Canberra - Australia's capital

Most capital cities are large but that's not the case with Australia's capital Canberra. This difference is historical as when the States of Australia agreed to form a Federation in 1901 neither NSW or Victoria (who were the largest cities at the time) would agree on the other city being chosen. So Canberra was selected due to its proximity to both Melbourne and Sydney.

Canberra was originally the home of the Ngunnawal people who occupied the land for 21,000 years as evidenced by rock paintings at Namadgi National Park and Birrigai Rock Shelter at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

A competition to design the capital was won by American Architect Walter Burley Griffin.     Influenced by both the City Beautiful and Garden City movements of the time; Burley Griffin designed a city with a large man made lake at the centre, green areas, wide boulevards and formal parks with water features.

Lake Burley Griffin

The original Parliament House was opened in 1927 and served Parliament until 1988 when a new and modern Parliament House replaced it. Today old Parliament House is a tourist attraction featuring a museum  dedicated to telling the story of Australian democracy.

Old Parliament House

On the land opposite old Parliament House is the site of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy which was established in 1972 as a protest to the Government's refusal to recognise Aboriginal Land rights.  

Site of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy

New Parliament House, built on the top of a hill, dominates the skyline and can be seen from many surrounding locations. 

Visit Parliament House when Parliament is in session and you can see our Politicians at work. Parliament House also has an amazing collection of art and  is a venue for many functions.

New Parliament House

Heritage listed Government House is the home of the Queen's representative in Australia the Governor General. Surrounded by 54 hectares of grounds the House is used for many official occasions including receptions, dinners for visiting Royalty and functions for community and special needs groups.

Government House

As the location of the Commonwealth Government Canberra tends to be a city that many people commute which makes many people think Canberra is a boring place to visit. I don't agree there is so much to see. 

National Gallery of Australia

On the cultural side visit the National Gallery of Australia with more than 100,000 works of art including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, Australian art and international art.

View of the road between the National Gallery of Australia and the National Portrait Gallery

National Portrait Gallery of Australia

At the National Portrait Gallery you can view portraits of more than 400 people who have shaped Australia's history, diversity and culture.

The Australian War Memorial commemorates the sacrifice of the men and women who served Australia in war. There is an enormous amount of history to explore and the Hall of Memory with the tomb of the unknown soldier evokes a sadness and respect for what the memorial represents.

High Court of Australia

Questacon is Australia's National Science and Technology Centre and a fantastic place to visit if you are holidaying with children. There are regular exhibits, displays and lots of hands on activities that provide a fun learning experience. 

There are many other interesting buildings in Canberra including a range of Embassies many designed to visually represent their home nation.

The Eagle

Memorials are also a regular sight like the Australian-American Memorial symbolises the strong relationship between these 2 countries. Its located on the forecourt of the Defence Offices.

From a nature and the outdoors perspective I like the Australian National Botanical Gardens which include a range of beautiful plants. Various garden designs represent a Rainforest Gully, Rock Garden, Eucalypt Lawn and Mallee Shrub lands. 

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve provides a great spot for a picnic or BBQ lunch.  You may also see a range of wildlife including kangaroos, koalas, possums and the endangered Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby.  Tidbinbilla also is the location of the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex which was a real surprise as it features  a number of "big dish" antennas that receive data from and transmit commands to a wide variety of spacecraft.

Burbury Hotel 

I stay at the Burbury Hotel located in the Realm precinct. The Realm Hotel located across the road is also a great option. 

Eat in Kingston or Manuka.

Great shopping at the Fyshwick Markets or DFO also located in Fyshwick. 

For more information see Canberra Tourism

Dandenong Ranges

The Dandenong Ranges are less than an hour’s drive from Melbourne and the gateway to an amazing experience which includes towering mountain ash forest, lush fern gullies, stunning gardens, quaint villages and a ride on a 100 year old steam train. Birdlife, wildlife, cafes and restaurants abound in the Dandenongs making it attractive for nature lovers and tourists alike.

The area has been popular with day trippers since the late 1800’s and was formed into the Dandenong Ranges National Park in 1987. The NP covers an area of 3215 hectares and has some 250 kilometres of walking trails.

Formed from a volcano eruption more than 30 million years ago the mountain range is a series of rolling hills now covered by temperate rainforest. After European settlement the tall timbers of the forest were sought after and a number of timber camps were established in the mid to late 1800’s. In the early days timber was taken out of the ranges by bullock teams.

During the depression of the 1890’s the Government allocated 10 acre farmlets to poverty stricken city folk on the basis that they cleared and farmed the land and lived there for 8 months of a year. Clearing the forest by hand was a back breaking job and I assume many didn't survive the hardships. 

Prior to European settlement the Dandenongs were on the boundary of the lands of the Wurundjeri and Bunurong people. The foothills provided a rich source of food and medicines. To find out  more about Australia’s Indigenous Culture.

You can also read some interesting dreamtime stories on the Emerald Primary School’s history of Emerald site. 

Gardens

There are a range of beautiful gardens to enjoy in the Dandenong Ranges these include:

William Ricketts Sanctuary

Amongst the beautiful bushland of the Dandenong Ranges are clay sculptures of aboriginal people and native wildlife. William Ricketts blog  

The Sanctuary is open daily from 10:00am to 4:30pm daily (except Christmas Day).

