Among the many Canberra attractions, the Australian Parliament House — where the Prime Minister has his offices, and where the country’s House of Representatives and Senate draft and pass legislation affecting not only Australia but also the world — is an ideal first stop.
The Australian Parliament House in Canberra is an imposing white structure on Capital Hill. Grass from the sides of the building sweep up in a carpet of green over the top of the building.
You can sweep your gaze across the lake, and beyond it to the living city centre of downtown Canberra.
The Australian Parliament House is open to visitors daily except on Christmas Day. Regular guided tours are available.
More places to visit close up
A little to the right, this side of Lake Burley Griffin, are the National Library, Questacon the National Science and Technology Centre, the old Parliament building, and the National Gallery.
Beyond the lake, at the end of Anzac Parade, stands the Australian War Memorial.
These are places that deserve a visit and a closer look.
Cafes and casino
The trees add color to areas around Commonwealth Ave just off Vernon Circle. This is a shopping and dining district, and there are reasonably-priced cafes, many al fresco, as well as full-blown licensed restaurants.
From here it’s a short walk to Casino Canberra if you felt like a bit of a flutter.
On the other side of London Circuit, in the west, are the Academy of Science, ScreenSound Australia (the national screen and sound archive), and a bit farther away on University Ave the Australian National University.
Being the nation’s capital, Canberra is home to a host of embassies, most of them found in the suburb of Yarralumla, west of Capital Hill on the south side of the lake.
Mostly these embassies display the architecture of the country they represent, and it is interesting to view the variety of international cultural and architectural styles.
Here, as elsewhere in Canberra, one can get trapped in circles, so it’s always helpful to have a detailed map on hand.
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