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Canberra National Zoo & Aquarium

April 20, 2021 / ACT, Australia, Travel / 0 comment

Canberra National Zoo & Aquarium

Visit Australia’s only combined zoo and aquarium and get up close to Aussie icons and endangered species at Canberra National Zoo & Aquarium.

Canberra National Zoo & Aquarium is spread over 47 picturesque acres. The animals have large enclosures and keepers who are dedicated to their care and enrichment. Animals living at the Canberra National Zoo & Aquarium have either been rescued and unable to be returned back to the wild or were bred as part of a regional breeding program.

The National Zoo & Aquarium contributes heavily in a large number of breeding programs designed to help save a number of animals from extinction. They also raise money through their National Zoo & Aquarium Conservation Trust (NZACT) to donate to a number of local and overseas conservation initiatives and charities.

NZACT (the National Zoo & Aquarium Conservation Team) is a volunteer organisation that works with the National Zoo & Aquarium to save some of the worlds most endangered species from extinction through breeding programs and educating zoo visitors as well as fundraising and donating to a number of local and overseas organisations, including Free the Bears, The Snow Leopard Trust, the RSPCA, 21st Century Tiger and Traffic.

The National Zoo & Aquarium is larger than it looks, so set aside the better part of a day to explore it all.

Be sure to check out daily keeper activities to learn more about the animals as they receive a feed or enrichment. On weekends and during school holidays, additional keeper talks are added to the schedule. Visitors also have the chance to meet or feed some of our the animals.

We did a tour of the National Zoo & Aquarium and really enjoyed learning from one of the experts about the animals who lived there.

Our keeper called every animal by name, down to the geese, and described their personality and individual circumstances such as how they came to be living there, as well as giving us further information about the species in the wild. It’s clear that these animals are very loved and cared for by their keepers.

The National Zoo & Aquarium has a large, excellent playground that will occupy kids for hours, so be sure to visit at the end of the day when you’ve seen everything else that you’ve got on your agenda.

Canberra National Zoo & Aquarium
Scrivener Dam, Yarralumla, Canberra, ACT 2611
Hours: Daily, Open 9:30am–5:00pm every day of the year, except Christmas Day.
https://nationalzoo.com.au

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Lennox Gardens & Nara Peace Park Canberra

March 30, 2021 / ACT, Australia, Travel / 0 comment

Lennox Gardens & Nara Peace Park Canberra

Stroll through the serene Lennox Gardens on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra. Lennox Gardens is the perfect spot for a relaxing family picnic or bbq with plenty of green space, shady trees, and the landscaped Beijing Garden and Canberra Nara Peace Park to explore.

Tucked away in a quiet spot on the foreshore, Lennox Gardens are a little gem of a spot. With a stunning backdrop including Black Mountain, the Brindabella Ranges and the city centre, Lennox Gardens are also where hot air balloons launch, so if you’re up early you might see them taking off and flying over the lake.

Lennox Gardens is home to two landscaped gifts from Japan and China; each celebrating the sister city links between Canberra, Beijing and Japan’s ancient capital, Nara.

The Beijing Garden is designed in the imperial Chinese garden style of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). It features a traditional Chinese welcome gate, Chinese stone sculptures and a Chinese pavilion.

Canberra Nara Peace Park features a small Japanese themed garden, traditional wooden gate and gazebo, and cherry blossom trees.

Find more things to do in Canberra with kids.

Lennox Gardens
Flynn Dr, Yarralumla ACT

Australian National Botanic Gardens

October 15, 2020 / ACT, Australia, Travel / 0 comment

Australian National Botanic Gardens

The heritage-listed Australian National Botanic Gardens are the perfect escape from the city hustle and bustle.

Established in 1949, the Gardens contains the most diverse collection of Australian native plants in one location anywhere in the world. There are 4,300 species to discover, spread over 35 hectares.

There are a range of walking trails to enjoy, as well as the Pollen Café, a Visitor Centre and Botanical Bookshop, wide open lawns and picnic tables.

Entry to the Gardens is free, but $3.50 per hour or $14.50 per day parking fees apply when using the on-site carpark.

The Main Path Loop is a great way to see everything. It’s 1.4km in length and takes about 40 mins to walk – longer if you stop frequently like we did. The path is both wheelchair and pram accessible.

We enjoyed the Children’s Discovery Trail – Who Did That?, which is an offshoot from the Main Path Loop. The 330m trail takes about 30 minutes to complete and is a great little interactive trail with engaging signage and the Paperbark Treehouse to climb.

