Canberra date ideas for nature lovers
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If you’re a lover of nature, Canberra is the place to be.
Even right in the heart of the city, nature in some glorious form or another is only ever a whisper away. Are you and your date both a fan of the outdoors? Here’s where to take them in and around Canberra for a romantic jaunt with a heavy dose of nature.
A day on the water
Having a picnic by Lake Burley Griffin already screams romance, but a picnic ON the lake takes things to the next level. Departing from Kingston Foreshore, GoBoats offers self-drive picnic boats for hire, with no need for a boat license.
The built-in picnic table means you can relax and feast as you gently glide by the Carillon, High Court, National Gallery, and the Captain Cook Jet.
Take your own picnic, or you can pre-order picnic hampers through GoBoats. Each boat can fit up to eight people, but why not keep things intimate with just the two of you? And while you can take alcohol on board, the skipper of the boat must remain sober, so maybe save that drink for when you get back to shore, and use it as an excuse to explore the nearby bars.
8 Trevillian Quay, Kingston | goboat.com.au/canberra/book
Into the woods
Sure, you’ve been to the Arboretum. But have you really lingered and lapped up everything it has to offer? For a great date option, start your visit with a walk amongst the lush grounds—there are 20 kilometres of walking tracks to explore that wind through the 250-hectare site. Then settle in for a relaxed and indulgent picnic.
For a charming spot, try the Himalayan cedar forest barbecue area, surrounded by 100-year-old trees, or the best views, try Dairy Farmers Hill. The Arboretum is also one of Canberra’s most spectacular spots for a wedding, so if things go really well, that could always be an option down the track.
Forest Drive, Molonglo Valley | nationalarboretum.act.gov.au
Soak up the stars
Swap your traditional evening date of drinks after work for a Twilight Tour at Mulligans Flat. Over two hours you’ll be led on a tour of the sanctuary after dark to see echidnas waddle, wildflowers bloom and rare marsupials hop.
And keep a keen eye out for some adorable critters. Locally extinct animals like the Eastern Bettong and Eastern Quoll have been reintroduced to the sanctuary, and live happily within the predator-proof fence.
Corner of Quinane Avenue and Justice Kelly Street, Forde | mulligansflat.org.au.
Take a hike
Keen to venture a little further afield? Just 45 minute’s drive from the Canberra CBD is the picturesque Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.
Lap up the peace, quiet and those stunning natural landscapes as you explore the reserve on foot—there are 22 marked trails ranging from a 15-minute walk to full-day hikes—then treat your date to a leisurely picnic or a barbecue. And keep your eyes peeled for the reserve’s native residents, including kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, and the elusive platypus.
Paddys River Road, Tidbinbilla | tidbinbilla.act.gov.au.
Get sky high
Does your date make your heart race? Well, a walk together up Mt Ainslie certainly will. The outlook is the traditional Canberra spot to take a lover, and for very good reasons.
Park at the back of the Australian War Memorial, lace up your shoes, and hit the walking track, with plenty of native birds and wildlife to enjoy on your walk.
Once you reach the lookout, you can catch your breath and canoodle as you drink in that breathtaking Canberra view. Your date will most likely give you extra points if you managed to bring some snacks up with you. And any time of day works, but sunrise or sunset are the real standouts.
Mount Ainslie Drive, Ainslie
A totally roarsome time
Think a trip to the zoo is only fun for the kids? You’re seriously missing out.
If your date is a lover of all creatures great and small, this is the place to take them, and you can amble along hand-in-hand as you visit the white lions, red pandas, rhinos, giraffes, cheeky meerkats, little penguins, and a whole bunch of other feathered, furred and finned friends.
If you’re particularly keen on your date, you could treat them to an overnight adventure at Jamala Wildlife Lodge, where you can get up close and personal with the animals and enjoy the luxury accommodation and hospitality.
999 Lady Denman Dr, Yarralumla | nationalzoo.com.au
Feature image: VisitCanberra
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