This doesn’t look like the Canberra from the days of my school excursions to Parliament House.
FAR from being just a city of roundabouts, freezing weather and pollies, the nation’s capital now offers some game-changing hotels and a plethora of funky cafes — not to mention its obsession with bike riding.
Over the Christmas break, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed visiting the nation’s capital.
After fighting my way through the traffic to get out of Sydney, I found Canberra so easy to get around — peak hour consisted of about seven cars. And there was a multitude of places to see, lots of wide open spaces and plenty of great bars and restaurants to keep me busy.
So how did I fill four nights in this often underrated city? Easy. Here are some of the highlights.
STAY: JAMALA WILDLIFE LODGE
Jamala Wildlife Lodge at the National Zoo and Aquarium is truly incredible. If you’ve ever been on a luxury safari in Africa this experience is very similar - without the mosquitoes, long flights and bumpy roads. Jamala has only been open a year but it has already collected a cabinet full of trophies and awards for its exquisite rooms, unique restaurant and attentive service.
Having a wine and feeding a giraffe — what fun.
Located just 10 minutes from Canberra’s CBD, the resort has 20 luxury rooms scattered across the zoo, each with their own animal encounter. If you’re in the tree house rooms you can feed Hummer the giraffe carrots over the balcony, while the Jungle Bungalows are luxurious individual suites, which adjoin either lion, cheetah, brown bear, or Malaysian sun bear enclosures.
@AustTraveller How's this for a bathroom - in a room with a Zoo! #JamalaWildlifeLodge http://pic.twitter.com/2TQJR3cExD
— Jamala WildlifeLodge (@jamala_lodge) June 9, 2015
The main lodge, which houses up to 26 people, has a pool and spa, a monkey enclosure and a built-in aquarium. Everything from the tea cups to the music playing in the equisite rooms has an African theme. And to boot — the all-inclusive accommodation includes pre-dinner drinks overlooking the zoo, a lavish three-course dinner (with an open bar) and breakfast eaten in view of the lions and hyenas. For families, the lodge also offers special children’s weekends where the kids are kept entertained while the adults have a communal dinner.
A gorgeous African lodge in the heart of Australia.
VISIT: NATIONAL ARBORETUM
If you need further proof about how much Canberra has improved then venture to the National Arboretum. This architect-designed armadillo-mimicking building with panoramic views over the city is Canberra’s newest attraction. Inside, it has a dramatic dome ceiling with huge curved timber beams. It’s home to around 48,000 trees that are growing across the huge 250-hectare site. Outside there’s a fantastic kids’ playground that would be reason alone for a visit.
The gorgeous buildings at the arboretum. Picture: Flickr rodtuk
Time to play.
The Duchess of Cambridge at the #nationalarboretumcanberra for the #RoyalVisitAus http://pic.twitter.com/vppR6qq3j0
— National Arboretum (@NatArboretum) April 24, 2014
EAT: QT CANBERRA
There’s a bunch of incredible restaurants in Canberra and one of the standouts is Capitol Bar & Grill inside the QT Canberra hotel in New Acton.
The funky, sprawling restaurant and bar on the ground floor is the QT’s crowning glory. Creative food director Robert Marchetti presents a fantastic Italian-inspired menu (the seasonal antipasto plate is divine, the rib eye is cooked to perfection and the profiteroles are deliciously drowned in a dark chocolate sauce). It isn’t cheap but it’s the stuff of food memories. This restaurant is doing everything right to ensure the words ‘Canberra’ and ‘boring’ will never be uttered in the same sentence again.
The hotel itself is full of chic rooms with cloud-soft beds, the signature QT cocktail station, free movies and wifi and a spy-themed minibar with everything from an emergency bowtie to an ‘intimacy kit’.
The #CapitolBarandGrill Ultimate Red Velvet & Beet Cake, now available on our October menu #QTCanberra http://pic.twitter.com/MRrnykVw4I
— QT Hotels & Resorts (@QT_Hotels) October 27, 2015
Mhmmm - Dry Aged Meat from #QTCanberra #CapitolBarandGrill! http://pic.twitter.com/QQgLMvErhp
— QT Hotels & Resorts (@QT_Hotels) January 6, 2016
Tony Abbott in neon! Watch him glow from your table at #QTCanberra #CapitolBarandGrill. http://pic.twitter.com/NPVRrl7Eb1
— QT Hotels & Resorts (@QT_Hotels) January 10, 2016
RIDE: LAKE BURLEIGH GRIFFIN
Cycling in Canberra is a pleasant experience, especially compared to Sydney.
Hire a bike from the QT Canberra hotel and you’re good to go.
The track around Lake Burley Griffin passes near many of the city’s major buildings and monuments — it’s a great way to spend a couple of hours in Canberra. A cycling map of Canberra is available from the Visitor’s Centre on Northbourne Avenue.
TASTE: FREAKSHAKES
Foodies have been known to travel from Sydney to Canberra just for the decadent milkshakes — and after visiting Patissez in the fashionable suburb of Manuka, I can see why. The Freakshow, an insanely delicious milkshake, has charmed the pants off sugar freaks. The Patissez Facebook page already has nearly 50,000 likes and many shining reviews. Anna Petridis and mum Gina, who appeared on My Kitchen Rules, are co-owners of the eclectic eatery.
Took some time to read & have a #FreakShake at #Patissez. It was awesome #bountyfreakshake #Canberra #hipsterfood http://pic.twitter.com/wnvDRJ86sc
— Dr Gretchen M Stolte (@Anthrobeader) December 14, 2015
The Freakshow milkshakes at Patissez are almost too good to be true.Source:Facebook
Patissez’s Apple Bombe — apple calvados mousse sphere filled with a salted caramelised apple crumble, dipped in white chocolate with a green glaze. Picture: Facebook Patissez
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@LeahMcLennan
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