The Gardens are broken up into themes of the Australian landscape, such as Red Centre Garden, Sydney Region Garden and Rainforest Gully. The Red Centre was a particular favourite of ours.

Get more ideas of things to do in Canberra with kids.

Australian National Botanic Gardens
Clunies Ross St, Acton ACT
Hours: Daily, 9am-5pm
https://www.anbg.gov.au/gardens/

Mount Ainslie Lookout: Top Things To Do In Canberra

September 9, 2020 / ACT, Australia / 0 comment

Mount Ainslie Lookout: Top Things To Do In Canberra

Enjoy the best views in Canberra from the Mount Ainslie Lookout in the Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve.

The lookout is located at the top of Mount Ainslie, at an elevation of 843 metres. You can drive, bike or walk to the summit, which is particularly lovely at sunrise and sunset.

The view from the Mount Ainslie Lookout is spectacular. Lake Burley Griffin and many of Canberra’s famous attractions can be seen from the top, including the Australian War Memorial and new and old Parliament Houses.

Canberra had a planned city layout in the shape of a triangle and from this point of view, the city’s beautiful geometry can be seen.

There is an abundance of bird life in the 637 hectare Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve, making the area popular for wildlife photographers.

A hotspot for photographers, the vista is complemented by the abundance of native birds and wildlife.

To access the lookout, take Mount Ainslie Drive from Fairburn Avenue in the suburb of Campbell. There is a car park at the top of the mountain at the lookout.

Get more information on visiting Mount Ainslie.

Find more things to do in Canberra with kids.

Quizzic Alley Canberra: Harry Potter Magic in Australia

September 4, 2020 / ACT, Australia, Travel / 0 comment

Quizzic Alley Canberra: Harry Potter Magic in Australia

Visit Australia’s most magical Harry Potter-themed store, Quizzic Alley, located in Fyshwick, ACT.

Quizzic Alley is the passion project of Michael and Penni Milton. Michael and Penni have stocked the store with the most incredible range of Harry Potter goods from all over the world, including lollies, board games, jewellery, toys, clothing and accessories like bags and wallets. Quizzic Alley carries the biggest range of Harry Potter merchandise in Australia.

The store has brought the magic of Harry Potter to life with incredible care to detail, with a flying Ford Anglia car that visitors can pose in, and amazing decorations hanging from the ceiling. It’s truly a transformative visit for any Harry Potter fan wishing to duck inside J.K Rowling’s magic world and lose themselves for a few moments.

Quizzic Alley also offers customers the opportunity to try their “QBrew” (the beverage of choice for witches and wizards everywhere).

Locals can book kids’ birthday parties at Quizzic Alley, or attend an adult-focused evening event.

Can’t make it to Canberra to visit in person? All good, Quizzic Alley delivers Australia-wide.

Find more things to do in Canberra with kids here.

Quizzic Alley
5 Pirie St, Fyshwick ACT
Phone 02-61798856
Hours: Wed-Fri 10am-5:30pm, Sat & Sun 10am-4pm, closed Mon & Tues
quizzicalley.com

Corin Forest Mountain Resort: The Perfect First Snow Experience

September 3, 2020 / ACT, Australia, Travel / 0 comment

Corin Forest Mountain Resort: The Perfect First Snow Experience

Give kids their first snow experience at Corin Forest Mountain Resort in the ACT. Corin Forest is the closest snow experience to Sydney.

Corin Forest is located in the Tidbinbilla Mountain Ranges, 45 minutes from Canberra. During the warmer months, Corin Forest is a place to picnic, ride the 1.2km Alpine Slide and visit neighbouring Square Rock, Gibraltar Falls and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

You can read more about visiting nearby Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve here.

In the winter months (often extending into spring), Corin Forest is the place to take kids to enjoy an affordable and fun first snow experience.

The Corin Forest Mountain Resort is a rustic lodge set among tall trees, in a beautiful secluded valley.

During the winter season, the lodge is a place to sit back and enjoy a wood fire pizza or hot chocolate after an exhilarating snow session. (In 2020, the lodge is open for takeaway only).

Beyond the lodge are an array of picnic tables around a picturesque lake, and the snowfields.

Corin Forrest offers very popular snow play sessions, beginner skiing or snowboarding.

Snowplay

We drove down to Corin Forest to experience the snow with their two-hour snowplay experience. The sessions for the school holidays and weekends book out a long way in advance, as they’re a bit of a bargain and the easiest way for most families to experience the snow.

