What even is Acton? Your ultimate guide to this culture-rich suburb
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New to Canberra? This is an important one to know.
With soaring offices draped in living greenery, low-rise heritage buildings, bars, restaurants, cafés and hotels, Acton and its hipster slice, named NewActon, is a precinct ripe with cultural experiences and a perfect base from which to launch an expedition into greater Canberra.
It also houses one of the city’s greatest natural treasures—the Australian National Botanic Gardens—a must-see for visitors. Opened in 1970, the gardens give you the opportunity to explore approximately one-fifth of Australia’s diverse and spectacular flora in a bushland setting—with more than 4,300 species set within 35 hectares.
A visit would also not be complete without a moment to reflect on the Nishi Building. Canberra’s most sustainable building,
it won International Project of the Year at the 2015 Building Awards in London and also houses a most Instagrammable timber staircase.
Close to the lake, on the edge of The Australian National University campus and a stone’s throw from the CBD, Acton has it all.
DRILL HALL GALLERY
Built in 1940 to train soldiers for the Second World War, the building that would ultimate become Drill Hall Gallery was remodelled in 1984 to create an art gallery and recognised with a Heritage Order 20 years later.
Housing temporary collections while the capital waited for the National Gallery of Australia to be completed, the ANU took it over in 1992 as a showcase for its own impressive art collection including Sidney Nolan’s nine-panel panorama, Riverbend (nominated among the 10 must-see art treasures of Canberra).
LLEWELLYN HALL
Home to Canberra’s Symphony Orchestra, Llewellyn Hall is Canberra’s premier concert hall and one of the finest acoustic venues in Australia.
Home to local and international acts, Llewellyn Hall also attracts contemporary music, comedy, dance and public lectures. Part of the ANU’s School of Music, the brutalist building is a link between the university and city centre.
PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA
Palace Electric is the place for international cinema; arthouse and quality new-release films. Eight theatres with luxurious amphitheatre seating and the latest in digital projection and sound ensure a state-of-the-art cinematic experience.
Enjoy a drink at the Prosecco Bar and time your visit with any one of the international film festivals which take place there.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA
The National Museum is a Canberra landmark, its bold façade jutting out over the lake. It brings to life the rich and diverse stories of Australia through compelling objects, ideas and events.
The focus is on Indigenous histories and cultures, European settlement and our interaction with the environment. A must-see, particularly for young visitors.
NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE
The National Film and Sound Archive is the nation’s living archive, with a collection of more than three million items spanning a century of film, sound and broadcast.
All meticulously preserved, you can search collections depending on individual interest, or enjoy the rolling program of exhibitions that introduce you to something new. From Kylie Minogue, to Skippy, all your favourite Australians are represented.
THE SHINE DOME
This distinctive Canberra landmark was the first Canberra building to be added to the National Heritage list.
Don’t pass by without snapping a photo of its distinctive curved roof, which has received international recognition since it was completed in 1959 and nominated to the World Register of Significant 20th Century Architecture.
THE STREET THEATRE
The Street is a hub for Canberra’s creative community and a venue dedicated to contemporary performance, presenting bold work from inquisitive artists who have something to say about the world.
Performance styles range from interactive live-streamed think tanks to acoustic rock, and everything in between.
Want even more inspiration?
Check out VisitCanberra’s Neighbourhood Guide to the Inner North + City here.
Feature image: View from inside the Earth Canvas exhibition gallery at the National Museum of Australia.
