After 3.5 amazing months in Tasmania, we returned to the mainland and Melbourne on the anniversary of our departure three years prior. From there we continued north to tick off our final state/territory of the country, Australian Capital Territory (ACT), with a visit to Canberra and the Snowy Mountains.
Canberra
Foreigners often mistakenly think Australia’s capital is Sydney or Melbourne, when in fact it is Canberra, located in ACT, between both cities. Politicians of the time made this diplomatic decision as a compromise to picking one of Australia’s major cities as the capital, as there was no clear consensus on either existing city.
Being the home of Australia’s political system and many of its politicians, Canberra is often seen in a negative light; however, the town itself, having been a planned city from its inception, has a certain geometric beauty in its layout, with a focus on natural greenery throughout the city. For a great overview of the city, Mount Ainslie offers the iconic view of Anzac Parade leading to Parliament Building across Lake Burley Griffin, named after the American architect Walters Burley Griffin, who played a major role in designing the city.
Many of Canberra’s museums are free of charge or low cost and range in topics from politics to art. Whether you’re a war buff or not, The Australian War Memorial is absolutely a must. Tickets are free of charge but need to be booked in advance. They provide a 2 hour window in which to view the many fascinating exhibits. We had to do two trips to see everything we wanted to see!
Other museums we found worth a visit were the National Gallery and the Museum of Democracy at Old Parliament House, but there are many more to choose from.
Namadgi National Park
Namadgi National Park, located about an hour southwest of Canberra, showcases some of the area’s beautiful scenery and offers walks of varying lengths and difficulties. Our main target for our visit at the time was an unofficial walk known as Legoland, a jumble of large boulders with plenty of nooks and crannies to explore, which leaves from near Honeysuckle Campground. Unfortunately, during our visit the area was shut for pest control so we didn’t have a chance to see it, but some of the photos of the place look amazing!
Nevertheless, there are still many other great spots in the park to explore. Gibraltar Falls, an easy 400m return walk, offers views of a beautiful rocky waterfall.
Booroomba Rocks is a 2.5km return walk with a bit of incline to a rocky cliff with scenic views of the surrounding countryside.
Snowy Mountains National Park
The Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales is the stuff of Australian legends, having become the subject of many books, songs, poems, and art, most notably “The Man from Snowy River” by Banjo Paterson. It has the popular ski fields of Perisher and Thredbo, along with Australia’s highest point, Mount Kosciuszko.
A great base to explore is the town of Jindabyne, which has that typical alpine town feel to it, with plenty of ski rental shops and cosy pubs and taverns. Jindabyne sits on the bank of Lake Jindabyne, part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme and popular for water activities during warmer months. The town is at its busiest during the winter months with everyone looking to hit the slopes and quietens down significantly during the rest of the year.
Summiting Mount Kosciuszko is a beautiful hike that will take most of a day to complete. From June to October, this track is snowbound, meaning you will need appropriate gear and navigation experience as the markers aren’t all visible. Prepare for any weather as it can quickly change, even in summer. Our visit was in May, and we layered up for most of the hike — but we are also more preferential to warm weather, so take that as you like!
There are two option for reaching the summit: an 18.6km return hike from Charlottes Pass, or a 13km return chairlift ride plus hike from Thredbo. Both options offer a fairly gradual incline throughout, making the hike very manageable. We opted for the Charlottes Pass route, which starts from the Charlottes Pass carpark, through a forest of snow gums, with their beautiful colour-streaked trunks.
Passing several mountain streams and the Snowy River, we carried on to Seamans Hut, a wonderfully kept mountain hut with informative signs on the history of the area.
Continuing along the track, you come to Rawsons Pass which has Australia’s highest toilet, before tackling the last stretch of the summit to reach the top. Don’t miss a photo opportunity with the summit sign, showing the altitude at 2228m (7310ft); we even brought some Kosciuszko beers to have at the top to celebrate!
From there you return along the same path, with the satisfaction of having tackled Australia’s highest peak, and can reward your efforts with a beer at Kosciuszko Brewing Company from Banjo Paterson Inn in town.
Whether exploring the political heart of the nation or trekking through alpine landscapes, a journey through Canberra, ACT, and the Snowy Mountains promises great adventures among natural beauty and historical and political significance. From here, we continued our trip north in search of warmer climates via the mid and northern New South Wales coastline.
