards. All hires include lifejackets. Operations are weather-dependent and may close during excessive or insufficient winds.

    Open daily during summer; seasonal hours vary depending on wind and weather conditions.·SUP hire from $60/hr, boat hire from $90/hr

12. SeeGungahlin

    Cockington Green Gardens

    One of Canberra's most well-known attractions, a miniature display village featuring a traditional English village and international display. Train rides and tea room also available.

    Daily 9:30AM-5PM·Adults $17.50, children $9.50, family $49, seniors $12.50

13. DoTuggeranong and Country ACT

    Corin Forest Mountain Resort

    Corin Forest Resort

    If you cannot leave the ACT during winter, and don't want to miss the snow, this place gets a bit of snow, enough to be a ski resort and a recreation centre with an alpine slide, ski and snowplay area, and a lodge along with an alpine dining area. It is the only ski resort in the ACT, and it receives surprisingly good amount of snow (on top of the snow machines).

    Mon–Fri 10AM–5PM, Sat Sun 9AM–5PM

14. DoNamadgi National Park

    Corin Forest Mountain Resort

    Corin Forest Resort

    has a ski resort and a recreation centre with an alpine slide, ski and snowplay area, and a lodge along with an alpine dining area.

    Mon–Fri 10AM–5PM, Sat Sun 9AM–5PM

15. BuyAirport and East

    Costco Wholesale

    Costco Majura Park

    A massive 13,500-square-meter membership warehouse. Ideal for long-term travellers and campervan holidaymakers looking to buy bulk foodstuffs, heavy-duty outdoor camping gear, electronics, and cheap automotive supplies. The complex also features an incredibly cheap membership-only fuel station on-site and a budget-friendly food court serving oversized pizzas and hot dogs.

    Mon–Fri 10AM-8:30PM, Sat 9:30AM-6:30PM, Sun 10AM-6PM

16. SeeWeston Creek, Molonglo Valley and Woden

    Dairy Farmers Hill

    If you're here for the good views, this hill is a must-see. Situated within the southwest of the arboretum, this viewpoint offers spectacular scenery looking east along the length of Lake Burley Griffin.

17. BuyAirport and East

    Dan Murphy’s Canberra Airport

    A high-capacity, warehouse-style liquor retailer. It features an impressive, dedicated walk-in cellar showcasing premium local wines from the surrounding Canberra District wine region (such as Murrumbateman Rieslings and Shiraz), alongside thousands of domestic and imported beers, craft ciders, and international spirits.

    Mon-Wed 9AM-8PM, Thu-Sat 9AM-9PM, Sun 10AM–7PM

18. SeeNorth Canberra

    Duntroon Dairy

    Historic Duntroon Dairy

    Built in 1832, this building is believed to be the oldest building in the ACT standing. It's only open on request, but you can still see the building very close to a small carpark off Kelliher Dr. There's plenty of informative signage, and you'll see some excellent views over Lake Burley Griffin.

19. DoWeston Creek, Molonglo Valley and Woden

    Eddison Park

    This premier community park is loaded with unique recreational facilities. It features a highly rated, championship-level 18-hole disc golf course that is completely free to play (just bring your own discs). The park is also home to a world-class, floodlit concrete skatepark and a massive nature playground complete with a wobbly rope bridge, climbing tunnels, water play features, walking tracks, duck ponds, and shaded electric barbecue pavilions.

    24 hours daily·Free

20. DrinkNorth Canberra

    Edgar's

    Located at the Ainslie local shops on Edgar Street, this beloved neighbourhood tavern perfectly embodies the quiet charm of the inner-north suburbs. Spanning three unique spaces under one roof, visitors can enjoy a casual pint and a legendary chicken parmigiana in the main pub, relax in the cozy tree-lined beer garden, or head upstairs to "The Inn" restaurant for premium wood-fired steaks and sweeping sunset views of the Canberra skyline.