During the snowplay sessions, families can ride a toboggan, build a snowman and generally just play in the snow. We had a lot of fun throwing snowballs at each other.

There are two snowplay areas that run next to each other, with staggered start times.

The capacity is limited, particularly in 2020, with 100 people per sessions permitted. Snow play is open until October 11th in 2020.

Entry to the snowplay area is a bargain $20 per person. You can hire a toboggan for an extra $5 and snow boots for $15. Jacket and pants rental as been suspended for 2020.

We visited in the middle of July and found it not overly cold temperature wise, but still were glad that we had rugged up. I would suggest wearing warm clothes with waterproof pants and jacket, gloves, water resistant boots, sunglasses and a beanie. Bring sunscreen as the glare can burn, and a change of dry clothes for the trip home.

Make sure to book your session as soon as possible so you don’t miss out.

Snowsports School

Corin Forest is also a great spot for beginners to learn to ski and snowboard. The ski slope features a “magic carpet” ski lift and is a nice, gentle slope to make learning to ski or board as easy as possible.

In 2020 ski and snowboarding lessons are operating with private lessons for groups of up to four people including an instructor. Lessons are available for adults and children over the age of 8.

Lessons include the use of ski/snowboard and helmets.

Lessons will be operating until September 7th 2020.

Ski + Ride

Experienced skiers or snowboarders can also enjoy the snow during the designated Ski + Ride sessions.

The Ski Hill will be operating until September 7th 2020.

Alpine Slide

The Alpine Slide descends 1.2km through the Mountain Ash forest. An hour session costs $25 per person.

In 2020 all sessions have a maximum capacity of 25 people so tickets will need to be booked in advance online.

General Info about visiting Corin Forest

For the majority of the winter season, Corin Forest is accessible to all cars. 4WD or snow chains are only needed a few days a season.

The snow at Corin Forest is mostly man-made. Natural snow falls around 6 days each winter.

Parking is unlimited and free.

There is no entry cost to Corin Forest.

You are welcome t bring your own food and enjoy it in the picnic area. Food is available for purchase in the cafe that serves hot and cold drinks, snacks and meals, and features a wood fired pizza oven. In 2020 the cafe is doing takeaway only.

I would suggest booking the first session of the day as that’s when the snow is freshest.

Every person entering the snowfield needs a ticket, even it it’s just to watch.

If you forget to bring gloves, you can buy a pair at the retail shop.

Clothing rental is usually available from the age of 4 to adult 5XL – however rentals are suspended in 2020.

I strongly suggest booking ahead as Corin Forest is extremely popular.

Find more things to do in Canberra with kids here.

Corin Forest Mountain Resort
1268 Corin Dam Rd, Paddys River ACT
https://www.corin.com.au

A Day At The National Museum of Australia, Canberra

March 12, 2019 / ACT, Australia, Travel / 0 comment

National Museum of Australia

The National Museum of Australia, in the nation’s capital Canberra, preserves and interprets Australia’s social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation.

The museum’s National Historical Collection is home to an impressive 210,000 objects representing Australia’s history and cultural heritage.

We particularly loved the 3x10m cast of the Aussie dinosaur Muttaburrasaurus in the main hall. The fossilised dinosaur was found on a sheep property near the town of Muttaburra in central-west Queensland in 1963. Palaeontologists named it Muttaburrasaurus langdoni. The Muttaburrasaurus was a herbivore who lived lived about 100–110 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period, when Australia was part of the Gondwana supercontinent.

Highlights at the National Museum of Australia

Journeys Exhibition

Explores the journeys of people across Australia and into the Pacific including Indigenous trade, exchange and ceremony, early explorers and settlers, migrants, travellers and tourists, plus modern day sportsmen and women, artists and scientists.

First Australians

The stories and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can be found in the largest gallery in the museum.

Landmarks

Australian history can be found in this exhibition, which tells the stories of first British colonies established on Aboriginal lands and how settlers spread across the country, discovered gold, developed our democratic government, grew agriculture, developed mining and manufacturing, and created our urban nation.

Old New Land

The land is the focus of this exhibition, including Australia’s diverse and unique plants and animals.

Kspace

National Museum of Australia, Canberra

An absolute must for kids! Kspace is an interactive adventure game for kids aged 5-12. Adults are welcome to participate too. Kspace lets visitors build their own time-travelling robot and then blast off into a mystery location in Australia’s past. Kspace takes about 30 minutes to complete.

