Kids on the coast

A family holiday to Canberra

by Sarah Pye

It’s one of those places people either rave about, or shrug their shoulders. Canberra, our nation’s capital is abuzz with politics, memorials and museums. As an imported Aussie, I had always wanted to see what all the fuss was about and last spring the opportunity arose to join Amber’s Scout group on a driving tour to the capital. It didn’t disappoint and this is one family safari I can certainly recommend.

If you arrive in Canberra after a long drive, the last thing you want to do is be on your best behavior in a museum, so I recommend letting off steam at Questacon (www.questacon.edu.au). This is one of the few paid attractions in Canberra but well worth the admission. Questacon boasts several floors of science experiments divided into seven different galleries. Each is themed so you can watch tornadoes form, experience an earthquake, learn the science of music and laugh at yourself in the funny mirrors. The bottom floor is just like a mini fairground and I dare you to try Freefall when you hang from a metal bar 6m in the air and will yourself to let go! Most of these galleries are best suited to school-aged kids, but a separate area called Mini Q is just perfect for preschoolers and Quiet Space offers a little time out when they reach sensory overload.

A trip to Canberra wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Houses of Parliament (www.aph.gov.au). From the moment you climb the marble steps and cross the dot-painting tiles, you know you are entering a special place. Regular tours are conducted here but, if you make contact with your local member of parliament before you arrive (which we did), you might be able to arrange to visit their rooms and get an insight into the workings of this amazing building. Did you know, for instance, that all clocks in this building are synchronised and members are given four minutes to get to the chamber at voting time before they are locked out? If the pollies are sitting, it’s free to visit at Question Time, but book ahead by calling the Sergeant-at-Arm’s Office on 02 6277 4889 (there’s no need to book ahead for Question Time in the Senate).

Another must is the Australia War Memorial (www.awm.gov.au). It has rooms dedicated to each of the wars in which Australia has participated. This brings the history of Australia alive for school-age kids. The surrounding grounds are also a great picnic spot. Next on our agenda was the Royal Australian Mint, where we watched shiny currency being scrupulously checked before release (www.ramint.gov.au).

It’s easy to reach overload in Canberra, so make sure you don’t squeeze too much in each day. When you need time off your feet, a drive around the embassies is a wonderful activity (between Empire Circuit and Forster Circuit). Unlike other capitals which evolved over time, Canberra was strategically designed and this meant that all the embassies are close to each other. Driving around these streets is like travelling around the world at break-neck speed. The architecture of Thailand neighbours colonial mansions of the US and the colours of PNG. Why not print out a map of the world before you go and play a version of bingo as you cross off different nations?

The attractions in this beautiful city are endless, and our three days flew by in seconds. We could have easily filled twice that time, and I urge you to spend as long as you can. Me, I’ve started a Canberra Bucket List for next time…

Getting there

Depending on where you live, actually getting to Canberra can be a marathon in its own right. From North Queensland a plane is by far the easiest way and you can either fly into Canberra or fly to Sydney and rent a car from there. It takes about three hours to drive from Sydney which is manageable, and with regular sale fares, this could save heaps.

From southern parts of the state, getting there can be half the fun. To avoid frayed nerves and loud backseat arguments, I would recommend three or four nights on the road. Tenterfield, Moree, Dubbo and Cowra would be my recommendations as places to stop for a night, because each offers attractions along the way.

Road trip to Canberra

Kirby Park, Moree on the Newell Highway is home to a multi-storey rocket ship climbing frame which makes a wonderful picnic spot.

Virtual Solar System (www.solarsystemdrive.com): Follow this scale model of our planets as you drive.

Moree Hot Springs: If you stay at Gwydir Caravan Park, the hot springs are free (www.familyparks.com.au).

Old Dubbo Gaol (www.olddubbogaol.com.au): make sure you time your visit for the re-enactment.

Western Plains Zoo (www.taronga.org.au): I suggest touring the zoo on bikes, it adds another exciting element.

Parkes Observatory (www.parkes.atnf.csiro.au): An integral part of the Moon landing, this facility is still cutting edge in space exploration.

Cowra POW Theatre (www.cowraregion.com.au): Watch the hologram story of the POW escape at the Visitor Info Centre for free.

Sarah’s Canberra Attractions Bucket List

Australian Institute of Sport: www.ausport.gov.au

Australian Reptile Sanctuary: www.canberrareptilesanctuary.org.au

Canberra Glass Works: www.canberraglassworks.com

Cockington Green miniature village: www.cockingtongreen.com.au

CSIRO Discovery Centre: www.csiro.au

Museum of Australian Democracy, Old Parliament House: www.moadoph.gov.au

National Dinosaur Museum: www.nationaldinosaurmuseum.com.au