21. DrinkTuggeranong and Country ACT

    Erindale Vikings

    This massive local community club is a southside institution. It features the dedicated Sideline Bar—a sports fanatic’s dream with giant screens, TAB facilities, and multiple pool tables—alongside a spacious beer garden. If you're hungry, head to "The Cookery" for excellent wood-fired pizzas, high-quality steaks, and classic pub fare. On-site amenities also include a kid's indoor play area and the Moo+Brew Cafe.

22. DoWeston Creek, Molonglo Valley and Woden

    Escape Rooms Canberra

    This immersive attraction offers incredibly detailed, high-production escape rooms. Teams of 2 to 7 players are given exactly 60 minutes to solve a series of visual, linguistic, and lateral puzzles to achieve their objective—whether it's exploring witchcraft in Salem or stopping a rogue magic show. Uniquely, the venue features "Garden Party", a gorgeous hidden speakeasy cocktail bar and beer garden accessible only to customers to unwind in after their game.

    Mon–Thu 9:30AM–9:30PM, Fri Sat 9AM–10:30PM, Sun 9AM–10PM·From $35-50 per person depending on group size

23. DoBelconnen

    Evatt Wetlands & Ginninderra Creek Trail

    An expansive, eco-restored urban nature reserve stretching along the western arm of Ginninderra Creek immediately below the Lake Ginninderra spillway. It incorporates the tranquil Croke Place Wetlands—a series of man-made sediment ponds and reed beds designed to filter urban stormwater and provide a sanctuary for local frogs and waterbirds. Hardened dirt and gravel walking tracks wind through open native grasslands, ivy-covered tree glades, and hidden stepping-stone creek crossings. Highly popular for off-leash dog walking, rugged birdwatching, and quiet family walks away from the main lake loops. No public toilets on-site.

    Free

24. SeeTuggeranong and Country ACT

    Gibraltar Falls

    One of the largest waterfalls in Canberra with a drop of over 50 metres. While it is part of the Namadgi National Park, many travellers visit the falls on a separate trip as it's a separate destination in its own right. Facilities at the waterfall include a lookout, a barbecue area and a picnic area. For bushwalking enthusiasts, there are some bushwalking trails too!

25. SeeCivic

    Glebe Park

    Where's Canberra's Hyde Park, you ask? This small 40-ha park is a remnant of the land allocated in the 1840s to the Anglican church, but today is a pleasant spot to go for a stroll. If you're into photography and want to see some autumn colours, the leaves have strong autumn foliage, making it a fabulous spot for photography.

26. DoSouth Canberra

    GoBoat Canberra

    A self-drive electric boat rental service operating from the Kingston Foreshore on Lake Burley Griffin. The picnic-style watercraft accommodate up to eight passengers and feature a central built-in table layout. No marine license or prior boating experience is required to pilot the vessels, which operate via simple low-speed steering controls. Safety equipment and life jackets are provided on-site, and dogs are permitted on board.

    Boat hire from $99 per hour

27. BuyNorth Canberra

    Gorman House Market

    Every Saturday in Braddon, just north of the city (easy walk). Crafts, second-hand items, antiques, international food in a lovely, grassy setting.

28. SeeSouth Canberra

    Government House

    Yarralumla

    The main official residence of the Governor-General of Australia, representative of King Charles III in Australia. Closed to the public except for open days, which take place approximately twice a year. There is a viewing platform, off 420 Lady Denman Drive, or glimpses can be seen from the main gate at Dunrossil Drive, Yarralumla, or Weston Park, Yarralumla. Often kangaroos are to be spotted munching grass on the lawns, so be careful driving along the ride that gets to the viewpoint, especially at dusk.

29. SeeNorth Canberra

    Haig Park

    Haig Park is a park in the suburbs of Braddon and Turner near Northbourne Avenue. The park is named to honour Earl Haig, the Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Forces during the First World War, and spans the distance between Mount Ainslie and Black Mountain. The park comprises fourteen rows of trees planted to form a windbreak and shelterbelt.

30. BuyNorth Canberra

    Haig Park Village Markets

    A small but vibrant community market with lots of diverse goods available.