Kspace is fun to play multiple times as each time you play the variables are different. You can create the robot differently and be sent to a different time period such as Victorian goldfields of 1854 or Sydney in the 1930s when the Harbour Bridge was being built. We were sent to the time of the dinosaurs.

The Antarctica Experience

A virtual reality film, screened daily, the Antarctica Experience costs $20 for admission and takes 30 minutes to complete. Not recommended for children under the age of 13.

The Museum Cafe

The cafe has a stunning view of Lake Burley Griffin. The menu features locally-made cakes and pastries, seasonal light meals and daily specials.

National Museum of Australia, Canberra

National Museum of Australia
Lawson Crescent
Acton Peninsula, Canberra
Hours: Daily, 9am-5pm (closed Christmas Day)
Cafe: Daily 9am–4.45pm
Prices: Free
Parking: 8.30am to 5pm weekdays, $2.90 per hour or $14 per day. Short-stay machines accept Visa, MasterCard and coins.
Online

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Canberra, Australia

March 11, 2019 / ACT, Australia, Travel / 0 comment

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is a 54.5 square kilometres protected area, on the fringe of Namadgi National Park in Canberra, Australia. Tidbinbilla is home to a wide range of wildlife including koalas, emus, kangaroos, platypus, wombats, potoroos, wallaroos, possums, water birds, echidnas, snakes and much more.

Located around 35km or 40 minutes drive from the Canberra CBD, Tidbinbilla is a fantastic spot to escape the city and enjoy wildlife and nature.

Visitor Centre

The first stop is the Visitor Centre, where you can pick up a map, shop for a unique gift or grab a coffee or light snack in the kiosk. There are many picnic and barbecue areas throughout Tidbinbilla however no proper cafes, so either grab a snack such as ice cream, hot pies and sausage rolls, cold drinks (vegetarian options available) or BYO food.

Pick up a map of the reserve and a kids nature trail. It has a list of animals to tick off and makes for a fun activity to encourage kids to keep their eyes peeled.

Tidbinbilla manages breeding programs for the critically endangered Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, the Tasmanian Bettong and the Northern Corroboree Frog, the last of which you can see at the Tidbinbilla Visitor Centre. The Rock-wallaby is shy but may be glimpsed in the Rock-wallaby habitat.

To enter the reserve requires passing through a gate and paying an entry fee. There are numerous walking trails throughout the reserve. The park rangers can advise on which is best for your individual needs and desires.

We wanted to see wildlife and a not-too-long walk so were recommended parking at the Ribbon Gum car park to access two walks, the Koala Path and Sanctuary Loop.

Koala Path

The Koala Path is a 700m return walk that takes around 20 minutes and is graded easy. There are plenty of koalas to be spotted here, as well as wombats, potoroos and wallabies.

Sanctuary Loop

The Sanctuary Loop is a 2.1 km return circular track that takes around 90 minutes and is graded easy. It consists of a series of interconnected habitat zones which are linked by a wheelchair-friendly walking trail. The Sanctuary is surrounded by a predator-proof fence, providing a safe refuge for the wildlife within.

The trail takes winding turns through various habitats including wetlands and bush. Animals such as Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies, platypus, echidnas, birds, and other animals can be seen here. We were lucky enough to spot platypus swimming and other visitors we ran into saw a large snake. We also saw beautiful swans and pelicans.

Nature Discovery Playground

A last stop on the way out, the Nature Discovery Playground is perfect for kids. I would suggest this area for a picnic after seeing the animals on the other walks.

The playground is sprawling and features various zones with a nature theme. There are play areas for different ages including slides, a flying fox and climbing equipment.

Know before you go

There are no bins at Tidbinbilla so take your rubbish with you.

No pets allowed.

No camping in the reserve.

Fires only permitted in authorised places.

Drive carefully and observe the 35 km speed limit for the safety of the wildlife.

A vehicle is required to access Tidbinbilla with a 15km ring road taking you through the Reserve.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
Paddy’s River Road,
Paddys River ACT

Access is off Paddy’s River Road, via Cotter Road (Weston Creek). An alternative route via Drakeford Drive, Woodcock Ave and Point Hut Crossing (Gordon) allows access via Tidbinbilla Road. Drive time is less than 20 minutes.

Hours: Visitors Centre daily 9am-5pm. reserve gates daily, winter 7:30am-6pm, summer 7:30am-8pm.
Parking: Entry fees are required to enter the park. A day pass is $13 for a vehicle with seats for up to 8 people.
Download the guide here.
tidbinbilla.act.gov.au

Find more things to to in Canberra here.

