Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory, famous for its historical oversight of the nation's Federal parliament. Lake Burleigh Griffin, Parliament House, National War Museum, National Art Gallery and much much more.

Home of the Royal Australian Mint, it was officially opened on Monday 22nd February 1965. The Australian Mint was commissioned to produce Australia’s decimal coinage, which was to be introduced into circulation on 14th February 1966. The Royal Australian Mint holds a place in history as the first mint in Australia not to be a branch of the Royal Mint, London. Since opening in 1965 the Mint has produced over eleven billion circulating coins and has the capacity to produce over two million coins per day, or over six hundred million coins per year. You can also watch from the elevated viewing gallery as money is being made - you'll see more money made in an hour than most of us make in a year! There are presentations running continuously in the theatrette that explain coins and coin production, displays of coins dating back to the First Fleet and a coin shop where you can browse among a wide range of collector coins and medallions. What's more, you can operate a coin press to mint your very own $1.00 coin. The coin you make will have a "C" mint mark, indicating that it has been made in Canberra. The mark sets it apart from the normal circulating dollar coins.
 

The Canberra Museum and Gallery integrates visual arts and social history in a range of exciting exhibitions, projects and education programs, which explore Canberra's cultural and social issues and possibilities for Canberra's future. Housing a permanent collection, Reflecting Canberra, and a variety of local, national and international exhibitions, Canberra Museum and Gallery provides an insight into the integration of social history and the visual arts.

The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex is a part of NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN), an international network of antennas that support interplanetary spacecraft missions, and radio astronomy observations for the exploration of the Solar System and beyond. The DSN consists of three tracking stations around the world linked to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The other DSN stations are in Goldstone, California, and north of Madrid, Spain. The Complex at Tidbinbilla features four giant antennae. The main antenna is known as Deep Space Station 43 (DSS-43). At 70-metres in diameter, and weighing more than 7.5 million kg, it is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The 26-metre antenna - DSS-46 - played a significant role in space history receiving the first pictures of Neil Armstrong's historic "giant leap for mankind" on the Moon in July 1969. Take a look around the Canberra Space Centre, the visitors' information centre of the Complex. There you can see a sizeable piece of 3.8 billion year old Moon rock, watch a space movie, check out what the well-dressed astronaut wears, and get the latest space news. The Moon Rock Café and Gift Shop, adjacent to the Centre, is also a great place to relax, grab a bite to eat, and sit back and enjoy views over the antenna Complex. Open 365 days, entry to the Canberra Space Centre is FREE!

ACT's (and Australia's Capital) Canberra affords the astute shopper some great bargains through its new Antiques and Collectables Centre. Over one dozen local and interstate dealers selling everything from Australian to art deco, from tribal art to books, furniture, quality bric-a-brac, top of the range Royal Doulton, Shelley, Carlton ware. Great variety with something for everyone in pleasant surroundings. Several other antique outlets are near by.

The Kamberra Wine Company was established in September 2000 and comprises of a tourism complex together with a 2,500 tonne winery, cellar door, the Meeting Place Winery Cafe, function facilities, amphitheatre and winery tours. It is Australia's newest urban winery and services the biggest ever vine planting in the ACT. The name Kamberra is derived from the indigenous name given to the limestone plains on which the national capital was built, and its translation is Meeting Place. Kamberra Wines are crafted from fruit sourced from the Canberra region. They display intense regional and varietal characters and pay tribute to the immense quality and potential of the district. The Canberra wine region has grown significantly since the re-establishment of wineries in the early 1970s due to its ideal climatic conditions for viticulture. Today there are over 20 wineries and 140 vineyards. The Kamberra Wine Tourism Complex comprises a 4,000 tonne winery, a cellar door with a wine tasting hall incorporating regional wine displays, the Kamberra Art Gallery, the Meeting Place Bistro, the Federation VIP Function Centre and over seven hectares of landscaped gardens, waterways, and vineyards.


 

(Photo source: Reto Jeger)	Canberra: Parliament House

We recommend only fully licensed and insured/registered International Travel Agents. If you are considering booking travel we recommend the following travel agents and their websites are a good place to start:
Australian Discount Travel & Tours via their knowhowtravel website,
We recommend and endorse the International travel agency Travel With A Cause Inc (a not for profit travel agency assisting several projects in many developing countries).

We recommend Australian Discount Travel & Tours for both Australian and international travel bookings