    Sun 9AM–2PM

31. DoHall

    Hall Showground

    The village's local showground is where the Sunday markets and events usually occur. The showground contains an equestrian park, but it's restricted to certain equestrian groups only. Apart from that, there is not much, and it looks like any other rural NSW town's showground.

32. DrinkWeston Creek, Molonglo Valley and Woden

    Hellenic Club of Canberra

    This massive, multi-faceted community club is one of Canberra's largest entertainment venues. It is home to the award-winning Woden Sports Bar & TAB, which features massive LED screens broadcasting live sports, and the relaxed, open-air Woden Beer Garden. If you're looking for local or Mediterranean wines, stop by Kivotos, their sophisticated Greek wine bar. Visitors can easily sign in at reception with a valid photo ID.

    Daily 9AM-4AM·Beer from $8

33. SeeSouth Canberra

    International Flag Display

    A lakeside installation along the southern edge of Lake Burley Griffin featuring 110 flags. The display represents the United Nations, the European Union, and individual nations that maintain an official diplomatic mission or embassy within the national capital. The flagpoles are fully illuminated at night.

    Open 24 hours daily·Free

34. DoBelconnen

    John Knight Memorial Park

    A sprawling 12-hectare lakeside park on the eastern foreshores of Lake Ginninderra. It features extensive open lawns, native forest ridges, a water garden with rapids, and a model boat jetty. The park is highly popular for families due to its large fitness trails and distinct playgrounds, including the iconic, newly refurbished "Snake House" climbing structure and a treehouse flying fox. Free public gas barbecues, picnic tables, and accessible toilets are available on-site.

    Free

35. DoTuggeranong and Country ACT

    Kambah Pool

    Great swimming spot with big boulders in the middle of the Murrumbidgee River. It's a 10-minute walk from your car to the river.

36. EatBelconnen

    Kiln at Belco Arts

    A stunning waterfront café nestled inside the glass-fronted gallery building. It features expansive morning views across Lake Ginninderra, offering a relaxed environment for specialty coffee and fresh, modern breakfast staples. From Thursday to Saturday, it remains open into the evening for sunset drinks, grazing boards, and casual dinner plates paired with local wines and craft beers.

    Sun–Wed 7AM–4PM, Thu–Sat 7AM–9PM·Mains $18–32

37. DoSouth Canberra

    Lake Burley Griffin Cruises

    Temporarily suspended. An eco-friendly tour company offering quiet historical sightseeing and morning tea cruises aboard all-electric vessels. Under normal circumstances, the company runs daily tours from mid-September through to mid-May. All public cruises are temporarily offline while the operator undergoes extensive maintenance following a vessel incident.

38. SeeBelconnen

    Lake Ginninderra

    A beautiful 105-hectare artificial reservoir constructed in 1974 to serve as the scenic and ecological centrepiece of the northern suburbs. Fed by Ginninderra Creek, the lake is entirely encircled by a highly popular, paved 7-kilometre multi-use path favored by local joggers and cyclists. Its sprawling, leafy foreshores connect several primary visitor destinations, including the family-friendly playgrounds of John Knight Memorial Park, the off-leash enclosures of the Belconnen Dog Park on the Diddams Close peninsula, and the bustling lakeside commercial boardwalk along Emu Bank. The protected waters provide a critical urban habitat for abundant native Australian wildlife, making it a fantastic spot to watch black swans, pelicans, moorhens, and the shy rakali (native water rat). Highly recommended for sunset strolls, kayaking, and picnics.

39. DoBelconnen

    Lake Ginninderra Shared Path

    A scenic 7-kilometre paved walking and cycling loop that contours completely around the lake. The flat, easy-grade trail connects the Town Centre, Emu Bank dining strip, the University of Canberra, and various public parklands. It is highly frequented by birdwatchers, joggers, and cyclists.

    Free

40. SeeTuggeranong and Country ACT

    Lake Tuggeranong

    An artificial lake sourced by the confluence of Tuggeranong Creek and stormwater discharge. There's a nice small walk around the lake, but otherwise the lake itself is somewhere where you can just sit down and relax by the water.

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Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Canberra (CC BY-SA 4.0).