Blasting Off Into Space At The Canberra Deep Space Centre

March 11, 2019 / ACT, Australia, Travel / 0 comment

CSIRO – Tidbinbilla – Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex

The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex is a working Earth station located in Tidbinbilla in the ACT. Housed within the complex, the Canberra Space Centre features exhibits on the past, present and future of space exploration.

The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex opened in Tidbinbilla, about 35kms southwest of the city of Canberra, in 1965 to track the Apollo Lunar Module.

Canberra Space Centre

Canberra Space Centre offer visitors the opportunity to learn about Australia’s role in the exploration of space. The centre is not extremely large – its basically two large rooms joined together, but the rooms are packed with exhibits and information.

Of particular note are the piece of moon rock over 3.8 billion years old, Solar System images, spacecraft models, space hardware and special items of memorabilia from across the years. We all found it fascinating reading about what astronauts eat in space, seeing their authentic clothing and space suits and reading about disasters, challenges and victories made in space.

Several of the exhibits are interactive, making it a fun spot to take kids, as well.

Space enthusiasts will particularly enjoy seeing the largest steerable parabolic antenna in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Moon Rock Cafe is an excellent spot to have lunch or afternoon tea. We really enjoyed our meal and would highly recommend dining in.

The cafe has an indoor and outdoor under-covered seating area. The outdoor area is next to the fenced playground, which has a shade cloth, and is next to the public toilets.

I would suggest combining a visit to the Canberra Space Centre with seeing nearby Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. Together they make an excellent day trip.

It takes about 45 minutes to drive from the Canberra CBD to Tidbinbilla. It’s a very remote area so please note that mobile coverage in the area is limited, the roads are rough and the nearest petrol station is 25km away. Please drive carefully as it’s an area with lots of wildlife.

CSIRO – Tidbinbilla – Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex
421 Discovery Dr,
Paddys River ACT

Visitor Centre
Hours: Daily 9am-5pm
Prices: Free
Moon Rock Café
Hours: Daily 9:30am-4pm.
cdscc.nasa.gov

Find more things to do in Canberra here.

Making Dollars & Cents at the Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, Australia

February 5, 2018 / ACT, Australia, Travel / 0 comment

We’ve been talking a lot about money lately – how we earn it, how we need to be careful about spending it, and trying to instil the value of it with a 6-year-old. It only made sense then to visit the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra to continue the conversation in how money is made.

The Royal Australian Mint makes all of Australia’s circulating coins. It opened in 1965 and, since then, has produced over fourteen billion coins, with the capacity to produce two million coins per day. That’s a whole lotta cash!

It’s free to drop by the Mint, and, since it’s only a small building, it’s the perfect add-on to a day with other activities on the agenda.

On the ground floor, we enjoyed trying to count how many coins were in the giant coin feature at the entrance (Cheese guessed around 14 thousand, which they said was pretty close), and checking out all the limited edition and special release coins in the gift shop.

This is also where you can mint your own $1 coin (at a cost of $3) and take it home.

Tip: As soon as your skin touches the coin it is classed as being “circulated” and is only worth $1. If you carefully put it into the protective sleeve using, say, a your T shirt to protect it from your skin, then it’s classed as “uncirculated” and automatically worth $5.

Up the coin-filled stairs is the exhibition and factory viewing areas. We really enjoyed looking at some of Australia’s earliest currency, including the Holey Dollar and Dump, Australia’s first minted coins – made by a convicted forger.

The factory wasn’t in action when we visited on the weekend, so I would suggest visiting on a week day to see the coin-making in action. We did however still Titan, the Mint robot capable of lifting 1000 kilograms. He does a little wave and dance to keep himself active on days when he isn’t lifting coins.

I would highly suggest joining one of the free guided tours that are run seven days a week. They run for around 30 minutes – perfect for short attention spans. The guides have a lot of really interesting insights into the history of coins in Australia and detailed info on how they’re made at Mint.

On the tour you will hear some interesting stories about the history of coins in Australia and look out over the factory while you learn how coins are made.

If you’re after an extra activity there is a Mint Treasure Hunt in the My Visit to the Mint Activity Book available at the front desk or shop.

Royal Australian Mint
Denison St, Deakin ACT
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, Sat & Sun 10am-4pm
Tours: Mon-Fri 10am & 2pm, Weekends and Public Holidays 11am, 1pm & 2 pm.
Entry: Free
ramint.gov.au