10 places in Canberra that don’t feel like Canberra
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No passport. No airport. Just Canberra.
Think you need a plane ticket to feel like you’ve escaped from Canberra? Think again. From a skyspace that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into an art installation in the middle of nowhere to gardens that could have been plucked straight from Japan, there are plenty of places around the capital that feel surprisingly far from home.
So, if your camera roll is craving a change of scenery, but your bank account isn’t quite ready for an overseas holiday, here are 10 Canberra places that might just make you forget where you are.
Within Without: James Turrell Skyspace
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Located at the National Gallery of Australia, Within Without is the kind of place that makes you stop and look up. Created by American artist James Turrell, the permanent Skyspace uses an open-air ceiling to frame the sky, transforming something as ordinary as a sunset into the main event. With its concrete walls, endless sky and unreal atmosphere, it feels less like Canberra and more like you’ve wandered into a remote art installation somewhere in the middle of the desert.
Sculpture Garden, National Gallery of Australia, Parkes | nga.gov.au
Dairy Farmers Hill
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For a moment, you forget you’re in Canberra. From Dairy Farmers Hill, the sweeping views, rolling landscape, and mountains in the distance can feel a little like you’re somewhere in the Swiss countryside. The National Arboretum’s hundreds of hectares of forests make it easy to swap Canberra’s city streets for wide-open landscapes, and Dairy Farmers Hill is one of the best spots to take it all in.
National Arboretum, Forest Drive | nationalarboretum.act.gov.au
Cockington Green Gardens
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Ever wanted to travel around Europe in about an hour? Cockington Green Gardens might be the closest Canberra gets. This miniature village attraction is packed with tiny buildings, trains, people, and landmarks from around the world. It’s basically a European road trip, just on a much smaller scale. And yes, you can absolutely spend an unreasonable amount of time looking at the tiny details and have the world at your feet (literally).
11 Gold Creek Road, Nicholls | cockingtongreen.com.au
Kingston Foreshore
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With its waterfront setting, modern architecture, cafés and people wandering along the promenade, the Kingston Foreshore can feel a little more Scandinavian than Canberran. On a sunny afternoon, grab a coffee, take a walk by the water, and you could almost convince yourself you’re spending the day in Copenhagen.
19-43 Eastlake Parade, Kingston | visitcanberra.com.au
Cotter Campground
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Dramatic cliffs, towering trees, and water surrounded by mountains? You’d be forgiven for thinking you had somehow ended up in Norway. Cotter Campground is one of those places that reminds you just how much nature is hiding around Canberra. The combination of the surrounding bushland and rugged landscape makes it an easy escape from the city.
1691 Cotter Road, Stromlo | parks.act.gov.au
Tiger Lane
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Tucked away in the city, Tiger Lane is about as far from Canberra’s usual leafy, spacious personality as you can get. With its colourful laneway atmosphere, lights and bustling energy, it gives off serious Tokyo side-street vibes, particularly once the sun goes down.
Canberra Centre, Bunda Street, City | tigerlane.com.au
Australian National Botanic Gardens
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If Canberra’s usual landscape is making you think ‘dry’, ‘eucalyptus’, and ‘very Australian’, head to the Australian National Botanic Gardens and take a completely different route. With plants from across Australia, rainforest pockets, lush greenery and winding paths, parts of the gardens can feel like you’ve wandered somewhere much more tropical.
Clunies Ross Street, Acton | visit.anbg.gov.au
Canberra Nara Peace Park
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You don’t need to fly to Japan to wander through a Japanese-inspired garden. Located beside Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra Nara Peace Park was created to symbolise friendship between Canberra and its sister city, Nara. With its Japanese-style landscaping, stone features and peaceful setting, it offers a little pocket of Japan right in the capital.
Flynn Drive, Yarralumla | australianatlas.com.au
Beijing Garden
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Just next door to Nara Peace Park, Beijing Garden takes you somewhere completely different. Inspired by traditional Chinese gardens, the space features Chinese architectural elements, landscaping and a peaceful setting beside the lake. It’s one of those Canberra spots where you can walk through a gate and suddenly feel like you’ve left the city behind.
Flynn Drive, Yarralumla | parks.act.gov.au
Lanyon Homestead
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Rolling green fields, historic architecture, sprawling gardens, and mountains in the distance? Welcome to… Canberra? Lanyon Homestead sits at the foot of the Brindabella Ranges, with a countryside setting that can make you feel transported to rural Italy. Swap the Tuscan vineyard for an Australian homestead, and you’ve got the Canberra version of a European countryside escape.
Tharwa Drive, Tharwa | visitcanberra.com.au
After reading this, who says you need to leave the country to feel like you’ve gone somewhere new? From Japan and China to Norway, Tuscany and even a miniature European adventure, Canberra has plenty of places that can make an ordinary weekend feel a little more like a holiday.