National Rhododendron Gardens

A short drive from the township of Olinda this garden is internationally acclaimed for its rhododendrons and stunning views across the Dandenongs and Yarra Valley.  Set on 40 hectares the gardens also have azaleas, camellias, cherries and daffodils ensuring a colourful array whenever you visit.

The gardens have a gift shop that stocks a wide variety of items. There is also a cafe which operates during the spring months only.

Operated by Parks Victoria the gardens are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except for Christmas day. 

Alfred Nicholas Gardens

With a mix of native and exotic trees, picturesque waterfalls and an ornamental lake these stunning gardens are part of the Burnham Beeches Estate. Nicholas, who developed the Aspro formula with his brother, travelled throughout Victoria and to other parts of the world to find established trees for the garden. 

Kookaburras, king parrots and a range of rosellas are often seen in the gardens.

Now operated by Parks Victoria the gardens are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except for Christmas day.

George Tindale Memorial Gardens

Established by George and Ruth Tindale the gardens have a collection of rare and exotic plants and flowers set amongst tall mountain ash forest.  Ruth continued to work on the gardens after George died and her flair as an artist is evident in the walks and sculptures throughout the park.

Covering 2.4 hectares the gardens are now managed by Parks Victoria.

Mount Dandenong Arboretum

Set on 16 hectares the Arboretum has a collection of deciduous trees and conifers from around the world.  Eight specimens are listed on the National Trusts Significant Tree Register. You can now download an iPhone app from the National Trust Trust Trees

R.J. Hamer Arboretum

Set on 120 hectares the Arboretum has stunning views and numerous walking trails set amongst a collection of liquid ambers, maples and deciduous conifers.

Spring Festival      

Showcasing the best of the gardens the Spring Festival includes a range of open gardens, various flower and garden festivals, tours,, lectures and food and wine events.

Other attractions

Puffing Billy

Puffing Billy is one of the most popular attractions in the Dandenong Ranges with children and adults alike enjoying a ride through the Ranges on this 100 year old steam train.  Running on a narrow gauge heritage steam railway the Puffing Billy runs from Belgrave to Gembrook.

There are a range of stops along the journey including Lakeside which is a popular stop for a picnic or paddle boat ride on Emerald Lake.  A range of dining options can also be included on some trips.

Train services run each day but on a limited timetable so make sure you check times before travelling to the station. For information on timetable and fares.

Sky High

The Sky High has a number of viewing platforms with stunning views of Melbourne, the Morning Peninsula, Port Phillip Bay and the You Yangs.  There is a cafe, restaurant and conference centre amoungst the extensive and well kept gardens which include a “secret garden”, English gardens and forest walks.

View from Sky High on a misty day

Popular with families as a picnic area there is a small fee charged on entry. (Currently $5 per car)

Now managed by Parks Victoria the area is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m.  to 10 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Walking trails

There are a range of walking trails from leisurely walks to energetic hikes available throughout the Dandenongs.

Kokoda Memorial Track

Named in honour of the Kokoda Track in New Guinea this steep 1,000 step climb is a popular destination for hikers.  The climb is a jungle like experience dotted with plaques providing snippets of the history of the trials and tribulations of Australian soldiers and their allies at the hands of their Japanese captors.

In recent years the Memorial Track has been used as a training ground for people intending on visiting Kokoda and following in the footsteps of Australian diggers.

Sherbrooke Falls Trail

A walk of 1.2 kilometres this is an easy walk on a flat track through mountain ash and sassafras some dating back more than 200 years.

Dandenong Ranges Tourist Track

This 17 kilometre track meanders across the cool and clear waters of Woori Yallock, Menzies and Sassafras Creeks. You will pass through the temperate rainforest of the Dandenongs including fern filled gullies, towering mountain ash on boardwalks and across bridges.

One of the many picnic areas found along the walking trails

1 or 2 day tours of the Dandenongs

William Ricketts Sanctuary

The William Ricketts Sanctuary is in the Dandenong Ranges National Park just under an hour's drive from Melbourne's CBD.

Amongst the beautiful bushland are clay sculptures of aboriginal people and native wildlife. The sculptures are the creation of William Ricketts who was born in Richmond Victoria in 1898. When he was a child his mother took him and his siblings regularly to the Botanical Gardens in Melbourne where he began his facination with nature.

Later moving to the Dandenongs his love of nature and fascination with aboriginal people grew. He travelled a number of times into the Northern Territory where he lived with the Pitjantjatjara and Arrernte Aboriginal people. Their traditions and culture inspired his sculpture.  He was particulalry fascinated with their connection to country and love of the land.

Whilst he was not an Aboriginal himself he believed he was from the lyrebird totem and he considered himself adopted by the Pitjantjatjara nation.

The sanctuary has a number of winding paths that allow you to meander through the bushland and view the range of scultures. William's cottage and kiln are still on the property and form an intregal part of a visit.  There is also a cafe located next to the car park where you enjoy morning, afternoon tea or lunch.

to find out more about the Sanctuary see http://www.visitmelbourne.com.au/regions/Yarra-Valley-and-Dandenong-Ranges/Activities-and-attractions/Nature-and-wildlife/National-parks-and-reserves/William-Ricketts-Sanctuary.aspx

If you like William Ricketts scultures many of his central Australian works can be found at Pitchi Ritchi Bird Sanctuary near Alice Springs.