Overview
The Australian Capital Territory is Australia’s smallest state. The country’s pristine capital, Canberra, sits amidst rugged bushland. Canberra has a character all of its own, having grown from a small bushland settlement of bureaucrats and politicians into a vibrant city with a multicultural cuisine, important cultural institutions such as the National Gallery, music festivals and an active student movement. The Australian Capital Territory offers the traveler historic farms, parks, mountains, dense bushland, wineries and wildlife parks. Half of the area is either national park or nature reserve. See other countries in Oceania on thesciencetutor.
Getting there
Arriving by plane
Canberra is served by Qantas (QF) on Australian domestic routes. Those who first fly to Sydney or Melbourne have good connections to Canberra from there. Flights to Sydney or Melbourne are offered by the following airlines, among others: – Lufthansa (LH) in cooperation with Qantas (QF) and Cathay Pacific (CX) from Frankfurt/M. via Hong Kong and with Singapore Airlines (SQ) via Singapore; – British Airways (BA) from Frankfurt/M. via London and Singapore; – Emirates (EK) from Frankfurt/M., Munich Zurich and Vienna via Dubai.
Flight times
Flights from Frankfurt/M., Munich, Zurich, Vienna to Canberra each approx. 21 hours (pure flight time).
airpasses
With the Qantas Walkabout Pass, over 30 destinations in Australia and New Zealand can be booked at reduced prices. The individual flights are booked in advance together with the Qantas flight to Australia. With the Visit Australia Airpass from Singapore Airlines, you can fly to over 35 destinations in Australia at low cost together with the long-haul flight.
Arrival by car
Greyhound Australia coaches operate between Canberra and Sydney (journey time: 4 hrs 34 mins) and Melbourne (journey time: 9 hrs 53 mins); from there there are connections to all parts of the country. Tolls: There are no toll roads in the Capital Territory. Documents: In addition to the national driver’s license, either an officially certified English translation or the international driver’s license must be carried.
Arrival by train
Direct Southern Xplorer services to and from Sydney and the combined bus/train CountryLink to and from Melbourne with connections to other cities. Contact NSW TrainLink for more information.
Passport and visa regulations
Entry with children
Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.
Public Holidays
03/14/2022 Canberra Day
06/13/2022 Celebrations for the Queen’s birthday
03.10.2022 Labor Day
Business
Business contacts
ACT & Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry 12a Thesiger Court, Deakin, Canberra, ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 62 83 52 00. Fax: (02) 62 82 24 36. E-mail: chamber@actchamber.com.au Internet : www.actchamber.com.au
Attractions
national parks and nature reserves
About half of the country consists of nature reserves and national parks. 40 km southwest of the capital is the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve near Tharwa, which offers a great wealth of Australia’s fauna and flora. The park is open daily from 09.00-18.00 (longer in high season). A number of bush walks are available allowing visitors to view kangaroos, wallabies, koalas and birds in the natural environment. Further south is Namadji National Park with a large number of prehistoric sites and aboriginal rock carvings. The Jerrabomberra Wetlands are a haven for the majority of waterfowl from the surrounding areas during the dry season. The information center of the ACT is available for further information. Telephone: (2) 6207 9777. Web: www.act.gov.au/environ.
Shopping
Overview
Department stores and souvenir shops sell all kinds of goods, including local art and crafts. Galleries and museums are often open outside of business hours. Shop opening times: Mon-Thu 9am-5.30pm, Fri 9am-9pm, Sat 9am-4pm and Sun 10am-4pm.
Nightlife
Introduction
Canberra is fairly quiet during the day, but there are plenty of pubs, restaurants, nightclubs and cinemas for evening entertainment.
Culinary
Overview
In the restaurants, trout from the streams and lakes of the Snowy Mountains are often served. Beef and lamb come from local farms. There are around 60 picnic and BBQ spots near Canberra.
Accommodation
Hotels
In Canberra there are international hotels as well as small private hotels. The city is known for some of the most luxurious hotels in the country. Some of the state’s large sheep farms also offer overnight accommodation. Motels offer cheap accommodation.
Camping
Fully equipped mobile homes are available for rent. Details from Canberra Tourism & Events Corporation (see addresses).
Climate
Best travel time
Very warm summers with little rain, cold winters with occasional snow or rain showers.
Country data
Phone prefix
02
Area (sq km)
2358
Population
412,576
Population density (per square km)
151.49
Population statistics year
2019
