ITINERARY

seven DAYS IN the

Australian Capital Territory

Canberra – Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve – Namadgi National Park – District Wine Region – Murrumbidgee River Corridor

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is home to Australia’s capital Canberra, a vibrant place with many of the country’s major museums and institutions. Beyond Canberra discover wineries, national parks and nature reserves.

AT A GLANCE DAY ONE

Canberra is a compact city; the best ways National Gallery of Australia. There to get around are on a bicycle using the are more than 100,000 pieces of art extensive bicycle-path network or by here, including major international and using the hop-on, hop-off Explorer Bus. Australian artworks, such as Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles and Sidney Nolan’s This morning head to the , Ned Kelly series. at the summit of Black Mountain. Standing 195-metres (640-feet) it offers panoramic views across Canberra and Canberra Highlights the surrounding countryside. > Take in panoramic views of Canberra and the surrounding countryside from Next, visit the National Museum of Telstra Tower Australia, where you can learn about all > 6 nights Canberra (optional 2 nights aspects of Australian history, including > Learn about Australian history and in Canberra District Wine region) Aboriginal culture. Aboriginal culture at the National Museum of Australia > Final day drive Canberra to Another option is a visit to the Australian > Hear the stories of the people and Batemans Bay (2 hours) or War Memorial. A monument to Australian events that shaped Australia at the taroops, it also serves as a museum, with > Drive Canberra to Jindabyne in the (2 hours) interactive displays, including a re-created World War One trench. > Discover international and Australian artworks at the After lunch, take a stroll beside Lake National Gallery of Australia Burley Griffin, before heading to the

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DAY TWO

It’s an early start today for a balloon flight over the city.

From here make your way to the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. There are several walking trails and prolific wildlife, including grey , red- DAY THREE necked wallabies, swamp wallabies, koalas, cockatoos and emus. Explore Namadgi National Park today homes in the snow-gum woodlands, fern either alone or on a tour. The park makes gullies, wetlands, and wildflower plains. Other highlights include a walkway up more than half the ACT. You can climb across a waterbird wetland, and the or abseil on the granite rock outcrops, go Namadgi National Park Birrigai Rock Shelter – an ancient fishing for trout, mountain bike along the Aboriginal camping place that was fire trails, or bushwalk in the wilderness. > Climb or abseil granite rock outcrops, used for 21,000 years. fish for trout, mountain bike fire trails There are Aboriginal campsites, or bushwalk On the way back to the city, stop ceremonial stone arrangements, rock art > Discover Aboriginal sites including rock off at the Canberra Deep Space sites, an ancient Aboriginal stone quarry, art sites Communications Complex. The and places where Aboriginal people centre’s four giant dish antennas track harvested bogong moths for food. > Explore snow-gum woodlands, fern various spacecraft. It’s only one of gullies and wildflower plains meeting three such facilities in the world. Kangaroos and wallabies are common, kangaroos and wallabies along the way and plenty of other creatures make their In the visitor centre you can find a piece of the moon, check out the latest images from Mars, and look at DAYS FOUR & FIVE spacecraft models, space hardware, and various astronaut displays. It’s a more relaxed day today with a charming bed-and-breakfast options, day Canberra Highlights wine tour of the ACT. You’ll find more spas, top-notch restaurants, wineries, than 30 boutique cellar doors within and local artisan products. > Admire Canberra’s lakes and 35 minutes of Canberra’s city centre, valleys as the sun rises, on a hot including several that rank alongside Highlights Canberra District air balloon flight Australia’s best. The Canberra District Wine Region > See Australian native animals Wine Region is best known for its Shiraz including grey kangaroos, koalas and Reisling, but many other varieties are > Sample cool climate wines at over and emus in the Tidbinbilla also available. 30 cellar doors Nature Reserve Enjoy wine tasting and meet the wine- > Meet the wine-maker and learn more > Explore one of the worlds leading maker at boutique cellar doors, and if you about the wine making process space facilities, the Canberra Deep are hungry there are plenty of gourmet > Discover local artisan products, Space Communication Complex eateries to choose from too. You could wineries, day spas and regional veer off along the Poachers Way for eateries along the Poachers Way

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DAY SIX DAY SEVEN

Today, explore the Murrumbidgee River There are two major touring options Corridor, just a 20 minute drive from today, both taking you into areas Canberra (Uriara Crossing). where you could easily stay for some time. The Murrumbidgee River rises in the Snowy Mountains and joins the The first is a scenic journey to the

mighty Murray River. The corridor is nearby Australian Alps. Australia’s made up of the river and a narrow alpine national parks system covers strip of land on either side. These an area extending from the ACT into have been set-aside as nature and and Victoria. recreation reserves. Come here in spring and walk through The area is ideal for swimming off wildflower meadows, go trekking and sandy beaches, fishing for trout, horse riding in the warmer months, canoeing, bushwalking, picnicking, and skiing in winter. bird watching and wildlife spotting. USEFUL LINKS Otherwise, you could head towards The Murrumbidgee Discovery Track the coast. It’s a pleasant drive from is an iconic river walk that follows Canberra to Batemans Bay. From here Visit Canberra the Murrumbidgee for 27 kilometres you can explore a series of beautiful www.visitcanberra.com.au (17 miles). You can walk the track coves and beaches, historic fishing Canberra Day Tours in sections. towns, and extensive national parks. www.canberradaytours.com.au

National Museum of Australia Murrumbidgee River Corridor Highlights www.nma.gov.au Highlights > Climb , Australia’s Australian War Memorial > Meet a colourful array of birds on tallest peak, explore wildflower www.awm.gov.au the Woodstock Nature Reserve Walk meadows in spring or try skiiing in (2 hours) winter in the Australian Alps National Gallery of Australia www.nga.gov.au > Swim, kayak and fish at Casuarina > Discover New South Wales scenic Sands South Coast from Batemans Bay, Canberra Deep Space sample fresh Australian seafood, Communication Complex > Hike part of the Murrumbidgee visit beautiful beaches and coves, www.cdscc.nasa.gov Discovery Track river walk pristine national parks and historic Poachers Way fishing towns www.thepoachersway.com.au