Canberra is the capital of Australia, located between the big city hubs of Sydney to the northeast and Melbourne to the southwest.
Canberra was actually chosen to be Australia's capital in 1908 as they couldn't decide between Sydney and Melbourne! A nationwide competition allowed towns and cities from all across the country to apply to be the capital. The layout for Canberra was designed by competition winner Walter Burley Griffin and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin in a unique triangular shape focusing on the geometry of the city to highlight important landmarks. It grew from there to house all the national institutions of Australia.
I first visited Canberra in 2019 during my solo backpacking trip. Now, seven years later, I'm back in Australia, living full-time in a campervan, a 2018 Mercedes Sprinter, with my partner and exploring the country, with a plan of "driving the lap" (completing the entire perimeter of the country).With the freedom of our campervan, we're trying to hit the lesser known spots and go slower.
For over 20,000 years the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples lived on this land, long before the first Europeans arrived in 1823.
I first visited Canberra in January 2019 on a solo backpacking trip and returned with my partner in our campervan in December 2025 and updated the original post with all the new things we did. This post was first published on 15 January 2019; last updated 27 December 2025.
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Below is some useful information for preparing for your trip to Canberra. In all cases, please be sure to check with the relevant local authorities for the latest and accurate information.
Language: The official language of Australia is English. In Canberra, the traditional language of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples is Ngunnawal and Walgalu, respectively.
→ Learn more about the language of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples.
Currency: The currency used in Australia is the Australian dollar, denoted as AUD $. I use a Wise account when I travel which allows me to have a single, free account with multiple currencies. I only have to pay once to convert my money in the app and then I can pay in AUD $!
→ Check the latest currency conversion between AUD $ and your local currency.
Data/WiFi: Before you arrive, I recommend purchasing an eSim on your phone so that you can access data the moment you land. eSims are much more convenient as it means you don't have to put a separate physical Sim into your phone. AirAlo offers great deals for eSims of various data sizes and time lengths with Optus.
→ Load an international eSim on your phone with AirAlo.
If you are visiting Australia long term, you might wish to put a physical Sim in your phone as AirAlo is geared more towards short term visitors on holiday. This way you can access a local phone plan. There are three main mobile phone network providers in Australia: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telstra has the best coverage across the country whereas Optus and Vodafone are good within cities. I recommend Telstra as it means you have the best coverage while you travel around the country, especially in rural areas.
Free WiFi is widely available in Canberra through the CBRfree public network at most national institutions, on public transport, in shopping centres and many restaurants.
Visa: All passport holders except New Zealand require a visa to visit Australia. All arrivals must fill out an Australian arrival card before landing.
→ Check which visa you need for Australia.
Time of year to visit: Australia can be visited all year-round. Canberra, situated on the southeast coast of the country, can get very hot in the summer and cool in the winter months. I recommend visiting in spring (September-November) or autumn (March-May) for pleasant, sunny days.
Length of stay: Across two visits, I have spent five days in the Canberra area exploring the city and surrounds.
By flight: Canberra, Australia's capital, is serviced by Canberra International Airport, located east of the downtown core.
From Canberra Airport, it's less than a 10-minute drive into the city; Uber is a popular choice here. You can also hop on bus 3 which runs every 15 minutes (30 minutes on weekends) between the airport and the city centre, a journey of less than 20 minutes.
By car: If you're driving around the country as we are in our campervan, then the easiest way to get to Canberra is with your own wheels. This gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace, stopping whenever and wherever you like.
By bus: Regular cross-country coaches run between Canberra and Sydney or Melbourne. Sydney is reachable in about three and a half hours with Flixbus, Greyhound or Murrays (I traveled with Murrays in 2019). Melbourne is about eight hours away by bus with either Flixbus or Greyhound.
By guided tour: You can book a guided day tour of Canberra from Sydney if you don't have your own wheels, are short on time or would simply like to go the guided route.
Canberra was built and designed to be the capital of Australia so it's very easy and logical to get around. Here are a few ways to get around the city:
By car: If you have your own car, you can easily drive around Canberra in order to visit the different institutions and surrounds.
→ Find out about parking in Canberra.
By Uber: Uber is popular and convenient in Canberra and an easy way of getting around.
By public transport: There is an extensive bus and light rail (metro) route around Canberra making public transport a super easy option when visiting.
→ Check out the routes for buses and light rail in Canberra.
By bike: Getting around by bike is common among locals in Canberra. There are loads of bike rental companies around, including bike-sharing options, and it's a fun way to get around the city.
