See

Mount Ainslie

Many argue that the view from Mount Ainslie rivals those offered from the more popular Black Mountain. Vehicular access is available off Fairbairn Ave, or if you are up for a trek you can walk up the mountain, starting from the eastern side of the Australian War Memorial.

Address: Mount Ainslie Drive
Price: Free

Directions Suggest a nearby place

Listing from Wikivoyage: Canberra, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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SeeNorth Canberra
Australian War Memorial
AWM
Not just a memorial, this is one of Australia's premier museums, covering Australian military history from the Federation to the present day and including fascinating exhibits of equipment, memorabilia, and battle dioramas. You could easily spend a full day here (it has a cafe, or bring a picnic lunch if the weather is nice and sit on the lawns at the front). Anzac Parade, leading up to the War Memorial has several memorials to different wars and those involved in wars. Free entry, allow 4–7 hours. The AWM opens its large storage warehouse in the industrial suburb of Mitchell to the public once every few years (usually in September or October), and this is a must-see event for people interested in military history. A Last Post Ceremony paying tribute to one of the soldiers on the Roll of Honour is held at 4:45PM every day, just before the memorial closes to the public for the day. Attendance at the ceremony is free but must be booked in advance due to the limited number of spaces. Every first and third Wednesday of the month from February to November, Australia's Federation Guard mounts a catafalque party at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier and performs a precision military drill as the catafalque party is dismounted as part of the Last Post Ceremony. The AWM is mid-way through a major expansion, and many of its galleries are closed.
Daily: museum 10AM-5PM, shop 10AM-4:30PM, café 9AM-4PMFree
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.
SeeNorth Canberra
Australian Defence Force Academy
ADFA
While the grounds of ADFA are open to the public they are of little interest to travellers. There's an excellent collection of books on military history in the ADFA library, and the library also sometimes has small exhibitions of historic items on its upper level. If you happen to be around in the area on the last Saturday in August, the Academy's open day is worth checking out – it boasts interesting displays of current military hardware, including armoured vehicles and helicopters, and displays of military marching and infantry tactics by the cadets.
DrinkNorth Canberra
Ainslie Football & Social Club
This expansive community and sporting club has been a landmark of the inner north since 1927. Highly popular with local families and sporting fans, it features a massive main lounge, a busy sports bar with giant television screens, and a relaxed, spacious outdoor courtyard. The main bar pours very affordable draft beers and local wines, while the on-site "Limestone" restaurant serves up a great range of club favorites, wood-fired pizzas, and gourmet schnitzels.
Sun–Wed 10AM–midnight, Thu–Sat 10AM–2AM