By guided tour: There are loads of different guided tours to help you explore Canberra including full day tours of the city or shorter guided tours of specific places.
Hostel: The first time I visited Canberra in 2019, I stayed in a hostel. Hostels are a great, affordable way to travel when you're backpacking through a country. The one I stayed in in 2019 no longer exists however the one hostel in Canberra, Little Drifter, looks like a fantastic choice.
→ Book your stay at Little Drifter Hostel.
Hotel: Although we are currently traveling in our campervan, when we visited Canberra in 2025, we weren't feeling so great and decided to check into a hotel for a few days for some proper rest. We chose Ovolo which is a chic hotel on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin and with great access to all the highlights of Australia's capital city. The rooms are beautifully designed with dark, minimalist decor and sustainability is a focus of this hotel. There is also a delicious restaurant on the ground floor.
→ Book your stay at Ovolo Canberra.
→ Check out places to stay to suit your budget and accommodation type.
Camping: We are driving "the lap" around Australia, exploring the country in our campervan. As with the rest of Australia, the capital permits freedom camping on designated sites. These sites can vary greatly; some offer a variety of facilities such as toilets, trash bins, picnic tables, outdoor cooking stations and others have none of this and might simply be a pull-out on the side of the road.
The best way to find legal freedom camping spots is to use an app. We use Wikicamps Australia, a cheap app that has every single amenity listed (both free and paid) that you might need on the road. This includes things like where to fill up fresh water, where to dump grey water, where to empty toilets, where to stay, gas stations, information points and also has suggestions for things to do as you go.
→ Download the Wikicamps Australia app.
There are no freedom camping spots in Canberra, but there are a few just a short drive out of the city, as well as a number of paid options.
Although Sydney and Melbourne are much more famous and touristy, I can really recommend visiting Canberra to learn about Australia's capital and to check out the famous national institutions of Australia, most of which are free!
Learn Canberra's history National Capital Exhibition
At the National Capital Exhibition you can learn the history of how Canberra became Australia's capital. Detailed archives take you through all the various stages, from choosing the location, deciding the name and designing the city.
Wander the shores of Lake Burley Griffin
Right in the centre of the city is the massive and impressive man-made Lake Burley Griffin, named after the city's architect. Originally a river running through the land, Burley Griffin envisioned a beautiful lake in the heart of Canberra's parliamentary triangle.
Explore the National Library of Australia
The National Library has thousands of items in what is the largest collection in Australia. There is also an exhibition section where the library houses special artefacts that have historical significance such as from Captain James Cook's voyages to the South Pacific.
Looking at the National Library across Lake Burley Griffin
Walk through the International Flag Display
Just outside the National Art Gallery, the International Flag Display is a prominent feature of the Parliament Zone. It represents the 108 flags of countries that have diplomatic representation in Canberra as well as a flag for the United Nations and for the European Union.
In 2019
In 2025
Visit the National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery is my favourite spot to visit in Canberra, home to world famous pieces both from Australia and around the globe, such as a Monet and a Warhol. I especially appreciated the gorgeous focus on Aboriginal art.
Explore Old Parliament House
At Old Parliament House you can explore what parliament used to look like including the old House of Commons, a fantastic exhibit about all the Prime Ministers of Australia and a peek into how press releases used to be conducted before the internet existed.
Learn the history of Australia at the National Museum
The National Museum features a permanent free exhibition all about the fascinating history of Australia from 25,000 years ago up until present day including a world-record breaking amount of sheep's wool!
There are also featured exhibitions which are not permanent, but these come with an extra cost.
Take in the view from Mount Ainslie Lookout
Just behind the War Memorial, the view from Mount Ainslie gives you a brilliant overview of the layout of Canberra and a gorgeous panoramic view of the city.
You can park at the lookout or there is also a popular hiking trail starting from the Remembrance Nature Park up the Kokoda Trail, a walk of approximately one hour return.
Spot the disappearing Lake George
Although technically not in the Australian Capital Territory, Lake George is just to the east of Canberra and makes for a great trip out of the city. Lake George is considered a disappearing lake because sometimes it's full of water and sometimes it isn't! Best seen from the Weereewa Lookout, you're more likely to see water in this lake after rainfall.
Drive through Namadgi National Park
Much of the Australian Capital Territory outside the city of Canberra is taken up with Namadgi National Park, a rugged and beautiful landscape. We drove through the park from Canberra headed towards the Snowy Mountains, which is mostly an unsealed road, but fine to drive with 2WD (we managed in our Mercedes Sprinter!).
There is a beautiful lookout at Hospital Hill overlooking the gorgeous Namadgi Valley below.
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
